Posted in THE ASSUMPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 15 August – The Assumption

Quote/s of the Day – 15 August – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven

And now death came, not indeed clothed in mourning and sadness, as it comes to others, but adorned with light and joy. But why death, why death? Rather should we say that divine love came to cut the thread of that noble life. And as a lamp before going out, her life, amid these last flickerings, flashed forth more brightly, and then expired. Thus, this beautiful soul, her Son inviting her to follow him, wrapped in the flame of her charity and in the midst of her amorous sighs, breathed forth a greater sigh of love, expired and died and thus that great soul, that beautiful dove of our Lord, was released from the bonds of this life, and entered into the glory of the blessed, where she sits, and will sit, as queen of paradise, for all eternity.

St Alphonsus Liguori

“How can death devour this truly blessed woman,
who gave birth to the Whole Person of the Word of God,
through union with God?
How can hell receive her?
When Christ, who is the way and the truth, said
“Where I am, there will my servant be also, .”
why would there not be a dwelling
for His own Mother with Him,
with an even greater justification?
It is well said, that precious in the sight
of the Lord God of Hosts,
is the death of his saints –
but even more precious,
is the passing of the Mother of God from this life..”

St John Damascene

“As the most glorious Mother of Christ,
our Saviour and our God
and the giver of life and immortality,
has been endowed with life by Him,
she has received an eternal incorruptibility of the body
together with Him who has raised her up from the tomb
and has taken her up to Himself
in a way known only to Him.”

St Modestus of Jerusalem 

“And with regard to ourselves,
how deservedly do we keep
the Feast of the Assumption with all solemnity.
What reasons for rejoicing,
what motives for exultation
have we on this most beautiful day!
The presence of Mary illumines the entire world
so that even the holy city above
has now a more dazzling splendour
from the light of this virginal Lamp.
With good reason,
thanksgiving and the voice of praise,
resound today throughout the courts of Heaven…
let us not complain,
for here we do not have a lasting city
but we seek one that is to come,
the same which the blessed Mary entered today.”

St Bernard of Clairvaux

Now Mary has left the earth, now she is in heaven. From thence this kind mother looks down upon us, who are still in this valley of tears, compassionates us, and promises us her support if we wish for it. Let us pray her always that by the merits of her blessed death she may obtain for us a happy death; and if it please God, that she may obtain for us to die on a Saturday, which is dedicated to her honor, or on a day of the Novena, or of the octave of some of her feasts, as she has obtained for so many of her servants, and especially for St. Stanislas Kostka, for whom she obtained to die on the day of her glorious Assumption.

St Alphonsus Liguori

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes

Quote/s of the Day – 8 August – You also must be ready

Quote/s of the Day – 8 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Ps 36:30-31, Ps 36:1, Sir 31:8-11, Luke 12:35-40

Amen I say to you, he will gird himself, and will make them recline at table, and will come and serve them. And if he comes in the second watch, and if in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants!

Luke 12:35-40

Finally, to die of the plague is not a dreadful death. St. Roch and St. Francis Xavier died of it. But what makes death bad is sin. Ah, this horrible sin which tears and devours at this dread moment! Alas, no matter where the poor, unfortunate sinner looks, he sees only sin and neglected graces! If he lifts his eyes to Heaven, he sees only an angry God, armed with all the fury of His justice, Who is ready to punish him. If he turns his gaze downwards, he sees only Hell and its furies already opening its gates to receive him. Alas! This poor sinner did not want to recognise the justice of God during his life on earth; at this moment, not only does he see it, but he feels it already pressing down upon him. 

St John Vianney

“There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.”

Isa. xlviii. 22.

“Great is the peace that they have who love Thy law.”

Ps. cxix.

Hast thou the soul of a hog? Ah, wretched one, perhaps thou art like a beast, so that thou canst be satisfied with eating, with drinking, with sensual pleasures?

St Bernard of Clairvaux

If the riches of this world could satisfy a man, the rich and those who govern, would be fully happy; but experience teaches us the contrary. Solomon observes the same thing, even he who asserts that he never denied his senses one thing. But not withstanding, what does he say? “Vanity of vanities; …. all is vanity.”

St Alphonsus Liguori

Wherefore when the time of discretion is come, the soul can, by her free will, make choice either of good or evil, according as it pleases her will; and so great is this liberty that man has, and so strong has this liberty been made by virtue of this glorious Blood, that no demon or creature can constrain him to one smallest fault without his free consent. He has been redeemed from slavery, and made free in order that he might govern his own sensuality, and obtain the end for which he was created. Oh, miserable man, who delights to remain in the mud like a brute, and does not learn this great benefit which he has received from Me! A benefit so great, that the poor wretched creature full of such ignorance could receive no greater.

The Dialogue of St Catherine of Siena

Posted in Our MORNING Offering

Our Morning Offering – 27 July – Jesu Dulcis Memoria

Our Morning Offering – 27 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”

Jesu Dulcis Memoria
By St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
with sweetness fills my breast,
But sweeter far Thy face to see
and in Thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
a sweeter sound than Jesus’ name,
O Saviour of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek
to those who fall, how kind Thou art,
how good to those who seek!

But what to those who find?
Ah this nor tongue nor pen can show,
the love of Jesus, what it is none
but His loved ones know.

Jesus our only joy be Thou
as Thou our prize wilt be.
Jesus, be Thou our glory now
and through eternity.
Amen