Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 August – St Bartholomew ‘son of a water-bearer.’

One Minute Reflection – 24 August – St Bartholomew the Apostle and Martyr – 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, Luke 6:12-19

And when day broke, He summoned His disciples and from these He chose twelve – whom He also named Apostles.” – Luke 6:13

REFLECTION – “The Apostles are those precious pearls that Saint John tells us, he beheld in his Revelation and of whom, the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem are composed ( Apoc. 21:21). … For indeed, when the Apostles reflect the Light of Divinity through their signs or miracles, they open the way, to the heavenly glory of Jerusalem to people who have been converted to faith in Christ. And whoever has been saved because of them, enters life, as one on a journey crosses a threshold. … It is of them, too, that the prophet says: “Who are these that fly like clouds?” (Is 60:8). These clouds pour down water, when they bedew the earth of our heart, with the rain of their instruction, making them fertile and apt to bear the seeds of good works.

Bartholomew, whose Feast Day is today, means in Aramaic nothing less than: ‘son of a water-bearer.‘ He is Son of the God, Who raises the minds of His preachers, to the contemplation of Truths from on high, in such a way, that they can spread the rain of God’s Word in our hearts, efficaciously and abundantly . This is how they drink water at its source, so that they can cause us to drink in our turn.” – St Peter Damian (1007-1072) Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 42 the second for Saint Bartholomew).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who bestowed on us the devout and holy joy of this day to celebrate the Feast of Thy blessed Apostle Bartholomew, grant unto Thy Church, we beseech Thee, both to love what he believed and to preach what he taught. 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).

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Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MEDIOCRITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SILENCE, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 September – Prayer

Quote/s of the Day – 7 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Colossians 2: 6-15; Psalm 145: 1b-2, 8-9-11; Luke 6: 12-19

“Jesus departed to the mountain to pray
and he spent the night in prayer to God”

Luke 6:12

“Prayer is the wing,
wherewith the soul flies to heaven
and meditation,
the eye,
wherewith we see God.”

St Ambrose (340-397)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Ask with tears,
seek with obedience,
knock with patience.”

St John Climacus (c 525-606)
Father of the Church

“[Prayer] is the one means for our purification,
the one way to union with God,
the one channel by which God may unite Himself with us,
that He may do anything with us, for His glory.
To obtain the virtues of an apostle,
we must pray;
to make them of use to our neighbour,
we must pray;
to prevent our losing them,
while we use them in His service,
we must pray.
The counsel, or rather the commandment:
Pray always, seems to me extremely sweet
and by no means impossible.
It secures the practice of the presence of God …”

St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

“In silence, He listens to us,
in silence He speaks to our souls,
in silence we are granted the privilege
of hearing His voice –

Silence of the eyes,
Silence of the ears,
Silence of our mouths,
Silence of our minds.
In the silence of the heart
God will speak.”

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)

‘No Greater Love’

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 September – ‘A model is given to you. …’

One Minute Reflection – 7 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Colossians 2: 6-15; Psalm 145: 1b-2, 8-9-11; Luke 6: 12-19

“Jesus departed to the mountain to pray and he spent the night in prayer to God”– Luke 6:12

REFLECTION – “So the Lord prays, not to entreat for Himself but to intercede for me. Although the Father placed all things in the power of His Son, yet the Son, in order to fulfill the form of a man, thinks that the Father must be entreated for us because He is our Advocate. If He is an Advocate, He must intercede on account of my sins.

It says, “He passed the whole night in prayer.” A model is given to you. A form is prescribed which you must imitate. Unless I am mistaken, it is nowhere found that He prayed with the Apostles. Everywhere He entreats alone, for human prayers do not grasp the counsels of God, nor can anyone share with Christ in the inward mysteries.” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan, Father, Doctor of the Church – (Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 5.)

PRAYER – Our Father who art in heaven, almighty and eternal God, teach us to pause often during our active lives and recollect ourselves. Let us put away the problems of life and commune with You in prayer and meditation. Mary, Holy and Sorrowful Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, teach us the how to pray and how to imitate your courage and strength in silence. Pray for us that we may be inspired to turn to our God for strength, in this vale of tears. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Advocate, with the Holy Spirit, one God now and for all eternity, amen.

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ON the SAINTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 October – “The weakness of God is stronger than all men”

One Minute Reflection – 28 October – Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles and Martyrs, Gospel: Luke 6:12-19

And when it was day, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostle … Luke 6:13luke 6 13 he called his disciples and chose twleve - 28 oct 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “Saint Paul said:  “The weakness of God is stronger than all men” (1Cor 1:25).   It is clear from this too that the gospel is divine.   For whence did it strike twelve unlettered men to attempt such great enterprises, men who were living in marshes, or rivers, in desert places, who had never perhaps gone into a city or the public square? Whence did it strike them to array themselves against the whole world?   That they were cowardly and unmanly, he who has written about them shows, inasmuch as he does not even deprecate nor try to gloss over their failings.   This, in itself, is a powerful proof of the truth.   What then does this man say about them?   That after the innumerable miracles they had seen Christ work, when He was taken prisoner some fled, while the one who remained, although he was head over the rest, denied Him.

Here were men who failed to stand up to the Jews when Christ was alive.   Yet when He died and was buried, they arrayed themselves against the whole world…  Would they not have said to themselves:  “What is this?   He had not strength to save Himself, will He protect us?   He did not defend Himself when He was alive, will He reach out His hand to us, now He is dead?   When He was alive He did not conquer a single nation—shall we convince the whole world by speaking His name?”…   Hence it is clear that, if they had not seen Him risen and received this mighty proof of His power, they would never have risked such a gamble.” … St John Chrysostom (c.345-407) Priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Father & Doctor of the Church – Homily on the 1st letter to the Corinthians 4, 3here were men who failed to stand up to the jews - st john chrysostom feast of simon and jude 28 oct 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, You taught us to call upon Your name, through the preaching of the Apostles.   Open our eyes each day, grant that we may see Jesus Your Son at our side, open our ears that we may hear His voice, open our mouths, that we may beg forgiveness and proclaim the good news, as we follow the way Your Son carved out for us.   At the intercession of Sts Simon and Jude, may Your Church continue to grow and to hope in Your love.   We make our prayer through Jesus our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.sts simon and jude pray for us 28 oct 2019

Posted in MARTYRS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SILENCE, SAINT of the DAY

One Minute Reflection – 10 September – In Silence

One Minute Reflection – 10 September – Tuesday of the Twenty third week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 6:12-19 and the Memorial of St Ambrose Barlow (1585-1641) Martyr

“Jesus departed to the mountain to pray and he spent the night in prayer to God” … Luke 6:12luke 6 12 jesus departed to the mountain to pray and he spent the night in prayer to god 10 sept 2019

REFLECTION – “Contemplatives and ascetics of every age and every religion have always sought God in the silence and solitude of deserts, forests and mountains.   Jesus Himself lived for forty days in complete solitude, spending long hours in intimate converse with the Father in the silence of the night.
We, too, are called to withdraw into a deeper silence from time to time, alone with God. Being alone with Him – not with our books, our thoughts, our memories but in complete nakedness, remaining in His presence – silent, empty, motionless, waiting.
We cannot find God in noise and restlessness.   Look at nature, the trees, flowers, grasses all grow in silence;  the stars, the moon, the sun all move in silence.   The important thing is, not what we are able say but what God says to us and what He speaks to others through us.   In silence, He listens to us, in silence He speaks to our souls, in silence we are granted the privilege of hearing His voice –

Silence of the eyes,
Silence of the ears,
Silence of our mouths,
Silence of our minds.
In the silence of the heart
God will speak.
Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)No Greater Lovein silence - st mother teresa 10 sept 2019

PRAYER – Our Father who art in heaven, almighty and eternal God, teach us to pause often during our active lives and recollect ourselves.   Let us put away the problems of life and commune with You in prayer and meditation.   St Ambrose Barlow, amidst your life of constant threat and charity to all, you renewed your courage and strength in silence.   Pray for us that we may be inspired to turn to our God for strength, in this vale of tears.   Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit,God forever, amen.st ambrose barlow pray for us 10 sept 2019