Posted in CARMELITES, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on PURITY, The HEART

One Minute Reflection – 25 November – ‘ … I would not have left Him alone so often! …’

One Minute Reflection – 25 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Catherine of Alexandria (Died c305) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:1-8; 5:12, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

But at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.” – Matthew 25:11-12

REFLECTION – “Well, let us imagine that within u, is an extremely rich palace, built entirely of gold and precious stones; in sum, built for a Lord such as this. Imagine, too, as is indeed so, you have a part to play, in order for the palace to be so beautiful; for there is no edifice as beautiful, as is a soul pure and full of virtues. The greater the virtues the more resplendent the jewels. Imagine, also, that in this palace dwells this mighty King, Who has been gracious enough to become your Father and that, He is seated upon an extremely valuable throne which is your heart. …

You will laugh at me, perhaps and say, that which I am explaining, is very clear and you will be correct; for me, although, it was obscure for some time. I understood well that I had a soul. But what this soul deserved and Who dwelt within it, I did not understand because, I had covered my eyes with the vanities of the world. For, in my opinion, if I had understood, as I do now that, in this little palace of my soul, dwelt so great a King, I would not have left Him alone so often! I would have remained with Him at times and striven more, so as not to be so unclean. But what a marvellous thing, that He, Who would fill a thousand worlds and many more with His Grandeur, would enclose Himself in something so small!” – St Teresa of Jesus OCD (1515-1582) Virgin, Carmelite Founder, Mystic, Writer (The Way of Perfection Chapter 28: 9-11).

PRAYER – O God, Who gave the law to Moses on Sinai’s height and through Thy holy Angels, miraculously placed there, the body of blessed Catherine, Thy Virgin and Martyr, grant, we beseech Thee that by her merits and intercession, we may reach that towering eminence which is Christ our Lord.Through the same 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).

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

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 FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 April – St Justin Martyr

Quote/s of the Day – 14 April – St Justin Martyr (c100-165)

The world suffers nothing from Christians
but hates them, because they reject its pleasures.

We have strayed from the Immortal’s ways
and worship IDOLS,
with a dull and senseless mind,
the workmanship of our own hands!

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/06/01/quote-s-of-the-day-1-june-st-justin-martyr/

St Justin Martyr (c 100-165)
Father of the Church

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SCANDAL, The HEART, The WORD, VENIAL SIN

Quote/s of the Day – 24 July – Lord, Lord Matthew 7:21

Quote/s of the Day – 24 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – St Christina of Bolsena (3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Romans 6:19-23, Matthew 7:15-21

Not everyone who says to me,
‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of Heaven
but only the one who does
the will of my Father in Heaven.

Matthew 7:21

We recognise a tree by its fruit
and we ought to be able to recognise
a Christian by his action.
The fruit of faith
should be evident in our lives,
for being a Christian is more than making
sound professions of faith.
It should reveal itself in practical
and visible ways.
Indeed, it is better to keep quiet
about our beliefs
and live them out,
than to talk eloquently about what we believe
but fail to live by it!

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108)
Martyr
Apostolic Father of the Church

God is Good but He is also Just…
So do not underestimate God –
His love for men
should not become a pretext,
for negligence on our part.

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

If anyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord,
resists the Lord’s Commands
by living perversely,
it is evident, that the good,
which the tongue has spoken,
has NOT emanated from the good treasure in his heart.
It was not the root of a fig tree
but that of a thorn bush,
which produced the fruit of such a confession —
a conscience, which is, bristling with vices
and not one filled,
with the sweetness
of the love of the Lord!

St Bede the Venerable (673-735)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Posted in ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, CHRIST the JUDGE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PARTIAL Indulgence, PLENARY Indulgences, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 June – ‘ … Even if they are signed with His Name

One Minute Reflection – 22 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Within the Octave of Corpus Christi and the Memorial of St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431) Bishop, Confessor – 1 Corinthians 23-29, John 6:56-59.

“ … For he who eats and drinks unworthily, … eats and drinks judgement upon himself.”- 1 Corinthians 29

REFLECTION – “Christ has hidden enemies. All those who live unjust and irreligious lives are Christ’s enemies, even if they are signed with His Name and are called ‘Christians’ I mean the ones to whom he is going to say, “I do not know you and they say to him, “Lord, in your name we ate and drank. In your name, we performed many deeds of power. What did we eat and drink in your name?”

You see that they did not value their food very highly and yet, it was with reference to It, that they said they belonged to Christ. Christ is the Food that is eaten and drunk. Even Christ’s enemies eat and drink Him! The faithful know the Lamb without spot on which they feed, if only they fed on It in such a way that they are not liable to punishment! The Apostle says, “Whoever eats and drinks unworthily is eating and drinking judgment upon himself.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermon 308).

PRAYER – O God, Who promised to those who forsake all things in this world for Thee, a hundred-fold reward in the world to come and life everlasting, mercifully grant that, following closely in the footsteps of the holy Bishop, Paulinus, we may look upon earthly things as nought and long only for those of Heaven. Who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
SWEET HEART of my JESUS, Make me love Thee ever more and more!Indulgence 300 Days Everytime – Plenary Once a Month – Raccolta 162 – Pope Pius IX 26 November 1876.

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 June – He who hears you, hears Me …

One Minute Reflection – 15 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart” – The Memorial of St Vitus (c 290-c 303) and Companions, Martyrs – Wisdom 3:1-8, Luke 10:16-20

He who hears you, hears Me and he who rejects you,
rejects Me and he who rejects Me, rejects Him Who sent Me
.”…Luke 10:16

REFLECTION – “Someone, having listened to the verse: “Offer to God a sacrifice of praise” (Ps 50[49].14), said to himself: “I will go to Church every day when I get up and sing a morning hymn; then an evening hymn at the end of the day and then, in my own home, a third and fourth hymn. This is how I will make a sacrifice of praise everyday and offer it to my God.” It is good to do this if you do it in truth but beware of placing your confidence in what you do and fear lest, while your tongue is speaking eloquently before God, your life may be speaking badly… Take care you do not live evilly, while speaking well.”…St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – Grant O Lord, we pray, that through the intercession of Thy Holy Martyrs Vitus, Modestus and Crescentia, Thy Church be not high-minded but grow in that humility which is pleasing to Thee, so that despising evil, she may practice whatever is good with unbounded charity. 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).
“Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.”300 Days, EVERYTIME. (Unless otherwise stated, e.g., “once a day,” a partial Indulgence may be gained any number of times in succession.) St Pope Pius X, 15 September 1905.