Tag: fr richard clarke

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the SUN of JUSTICE, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The INCARNATION, The WORD, THEOLOGICAL

Quote/s of the Day – 23 September – Thou art the Christ, Whom we love above all things …

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11; Matthew 16:13-19– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God!”

Matthew 16:16

“Truly blessed is he who cleaves,
with his thought, to the Prayer of Jesus,
constantly calling to Him in his heart,
just as air cleaves to our bodies,
or the flame to the candle.”

St Hesychius of Jerusalem (Died c450)
Priest, Exegete, Father

“Taking up the newborn Emmanuel,
Mary beheld a Light incomparably fairer
than the sun and saw a Fire,
which water cannot quench.
She received, in the covering of Flesh
Whom she had borne,
the Light, Who enlightens all things
and she was worthy,,
to carry in her arms,
the Word, Who carries the universe!”

St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)
Bishop, Cistercian Monk

“Charity is an infused virtue,
by which we love God for His Own Sake
and above all things and our neighbour as ourselves,
for the love of God.
It is the best gift which God Himself can give,
the gift compared to which,
all other gifts are insignificant and worthless.
It is the end and aim, the perfection
and the crown of the Christian life.
If we possess it, we have all things;
if we possess it not, we have nothing;
we are miserable and wretched and poor
and blind and naked before God.
Pray that God may teach you to know
and to love His Divine gift.”

Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

(The Definition of Charity
What is Charity?)

Posted in ACT of LOVE, ACT of REPARATION, EUCHARISTIC, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, EUCHARISTIC ADORATION and Nocturnal, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, Our MORNING Offering, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, SACRED HEART REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 22 September – Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to make amends for the outrages He suffers in the Blessed Sacrament

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Our Morning Offering – 22 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – Pentecost XVIII

Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
to make amends for the outrages He suffers
in the Blessed Sacrament
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

Grant me, O Sacred Heart,
by Thine own sweetness
and boundless mercy,
the pardon which I ask for,
and give me grace to keep
the resolution, which I now make,
to do all I can in the future ,
to pay Thee, in the Sacrament of Thy Love,
the profound adoration which I owe Thee
and to show Thee that gratitude
and love which are justly due to Thee.
I resolve to repair my past faults
by the modesty of my deportment
in Thy churches,
by my constancy in visiting Thee,
my devotion and fervo.r in receiving Thee
and, in fulfilment of Thy desire,
I impose upon myself the duty of often
repeating Acts of Reparation
in Thy Presence, as Thou hast deigned to direct,
in order, as far as I can, to atone
for the injuries done Thee by others
and of which Thy very love
makes Thee the Victim in this Divine Sacrament.

Bless, I beseech Thee, this resolve
and give me grace to keep it faithfully.
Amen

Posted in ACT of LOVE, ACT of REPARATION, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, franciscan OFM, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, QUOTES on WISDOM, The BEATITUDES, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 20 September – Humility

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – The Vigil of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist – Wisdom 5:16-20; Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the Kingdom of God.”

Luke 6:20

“If thou wouldst see well, pluck out thine eyes and be blind;
if thou wouldst hear well, be deaf
and if thou wouldst speak well, become dumb;
if thou wouldst advance, stand still
and advance with thy mind;
if thou wouldst work well, cut off thy hands
and work with thy heart;
if thou wouldst love much, hate thyself;
if thou wouldst live well, mortify thyself;
if thou wouldst gain much and be rich,
first lose all and become poor
and if thou wouldst enjoy peace, afflict thyself
and be ever in fear and suspect thine own self;
if thou wouldst be exalted and have great honour,
humble and abase thyself;
if thou wouldst be held in great reverence, despise thyself
and do reverence to him who reviles thee;
if thou wouldst that it should be well with thee,
suffer all evil things and if thou wouldst be blessed,
desire that all should speak ill of thee
and if thou wouldst have true and eternal rest,
then toil and suffer and desire to have every temporal affliction.
O what great wisdom it is to know how to do
and to work out these things.”

Blessed Giles of Assisi (c1190-1262)

“If you seek an example of humility,
look upon Him Who is Crucified,
although He was God, He chose to be judged
by Pontius Pilate and put to death. …
If you seek an example of obedience,
imitate Him Who was obedient to the Father
“even to death” (Phil 2:8).
“For just as through the disobedience
of one person, Adam,
the many were made sinners,
so through the obedience of One,
the many will be made righteous” (Rom 5:19). .
If you seek an example of contempt
for earthly things,
imitate Him Who is “King of kings
and Lord of lords” (1 Tm 6:15),
“in whom are hidden
all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge” (Col 2:3).
On the Cross He was stripped naked,
ridiculed, spat upon, bruised,
crowned with thorns,
given to drink of vinegar and gall.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Angelic Doctor of the Church

“We must make many acts of humility
before we can attain any proficiency in the virtue.
Our acts of humility must consist,
not merely in protesting to Almighty God
that we are vile and worthless ,in His sight
and in humbling ourselves before Him
by reason of our many sins.
Our acts of humility must be practiced
towards others by being very gentle
towards those who provoke us,
by bearing contradictions with patience,
by accepting disappointments with patience
and rebuffs without complaint.
All this is a gradual process
and we must not expect proficiency in humility
until we have long practiced these means to attain it.”

Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

(The Attainment of Humility)
https://anastpaul.com/2024/06/09/thought-for-the-day-9-june-the-attainment-of-humility/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, franciscan OFM, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of PETITION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, The SECOND COMING, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 19 September – Patience, Perseverance, Prayer

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Quote/s of the Day – 19 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – Hebrews 10:32-38; Matthew 24:3-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But he who shall persevere
to the end,
he shall be saved.”

Matthew 24:13

“For patience is necessary for you
that, doing the Will of God,
you may receive the promise.
For yet a little and a very little while
and He that is to come, will come
and will not delay.”

Hebrews 10:36-37

A Brother said to Brother Giles:
“ Father, I have seen other men who received from God
the grace of devotion and of tears in their prayers
and I cannot feel in myself any such grace,
when I go to worship God.”
To whom Brother Giles answered:
“My Brother, I counsel thee to persevere humbly
and faithfully in thy prayers;
for the fruits of the earth cannot be had without toil
and labour applied beforehand
and even after we have laboured,
the desired fruit does not follow immediately
but only in its season, when the fullness of time has come.”

Blessed Giles of Assisi (c1190-1262)

Grant Me, My God
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Angelic Doctor, Common Doctor

Make my heart watchful, O God,
so that no vain thoughts may distract it from Thee.
Make it noble,
so that it may never be seduced by any base affection.
Make it steadfast,
so that troubles may not dismay it.
Make it free,
so that it may not yield to the onslaughts of passion.
Grant me, my God,
the intelligence, to understand Thee,
the love, to seek Thee,
the wisdom, to find Thee,
words, to please Thee,
the perseverance, to wait faithfully for Thee
and, the hope of embracing Thee, at last.
Grant that I, a repentant sinner,
may bear Thy chastisements with resignation.
Poor pilgrim which I am,
may I draw on the treasury of Thine grace
and may I one day,
be eternally happy with Thee in Heavnely glory!
Amen.

“But, it is not all suffering
which has this wholesome effect
but only suffering borne with patience.
If we are impatient, rebellious, unresigned –
our suffering maybe an occasion of fresh trouble,
rather than of peace. I must accept it
from the Hand of God, if it is to bring with it
that quiet tranquillity which I have never yet attained
as I fight. I must bow my head and place myself
in God’s Hands to suffer, as He pleases,
whatever He pleases, as long as He pleases.
This is the only road to solid peace!”

Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
(The First Fruit of Patience: – Peace)

Posted in INDULGENCES, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, PRAYERS on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The SIGN of the CROSS

SEPTEMBER – Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross

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SEPTEMBER

Month of The Seven Sorrows
of the Blessed Virgin Mary and
The Holy Cross

The Seven Sorrows of
the Blessed Virgin Mary

1, The prophecy of Simeon
2. The Flight to Egypt
3. Loss of Child Jesus for 3 days
4. Meeting Jesus carrying His Cross
5. The Crucifixion of Jesus
6. The Pieta – receiving Jesus’ Body
The Burial of Jesus

Bid me bear, O Mother Blest,
On my heart, the wounds imprest,
Suffered by the Crucified!

An Indulgence of 50 days each time.
Plenary Indulgence once a month under the usual conditions.

“Yet, after all, it is reasonable that the charitable should suffer when we remember that the Lord and model of all charity, suffered all things simply because of His charity. What else caused His Agony in the Garden, His cruel Scourging at the Pillar, and His dereliction on the Cross? It was all the result of His Divine Charity.
We, therefore,, if we are to follow in His steps, must expect to encounter the same results as a reward for any charity if it resembles His, however remotely. If we are wise, we shall rejoice in any sign that we are to be honoured by sharing our Master’s lot!” Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

Relic of the Holy Cross
Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, CHRIST the LIGHT, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HOPE, The LAMB of GOD

Thought for the Day – 22 August – Charity in Heaven – the Final Meditation

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Thought for the Day – 22 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

Charity in Heaven – The Final Meditation

Some virtues will not enter into the door of the Celestial Paradise, inasmuch as, they imply some sort of imperfection, in the nature of him, who possesses them or, the circumstances among which he lives.
Such are faith, hope, prudence and so forth.
However, one virtue is not only welcome in Heaven,but, reigns there supreme.
The very atmosphere of Heaven is nothing else, than an atmosphere of charity. To the Saints and Angels, it is the very breath of their life. It is the light which enlightens the celestial City.

When we read that the glory of God enlightens the Heavenly Jerusalem and that the Lamb is the Light thereof, Saint John is speaking of that Charity with which God has identified Himself and which shone amongst men in Christ our Lord.
Each Saint in Heaven, will shine with a radiance proportioned to his charity and will enjoy happiness, the extent of which, will be commensurate with his charity.
When I shall be judged by the standard of charity, shall I be found fit for Heaven at all?

Charity is, moreover, the Queen of Heaven and, therefore, may be identified with Our Lady, who, next to her Divine Son, was its earthly ideal. This is why she is the Mother of Mercy and why, we fly to her protection in all our troubles. She reigns supreme in Heaven and her Sovereignty is due to her charity. This is why she is the most powerful of all our intercessors, the most loving, the most compassionate, the most tender and, the most full of pity for sinners.
To thee then, O Mother of Charity, I will fly and will beg of thee, to obtain for me, from thy Divine Son, more and more of His unspeakable Charity!

Posted in "Follow Me", CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 21 August – The Charity of Jesus Christ

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Thought for the Day – 21 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Charity of Jesus Christ
“The Charity of Christ surpasseth all knowledge”

(Ephesians 3:19)

In what did the Charity of Christ consist?
(1) In an Infinite self-abasement for our sakes. From the Throne of God, He humbled Himself to the form of sinful man.
(2) In a sacrifice of Himself which passes all comprehension. He gave up the Infinite joy of Heaven, for the sufferings of this vale of tears.
(3) In the endurance of mental and bodily agony, of desolation and dereliction.
One moment of these would have crushed the life out of the strongest of men.

Try to realise those familiar truths and see what a contrast your life is to His.
What are the chief points of contrast?
(1) Christ humbled Himself for the good of others. I seek to exalt myself at their cost.
(2) Christ gave up His life of perfect happiness that He might make others happy.
I am willing to sacrifice little or nothing, my aim is to make myself happy, not others.
(3) Christ endured unspeakable agony to save men from the agony they well deserved.
I complain of the least discomfort. As to giving up my joys and pleasures for others and enduring misery for their sakes, I would not even think of it.

Yet, I consider myself a good Christian and speak glibly of treading in the Footsteps of Christ.
I expect to be admitted to Heaven as one of His friends and followers. What will He say to me when I present myself? Will He recognise in me, any likeness to Himself or any vestige of His Divine Charity?
O my God, I must be very different from what I have been, if I am to present myself with confidence before Thee, as one whose charity is like to the Charity of Christ!

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD is LOVE, QUOTES on CHARITY

Thought for the Day – 20 August – The Charity of God

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Thought for the Day – 20 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Charity of God

Among all the Divine perfections, charity is the only one with which God our Lord absolutely identifies Himself. We do not read in the Word of God that God is power, or God is wisdom but, we do read and this not once only, that God is Charity (John 4:8, 26).
God, therefore, desires that this aspect of His Divine Nature should be continually before our minds and that we should dwell on His Love for us, more than on any other of His attributes.

When God appeared on earth, it was but natural that the perfection, most characteristic of His Divine Nature, should manifest itself most clearly, through the veil of His Humanity, that, among the qualities acquired, by His Sacred Humanity, from the Hypostatic Union, the foremost should be that with which He most completely identifies Himself.
Who can study our Lord’s Life on earth, without recognising, above all, His unbounded Charity and the intensity of His Love for us?

We notice another phase of this Love in Jesus Christ which helps us to acquire great confidence in the Love of God.
His Charity was, above all, a Charity to sinners. He had a sort of preference for them; they were His friends and companions. He sought them out and His Charity to them knew no bounds.
From this, we clearly learn, the true nature of God’s Charity to man. God Loves sinners now, He has always Loved them and He will always Love them as He Loved them when he was on earth.
What confidence I should derive for myself from this thought and what charity and commiseration, should I derive for others!

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, CHRIST the JUDGE, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on JUDGING, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on VICE, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 19 August –Charity, Our Protection – “Charity shall Cover a multitude of Sins”

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Thought for the Day – 19 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

Charity, Our Protection
“Charity shall Cover a multitude of Sins”

One of the characteristics of charity is that it always looks to the bright side of things. It seeks to bring out all that is good in others while concealing their sins. It does not notice their sins. It does not allude to their sins unnecessarily, whether they are committed directly against man or against God. It has a happy knack of forgetting their sins or seeming to forget them. It covers their sins from the eyes of men and even seeks to obliterate them before God by the prayers it offers for the offender.
Is this my spirit? Do I not rather cover the virtues of others and disclose their faults?!

In this respect, it is especially true that we shall be treated as we treat others.
“With what judgement you judge, you shall be judged,” says our Lord.
If we pass the severe sentence of harsh criticism onto others, our sentence will be severe. If we make little of their faults and much of their virtues, God will do the same to us. What utter folly to prepare for ourselves a harsh verdict at the tribunal of Christ, by our condemnation of others here below!

On the other hand, Charity shall cover a multitude of sins. If we have been always men of charity, it is wonderful how God will seem to have forgotten our many sins.
The poor whom we have helped will pray for us, those whom we have comforted in sorrow, will say kind things on our behalf and our charitable judgeement of others, will find its counterpart in God’s judgement of us.
Our sins will be concealed and disappear under the mantle of our charity.
Is my charity such as this to cover my sins?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD is LOVE, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING

Thought for the Day – 18 August – The Gratitude of Charity – “We love Him because He first Loved us”

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Thought for the Day – 18 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Gratitude of Charity
“We love Him because He first Loved us”

Perfect charity loves God for His Own sake, independently of any thought of ourselves. However, perfect charity, is preceded and accompanied by, a charity which has, at least, an indirect reference to ourselves. The love of God, first springs up within our hearts because, of the Love which He has shown to us. We think of all He has done for us and we recognise therein, a clear proof of His Love.
Love begets love and we cannot help being drawn towards One, Who has, thus gratuitously, manifested towards us, a charity to which we owe all which is really precious in our lives and all the good gifts we possess.
How then can we fail to be attracted towards Him, Who has shown such Love for us?

This love of gratitude, is not the same, as the love of concupiscence and, not the same, as the pure love of friendship. It most resembles the latter and always enters into it.
Without some sort of gratitude, friendship would be mere admiration; the personal element necessary to love, would be wanting. When a Saint dwells with rapture on the Divine perfections, there is always present to his mind, a remembrance of all God has done for him. Do I, with gratitude, ever recount to myself all God has done for me?

This element of charity is present in the charity of the Saints in Heaven. Their song will not only be, “We give Thee thanks because, Thou hast taken to Thyself, great glory and hast reigned” but also “because Thou hast redeemed us to God in Thine own Blood.”
The song, I must seek to sing in my heart, here on earth says, “Thanks to God, first for His great glory and then for His goodness and love to me.”

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 17 August – The Perseverance of Charity- “Charity never falleth away”

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Thought for the Day – 17 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Perseverance of Charity
“Charity never falleth away”

We are all anxious to persevere to the end.
We know, without perseverance, all else is of no avail.
Of what use was it to the Israelites who perished in the desert for their sins, to have escaped from Egypt, safely crossed the Red Sea and toiled for years over the sandy plains? What use to Solomon to have been dear to God and endowed with supernatural wisdom, if, as some think, he did not persevere to the end?
Therefore, all our graces are of no avail but rather, tend to our condemnation, if we, in the end, fall away and are lost.

Yet, who can be certain of perseverance?
Who does not tremble at the thought of his own insecurity? We may have great gifts but they will not save us – talent, activity, zeal, courage, prudence, will be useless to us. Even faith will not save us – the devils believe and tremble! – and hope, may degenerate into presumption, or may disappear and leave us at the last, to an eternal despair.

How then are we to be safe?
One thing alone never falleth away.
One virtue alone will carry us unharmed through every danger.
If we have in our hearts that supernatural gift of God which fears nothing as much as offending Him, then we are safe! Faith may grow dim and all sorts of doubts may present themselves to our minds. Hope may seem to have disappeared altogether. All may look black and dark but, if we can say from our hearts that with God’s aid, we would do, or suffer anything, rather than offend Him, then we have in our hearts that supernatural charity which unites us to God and ensures our entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, “for Charity never falleth away.”
Do I believe from my heart that, with God’s loving assistance, I would do, or suffer, anything, rather than offend Him? Do I tell Him?!

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SELF-DISTRUST

Thought for the Day – 15 August – The Hopefulness of Charity – “Charity hopeth all things”

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Thought for the Day – 15 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Hopefulness of Charity
“Charity hopeth all things”

How common and how fatal an evil is discouragement! Half of our enterprises fail,, simply because we become discouraged. More than half of our faults are owing to discouragement. We lose heart and, therefore, fail in the necessary perseverance. We become despondent and seek to console ourselves, by some earthly pleasure or perhaps, sinful indulgence. No general who was discouraged ever won a victory and, no sinner who lost heart, ever became a Saint or even turned to God, as long as the despondency remained.

Yet, it is no easy thing to keep up our courage and our hope. We so often fail and failures are discouraging. We commit so many faults; yet, nothing saps our courage, as much as the consciousness of having done wrong.
Then too, there are continual impediments and obstacles in our way, the neglect and indifference shown by others to our work, the opposition we meet and a thousand things more. Too often, these are causes of discouragement to all who are working for God.
We ought not to be discouraged by them, for often, difficulties and opposition are the best signs of coming success!

How are we to keep courage and to be always hopeful? The only chance for us lies in our keeping God always before us and forgetting ourselves, as far as possible which depends on the degree of our charity.
When self prevails, eventually hope disappears; when God is predominant, hope springs up in our heart, for “Charity hopeth all things.”
I shall have strong confidence and a certainty of final success, if I have a fervent charity.

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, THEOLOGICAL

Thought for the Day – 14 August – The Faith of Charity – “Charity believeth all things”

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Thought for the Day – 14 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Faith of Charity
“Charity believeth all things”

Faith is a preliminary gift of God, without which, charity is impossible.
No-one can do any work which is pleasing in His sight, unless that person believes in God and is ready to accept whatever God has revealed. Works of benevolence are not works of charity, if he who performs them, does not possess this belief. The charity which rests on a feeble faith, will always be itself feeble. He who minimises, in matters of faith, will generally have a minimum of charity.
Hence, pray for a loyal readiness to believe, that so you may obtain, an intense charity.

Charity, while it believes all things which God has revealed, is the reverse of credulous.
Charity is the bitter enemy of superstition and carefully examines the claims of any doctrine, or the proofs of any fact which are not already vouched for, by authority.
It is no act of faith or of charity, to swallow some unauthenticated statement.
We should prove all things and hold fast only to that which is good. The Saints never were credulous or given to believe in portents, omens, or apparitions, unless, bearing the mark of the Finger of God.

Charity supplements faith and it strengthens it.
The stronger our love of God, the stronger will be our belief in all which He has revealed.
When love waxes cold, faith becomes faint. No man ever loses his faith without first wilfully estranging himself from God, by deliberate mortal sin.
If I want a strong faith, I must cultivate a fervent charity. My ready acceptance of all God has revealed, will be in proportion, to my love of Him.
If I have difficulties in belief, is it because there are gaps and defects in my charity?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, OUR Cross, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 13 August – The Sufferings of Charity – “Charity beareth all things”

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Thought for the Day – 13 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Sufferings of Charity
“Charity beareth all things”

If anyone deserves to be exempt from suffering, it is someone who is full of the spirit of charity.
Suffering is indeed necessary to expiate sin, to humble our pride and to show us our own misery. Why should the charitable have to bear all kinds of trials simply because of their charity? Yet so it seems. Generally, the law seems to be – the more charity, the more suffering. Perhaps this is why I have comparatively little to suffer?

Yet, after all, it is reasonable that the charitable should suffer when we remember that the Lord and model of all charity, suffered all things simply because of His charity. What else caused His Agony in the Garden, His cruel Scourging at the Pillar, and His dereliction on the Cross? It was all the result of His Divine Charity.
We, therefore,, if we are to follow in His steps, must expect to encounter the same results as a reward for any charity if it resembles His, however remotely. If we are wise, we shall rejoice in any sign that we are to be honoured by sharing our Master’s lot!

These sufferings are a source of joy to all who suffer for Jesus’ sake.
He rejoiced to run the course of His Passion because of His longing to see those He loved delivered from bondage. For the joy which was set before Him, He endured the Cross. Thus, charity rejoices to suffer because charity knows those sufferings will obtain for it, in Heaven, the eternal joy of seeing others brought to God by its offering to Him, of all that it holds dear.
Even if I have heavy trials, can I flatter myself that my trials are a sign of a high degree of supernatural charity?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 11 August –The Attitude of Charity to Sin“ – Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity”

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Thought for the Day – 11 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Attitude of Charity to Sin
“Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity”

Anything which offends God, is necessarily a source of sorrow, to the charitable, for as charity consists in loving God above all things for His Own sake and, is accompanied by a yearning desire to see Him honoured, more and more, that, which detracts from His honour, cannot cause charity any satisfaction.
On the contrary, it pains charity which pain corresponds to the offence committed against God.
Do I share this personal sorrow and pain, when any wrong is done to His Divine Majesty, or is it a matter of comparative indifference to me?

The Saints would gladly have given their lives to prevent sin.
It was intensely painful to them to think how continually God is offended. Many Saints laid down their lives to prevent sin from being committed.
The Saints all devoted themselves, with generous self-sacrifice, to the furtherance of God’s glory and, the hindrance of sin against Him. By prayer, by active zeal, by word, by work and by personal penance, the Saints fought against iniquity.
What do I do to prevent all the sin and vice in this wicked world?

Above all, the Saints feared and dreaded any sin in themselves. They avoided with the utmost care anything which could lead to sin. No spectacle, however magnificent, no honour, however brilliant, no pleasure however intense, caused them anything but disgust and horror, if it was in any way mingled with iniquity.
Is this true in my case? Do I relish things questionable or dangerous, or perhaps not altogether unmixed with positive sin!

Posted in QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on JUDGING

Thought for the Day – 10 August – The Judgements of Charity – “Charity thinketh no evil”

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Thought for the Day – 10 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Judgements of Charity
“Charity thinketh no evil”

We are all surrounded by those, of whose actions, we are continual witnesses and, of whose character, from these actions, we cannot help forming an opinion. We see what they do and listen to what they say and we, not only receive, a certain impression from them but also, are tempted to judge them and to pronounce on their moral value. Moreover, we are too prone, to judge them unfavourably, rather than favourably, to ascribe to them inferior motives and, see faults in them, where there are none or, to exaggerate whatever defects maybe found in them.
This unhappily, is my tendency. I cannot deny it!

Why is this?
It is because I am so full of faults myself that I see many faults in others.
It is the reflection of myself which I find so repulsive in them! I really attribute to them the very defects which, in some form or other, are to be found in me. It is because of my own want of charity that I judge them so harshly.
How this ought to humble me and how careful it ought to make me, in my judgement of others.

How do men judge who are imbued with the spirit of charity?
They think no evil. That is, they never attribute a bad motive to any action, if it is susceptible to having been actuated, by a good one. If the action is, in itself bad, they somehow do not seem to notice it. They are so occupied with their own shortcomings, they do not observe those of others and where the faults of others are forced into their cognisance, they search for some excuse or explanation.
Is this my temper? Do I thus think no evil?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on MEEKNESS, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, SELF-DISTRUST

Thought for the Day – 9 August – The Meekness of Charity“ – Charity is not provoked to anger”

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Thought for the Day – 9 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Meekness of Charity
“Charity is not provoked to anger”

One of the strongest instincts of human nature is the instinct of self-defence. In some, it is almost irresistible. The desire to return blow for blow, within due bounds, is a reasonable and lawful impulse and is prompted by the duty we owe to ourselves.
Yet, there is no tendency more likely to lead to sin if it is indulged! There is no tendency more prone to set aside prudence, justice and, above all, charity.
Am I one of those natures, ready to take up arms in my own defence, at the slightest provocation?

The instinct of self-defence is always prone to mislead us, due to our excessive self-love. We imagine we have been attacked, when in fact, nothing of the sort is the case. We see a slight or insult, when none was intended. We do not keep in mind how simple the true explanation may really be. We become angry, long for revenge and are carried beyond all bounds, by our wounded self-love. We say and do what we bitterly regret afterwards, alienating others from us and offending God by our angry words.
How often, alas, I have done this!

How is this evil to be remedied?
By charity and nothing else.
If God were more prominent in our hearts, if we loved God more and ourselves less, if our ambition were to promote His honour and not our own, we should not indulge in these outbursts of intemperate or bitter words. Instead, we should not be easily provoked or become angry. We should take a gentle view of what has been done or we should accept the injury or unkindness done to us and offer it up for our sins in union with the supreme charity of Christ our Lord!

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMAN DIGNITY, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on VANITY, SELF-DISTRUST

Thought for the Day – 7 August – The Lowliness of Charity“ – Charity is not puffed up”

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Thought for the Day – 7 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Lowliness of Charity
“Charity is not puffed up”

One of the great dangers of prosperity is that it so often produces a fatal exaltation of self. We are flattered by others and we begin to think that we are persons of importance.
Those around give way to us, listen to us when we speak, respect our opinion. From this, in our folly, we fancy ourselves distinguished and eminent and expect to be treated accordingly.
This temper, if it exists in us, shows that we are very deficient in true charity, for charity is never puffed up with a high estimate of self.

How does charity prevent this self-conceited pride and arrogance? Humility seems to be the proper virtue by which it is to be met. Humility is, indeed more obviously its opposite but charity, is equally a remedy for pride and arrogance. For charity is an emptying-out of self to give place to God alone.
True charity ignores self, despises self and is, therefore, quite incompatible with the temper which is nothing else than a magnifying of self and an ignoring of God. Which of the two tendencies is the stronger in my heart?

We are not likely to arrive at a true estimate of ourselves, unless others treat us as we deserve. How are we to know what our deserts may be? Our idea of our own deserts will be regulated by the degree of our charity. Those who esteem God the most and esteem themselves the least, consider themselves worthy only to be trampled underfoot and spat upon.
How should I appreciate such treatment? Would my charity enable me to rejoice in it, as suitable indeed for one like myself?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on Will (Sensual or Inferior)

Thought for the Day – 6 August – The Reasonableness of Charity“ – Charity does not deal perversely”

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Thought for the Day – 6 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Reasonableness of Charity
“Charity does not deal perversely”

Perversity generally results from an overwhelming self-love. We all dislike children who seem to take pleasure, in doing a thing, just because it is opposed to the wishes or orders of those set over them. Those who are perverse, may have clear motives set before them and may know that, a certain course of action is their duty and in their interest, yet, they set that course of action aside ,for some folly of their own. In their hearts, they perceive the folly more clearly and would see it to be folly, if they were not blinded by the deceptive mist of their own self-will.
Is perversity an element which enters into my actions, from time to time?

Opposed to perversity, is docility in those who obey and reasonable conduct, in those who have to act for themselves. How we love the docile! Even if we are not docile ourselves, others are dear to us, if they can be easily guided.
We also love reasonable men who take a common sense view of things and we renounce crotchety and misguided theories, invented by unreasonable people. Even in the natural order, such reasonable men win our regard and esteem. We esteem them even more, when they are influenced to it by the love of God.

Charity includes all possible reasonableness and docility. No-one can ever accuse charity of eccentric action, or of running counter to others, unnecessarily. On the contrary, its great aim is to yield to others and to carry out their will, as far as right reason will allow. Charity will relinquish what it thinks best, to please another, unless, serious harm seems likely to result therefrom. Such pliability and consideration for the opinion of others, is one of the marks of love of God, as opposed to the pertinacity and perversity resulting from self-will.
Am I perverse or run counter to others unnecessarily?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on VICE, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 5 August – The Contentedness of Charity“ – Charity envieth not”

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Thought for the Day – 5 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Contentedness of Charity
“Charity envieth not”

Envy is the vice which begrudges happiness, liberty, riches, success, or some other good. to another. Envy is pained at seeing another in possession of that which the envious man desires himself to have but cannot obtain. Envy is a mean and contemptible vice. What difference can it make to us that others should succeed and be happy? If they shared our misfortunes, we would be no better off.
Examine whether envy lurks in your heart?

Envy is a vice which utterly destroys the peace of he who harbours it. He is always uneasy and unites the longing for that which he cannot have, with a hatred of those who are enjoying it. This double worm gnaws unceasingly at his heart.
In our own interest, there is scarcely any vice which is such folly to harbour. Envy is also especially displeasing to God and hateful in His sight because, it challenges His goodness and rebels against, a state of things, which He has ordained or permitted.

How different is the spirit of charity!
It takes pleasure in the pleasure of others, it rejoices in their success and is happy in seeing them happy. It wishes for nothing which others have and which is out of its own reach, for it recognises the wise Providence of God in all happenings and, therefore, is perfectly satisfied with everything and has no wish to see itself exalted and others depressed, as envy does.
In view of the greater successes of others, is my spirit one of envy or one of charity?
Do I rejoice in them or do I feel vexed and annoyed?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES: JUSTICE, PRUDENCE, TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE

Thought for the Day – 3 August – The Patience of Charity – “Charity is patient”

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Thought for the Day – 3 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Patience of Charity
“Charity is patient”

Patience consists in supporting (without murmuring or complaint), injuries hardships, ill-treatment, whether they are deserved or undeserved.
It is thus, a most difficult virtue and cannot be practiced in its perfection, except by those who have attained a high degree of charity.
We are naturally eager to defend ourselves, resentful when accused, angry when some wrong is done us and anxious to take revenge on our impugner. Yet, all this is forbidden by patience and is inconsistent with charity!
Can I stand this test?

Every form of patience is especially difficult for some people. Active, energetic, eager natures, cannot endure to be thwarted or contradicted. Even being kept waiting irritates them. For them, a careful practice of patience is necessary,, if they are to rise high in virtue. They must begin by suppressing the outward expressions. This will help them overcome the internal movement of impatience. They must school themselves carefully in little things with a persevering determination to conquer their natural inclination towards impatience, or they will offend continually against charity.

Patience, like all the virtues, brings its own reward. How much the impatient suffer when corrected!
The inward struggle and desire to be rid of the obstacle in their path, or the person who hinders and annoys them, is painful to them. How they chafe under the restraint which hampers their activity! On the contrary, how full of tranquil peace is one, who allows nothing to make him impatient and who, takes everything as coming from God.
Do I act that way?

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 31 July – Humility in Heaven

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Thought for the Day – 31 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month
Today is the Last Meditation

Humility in Heaven

Is there any place for humility among the Saints in Heaven? Or is it, like faith and hope, a virtue limited to this vale of tears? It might seem that in Heaven, there are no motives for humility – no sins, no imperfections, no defects of any kind, for which to humble ourselves. Yet, only in Heaven will our humility be perfected, for only in Heaven shall we have a thorough knowledge of God and a thorough knowledge of ourselves. This knowledge will make us recognise, even more than ever, our own nothingness and God’s Infinite Perfections. Our recognition of this, will make us forget ourselves, as we never can do on earth, therefore, God will be all in all to us.

Will this appreciation of our own nothingness be painful?
No, it will be a source of eternal joy!
For then we shall be able to rejoice in God. Our happiness will be unclouded by any interfering thought of self. Our admiration of His perfect Beauty will absorb all our faculties. Our absolute dependence upon Him, will be the truest independence. It will make us conformed to the Image of the Son of God, the chief glory, in Whose Sacred Humanity will be the result of its dependence on His Divine Nature.

Hence, in Heaven, the Angels and Saints are represented as casting down their crowns before the Throne of God, as falling on their faces and crying continually, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, God of hosts.”
If the highest dignity and greatest joy of the Saints, is to be prostrate before the Throne of God, we can never humble ourselves enough on earth, since those acts of humility will make our life like the life of Heaven and will fill us with a joy which will be a foretaste of the joy of the redeemed.

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MEEKNESS, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 30 July – The Fruit of Humility

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Thought for the Day – 30 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

The Fruit of Humility

There is nothing which gives such a solid peace as humility. At the beginning it is difficult and we smart under the wounds which our pride has to suffer before it can be destroyed in ourselves.
But a holy perseverance in the practice of humility will spread over the soul such a sweet and calm tranquility that even in this life, the soul begins to taste the joys of the heavenly paradise. Troubles, disappointments, unkindness, injustice, insults, do not disturb the quiet happiness of one, who is really humble. One who is truly humble appreciates, continually, the truth of our Lord’s Words:
“Learn of Me, for I Am meek and humble of heart and you shall find rest for your souls. … For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Humility is also the best possible safeguard against the attacks of the devil. The humble man can say, as our Lord did: “The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me.”
Or as Saint Martin said when dying: “Why art thou here, O evil one? No malice wilt thou find in me.”
Nor has the devil any chance of success in tempting the humble. Their continual disposition is one of dependence on God and, therefore, no temptation has power to lead them astray.

Humility is also the root, from whence all the other virtues spring.
A humble man is always charitable – for he never thinks of himself but always, of doing something for God.
For the same reason, he is full of zeal, he is prudent – for he always relies on God, never on himself; he is a man of prayer because he looks to God for everything; he is pure in heart because he never, in anything, desires to please himself but always to please God.
Are these points of humility to be found in me?

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, INGRATITUDE, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, St PAUL!

Thought for the Day – 29 July – Models of Humility: The Saints

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Thought for the Day – 29 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
The Saints

Some Saints excelled in one virtue, some in another but all were pre-eminent in humility.
The heroes of the Church of God, whether under the Old or the New Dispensation, were marked off from the heroes of paganism by their humility. Thus, Abraham described himself as dust and ashes. Job, in the presence of God, expressed his abhorrence of himself. David, when visited by the Hand of God, thanks Him for having humbled him. Daniel declares that to him belongs shame and confusion of face.
If, even without the example of Jesus and Mary before them, these Saints were so humble, what ought you to be? !

The Saints of the New Testament are still more conspicuous for their humility. Saint Paul believed and declared himself to be the chief of sinners. Saint Bernard expressed his astonishment that God should work miracles by the hands of one so vile as he. Saint Dominic, before entering a City, used to pray that he might not bring down judgements upon it for his sins.
Saint Philip Neri used to invent ingenious methods of drawing down ridicule upon himself!
Saint Francis Borgia, when someone by accident, spat in his face, merely remarked that he could not have found a more suitable place to spit upon.
Compare the humility of these saints with your pride and humble yourself before God.

The Saints were not exaggerated in their sentiments. They said, with truth that, if God had given to the greatest of sinners the graces given to them, they might perhaps have been far holier than they.
Think of the graces given you. How often you have abused and rejected them!
If the Saints could lament over graces lost, how ought you to humble yourself for your ingratitude?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, IMMACULATE HEART PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 28 July – Models of Humility: The Blessed Virgin

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Thought for the Day – 28 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
The Blessed Virgin

No-one of all the children of Adam ever approached the Blessed Virgin Mary in humility. What had she to make her humble? She had no sin or imperfection for which to humble herself before God. Yet the greatest of sinners never humbled himself as did Mary. How was this? It was because no-one, save she, ever recognised her own nothingness in God’s sight. This is the surest basis for humility.
We are so wanting in humility because we do not recognise our utter insignificance and the absence of any good in us, save that which, is the gift of God.

Thus, it was that, because Mary had a right to the highest place, she always sought the lowest.
This is the law, which everywhere prevails. Those who deserve the lowest place, seek the highest and those who deserve the highest, seek the lowest. The enemies of God do not like to lower themselves. But, His friends recognise the lowest place as the place most suitable for them
Am I, in this respect, one of God’s friends or one of His enemies?

Mary’s humility was also the result of her desire to be like to her Divine Son in all things.
When she saw Him stoop from the highest Heaven to earth, she longed to stoop to the very dust. She placed herself in spirit beneath the feet of all and, would have placed herself lower still, if it had been possible.
For what humiliation could even Mary endure which was in any way comparable to that of her Son?
If Mary, then, is my Queen and Mother, I will seek to imitate her in this. If the Immaculate Mother of God loved to humble herself, how much more should I, who am but a miserable worm of earth?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 27 July – Models of Humility: Jesus Christ

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Thought for the Day – 27 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
Jesus Christ

When we compare the humility of Jesus Christ with that which is possible to ourselves, it seems as though the virtue in us, does not deserve the same name, for He, Who was Omnipotent God lowered Himself to become the lowliest of men. Such an act of humility was an Infinite abasement of Himself and had an Infinite value in the sight of God.
The Divine Word submitted to the obliteration of all His Glory and Majesty when He became man. This was humility indeed!
But what is our humility? Simply placing ourselves in a position which more nearly approaches that which we deserve to occupy!
When I humble myself, I simply divest myself of the false position of seeming to have any virtue, or dignity, or claim to honour, of my own.

Even when He had lowered Himself to the nature of man, He was not satisfied but He needed to seek out every kind of contempt and insult.
He was regarded as a madman, as possessed with a devil, as a wine-bibber, as an impostor, as a leader of sedition, as a fool, as a criminal and as a blasphemer. All this He took upon Himself, of His own accord and deemed an honour!
Is it not strange that I should shrink from sharing that whicvh the Son of God chose as the fitting treatment of His Human Nature?

He did more than this.
He so identified Himself with human sin that He is said, by the Apostle, to have been made sin for our sakes and, by this means, He was able to find a fresh motive for humbling Himself, as being laden with sin in the sight of His Heavenly Father.
If He, the Spotless Lamb, thus sought out motives of humiliation, how is it that I,, on the contrary, seem to avoid all which humbles me?

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JUDGING, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE

Thought for the Day – 26 July – Humility in Prayer

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Thought for the Day – 26 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Humility in Prayer

We are all anxious that God should hear and grant our prayers. He is always ready to do so. The obstacles are always on our side and one of the chief of these is a want of humility.
If God resists the proud, He is not likely to hear their prayers; hence, one of the first prerequisites of ssuccess in my prayers, is that I should humble myself before God. Then and not until then, will my prayer reach the ears of the Most High.
“The prayer of him, who humbleth himself, pierces the clouds.”

One of the most dangerous forms of pride is a contempt for others and one which we maybe very prone to manifest, without realisng its ruinous effects upon our prayers.
When the self-complacent Pharisee thanked God that he was not like the poor publican, he probably was quite unconscious of the offensiveness of his prayer to God. Pride blinded him.
So it often blinds us and we little think that when in prayer, we secretly congratulate ourselves on being free from certain faults which we see in our neighbours and, all the while, we are displeasing God by thus harshly judging others! How would He hear our prayers unmder these conditions!

How are we to be humble in prayer?
We should be humble in prayer by dwelling upon our own miseries and the good points we see in those around us or which we should see, if our own pride did not make us blind to others’ superiority to us and, the fact that, the graces God has liberally bestowed upon us, make our ingratitude and our want of correspondence to them, all the more culpable!

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on MERIT, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN

Thought for the Day – 25 July – The All-Importance of Charity

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Thought for the Day – 25 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The All-Importance of Charity

“If I have not charity, I am nothing.”
These are the words of Holy Scripture inspired by God Himself.
Unless we are united to God by the habit of supernatural charity, unless we love Him before all else, for His Own sake, with a supreme and unselfish love, we are not children of God but aliens.
Unless we do these things, we have no inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven, we can earn no merit before God and, all that we do, has no beauty in His Sight. All our actions, however noble and generous, do not really please Him, or deserve grace in this life ,or glory in the next.

Moreover, unless there is at least an initial element of charity in our actions, they will not help us in any way on the road to Heaven.
Acts of faith and hope, although they maybe performed by one who has not perfect charity, contain an unformed and rudimentary element of charity.
They are the germ or bud from which charity may afterwards spring and, in this way, they lead to charity. In themselves, faith and hope gain no merit, unless they are the actions of one who already has charity in his heart.

Even if we have the habit of charity and are in a state of grace, our actions are not meritorious before God, unless they are done from a motive of charity.
Charity must in some way influence faith and hope, if not with a present thought of God, yet, with the golden light of our love for Him lighting them up. Without this, they may count for nothing, or at most, merit only a natural reward. If I give money purely out of natural compassion and pity, I gain a temporal but not, an eternal reward.
How careful I must be to offer to God each act of charity to men!

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Thought for the Day – 24 July – Charity and Self-love

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Thought for the Day – 24 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

Charity and Self-love

If charity really promotes our highest interests and, even in its most disinterested form, ministers to our good, how is it that it is so often compared with self-love?
When we speak of self-love, we do not mean the true love of self which is identical with charity. We mean the love of our lower self. We mean the choice of some immediate good instead of the far higher and nobler good which we shall secure by sacrifice of the lower good. Self-love is the love of the child for the unwholesome sweets which it knows will produce sickness on the morrow.
How often my self-love has led me to grasp at the passing enjoyment instead of the solid happiness, I should have gained, by renouncing it.

Self-love does a still more mischievous work.
It leads us to thrust ourselves into a position we know is a false one, in order to gratify our desire for independence and for liberty. Self-love hates subjection and is thus diametrically opposed to charity which loves to be subject.
Self-love hates the lowest place or humble work and yearns after notoriety or prominence.
Charity appreciates the nothingness of self and desires that God should be all in all!

Self-love, again, cannot endure any sort of reproof or correction. It rebels against those things and longs to revenge itself. It is thus, no true love of self, for he who really loves himself, or rather, who finds his highest happiness in preferring God to self, welcomes anything which tends to lower self and to make God the exclusive object of his love.
Thus, in hating self, he loves self with a true self-love and will reach charity.
Is this my relationship to self?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD

Thought for the Day – 22 July – Charity, a Supreme Love

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Thought for the Day – 22 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

Charity, a Supreme Love

Charity does not exist within the soul of anyone who does not love God above all things. If some created being has the first place in our heart and God only the second, then, we are the enemies, not the friends of God. He must have all our heart or none!
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart and thy whole soul.”
If, any person or thing, hinders this supreme love for God, we must avoid it at any cost. If this is impossible, we must pray earnestly that we may never fall into the terrible misfortune of loving the creature more than the Creator, Who is God, blessed forever.

This, however, does not mean that we must have a stronger feeling of love for God than for some loved object upon earth. We cannot always control our feelings. We are creatures of sense and our senses and imagination have great power over us.
Nor does it mean that the love of God is to swallow up the love of created things. This is impossible.
Nor, again, does it mean, there must be no possible circumstances which we can imagine, wherein we could not promise to choose God, however violent the temptation might be.
It simply means that, as I am now and under the present circumstances, I would give up anything rather than mortally offend God.

This supreme love of God includes a conviction that God is our best friend and, therefore, He will never ask of us what is beyond our power. He will provide an escape from every temptation, however violent.
Hence, I will have no fear about the future. God will never ask of me what He does not give me strength to perform!