Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on THE LIGHT of CHRIST, The 1st Glorious Mystery - THE RESURRECTION of OUR LORD, The INCARNATION, The LAST THINGS, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The RESURRECTION

Quote/s of the Day – 3 January – Our Light

Quote/s of the Day – 3 January – “Month and Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus” – Readings: John 3: 22 – 4: 6; Psalm 2: 7bc-8, 10-11; Matthew 4: 12-17, 23-25

“The people who sat in darkness,
have seen a great light

Matthew 4:16

Our Lord Jesus Christ
Has appeared to us from the bosom of the Father.
He has come and drawn us out of the shadows
And enlightened us with His joyful Light.

Day has dawned for humankind,
Cast out the power of darkness.
For us, a Light from His Light has arisen
That has enlightened our darkened eyes.

Over the world He has made his glory arise
And has lit up the deepest depths.
Death is no more, darkness has ended,
The gates of hell are shattered.

He has illumined every creature,
All the shades from times long past.
He has brought about salvation and given us life;
Next He will come in glory.

Our King is coming in His great glory:
Let us light our lamps and go out to meet him (Mt 25,6);
Let us be glad in Him as He has been glad in us
And gives us gladness with His glorious Light.

My friends, arise! make yourselves ready
To give thanks to our Saviour King,
Who will come in His glory and make us joyful
With His joyous Light in the Kingdom.

St Ephrem (306-373)
Father and Doctor of the Church

(Hymn I on the Resurrection)

Advertisement
Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on WATCHING, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING

One Minute Reflection – 14 November – Let us not resist His First Coming, so that we may not dread the Second.

One Minute Reflection – 14 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Daniel 12: 1-3; Psalm 16: 5, 8, 9-10, 11; Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18; Mark 13: 24-32 and the Memorial of St Serapion of Algiers OdeM (c 1179–1240) Mercadarian Priest and Martyr

And then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory… ” – Mark 13:26

REFLECTION – “All the trees of the forest will exult before the Face of the Lord, for He has come, he has come to Judge the earth. He has come the first time and He will come again. At His first coming, His own voice declared in the gospel: “Hereafter, you shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds.” What does He mean, by hereafter? Does He not mean that the Lord will come at a future time when all the nations of the earth will be striking their breasts in grief?
Previously He came through His preachers and He filled the whole world. Let us not resist His first coming, so that we may not dread the second.
… But I wish you to be without anxiety. He who is without anxiety waits without fear until his Lord comes. For what sort of love of Christ is it to fear His Coming? Brothers, do we not have to blush for shame? We love Him, yet we fear His Coming? Are we really certain that we love Him? Or do we love our sins more? Therefore, let us hate our sins and love Him, Who will exact punishment for them. He will come whether we wish it or not. Do not think that because He is not coming just now, He will not come at all. He will come, you know not when and provided He finds you prepared, your ignorance of the time of His Coming, will not be held against you. … ” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop and Great Western Father, Doctor of Grace of the Church – (An excerpt from his On The Psalms (Psalm 95) 14-15.)

PRAYER – Almighty Lord and God, protect us by Your power throughout the course of this day, even as You have enabled us to begin it. Your grace is all that we need, to see the loving kindness of Your Son, our Lord Jesus in all we see and do and think. Do not let us turn aside from His path but by the faith You have granted us, let us find meaning in all, which is the sign of Your glory. Do not let us turn aside to sin and may the intercession of St Serapion of Algiers, grant us courage and peace. Through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.