Tag: simeon

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 February – ‘ … Today a new Sun is shining …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 February – “The Month of the Blessed Trinity” – Resumed Mass of Sunday – Malachias 3:1-4; – Luke 2:22-32 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“My eyes have seen Thy salvation …” – Luke 2:30

REFLECTION – “The “Father of lights” (Jam 1:17) is inviting the children of Light (Lk 16:18) to celebrate the Feast of Light: “Look to Him that you may be radiant with joy” says the Psalm (33:6). In fact, He Who “dwells in unapproachable light” (1Tm 6:16) has condescended to become approachable. He has come down in the cloud of His Flesh that the weak and small might mount up to Him. What a descent of mercy! “He inclined the heavens,” that is to say, the heights of His Divinity, “and came down” by becoming present in the flesh, “with dark clouds under His Feet” (Ps 17:10) …

A necessary darkness to turn us to Light! The true Light was hidden beneath the cloud of His Flesh (cf. Ex 13:21) – a dark cloud by reason of its “likeness to sinful flesh” (Rm 8:3) … Since the true Light has made flesh His hiding place, let us, who are beings of flesh, draw near to the Word made Flesh … that we may learn to pass, by degrees to the spiritual flesh. Let us now draw near, for today a new Sun is shining even more than is its wont. Up until now, he was enclosed in the narrowness of a crib in Bethlehem and was known by hardly anyone but today, at Jerusalem, he is presented in front of a great number of people in the Temple of the Lord … Today, the Sun breaks out to shine over the whole world …

If only my soul could burn with the desire which inflamed Simeon’s heart that I, too, might be worthy of becoming the bearer of so great a Light! But, unless the soul has first of all been purified from its sins, it cannot go “to meet Christ on the clouds” of true freedom (1 Thes 4:17) … Only then, will it be able to rejoice in the true Light with Simeon and, like him, to depart in peace.” – Adam of Perseigne (c1145-1221) Cistercian Abbot (Sermon 4 for the Purification).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, we humbly beseech Thy Majesty that, as Thy Only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the nature of our flesh, so may Thou grant us to be presented to Thee with purified minds. 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 DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES for CHRIST, The DIVINE INFANT

Thought for the Day – 2 February – The Purification of Our Lady and the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple

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Thought for the Day – 2 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Purification of Our Lady and
The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple

“During the ceremony, a devout man, enlightened by God, entered the temple.
He asked and obtained, the privilege of holding the Divine Infant in his arms.
This was Simeon, a holy old man to whom the Holy Ghost had revealed that before he died, he would see the expected Messiah, the Redeemer of the sinful race.
Overjoyed as he held Jesus in his arms, he exclaimed: “Now Thou doet dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word, in peace” (Lk 2:29).

May God grant that when we come to the end of our mortal lives, we may too have the pleasure of clasping Jesus to our hearts.
Then we can say with confidence in God’s Mercy: Receive Thy servant in peace, O Lord. Forgive him and receive him into everlasting happiness.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS

Quote/s of the Day – 2 February – Carrying Jesus

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 February – The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin – Candlemas

“We must be burning with love
and radiant with good deeds
and so, take up Christ in our hands with Simeon …
Could anyone hold up a lighted candle in his hands
on this day, without at once remembering
that old man, who on this same day,
took up in his arms, Jesus, God’s Word,
clothed in flesh like a candle-flame,
clothed in wax and affirmed Him to be
“the Light which would be
a beacon for the Gentiles.”

“Be a lamp then in heart, in hand, in lips.
The lamp in your heart will shine for you,
the lamp in your hand or on your lips
will shine out for your neighbours.
The lamp in the heart,
is loving faith,
the lamp in the hand,
is the example of good works,
the lamp on the lips, is edifying speech.”

Bl Guerric of Igny (c 1080-1157)

“The glorious St Simeon also was very happy…
to carry Him as did Our Lady…
we do this when we endure with love,
the labours and pains He sends us,
that is to say, when the love
which we bear to the Law of God,
makes us find His yoke easy and pleasing,
so that we love these pains and labours
and gather sweetness in the midst of bitterness.
This is nothing else but to carry Our Lord in our arms.
Now if we carry Him in this way,
He will, without doubt, Himself carry us!”

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

The Christopher Prayer,
Make Us True Christ-Bearers
Anonymous

Father, grant that we may be,
bearers of Christ Jesus, Your Son.
Allow us to fill, the world around us,
with Your light.
Strengthen us, by Your Holy Spirit,
to carry out our mission
of living and following
the path of Jesus, our Lord.
Help us to understand,
that by Your grace
our gifts are Your blessings,
to be shared with others.
Fill us with Your Spirit of love
to give glory to You
in loving all
and preaching by our love.
Nourish in us the desire
to go forth
as the bearers of Your Son
fearless and gentle,
loving and merciful.
Make us true Christ-Bearers,
that in seeing us,
only He is visible.
Amen.

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 February – “The Lord, Whom you are seeking, will suddenly enter His Temple” – Malachias 3:1

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 2 February – The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin – Candlemas – Malachias 3:1-4, Luke 2:22-32 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Lord, Whom you are seeking, will suddenly enter His Temple” – Malachias 3:1

REFLECTION – “Today the Virgin Mary brings the Lord of the Temple, into the Temple of the Lord. And Joseph, too, takes along there, to the Lord that Son Who is not his own but is the beloved Son in Whom God has set all His favour (Mt 3:17). Simeon, the just man, recognises the One for Whom he was waiting; Anna, the widow, gives Him praise. For the first time, a procession is celebrated on this day, by these four people, a procession that would subsequently be celebrated with joy, by the whole world… Do not be astonished that this procession is so small, since He is also very small Whom the temple receives. But there are no sinners in that place: all are righteous, all are Saints, all are perfect.

Are these the only ones you are going to save, Lord? Your Body is going to grow greater, Your tenderness will also increase… Now, I see a second procession, in which great crowds precede the Lord and crowds follow Him – it is no longer the Virgin who bears Him but a little donkey. So He despises no-one…, if at least those garments of apostles are not lacking them (Mt 21:7): their doctrine, habits and the charity which covers over a multitude of sins (1Pt 4:8). But I will go even further and say that He has saved a place in that procession for us as well… David, King and Prophet, rejoiced to see that day: “he saw it and was glad” (Jn 8:56). If he had not, would he have sung the words: “We have received, O God, Thy mercy in the midst of Thy Temple”? (Ps 47[48]:8). David received this mercy from the Lord, Simeon received it and we, too, have received it as have all those predestined for life, since “Christ is the same today, yesterday and forever” (Heb 13:8)…

So let us take to ourselves this mercy we have received in the midst of the Temple and, like blessed Anna, let us not distance ourselves from it. For “God’s Temple is holy and you are that temple” says the Apostle Paul (1 Cor 3:17). This mercy is close to you; “the word of God is very close to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart” (Rm 10:8). Indeed, does not Christ dwell in your hearts by faith? (Eph 3:17) That is His Temple, that is His Throne… Yes, it is in our hearts that we receive mercy, in our hearts that Christ dwells, in our hearts He whispers words of peace to His people, His saints, everyone who returns to their heart!” – St Bernard (1090-1153) Cistercian Monk, known as the Last Father and the Mellifluous Doctor of the Church (1st sermon for the Purification).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, we humbly beseech Thy Majesty that, as Thy Only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the nature of our flesh, so may Thou grant us to be presented to Thee with purified minds. 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 CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 December – ‘ … Embrace the Wisdom of God …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 30 December – “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception”– The Sixth Day of the Octave of Christma – Galatians 4:1-7, Luke 2:33-40 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His Mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be contradicted” … Luke 2:34

REFLECTION – “Who is there today who, as he holds a lighted candle in his hand, does not immediately think of the old man, who today received Jesus in his arms, the Word in the flesh, the Light in the wax and Who bore witness that He was the Light that shines upon all nations? The old man was himself a burning flame that enlightens and gives witness to the Light, he who, in the Holy Spirit with Whom he was filled, came to receive, O God, Thy love within Thy Temple (Ps 47[48],10) and bear witness that Thou art the Love and Light of Thy people…

Rejoice, just old man; look now at what thou had once foreseen – darkness has disappeared from the world; the nations walk by Thy Light (Is 60,3). The whole earth is filled with the glory (Is 6,3) of this Light which, in the past, thou used to hide in thy heart and which today, illumines thy eyes… Embrace the Wisdom of God, O blessed old man and may thy youth be renewed (Ps 102[103],5). Receive the mercy of God in thy heart and thy old age will know the sweetness of mercy. “He will rest in my bosom” says Scripture (Wsd 1,12). Even when I give Him back to His Mother, He will continue to dwell with me; my heart will be filled with His mercy and, even more, the heart of His Mother… I give thanks and rejoice for thee, full of grace, for thou gave birth to the mercy I have received, the candle which thou prepared, I am holding in my hands…

And thee, brethren, look at the candle that burns in the hands of Simeon; light thy candles with his light… Then, not only will thou bear a light in thy hands but thou thyselves, will be a light for others. A light in thy hearts, a light in thy lives, a light for thy brothers and sisters.” – Blessed Guerric of Igny (c 1080-1157) Cistercian Abbot (1st Sermon for the Purification, 2-3).

PRAYER – O Almighty and eternal God, direct our actions in conformity with Thy will, that in the name of Thy beloved Son we may be worthy to do good works in abundance.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).