Tag: love one another

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The HOLY GHOST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 July – ‘ … Let us love the one who is near us, so that we may be able to attain, the love of the One, Who is above us! …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 24 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Christina of Bolsena (3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Ecclesiasticus Sir 44:25-27; 45:2-4; 45:6-9; John 15:12-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“This is My commandment that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love than this no man hath that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13

REFLECTION – “We cannot truly love God without loving our neighbour, nor can we truly love our neighbour without loving God. This is why … the Holy Ghost was given a second time to the disciples. First He was given by the Lord while He was still dwelling on earth and later, while He was watching over us in Heaven (Jn 20:22; Acts 2). He was given to us on earth, that we may love our neighbours; from Heaven, that we may love God. Why first on earth and later from Heaven – except for the reason given us openly by John: “How can anyone, who does not love his brother, whom he sees love God Whom he does not see?”

So let us love our neighbours, my friends, let us love the one who is near us, so that we may be able to attain, the love of the One, Who is above us! Let our hearts reflect on what our neighbours hold up to God, so that we may be found completely worthy, to rejoice in God with them. Then shall we reach the happiness of the heavenly multitude, the happiness of which, we have received an assurance from the Holy Spirit. Let us move forward toward that goal, where we shall be happy without end, with all our love. There is the holy community of heavenly citizens, there is the sure and solemn observance, there untroubled rest, there the true peace which is no longer dependent on us but given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 14:27).” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Excerpt Sermons on the Gospel No 30).

PRAYER – O God, Who among the other miracles of Thy power have bestowed the victory of martyrdom even upon the weaker sex, graciously grant that we, who commemorate the anniversary of the death of blessed Christina, Your Virgin and Martyr, may come to Thee by the path of her example.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).

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 July – ‘ … Such is the nature of charity. …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 18 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Camillus de Lellis MI (1550-1614) Confessor, Priest and Founder, “The Giant of Charity.” – 1 John 3:13-18, John 15:12-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“This is My commandment that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love than this no man hath that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13

REFLECTION – “The more we are united to our neighbour, the more we are united to God. So that you may understand the meaning of this saying, I am going to give you an picture, taken from the Fathers – imagine a circle drawn on the ground that is to say, a line drawn into a round shape, with a compass, having a centre. We refer to the middle of the circle as being the exact centre. Now, give your attention to what I am saying. Imagine that this circle is the world, its centre is God and each radius represents different ways or kinds of lifestyle. When the saints, desiring to draw near to God, move towards the middle of the circle, then to the degree to which they penetrate further into its interior, they draw closer to each other, even as they draw closer to God. The closer they draw to God, the closer they draw to each other and the closer they draw to each other, the closer they draw to God.

From this you will understand that the same thing applies conversely, when we turn away from God to withdraw outside the circle – then it becomes obvious that, the more we withdraw from God, the more we withdraw from each other and, the more we withdraw from each other, the more we also withdraw from God.

Such is the nature of charity. To the extent that we stand outside and do not love God, to the same extent, each one of us stands apart, with regard to their neighbour. But, if we love God, then, insofar as we come closer to God, through our love for Him, we also participate in love of neighbour to the same extent. And insofar as we are united to our neighbour, we are equally so to God.” – St Dorotheus of Gaza (c505-c565) Abbot, Father of the Church (Instructions VI, 76-78).

PRAYER – O God, Who endowed St Camillus with a special gift of charity for the help of souls struggling in their final agony, pour upon us, we beseech Thee, by his merits, the spirit of Thy love, so that at the hour of our death, we may be found worthy to overcome the enemy and attain the heavenly crown. 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).

Posted in CATECHESIS, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on POVERTY, QUOTES on the POOR, St Francis de Sales, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 December – Love one another …

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 20 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” The Vigil of St Thomas, Apostle – Ember Wednesday, Third Week of Advent – Sirach 44:25-27, 45:2-4, 45:6-9; John 15:12-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“This is My commandment
that you love one another,
as I have loved you. ”

John 15:12

“To love our neighbour, in charity,
is to love God, in man.”

(Treatise on the Love of God Book 10 Chapter 11)

“We should always love our neighbour,
as in the breast of Christ”

(The Spirit of St François de Sales II, 1)

“We must help one another,
as much as we can
and leave the rest to God.”

(Letters to Persons in Religion,I, 8)

“Love the poor and poverty,
for it is by this love
that you shall become truly poor.”

(Introduction to the Devout Life
Part III Chapter 15)

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD is LOVE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The HEART, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 January – Love one another. – 1 John 4:11

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 5 January – “Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus” – Christmas Weekday, Readings: 1 John 4:7-10, Psalms 72:1-2, 3-4,7-8, Mark 6:34-44

“Beloved, since God loved us so much,
we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:11

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher,
have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash
one another’s feet.”

John 13:14

“It is by the path of love,
which is charity,
that God draws near to man
and man to God.
But where charity is not found,
God cannot dwell.
If, then, we possess charity,
we posses God,
for ‘God is Charity’
(1 John 4:8).”

St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

“At the end of your life,
you will be judged by your love.”

St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Doctor of the Church

“The Gospel showed me
that the first commandment is to love God
with all one’s heart
and that, we should enfold everything in love;
everyone knows,
that the first effect of love is imitation.”

Bl Charles of Jesus de Foucauld (1858-1916)

“Before the cave at Bethelehm then,
we should learn two great lessons.
We should learn to love Jesus intensely,
as our highest and only good
and we should learn to love,
in an effective and practical way,
those who are poverty-stricken
or suffering, in whom we should be able
to see Jesus Christ Himself.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 May – ‘ The stairway to Heaven…’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 15 May – “Mary’s Month” – Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter, Readings: Acts 15:22-31, Psalm 57:8-12, John 15:12-17 and the Memorial of St Dymphna (7th Century) “The Lily of Éire”

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”” ... John 15:12-13

this is my commandment that you love - 15 may 2020

REFLECTION – “Love, indeed, is the source of all good things, it is an impregnable defence and the way that leads to heaven.   He who walks in love can neither go astray, nor be afraid, love guides him, protects him and brings him to his journey’s end.

My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven.   Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.” … St Fulgentius of Ruspe (460-533) Bishop – An excerpt from his Sermon 3

john 15 12 love one another - my brothers christ made love the stairway - st fulgentius of ruspe 15 may 2020

PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, You gave us a new birth in holy baptism and a new life in Your Son, who first loved us and gave His life for us.   Grant us, we pray, the grace to love all as He did and bear much fruit, always striving after what He has taught who goes ahead of us, to lead us to You.   May the prayers of His beloved Mother and ours and St Dymphna, grant us help and inspiration as we travel the road to eternal life.   Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.

immaculate-mary-pray-for-us-26 aug 2017

ST DYMPHNA PRAY FOR US 15 MAY 2020

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 24 February – Love your Enemies

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 24 February – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Luke 6:27–38

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.”…Luke 6:32

The Lord Himself reminds us:  Whoever loves me will keep my commandments.   And this is my commandments – that you love one another.   So the man who does not love his neighbour does not obey God’s command.   But one who does not obey His command, cannot love God.   A man is blessed if he can love all men equally.   Moreover, if he truly loves God, he must love his neighbour absolutely.   Such a man cannot hoard his wealth. Rather, like God himself, he generously gives from his own resources to each man according to his needs.

Since he imitates God’s generosity, the only distinction he draws is the person’s need.   He does not distinguish between a good man and a bad one, a just man and one who is unjust.   Yet his own goodness of will makes him prefer the man who strives after virtue to the one who is depraved.

A charitable mind is not displayed simply in giving money, it is manifested still more by personal service as well as by the communication of God’s word to others.   In fact, if a man’s service toward his brothers is genuine and if he really renounces worldly concerns, he is freed from selfish desires.   For he now shares in God’s own knowledge and love.   Since he does possess God’s love, he does not experience weariness as he follows the Lord his God.   Rather, following the prophet Jeremiah, he withstands every type of reproach and hardship without even harbouring an evil thought toward any man.

For Jeremiah warns us:   Do not say:   “We are the Lord’s temple.”   Neither should you say: “Faith alone in our Lord Jesus Christ can save me.”   By itself, faith accomplishes nothing. For even the devils believe and shudder.   No, faith must be joined to an active love of God which is expressed in good works.   The charitable man is distinguished by sincere and long-suffering service to his fellow man, it also means using things aright.”

Saint Maximus the Confessor, Abbot (c 580–662)

May the Blessed Virgin, Mother of Perpetual Succour and the angels and saints, pray for us!mother of perpetual succour - pray for us - 27 june 2018

holy angels pray for us 24 feb 2019.jpg