Tag: st gregory the great

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 29 September – – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 29 September – – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

St Gregory the Great teaches us about the Archangels and why they are distinct from angels.

You should be aware that the word “angel” denotes a function rather than a nature.
Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits.
They can only be called angels when they deliver some message.

ANGELS & ARCHANGELS
Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels;  and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels.   And so it was that not merely an angel but the archangel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary.   It was only fitting that the highest angel should come to announce the greatest of all messages.you should be aware - st gregory the great - 29 sept 2017

Some angels are given proper names to denote the service they are empowered to perform.   In that holy city, where perfect knowledge flows from the vision of almighty God, those who have no names may easily be known.   But personal names are assigned to some, not because they could not be known without them but rather to denote their ministry when they came among us.   Thus, Michael means “Who is like God”  Gabriel is “The Strength of God” and Raphael is “God’s Remedy.”

ST MICHAEL
Whenever some act of wondrous power must be performed, Michael is sent, so that his action and his name may make it clear that no one can do what God does by his superior power.   So also our ancient foe desired in his pride to be like God, saying:  I will ascend into heaven;  I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven;  I will be like the Most High.   He will be allowed to remain in power until the end of the world when he will be destroyed in the final punishment.   Then, he will fight with the archangel Michael, as we are told by John:   A battle was fought with Michael the archangel.

GABRIEL & RAPHAEL
So too Gabriel, who is called God’s strength, was sent to Mary.   He came to announce the One who appeared as a humble man to quell the cosmic powers.   Thus God’s strength announced the coming of the Lord of the heavenly powers, mighty in battle.   [Luke 1:11-38]

Raphael means, as I have said, God’s remedy, for when he touched Tobit’s eyes in order to cure him, he banished the darkness of his blindness.   Thus, since he is to heal, he is rightly called God’s remedy.

This post on the archangels is an excerpt from a homily on the Gospels (Hom. 32, 8-9: PL 76, 1250-1251) by St Gregory the Great is used in the Roman Catholic Office of Readings for the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael today.

Posted in DEVOTIO, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 3 September – The Memnorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

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Thought for the Day – 3 September – The Memnorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

By his writings, St Gregory is one of the Four Fathers of the Latin Church and the influence of his writings dominated the Middle Ages. His Pastoral Care, became the pastoral manual of later centuies and his Moralia laid the foundation for medieval spirtuality.
In his thirteen years as Pope, this “servant of the servants of God”, crowded in a lifetime.
He died in 604, sick and worn out, still dictating letters on his deathbed.   He was buried at St Peter’s and his epitaph called him “the great consul of God.”

St Gregory shows the critical importance of leadership and the fantastic things that a good leader can accomplish.   He influenced every aspect of religious life and is with good reason called “the Great”.
His life shows how important one man’s witness can be.

We are “one man” too – the tiny bit we do might seem inconsequential – but God works in mysterious ways and His Hand covers all the earth – our tiny bit could well be spread by that Hand!

St Gregory the Great, Servant of the Servants, pray for us!st pope gregory pray for us 2

 

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – The Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – The Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

“If we knew at what time we were to depart from this world,
we would be able to select a season for pleasure
and another for repentance.
But God, who has promised pardon to every repentant sinner,
has not promised us tomorrow.
Therefore we must always dread the final day,
which we can never foresee.
This VERY DAY is a day of truce, a day for conversion.
And yet we refuse to cry over the evil we have done!
Not only do we not weep for the sins we have committed,
we even add to them…”if we knew at what time we were - st gregory the great

“Don’t be anxious about what you have,
but about what you are!”dont be anxious-st pope gregory the great

“When we attend to the needs of those in want,
we give them what is theirs, not ours.
More than performing works of mercy,
we are paying a debt of justice.”when we attend - st gregory the great

“The Emperor of heaven, the Lord of men and of angels,
has sent you His epistles for your life’s advantage—
and yet you neglect to read them eagerly.
Study them, I beg you and meditate daily on the words
of your Creator. Learn the heart of God in the words of God,
that you may sigh more eagerly for things eternal,
that your soul may be kindled
with greater longings for heavenly joy.”he emperor of heaven - st gregory the great

St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

 

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection –3 September – The Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection –3 September – The Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

Since the Creation of the world….God’s eternal power and divinity have become visible, recognised through the things he has made..Romans 1:20

REFLECTION – “God is within all things but not included;  outside all things but not excluded.   God is above all things but not beyond their reach.”….St Pope Gregory the Greatgod is within all things - st gregory the great

PRAYER – Lord of creation, grant me the grace to see You in all things and in all places on earth.   Help me to seek and reach You in all the events I experience and all the persons I encounter every day of my life.   St Pope Gregory the Great, Pray for us! Amenst pope gregory the great pray for us

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 3 September – The Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great – Father & Doctor

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Our Morning Offering – 3 September – The Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great – Father & Doctor

St Gregory’s Prayer of Praise

It is only right,
with all the powers of our heart and mind,
to praise You Father
and Your Only-Begotten Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear Father,
by Your wondrous condescension
of loving-kindness toward us, Your servants,
You gave up Your Son.
Dear Jesus,
You paid the debt of Adam for us
to the Eternal Father by Your Blood
poured forth in loving-kindness.
You cleared away the darkness of sin
by Your magnificent and radiant Resurrection.
You broke the bonds of death
and rose from the grave as a Conqueror.
You reconciled heaven and earth.
Our life had no hope of eternal happiness
before You redeemed us.
Your Resurrection has washed away our sins,
restored our innocence and brought us joy.
How inestimable is the tenderness
of Your Love!
Amenst gregory's prayer of praise.2

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 July

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One Minute Reflection – 22 July

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” …….John 20: 13-15

REFLECTION – “When Mary Magdalen came to the tomb and did not find the Lord’s body, she thought it had been taken away and so informed the disciples. After they came and saw the tomb, they too believed what Mary had told them. The text then says: “The disciples went back home,” and it adds: “but Mary wept and remained standing outside the tomb.” We should reflect on Mary’s attitude and the great love she felt for Christ; for though the disciples had left the tomb, she remained. She was still seeking the one she had not found and while she sought she wept; burning with the fire of love, she longed for Him who she thought had been taken away. And so it happened that the woman who stayed behind to seek Christ was the only one to see Him. For perseverance is essential to any good deed, as the voice of truth tell us: “Whoever perseveres to the end will be saved….Jesus says to her: Mary. Jesus is not recognised when He calls her “woman”; so He calls her by name, as though He were saying: ‘Recognise me as I recognise you; for I do not know you as I know others; I know you as yourself.’ And so Mary, once addressed by name, recognises who is speaking. She immediately calls Him ‘Rabboni’, that is to say, teacher, because the one whom she sought outwardly was the one who inwardly taught her to keep on searching.” – from a homily by St Pope Gregory the Great

and so it happened - st pope gregory the great

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ made Mary of Magdala the first herald of Easter joy. Grant that, following her example and helped by her prayers, we may, in this life, proclaimn he living Christ and come to se Him reigning with You in glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever, amen.

st mary of magdala pray for us

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 July

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 July

“Let sleep find you holding your Bible
and when you head nods let it be resting
on the sacred page.”
St Jerome (343-420) One of the Original 4 Doctors

le sleep find you - st jerome

“The Holy Bible is like a mirror before our mind’s eye.
In it we see our inner face.
From the Scriptures we can learn
our spiritual deformities and beauties.
And there too we discover the progress
we are making and how far we are from perfection.”
St Gregory the Great (540-604) One of the Original 4 Doctors

the holy bible is like a mirror - st gregory he great

“The Old Testament is like a radio
with its hidden voice
announcing the One to come.
The New Testament is like a television
because the Word became both audible and visible.”
Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen

the old testament - fulton sheen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

One Minute Reflection – 30 April

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One Minute Reflection – 30 April

Blest are they who have not seen and yet have believed……….John 20:29

john 20-29

REFLECTION – “This Gospel text certainly applies to us – but only if we confirm our faith by our works!
Those truly believe who carry out in practice what they believe.”………..St Gregory the Great

ST GREGORY THE GREAT - THIS GOSPEL TEXT

PRAYER – Jesus my Lord and my God, help me to believe in You with all my might. And let me translate that belief into practice by obeying Your commands each moment of each day. St Marie Guyart of the Incarnation you were truly a shining example to us all of how to confim our faith by our works! Please pray for us, amen.

ST MARIE GUYART OF THE INCARNATION - PRAY FOR US

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, EASTER, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 16 April – Easter Sunday

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Our Morning Offering – 16 April – Easter Sunday

EASTER PRAYER OF
ST Pope Gregory the Great

It is only right,
with all the powers of our heart and mind,
to praise You Father and Your Only-Begotten Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear Father, by Your wondrous condescension
of Loving-Kindness toward us, Your servants,
You gave up Your Son.
Dear Jesus You paid the debt of Adam for us
to the Eternal Father by Your Blood
poured forth in Loving-Kindness.
You cleared away the darkness of sin
by Your magnificent and radiant Resurrection.
You broke the bonds of death
and rose from the grave as a Conqueror.
You reconciled Heaven and earth.
Our life had no hope of Eternal Happiness
before You redeemed us.
Your Resurrection has washed away our sins,
restored our innocence and brought us joy.
How inestimable is the tenderness of Your Love!
We pray You, Lord,
to preserve Your servants in the peaceful enjoyment
of this Easter happiness.
We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord,
Who lives and reigns with God The Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever
AmenEASTER PRAYER OF ST GREGORY THE GREAT

 

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 12 March – St Seraphina

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Saint of the Day – 12 March – St Seraphina/Fina – (1238-1253) – Virgin – Patron of physically challenged people, handicapped people and spinners

She was a little girl, very pretty, born into a very poor family, whose father died when she was very young.   As a little girl she learned to sew and spin, spending most of her time at home.

seraphina

After her father’s death, she was struck with a strange and paralyzing illness. She became misshapen and ugly, in constant pain, unable to get out of bed or even to move.   Her mother took care of her but had to leave her for hours at a time to attend to her work. Seraphina’s only consolation was the crucifix and she realized that she was called to imitate the suffering Christ.

So she never complained.   She managed to remain serene and something beautiful shone out of her face.   Then she was struck another blow.   Her mother died and she was left completely destitute, her neighbours repelled by her appearance and her sickness, her only friend a girl named Beldia who visited her and brought her food.

In her reading, St. Seraphina had heard of the great sufferings of Pope St. Gregory the Great and he became her special saint.   She prayed to him, drew strength from the sufferings that he had to endure and prayed that he would obtain for her the patience she needed to bear her own sufferings.   She was now so weak and helpless that it was clear to everyone she could not live very long.

Eight days before her death, alone and almost completely forsaken, St. Gregory appeared to her and told her: “Dear child, on my feast day, God will give you rest” (in those days his feast day was celebrated on March 12).   On that day, she died.   The whole city attended her funeral and from that moment everyone began to pray to her.   On the place where she had lain, her neighbours found white violets growing and even today in the village of San Geminiano where she lived, the white violets that bloom in March are called Santa Fina flowers.   She died on March 12,1253, at the age of fifteen.

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 10 February

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Quote of the Day – 10 February

St. Gregory the Great said of Scholastica,

“She could do more because she loved more.”

saint-scholastica-quote-of-st-gregory-the-great