Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, Of PILGRIMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, St Francis de Sales, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 April – ‘… Man believes with his heart …’

Quote/s of the Day – 20 April – “The Month of the Resurrection” – Feria Day, Thursday in the Second Week of Easter – 1 John 5:4-10, John 20:19-31 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

Who is he who overcomes the world?
but he who believes
that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:5

This people honours Me with their lips
but their heart is far from Me.

Matthew 15:8

He who believes and is Baptised,
shall be saved but he who believes not,
shall be condemned.

Mark 16:16

Man believes with his heart
and so, he is justified.
He confesses with his lips
and so, he is saved.
In the beginning of his speech,
the just man is his own accuser,
next he gives glory to God
and thirdly, if his wisdom extends that far,
he edifies his neighbour.

St Bernard (1090-1153)
The “Last Father”
and Mellifluous Doctor of the Church

Get up tomorrow early in the morning
and earlier than you did today
and do the best that you can!

St Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

The very prince of the universe, is man;
the crowning point of man, is his heart;
of the heart, is love
and the perfection of love, is charity.
That is why the love of God is the goal,
the crowning point,
the be-all and end-all of the universe.

(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 1)

But as a general thing,
what is the state of your heart
with regard to your neighbour?
Do you love him from your heart
and for the love of God?
In order to prove this,
you must call to mind
certain disagreeable, troublesome individuals,
for with such, it is that we practice
the love of God towards our neighbour
and still more, towards those who do us any injury,
either in word or deed.
Consider whether your heart is clear
with regard to such and whether
you have to force it to love them?
Are you slow to speak evil of your neighbour,
especially of those whom you do not like?”
Do you never injure him, either directly or indirectly
?”

(Introduction to the Devout Life).

HOW IS YOUR HEART TOWARDS GOD HIMSELF?
Do you take delight in thinking about Him? …
Imitate little children who, with one hand hold fast to their father,
while with the other, they gather strawberries
or blackberries from the hedges.
So too if you gather and handle
the goods of this world with one hand,
you must always hold fast with the other
to your Heavenly Father’s Hand
and turn toward Him, from time to time,
to see if your actions or occupations,
are pleasing to Him.

(Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 3, Chapter 10)

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, LENT 2023, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The HEART, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 15 March – OUR HEART

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 15 March – Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent
– Exodus 20:12-24, Matthew 15:1-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

I have loved you with an everlasting love.
Jeremias 31:3

This people honours Me with their lips
but their heart is far from Me.

Matthew 15:8

OUR HEART
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

HOW IS YOUR HEART TOWARDS GOD HIMSELF?
Do you take delight in thinking about Him?
Does such remembrance leave an agreeable sweetness behind it? “I remembered God and I was delighted,” said David.
Does your heart feel an inclination to love God and a particular satisfaction in dwelling on this love?
Does your heart love to reflect on God’s immensity, goodness and sweetness?
If remembrance of God comes to you amid worldly affairs and vanities, do you willingly receive it and does it take possession of you heart?
Does it seem to you that your heart turns that way and, as it were, runs out to meet God? … It is the same with souls that really love God. No matter how busy they are, when remembrance of God comes to them, they lose almost the very thoughts of all other things because of the joy that this dear remembrance has returned.
This is a very good sign.” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 5, Chapter 4)

Imitate little children who with one hand hold fast to their father, while with the other, they gather strawberries or blackberries from the hedges.
So too if you gather and handle the goods of this world with one hand, you must always hold fast with the other to your Heavenly Father’s Hand and turn toward Him, from time to time, to see if your actions or occupations, are pleasing to Him.
” – (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 3, Chapter 10)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 March – “This people honours Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me.” – Matthew 15:8

One Minute Reflection – 15 March – “The Month of the St Joseph” – Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent – Exodus 20:12-24, Matthew 15:1-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

This people honours Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me.” – Matthew 15:8

REFLECTION – “We have the Ten Commandments which Moses gave… and everything recommended to us, by the reading of the holy books, of which this has been communicated by Isaiah : “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do good. Make justice your aim, redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord.” (Is 1:16) … But we have, too, the law of God’s Word, the words of encouragement, not written on tablets of stone by the Finger of the Lord (Ex 24:12) but, on the human heart (2 Cor 3:3) … These two laws were used by the Word for the instruction of humanity, first by the mouth of Moses and then, by that of the Apostles…

However, we need a teacher to explain these holy words … He is the One who will teach us about the words of God. The school is our Church – our only Teacher is the Bridegroom, the goodwill of a good Father, original wisdom, holiness and knowledge. He is the expiation for our sins, Saint John says (1Jn 2:2) it is He Who heals our bodies and souls, our whole person; He, Jesus, is “the expiation for our sins and, not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. The way that we may be sure we know Him, is to keep His Commandments” (vv 2-3) … “Whoever claims to abide in Him ought to live just as He lived” (v.6).

We, who are pupils of this blessed instruction, are bringing the Church’s beautiful appearance to completion and running towards this kindly mother, like little children. Let us listen to the Word of God and give glory to the happy disposition which guides us by means of this Teacher and sanctifies us as God’s children. We will be citizens of Heaven, if we are pupils of this Teacher on earth. There above, we shall understand everything He has taught us concerning the Father.” – St Clement of Alexandria (c150-c215) Father of the Church, Theologian and Philosopher, Professor who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Among his pupils were Origen and Alexander of Jerusalem. (The Instructor ]Paedagogus] III 89, 94, 98-99).

PRAYER – From all perils of soul and body defend us, O Lord, we beseech Thee and by the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints, graciously grant us safety and peace that all adversities and errors being overcome, Thy Church may serve Thee in security and freedom. 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).