Tag: St cyprian

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION

One Minute Reflection – 22 October – “Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary”– Readings: Esth 13:9-11, Ps 118:1, Eph 6:10-17, Matt 18:23-35

His fellow-servants therefore, seeing what had happened, were very much saddened, and they went and informed their master of what had taken place.

Matt 18:23-35

REFLECTION – The Lord demands that we ourselves forgive the debts of our debtors just as we, too, ask that our own be forgiven. We should know that we cannot receive what we ask with regard to our own sins unless we do the same for those who have sinned against us. And so Christ says elsewhere: “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you,”. And the servant who, having been freed from all his debt, was unwilling to forgive that of his fellow servant was thrown into prison. Because he would not spare his fellow, he lost that for which his master had spared him. Christ establishes this even more forcibly in his precepts when he decrees that: “When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your transgressions,”.

When Abel and Cain first of all offered sacrifice, God did not look at their offerings but at their hearts. The one whose offering was pleasing to him was the one whose heart was pleasing to him. Abel, the peaceful and just one, by making his offering to God in innocence, taught others to come forward in the fear of God to offer their gift at the altar, with a simple heart, a sense of justice, harmony and peace. By offering sacrifice to God with such dispositions as these he merited to become a precious offering himself and to be the first to offer the witness of martyrdom. By the glory of his blood he prefigured the Lord's Passion because he possessed the Lord's righteousness and peace. Men like these are they who are crowned by the Lord and who will obtain justice along with him on the day of judgement.

St Cyprian

PRAYER – Lord God, You fill us with Your grace and teach us true faith. Strengthen in our hearts that faith that no trials may quench the fire, that we may seek Your Face in every moment and accept and live all of Your will. Send us Your Spirit to keep the fire blazing. By the inspiration and prayers of the Blessed Virgin, may we grow in sanctity and may the humble love and intercession of Mary Mother of our faith, be our succour. Through Jesus Your Son our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes

Quote/s of the Day – 5 October – They made light of it

Posted on by AnaStpaul

But they made light of it, and went off, one to his farm, and another to his business; and the rest laid hold of his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.

Matt 22:1-14

See then care utterable. He had planted a vineyard; He had done all things, and finished; when His servants had been put to death, He sent other servants; when those had been slain, He sent the son; and when He was put to death, He bids them to the marriage. They would not come. After this He sends other servants, and they slew these also. Then upon this He slays them, as being incurably diseased.

St John Chrysostom

We are hypocrites who serve God just as long as everything is going according to our wishes. Alas, my dear brethren, all of these virtues which we observe in a great many apparent Christians are but like the flowers of spring, which one gust of hot wind can wither.

St John Vianney

From our mutual love and your reverence for me you have thought that I should be consulted, dearest brother, as to my opinion concerning a certain actor, who, being settled among you, still persists in the discredit of the same art of his; and as a master and teacher, not for the instruction, but for the destruction of boys, that which he has unfortunately learned he also imparts to others: you ask whether such a one ought to communicate with us. This, I think, neither befits the divine majesty nor the discipline of the Gospel, that the modesty and credit of the Church should be polluted by so disgraceful and infamous a contagion.

St Cyprian

For what is more truly the beginning for a Christian than to believe in Christ? What end is better than to suffer for Christ?

St Augustine

We must certainly be extraordinarily blind because when all is said and done, there is not a single person who could say that he is ready to appear before Jesus Christ. Yet in spite of the fact that we are quite aware of this, there is still not one among us who will take a single step nearer to God. Dear Lord, how blind the sinner is! How pitiable is his lot! My dear children, let us not live like fools any longer, for at the moment when we least expect it, Jesus Christ will knock at our door. How happy then will be the person who has not been waiting until that very moment to prepare himself for Him. That is what I wish you to be.

St John Vianney

Wherefore also great is the punishment appointed for them that have been remiss. For as they did despite by not coming, so also thou by thus sitting down with a corrupt life. For to come in with filthy garments is this namely, to depart hence having one’s life impure; wherefore also he was speechless.

St John Chrysostom

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION

One Minute Reflection – 26 September – It may bear fruit in the future

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 26 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary” – Readings: Ps 94:6-7, Ps 94:1, Lev 23:26-32, Luke 13:6-17

But he answered him and said, ‘Sir, let it alone this year too, till I dig around it and manure it. Perhaps it may bear fruit; but if not, then afterwards you shall cut it down.’

Luke 13:6-17

REFLECTION – This, beloved brethren, Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, did not teach by words only but he also fulfilled by his deeds. In the very hour of his passion and cross, what violent abuses he listened to with patience, and what shameful insults he endured! He was even covered with the spittle of his revilers when, but a short time before, he had cured the eyes of the blind man with his own spittle. He who now crowns the martyrs with eternal garlands was himself crowned with thorns; he who now gives true palms to the victors was beaten in the face with hostile palms; he who clothes all others with the garment of immortality was stripped of his earthly garments; he who has given us the food of heaven was fed with gall; he who has offered us the cup of salvation was given vinegar to drink. He the innocent, the just man, nay rather, Innocence itself and Justice itself, is counted among criminals, and Truth is concealed by false testimonies. He who is to judge is judged, and the Word of God, silent, is led to the cross. And although the stars are confounded at the crucifixion of the Lord, the elements are disturbed and the earth trembles, yet he does not speak, nor is he moved, nor does he proclaim his majesty, even during the suffering itself. He endures all things even to the end with constant perseverance so that in Christ a full and perfect patience may find its realization.

And even after such sufferings he still receives his murderers if they are converted and come to him, and with a patience instrumental in saving man, this kind Master closes his Church to no one. He not only receives and pardons those adversaries, those blasphemers, those persistent enemies of His name, provided they do penance for their offense and acknowledge the crime committed, but he admits them to the reward of the kingdom of heaven. What can be called more patient, what more kind? Even he who shed the blood of Christ is given life by the blood of Christ. Such is the wonderful patience of Christ. And unless it were so wonderful, the Church would not have had Paul, the great Apostle.

Saint Cyprian

PRAYER – Lord God, You hold out the Light of Your Word to those who do not know You. Strengthen in our hearts, the faith You have given us and the Credo we profess, so that no trials may quench the fire Your Spirit has kindled in us. May the intercession of the Mother of the Word made flesh and our Mother, grant us the grace of following the way of the Cross, to stand beneath it with our her, Ave Maria! We make our prayer through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes

Quote/s of the Day – 16 September – St Cyprian

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Look at the havoc which hail and storm spread around our gardens and orchard, look at the rot fast spreading amongst the cattle, look at the winds and hurricane which toss the ships at sea. This is only but a feeble image of the ravages of sin in a soul. Mortal sin destroys the merits of good works, corrupts every faculty of the mind, and leads the sinner on to certain death.

Manna suited everyone’s taste, in like manner the Word of God, which is preached to all throughout the world, supplies the wants of all kinds of persons, and according as it is listened to by those of ordinary intelligence it will be found – as did the manna of old – to be suitable to everyone’s taste.

The evangelical precepts are no other than divine lessons, they are the foundation of hope, the strengthening of faith, the food of charity, the Gospel is a rudder to steer our way through life, and helps us to reach the harbour of salvation. The law commands but few things, but those few should be willingly and lovingly performed.

The soul must be in an utter swoon, if it be not roused and enlivened by the Holy Eucharist. For is it not true that the Holy Eucharist raises the faithful above themselves, and from its efficacy, a worldly man becomes a heavenly man.

Envy is as prolific as it is hurtful, it is the root of all evil, the source of endless disorder and misery, the cause of most sins that are comitted.

If I know not myself, if I know neither the nature nor the essence of my soul, if I cannot give a reason of what is in me, how shall I dare lift up my eyes in order to understand God, who is the beginning and end of all things, and who is Himself, without beginning and end?