Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 17 August – Desiring Heaven

Quote/s of the Day – 17 August – St Hyacinth OP (1185-1257) ) Confessor

For forty years St Hyacinth was devoted solely to the glory of God and the salvation of souls. He has now enjoyed, for more than seven hundred and fifty years, the heavenly joys in recompence for his labours and, he will enjoy them for all eternity. Oh! how richly God rewards the services of His elect!

He who loves his life, loses it
and he who hates his life in this world,
keeps it unto life everlasting.
If anyone serves Me,
let him follow Me and where I Am,
there also shall My servant be.

John 12:25-26

Why do we on earth, not strive
to find rest with Him in Heaven,
even now, through the faith,
hope and love that unites us to Him?
While in Heaven. He is also with us
and we, while on earth, are with Him.
He is here with us by His Divinity,
His power and His love.
We cannot be in Heaven,
as He is on earth, by divinity
but in Him, we can be there by love!

That your joy may be full.”

John 16:24

Such is our Christian life.
By desiring Heaven,
we exercise the powers of our soul.
Now this exercise will be effective,
only to the extent
that we free ourselves from desires
leading to infatuation with this world.
Let me return to the example I have already used,
of filling an empty container.
God means to fill each of you with what is good –
so cast out what is bad!
If he wishes to fill you with honey
and you are full of sour wine,
where is the honey to go?
The vessel must be emptied of its contents
and then, be cleansed.
Yes, it must be cleansed,
even if you have to work hard and scour it.
It must be made fit for the new thing,
whatever it may be!

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of the Church

The happiness to which I aspire
is greater than anything on earth.
Therefore, I regard with extreme joy,
whatever pains and sufferings
may befall me here.

St Camillus de Lellis (1550-1614)

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CONFESSION/PENANCE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PRIDE, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 24 May – ‘That your joy may be full.’ – John 16:24

Quote/s of the Day – 24 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – James 1:22-27, John 16:23-30

“Ask and you shall receive,
that your joy may be full.”

John 16:24

So also, you now indeed have sorrow
but I will see you again
and your heart shall rejoice.
And your joy,
no man shall take from you.”

John 16:22

This is the time for Confession.
Confess the sins you have committed
in word or deed,
by day or by night.
Confess during this “favourable time”
and on “the day of salvation,”
receive Heaven’s treasure…

St Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350),
Father & Doctor of the Church

Have faith and the One
you cannot see,
is with you.

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Whoever has become a servant of the Lord,
fears only his Master.
But whoever is without the fear of God,
is often afraid of his own shadow.
Fearfulness is the daughter of unbelief.
A proud soul is the slave of fear,
hoping in itself,
it comes to such a state,
that it is startled by a small noise
and is afraid of the dark
.”

St John Climacus (579-649)
Father of the Church

O Merciful God
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis

O merciful God,
grant that I may ever perfectly
do Your Will in all things.
Let it be my ambition to work
only for Your honour and glory.
Let me rejoice in nothing but that leads to You,
nor grieve for anything, that leads away from You.
May all passing things be as nothing in my eyes
and may all that is Yours, be dear to me
and You, my God, dear above them all.
May all joy be meaningless without You
and may I desire nothing, apart from You.
May all labour and toil delight me when it is for You.
Make me, O Lord, obedient without complaint,
poor without regret,
patient without murmur,
humble without pretence,
joyous without frivolity,
and truthful without disguise.
Amen

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 May – ‘ … Where is the honey to go? … ‘

One Minute Reflection – 24 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – James 1:22-27, John 16:23-30

That your joy may be full.” – John 16:24

REFLECTION – “The entire life of a good Christian is, in fact, an exercise of holy desire. You do not yet see what you long for but the very act of desiring, prepares you, so that when He comes, you may see and be utterly satisfied.

Suppose you are going to fill some holder or container and you know you will be given a large amount. Then you set about stretching your sack or wineskin or whatever it is. Why? Because you know the quantity with which you will fill it and your eyes tell you, there is not enough room. By stretching it, therefore, you increase the capacity of the sack and this is how God deals with us. Simply by making us wait, He increases our desire, which in turn, enlarges the capacity of our soul, making it able to receive what is to be given to us.

So, my brethren, let us continue to desire, for we shall be filled. Take note of Saint Paul, stretching as it were, his ability to receive what is to come – ‘Not that I have already obtained this,’ he said, ‘or am made perfect. Brethren, I do not consider that I have already obtained it.’ We might ask him, ‘If you have not yet obtained it, what are you doing in this life?’ This one thing I do,‘ answers Paul, ‘forgetting what lies behind, and stretching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the prize to which I am called in the life above.‘ Not only did Paul say he stretched forward but he also declared that he pressed on toward a chosen goal. He realised, in fact, that he was still short of receiving ‘what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived.

Such is our Christian life. By desiring Heaven, we exercise the powers of our soul. Now this exercise will be effective, only to the extent, that we free ourselves from desires leading to infatuation with this world. Let me return to the example I have already used, of filling an empty container. God means to fill each of you with what is good – so cast out what is bad! If he wishes to fill you with honey and you are full of sour wine, where is the honey to go? The vessel must be emptied of its contents and then be cleansed. Yes, it must be cleansed, even if you have to work hard and scour it. It must be made fit for the new thing, whatever it may be!” St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (An excerpt from his Tractates on «The First Letter of John»)

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of thine eternal gladness. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).