Quote/s of the Day – 2 March – Quinquagesima Sunday
“ For man’s lowliness, is his gratitude and, God’s greatness, is His Mercy.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Thou art the Good Shepherd; seek me, Thy lamb and neglect me not, who has gone astray. [John 10:11-14]”
St Andrew of Crete (660-740) Bishop, Father of the Church
“Be generous to the poor orphans and those in need. The man to whom our Lord has been liberal ought not to be stingy. We shall one day find in Heaven, as much rest and joy as we ourselves have dispensed in this life.”
St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
“I often speak with my Teacher, Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament because I learn from Him. Jesus is the Teacher of the science of holiness. I go to Him because I would like to learn, from Him, how to become a Saint. Of what use to me is all knowledge and education, if I do not become holy?”
Quote of the Day – 14 February – St Valentine (176-273) Bishop and Martyr
“Love one another as I have loved you.”
John 15:12
“But I say to you, Love your enemies …”
Matthew 5:44
“He gives according to the love He bears us …, according to the courage He sees in each and the love each has for His Majesty. He will see, that whoever loves Him much, will be able to suffer much for Him; whoever loves Him little, will be capable of little. I myself hold, that the measure for being able to bear, a large or small cross, is love …”
St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582)
“Take God for your Spouse and Friend and walk with Him continually and you will not sin and will learn to love and the things you must do will work out prosperously for you.”
“The one who walks in the love of God seeks neither gain nor reward but seeks only, with the will, to lose self and all things, for God and this loss, the lover judges to be a gain! Thus it is, as St Paul asserts: “For me death is gain” [Phil 1:21], that is, my death to all things and to myself, for Christ, is my spiritual gain. Consequently, the soul declares: “I was found.” The soul who does not know how to lose himself, does not find himself but rather, loses himself, as Our Lord teaches in the Gospel: “For he who will save his life, shall lose it and he who will lose his life for My Sake, will find it.” (Mt 16:25).”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
“LOVE is the only way to HEAVEN.”
St Joseph Calasanz (1557-1648)
“The measure of love, is to love without measure.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 10 February –2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But the wise took oil in their vessels”
Matthew 25:4
“The wise ones’ lamps were burning, from the oil inside them, from the assurance of their consciences, from their inner boast, from their deepest charity.”
“Love the Lord and so, learn to love yourselves that when, by loving the Lord, you shall have loved yourselves, you may securely love your neighbour as yourselves. … So then, have faith with love. This is the “wedding garment!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of Grace
“We should always love our neighbour, as in the breast of Christ”
(The Spirit of St François de Sales II, 1)
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“He loves you as though He had no-one else to love but you alone. You, too, should love Him alone and all others for His Sake. Of Him you may say and, indeed, you should say: My Beloved to me and I to Him (Cant, 2:16). My God has given Himself all to me and I give myself all to Him; He has chosen me for His beloved and I choose Him, above all others, for my only Love.”
“How to Pray at All Times” By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Our Morning Offering – 1 February – “The Month of the Blessed Trinity”
An Act of Oblation to the Most Blessed Trinity By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of Charity
I vow and consecrate to God all that is in me, my memory and my actions, to God the Father; my understanding and my words, to God the Son; my will and my thoughts, to God the Holy Spirit. I consecrate my heart, my body, my tongue, my senses and all my sorrows, to the Sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ, Who consented to be betrayed into the hands of wicked men and to suffer the torment of the Cross for me. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 29 January – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church
“What we need is a cup of understanding, a barrel of love and an ocean of patience.”
“Our greatest fault is, that we wish to serve God in our way, not in His way — according to our will, not according to His Will…. To be truly a Saint, it is necessary to be one according to the Will of God.”
“Do everything calmly and peacefully. Do as much as you can, as well as you can. Strive to see God in all things without exception and consent to His Will joyously. Do everything for God, uniting yourself to Him in word and deed. Walk very simply with the Cross of the Lord and be at peace with yourself.”
“If, when stung by slander or ill-nature, we wax proud and swell with anger, it is a proof that our gentleness and humility are unreal and mere artificial show!”
“How faithful in humility was the great Saint we are celebrating! That cannot be said in all its perfection, for, in spite of what he was, in what poverty and lowliness he lived, all the days of his life – a poverty and lowliness beneath which. he kept hidden and concealed, his great virtues and dignity! … Truly, I am free of doubt that the Angels came, beside themselves with admiration, rank upon rank, to behold and wonder at his humility, while he sheltered that dearest Child in the poor workshop where he worked at his employment, so as to feed the little Boy and the Mother entrusted to him.”
“We must fear God out of love, not love Him out of fear.”
O Glorious St Francis Prayer to St Francis de Sales
O Glorious St Francis, model of the interior life and full of zeal for the salvation of souls! Obtain for me the grace to employ all my faculties, not for my own sanctification alone but for that of my neighbour too that continually spreading abroad, the sweet odour of Jesus Christ, by my words and works, I may attain, with thee, the blessedness promised to the merciful: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” and that I may one day have a share in the glory which thou dost enjoy in Paradise with the Angels and Saints, where those who edify and instruct to justice, shall shine as stars for all eternity (Dan 12:3). Amen
Our Morning Offering – 29 January – St Francis Salesius, Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church
O Love Eternal! An Act of Love By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church (From his “A Treatise on the Love of God”)
O Love Eternal, my soul needs and chooses Thee eternally! Ah, come Holy Ghost and inflame our hearts with Thine Love! To love — or to die! To die — and to love! To die to all other love in order to live in Jesus’ Love, so that we may not die eternally but that we may live in Thine Eternal Love, O Saviour of our souls, we eternally sing, “Live, Jesus! Jesus, I love! Live Jesus, Whom I love! Jesus, I love, Jesus Who lives and reigns forever and ever.” Amen.
NOVENA In Preparation for the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary – LINK to DAY SIX, 29 January: DAY SIX 29 JANUARY:
St Abundantia the Martyr St Aphraates St Aquilinus of Milan St Barbea of Edessa St Blath of Kildare Bl Boleslawa Maria Lament St Caesarius of Angoulême Bl Charles of Sayn
Quote/s of the Day – 28 January – St Peter Nolasco OdeM (c 1182–c 1256) Confessor, Founder – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14, Luke 12:32-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be too.”
Luke 12:34
“We are made a spectacle to the world and to Angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake but you are wise in Christ; we are weak but you are strong; you are honourable but we without honour. Even unto this hour, we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no fixed abode. And we labour, working with our own hands. We are reviled and we bless. We are persecuted and we suffer it. We are blasphemed and we entreat. We are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all, even until now.”
St Paul – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14
“The great wealth of Christians is found in the needs of the poor, provided we grasp how to put our possessions to good use. The poor are always before us; if we entrust our wealth to them, we shall not lose it.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Great indeed is the confidence which God requires us to have in His paternal care and in His Divine Providence but why should we not have it, seeing that no-one has ever been deceived in it? No-one ever trusts in God without reaping the fruits of his confidence.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 22 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family” – St Vincent of Saragossa (Died 304) Protomartyr of Spain and St Anastasius the Persian (Died 628) Martyr – Wisdom 3:1-8; Luke 21:9-19
“And you shall be hated by all men, for My Name’s sake. But, not a hair of your head shall perish.”
Luke 21:17-18
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal Prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, art my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, Thou art my portion, Thou alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605) “The Apostle to the English”
“O strong love of God! I really think, nothing seems impossible, to one who loves. O happy soul which has obtained this peace, from its God! ”
St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Carmelite Reformer
“You must choose – is it better that there should be thorns in your garden, in order to have roses, or that there should be no roses in your garden, in order to have no thorns?”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.”
Quote/s of the Day – 20 January – St Fabian, Pope and St Sebastian, Martyrs – Hebrews 11:33-39: Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And He, lifting up His eyes on His disciples, said: Blessed are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.”
Luke 6:20
“Whatever riches and all other transitory things you may possess, you must keep your heart free from the slightest affection for them. Your heart may be surrounded by riches; however, riches must never master your heart!”
“Do not let that mind which is the likeness of God, cleave to mere earthly goods; let it always be raised above them, not sunk in them.”
“Do not fix your longings on anything which you do not possess; do not let your heart rest in that which you have; do not grieve overmuch, at the losses which may happen to you – and then, you may reasonably believe that although rich in fact, you are not so in affection but that you are poor in spirit and, therefore, blessed, for the Kingdom of Heaven is yours.”
Our Morning Offering – 20 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family”
O My God, I Thank Thee An Act of Abandonment to the Divine Will By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
O my God, I thank Thee and I praise Thee for accomplishing Thy Holy and all-lovable Will without any regard for mine. With my whole heart, in spite of my heart, do I receive this cross I feared so much! It is the cross of Thy choice, the cross of Thy Love. I venerate it; nor for anything in the world would I wish it had not come, since Thou hast willed it. I keep it with gratitude and with joy, as I do everything which comes from Thy Hand and I shall strive to carry it without letting it drag, with all the respect and all the affection which Thy works deserve. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 19 January – Romans 12:6-16; John 2:1-11 -13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Do whatever He tells you.”
John 2:5
“Whosoever shall do the Will of My Father, … he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 12:50
“What is the surest kind of witness? “Anyone who acknowledges that Jesus Christ came among us in the flesh” (cf 1 Jn 4:2) and who keeps the commands of the Gospel… How many there are, each day, of these hidden martyrs of Christ who confess the Lord Jesus! … So be faithful and courageous in interior persecutions, so that you may also win the victory in exterior persecutions.”
St Ambrose (340-397) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Obedience is a short cut to perfection.”
St Philip Neri (1515-1595)
“ It is necessary, therefore, to obey the Eternal Father by following Our Lord in order to hear His Word. And behold, how we are taught that all persons, whatever their condition may be, must pray and meditate, for it is there, principally, where this Divine Master speaks to us. … But, it will not do us any good to listen, if we do not DO what He says to us, observing His commandments and His wishes faithfully,”
Quote/s of the Day – 16 January – 1 Peter 5:1-4, 10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in Heaven.”
Matthew 16:19
“But He still follows behind us and counsels us, although we have despised Him, He still does not cease to call us. We turn our backs on His face, so to speak, when we reject His Words, when we trample His Commandments underfoot but He, Who sees that we reject Him, still calls out to us by His Commandments and waits for us by His patience, stands behind us and calls us back when we have turned away.”
St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father & Doctor of the Church
“We fight the monsters of Africa in imagination but, from lack of attention, we allow ourselves, in reality, to be killed by the little serpents which lie in our way!”
(Intro to the Devout Life III:37)
“Do not content yourself with confessing your venial sins merely as to the fact but accuse yourself too, of the motive which induced you to commit them.”
(Introduction to the Devout Life, Part II, Chapter 19).
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“Yet, after all it is the natural and most suitable means of preparation. It helps us to bring into subjection, that lower nature which rebels against the sovereignty of our King. It detaches us from finding our satisfaction in earthly things. It is, in itself, an act of obedience to our King. It renders us humble and teaches us to put our necks under the yoke. It saves us from being separated from the Kingdom we are to share by the long prison of Purgatory. Learn from all this, to love penance!”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family”and the Feast of the Holy Family
Indulgenced Holy Family Aspiration
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with Thee.”
(Indulgence of 300 days, Each Time. Pope Pius VII, 26 August 1814)
“When husband and wife are united in marriage they no longer seem like something earthly but rather, like the image of God Himself!”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church
“The One Who is the Wisdom of the Father, put His arms around her neck, the One Who is the strength, that gives movement to everything, sat in her arms. He Who is the rest of souls, (Mt 11:29) rested on her motherly breast. … Filled with the Holy Spirit, she held Him close to her heart … She never had enough of seeing Him or of hearing Him, ,,, Thus Mary grew evermore in love and her mind was unceasingly attached to Divine contemplation.”
St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)
“Since God could choose for the Guardian of His Son, the man in the world, the most accomplished in all sorts of perfections, according to the dignity and excellence of his Charge, Who was His most Glorious Son, the universal Prince of Heaven and earth, how could it be that being able, He did not will it and did not do it? There is, then, NO DOUBT that St Joseph was endowed with all the graces and all the gifts that were required for the care which the Eternal Father willed to give him, of the temporal and domestic economy of our Lord and of the guidance of his family … ”
Quote/s of the Day – 20 December – The Vigil of St Thomas, Apostle – Ember Friday, Third Week of Advent – Sirach 44:25-27, 45:2-4, 45:6-9; John 15:12-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“This is My commandment that you love one another, as I have loved you. ”
John 15:12
“Love the Lord and so, learn to love yourselves that when, by loving the Lord, you shall have loved yourselves, you may securely love your neighbour as yourselves. … So then, have faith with love. This is the “wedding garment!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Truly blessed is he who cleaves, with his thought, to the Prayer of Jesus, constantly calling to Him in his heart, just as air cleaves to our bodies, or the flame to the candle.”
St Hesychius of Jerusalem (Died c450) Priest, Exegete, Father
“We should always love our neighbour, as in the breast of Christ”
(The Spirit of St François de Sales II, 1)
“We must help one another, as much as we can and leave the rest to God.”
(Letters to Persons in Religion,I, 8)
“Love the poor and poverty, for it is by this love that you shall become truly poor.”
(Introduction to the Devout Life Part III Chapter 15)
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 19 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
“If we would please this Divine Infant, we too must become children, simple and humble. We must carry to Him, flowers of virtue, of meekness, of mortification, of charity. We must clasp Him in the arms of our love.”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
“Our Lord is begotten virginally, from all eternity, in the bosom of His Heavenly Father. He shares in the One Divinity of His Eternal Father, without dividing it or fracturing the Divine Simplicity. He remains One same God with Him. The most holy Virgin produced her Son, Our Lord on earth, as He is produced by His Father eternally in Heaven that is, virginally. There is one important difference, however, she brought Him forth from her womb and not in her womb, for once He left it He will no more return there but His Heavenly Father begets Him from His bosom and in His bosom and He will remain there eternally!”
(The Coming of the Divine Infant 24 December 1613 Sermon for Christmas Eve)
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 18 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The Feast of Our Lady of Expectation
“ By a woman, came the flood of our ills and by a woman too, our blessings, have their spring.”
St Gregory Thaumaturgus (c213-c270) “the Wonder-Worker,” Bishop, Confessor
“And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be to me according to thy word.’”
Luke 1:38
“The price of our salvation is offered to thee. We shall be set free at once, if thou consent. In the eternal Word of God, we all came to be and behold, we die. In thy brief response, we are to be remade. in order to be recalled to life.… Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the Angel, or rather, through the Angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak thine own word, conceive the Divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the Eternal Word!”
St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) The Last Father and the Mellifluous Doctor
“She saw herself raised to the highest dignity that ever was or will be, for although it should please God to create anew many worlds, He could never make a pure creature be greater than the Mother of God. Our Lady humbled herself and acknowledged herself unworthy of being raised to the high dignity of Mother of God, therefore, she was made to be His Mother, for she had no sooner uttered the protestation of her littleness, than, having abandoned herself to Him, by an act of incomparable charity, she became the Mother of the Most High, Who is the Saviour of our souls!”
Quote/s of the Day – 16 December – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Matthew 16:24-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“For he who will save his life, will lose it and he who will lose his life for My sake, will find it. ”
Matthew 16:25
“He who findeth his life, shall lose it and he, who shall lose his life for Me, shall find it. ” Matthew 10:39
“My dear child, accept this cross from God and bear it – it will turn into a truly lovable cross, if you would hand these trials over to God, accept them from Him with true abandonment and thank God for them: “My soul magnifies the Lord” in everything (cf Lk 1:46). Whether God takes or gives, the Son of Man must be raised up on the Cross … Dear child, leave all that behind; rather, give your attention to true abandonment … and think about accepting to bear the cross of temptation, rather than going in search of spiritual sweetness … Our Lord has said: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me” (Lk 9:23).”
Fr JohannesTauler OP (c1300-1361) Dominican Priest and Friar, renowned Preacher and Theologian
“Since happiness is nothing else than the enjoyment of the Supreme Good and the Supreme Good is above us, no-one can enjoy happiness, unless he rises above himself.”
St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
“My soul, live henceforward amid the scourges and the thorns of thy Saviour and there, as a nightingale in its bush, sing sweetly: Live Jesus, Who didst die that my soul might live! Ah, Eternal Father! What can the world return Thee for the gift Thou hast made it of Thy only Son? Alas! to redeem a thing so vile as I, the Saviour delivered Himself to death and, unhappy me! I hesitate to surrender my nothingness to Him, Who has given me everything!”
Quote/s of the Day – 11 December – Advent Preparation and Penance
“Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God and an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17); if, indeed, you are preparing yourself that you may receive; if you are drawing near in faith that you may be made faithful; if of set purpose, you are putting off the old man!”
St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Father and Doctor of the Church
“If they, must regard themselves as useless servants, who have done all their duty, what must I do, who have done so small a part of what I ought to have done?”
St Andrew Avellino CR (1521–1608)
“What better penance can a heart do which commits faults, than to submit to a continual abnegation of self-will?”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“What hope would you entertain of the recovery of the man, who, instead of taking the medicine prescribed by his physician, drank a cup of poison instead? God! What can the Sacrament of Penance be to those who conceal their sins but a deadly poison which adds to their guilt, the malice of Sacrilege? What, then, does the sinner do, when he conceals his sins in Confession? He tramples underfoot, the Blood of Jesus Christ. And should he afterwards receive the Holy Communion in a state of sin, he is, according to St Chrysostom, as guilty as if he threw the Consecrated Host into a sink … Accursed shame! how many poor souls do you bring to hell? … Unhappy souls! they think only of the shame of confessing their sins and do not reflect that, if they conceal them, they shall be certainly damned!”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
“Unfortunately, our only return for God’s continual favours, has been negligence, ingratitude and sin! Since it is an offence against God, Who is infinitely good and amiable, even venial sin cannot properly be atoned for by the merits of all the Angels and of all the Saints of Heaven. Therefore, it was necessary for the Son of God, made Man, to offer Himself as a Victim of Expiation, on our behalf. Remembering His Infinite Merits, we should humbly ask God – ‘forgive us our debts.‘ that is, our many sins and failings and, whatever punishment is owing to us, for every sin demands some expiation, either in this life or in the next!”
Quote/s of the Day – 9 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Resumed Mass of Sunday – Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 11:2-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Now, the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing – that you may abound in hope and in the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 15:13
“And as soon as He sees you seek Him fervently, He will make Himself known to you. He will appear to you, grant you His help, bestow the victory on you and save you from your enemies. In fact, when He sees how you are looking for Him, how you continually place all your hope in Him, then He will instruct you, teach you true prayer, give you that authentic charity that is Himself. Then, He will become everything to you: your Paradise, Life-giving Tree, Precious Pearl, Crown, Architect, Farmer, One subject to suffering but not afflicted with suffering, Man, God, Wine, Living Water, Lamb, Bridegroom, Soldier, Armour, Christ Who is “All in All” (1Cor 1B,28).
St Macarius of Egypt (c300-390)
“God accepts our desires as though they were of great value. He longs ardently for us to desire to and love Him. He accepts our petitions for benefits, as though we were doing Him a favour. His joy in giving, is greater than ours in receiving. So let us not be apathetic in our asking, nor set too narrow bounds to our requests; nor ask for frivolous things unworthy of God’s greatness.”
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Great indeed is the confidence which God requires us to have in His paternal care and in His Divine Providence but why should we not have it, seeing that no-one has ever been deceived in it? No-one ever trusts in God without reaping the fruits of his confidence.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 9 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Resumed Mass of Sunday – Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 11:2-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Behold I send My Angel before My Face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.” – Matthew 11:10
REFLECTION – “Since our Divine Saviour is so near, what are we to do to prepare ourselves for His coming ? Saint John the Baptist teaches us : “Repent!” he says, “bring low those mountains of pride, fill those valleys of laziness and pusillanimity, for salvation is near at hand.” The ‘valleys’ are nothing other than fear which, when it becomes too great, leads to discouragement. The sight of the great sins we have committed, brings with them, a shock and fear which strikes the heart. These are the valleys we have to fill, with trust and hope for the coming of our Lord.
“Bring low mountains and hills:”what are these but presumption, pride and self-esteem, which is a very great hindrance to our Lord’s Coming, Who is accustomed to humble and bring low the proud, for He penetrates right to the bottom of our hearts to uncover the pride hidden within them. “Level the highways, the crooked ways make straight to make them a plain.” This is as though He were to say: “Put right all those doubtful intentions, so that you may have none but that of pleasing God, by doing penance, this being the goal to which we should all aim.”
Make straight the path, smooth down your feelings by the mortification of your passions, inclinations and aversions. Oh, what a desirable thing it is, this equanimity of mind and feeling; how faithfully we ought to work to acquire it! For, we are more changing and inconstant, than can be told. People are to be found, who at one moment, being in a good temper, will be of a pleasant and joyful conversation; yet, look on the other side and you will find them sad and restless –in sum, the winding and uneven ways, are to be made straight for the Coming of our Lord!” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva, Doctor of the Church (Sermon for the 4th Sunday of Advent).
PRAYER – O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, prepared a worthy dwelling for Thy Son,and Who, by Thy Son’s death, foreseen by Thee, preserved her from all taint, grant, we beseech Thee, through her intercession, that we too may come to Thee unstained by sin.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).
Quote/s of the Day – 27 November – Feria of the Last Sunday after Pentecost – Colossians 1:9-14; Matthew 24:15-35 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with much power and majesty.”
Matthew 24:30
“Watch” over your life. … Sheep will turn into wolves and love into hatred. With the increase of iniquity, people will hate, persecute and betray each other. Then the world deceiver will appear in the disguise of God’s Son. He will work “signs and wonders” and the earth will fall into his hands. He will commit outrages such as have never occurred before. Then humankind will come to the “fiery trial“ and many will fall away” and perish.”
Unknown 1st Century Author [ACW- Ancient Christian Writer] (Didache 16)
“Hope, O my soul, hope! You know neither the day, nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience, makes doubtful, what is certain and turns a very short time, into a long one.”
St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582)
“Fool that I am to offend God for the sake of such trifling vanities. I have forsaken God and for what – for nothing! On the other hand, devotion and good deeds will be seen as desirable and delightful and you will ask yourself – why did I not take this beautiful and pleasant path of everlasting joy? At that hour, your sins – which at the time seemed so small – will appear as vast as mountains and your devotions truly small. …
Pray to God and cast yourself into His arms. O my God, take me into Thy care on that terrible day; may all other days be sad, if only that single day will be a happy one!”
Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – St Josaphat Kuncewicz OSBM (1584-1623) Confessor, Archbishop, Martyr – Hebrews 5:1-6, John 10:11-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“I am the Good Shepherd, I know My Own and My Own know Me.”
John 10:14
“My sheep hear My Voice; I know them and they follow Me.”
John 10:27
“I am like the sick sheep which strays from the rest of the flock. Unless the Good Shepherd takes me on His shoulders and carries me back to His fold, my steps will falter and, in the very effort of rising, my feet will give way!”
St Jerome (343-420) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Christ said that the shepherd enters through the gate and that He is Himself the Gate, as well as the Shepherd. Then, it is necessary, that He enter through Himself. By so doing, He reveals Himself and through Himself, He knows the Father. But we enter through Him because through Him, we find happiness.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus/ Doctor Communis
“The measure of love, is to love without measure.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – The Octave Day of All Saints
“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.”
Matthew 5:8
“Remember, that you will derive strength by reflecting, that the Saints yearn for you to join their ranks; desire to see you fight bravely and, that you behave like true knights in your encounters with the same adversities which they had to conquer. That breath-taking joy is theirs and your eternal reward for having endured a few years of temporal pain. Every drop of earthly bitterness will be changed into an ocean of heavenly sweetness!”
Blessed Henry Suso (1295-1366)
“Our greatest fault is, that we wish to serve God in our way, not in His way — according to our will, not according to His will…. To be truly a Saint, it is necessary to be one according to the will of God.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“We should honour God in His Saints and beseech Him to make us partakers of the graces He poured, so abundantly, upon them.”
“Perfection consists in one thing alone, which is doing the will of God. For, according to Our Lord’s words, it suffices for perfection to deny self, to take up the cross and to follow Him. Now who denies himself and takes up his cross and follows Christ better, than he who seeks not to do his own will but always that of God? Behold, now, how little is needed to become as Saint!? Nothing more than to acquire the habit of willing, on every occasion, what God wills.”
St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
“Holiness consists in love – not earthly love, of course but supernatural love. It consists in seeking God in all things, in doing His will without reservation, in aiming at His glory alone. All else, is dust and ashes! … Herein lies the explanation of the lives of the Saints, lives of sacrifice dedicated to God and to the salvation of souls. “Everything for the greater glory of God,” was the motto of St Ignatius Loyola. “Everything in the Name of God,” said St Vincent de Paul. “My God is my All” said St Catherine of Genoa. “Love God, serve God, everything is in that!” exclaimed St Clare of Assisi.
How do my thoughts, desires and ambitions compare with these?”
Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the Octave of All Saints and the Feast of the Holy Relics – Apocalypse 7:2-12; 4:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart
“As mountain hares become white in winter because they neither see. nor eat anything but snow, so, by adoring and feeding on beauty, purity and goodness itself in the Eucharist, you will become altogether beautiful, pure and good.”
“I often speak with my Teacher, Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament because I learn from Him. Jesus is the Teacher of the science of holiness. I go to Him because I would like to learn, from Him, how to become a Saint. Of what use to me is all knowledge and education, if I do not become holy?”
“Whatever riches and all other transitory things you may possess, you must keep your heart free from the slightest affection for them. Your heart may be surrounded by riches; however, riches must never master your heart! … Do not let that mind which is the likeness of God, cleave to mere earthly goods; let it always be raised above them, not sunk in them.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“The pure of heart will see God. … All the wonders of creation are rays of the Eternal Beauty of God. Creatures, therefore, should form, for us, a material ladder which leads us to God. We should never become entangled with transient worldly goods but, should see and love God in them all. The Saints were pure of heart and could see God more clearly than the most learned scholar.”
Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the Octave of All Saints – Pentecost XXIV – Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 8:23-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea and there came a great calm.”
Matthew 8:26
“Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
John 14:27
“No-one should fear to suffer for the sake of justice, no-one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised. The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then, we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“If thou art bound down by sickness, if sorrows weary thee, if thou art trembling with fear, invoke the Name of Jesus!”
St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1456)
“ … Let the fine point of your spirit always turn towards God, its north. Your are about to take to the high seas of the world, do not, on this account, alter dial or mast, sail or anchor or wind. Keep Jesus Christ as your dial, at all times, His Cross for mast, on which to hoist your resolutions, as a sail. Let your anchor be, profound trust in Him and set out early!”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.”
Matthew 5:8
“Let listening to worldly news be BITTER FOOD for you and let the words of Saintly men be as combs filled with honey.”
St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
“To Saints, their very slumber, is a prayer!”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
“Our greatest fault is, that we wish to serve God in our way, not in His way — according to our will, not according to His will…. To be truly a Saint, it is necessary to be one according to the will of God.”
“The Holy Eucharist is the perfect Communion of Saints, for it is the food common to Angels and sainted souls in Paradise and ourselves – it is the true Bread of which all Christians participate. The forgiveness of sins, the Author of forgiveness being there, is confirmed; the seed of our resurrection sown, life everlasting bestowed. … This very belief in the Most Holy Sacrament, which, in truth, reality and substance, contains the true and natural Body of Our Lord, is actually the abridgment of our Faith, according to that of the Psalmist: “He had made a memory of His wonderful works.”
One Minute Reflection – 21 Octoberber – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” –Saint Ursula and Companions (Died c238) Virgin Martyrs –Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6; Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29
REFLECTION – “WE MUST POSSESS a continual and imperturbable equanimity, amid the great variety of human occurrences and although, all things change around us, remain immovable, with our eyes fixed on God alone. And, although, all things, I will not merely say around us but even within us, should turn topsy-turvy; whether our souls be joyful or sorrowful, in peace or in trouble, in light or in darkness, in temptation or in repose, in happiness or in disgust, although the sun scorch, or the dew refresh – we should always keep our will fixed on the good pleasure of God, as its sole and supreme object.
It is true that we require great confidence to abandon ourselves, without any reserve, to Divine Providence but, when we do abandon all, Our Lord takes care of all and disposes of all. But, if we reserve anything which we are unwilling to confide to Him, He leaves us, as if He would say: “You think yourselves sufficiently wise to manage that affair without Me – you can do so and see what will come of it!” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis( Consoling Thoughts on God and Providence).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God that we may never cease devoutly, to venerate the triumphs of Thy holy Virgins and Martyrs, Ursula and her companions that, as we cannot worthily shew forth their praises, yet we may continually honour them, with lowly service. 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).
Quote/s of the Day – 18 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – St Joseph of Cupertino OFM Conv (1603-1663) Confessor – 1 Corinthians 13:1-8; Matthew 22:1-14 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?”
Matthew 22:12
“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries and all knowledge and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains but have not charity, I am nothing!”
St Paul 1 Corinthians 13:1-2
“Love the Lord and so, learn to love yourselves that when, by loving the Lord, you shall have loved yourselves, you may securely love your neighbour as yourselves. … So then, have faith with love. This is the “wedding garment!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Love God, serve God. Everything is in that!”
St Clare of Assisi (1191-1253)
“It is an old custom with the servants of God, always to have some little prayers ready and to be darting them up to Heaven frequently during the day, lifting their minds to God out of the filth of this world. He who adopts this plan, will get great fruit, with little pains.”
St Philip Neri (1515-1595)
“He who most loves, will be most loved.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“What is it to serve God and to go to Heaven? Nothing else but to love!”
Quote/s of the Day – 1 September – Pentecost XV – Galatians 5:25-26; 6:1-10; Luke 7:11-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Young man, I say to thee, arise!”
Luke 7:14
“Rather blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.’”
Luke 11:28
“She began to bathe His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet and anointed them with ointment.”
Luke 7:38
“Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God and an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17); if, indeed, you are preparing yourself that you may receive; if you are drawing near in faith that you may be made faithful; if of set purpose, you are putting off the old man!”
St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Do not content yourself with confessing your venial sins merely as to the fact but accuse yourself too, of the motive which induced you to commit them.”
(Introduction to the Devout Life, Part II, Chapter 19).
“Christ was more concerned with St. Peter’s repentance and remorse, than with his sin.”
AnaStpaul 
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