Saint of the Day – 25 October – Saint Hilary (Died c540) Bishop of Mende, France, previously having been a Monk at the renowned Lérins Abbey. and then the Abbot of a Monastery he had founded, Miracle-worker and a zealois evangeliser of the psgans in hid See and region. Born in Mende, southern France and died there in c540. Also known as – Hilary of Javols, Chély… Hilaire… Ilaro… Ilario…
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Javols, St Hilary, Bishop.”
Hilary was the Bishop of the ancient See of Javols, in the Province of Gévaudan, in the first half of the 6th Century. In 528 he welcomed Saint Lubin of Chartres, then in exile. In 535 he took part in a Council held in Auvergne.
He built a Monastery, in which Saint Enzyme took refuge, and which, from then on, changed its patron.
Among the miracles or other exceptional events, some have come down to us. Thus, one evening as he was returning from the crypt of Saint-Privat, he was carried into the air by a gust of wind. His companions found him praying in a clearing three days later. The place was inaccessible and it was necessary to clear a path with blows of an axe.
He was also able to make water flow from a well which had been dry for seven years.
Hilar certainly died around 540, since in 541, the name of his successor is already found at the 4th Council of Orleans.
In 636 his body was translated to Saint Denis near Paris and then, in 777, under Abbot Fulrad, to Salones in the Diocese of Metz. Around 815 the Relics returned to Saint Denis where they were still located in 1625. They were dispersed during the Revolution in 1793. Some, however, had returned to Mende in 1608, where the See of Javols had been transferred.
Remembered in the Roman Martyrology today, Hilary is celebrated in the Proper of the Diocese of Mende.
Hilary gave his name and Paronage to three Villages in Lozère and Aveyron: Saint Chély d’Apchèr, Saint Chély du Tarn (canton of Ste-Enimie) and Saint Chély d’Aubrac.
St Fronto (1st-2nd Centuries) Bishop of Périgueux, consecrated by St Peter Apostle, Confessor, Missionary, Miracle-worker. Born at an unknown date in Lycaonia, Asia Minor and died in Périgueux, France of natural causes. The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Périgueux in France, St Fronto, who, being made Bishop by the blessed Apostle Peter, with a Priest named George, converted to Christ a large number of the people of that place and renowned for miracles, rested in peace.” St Fronto’s Life of Service: https://anastpaul.com/2023/10/25/saint-of-the-day-25-october-saint-fronto-of-perigueux-1st-2nd-centuries-bishop-confessor/
St Fructus of Segovia
St Gaudentius (Died 410) Bishop of Brescia, renowned Preacher, Theologian, Diplomatic Mediator, The Roman Martyrology states today: “In Brescia, Saint Gaudentius, Bishop, who, Ordained by Saint Ambrose, shone among the prelates of his time for doctrine and virtue, instructed his people with words and writings and founded a Basilica which he called the ‘Council of Saints.‘” A Holy and Zealous Shepherd: https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/25/saint-of-the-day-25-october-st-gaudentius-of-brescia-died-410/
St George of Périgueux (1st-2nd Centuries) Priest, assistant to St Fronto St Goeznoveus of Leon St Guesnoveus Bl Henry of Segusio St Hilary (Died c540) Bishop of Mende, France St Hildemarca of Fecamp St Januarius of Sassari St Lucius of Rome St Lupus of Bayeux St Mark of Rome
St Miniato of Florence St Peter of Rome St Protus of Sassari St Recaredo Centelles Abad St Tabitha
Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy (c1455–1492) “White Martyr of Munster” – Bishop. He was a Bishop who never ruled his See/s, even though he was appointed to two of them – Bishop of Ross, Ireland in 1482 and Bishop of Cork and Cloyne in 1490. Patronages – exiles, the homeless, those suffering calumny, rejection and persecution, pilgrims. The Pain of Earthly Rejection but Beloved of the Lord: https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/25/saint-of-the-day-25-october-blessed-thaddeus-mccarthy-c-1455-1492-the-white-martyr-of-munster/
St Theodosius of Rome
Martyrs of Rome – A group of 46 soldiers and 21 civilians Martyred together in the persecutions of Claudius II. 269 in Rome, Italy.
Quote/s of the Day – 5 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows – Sirach 24:14-16: Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here:
“Blessed is the womb which bore thee”
Luke 11:27
“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost.”
St Hilary (315-368) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Mary signifies “Light-Giver” or “Star of the Sea” for she gave birth to the Light of the World. In the Syriac tongue, however, Mary means “Lady” and beautifully so, since she gave birth to the Lord.”
St Isidore of Seville (c560-636) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Being thy servant, O Mary, is a surety of salvation which God grants solely, to those He will save!”
St Andrew of Crete (660-740) Bishop, Father of the Church
“When we appeal to the throne of grace, we do so through Mary, honouring God by honouring His Mother, imitating Him, by exalting her, touching the most responsive chord in the Sacred Heart of Christ, with the sweet name of Mary!”
St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 2 April – Feastday of St Francis of Paola OM (1416-1507) –Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Lent – Isaias 1:16-19 – John 9:1-38 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your deeds from My Eyes …”
Isaias 1:16
“Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother. They know nothing of covetousness, ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying. This state of mind opens the road to Heaven. To imitate our Lord’s own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God’s little ones.”
St Hilary (315-368) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Prayer, appeases the anger of God; He pardons the sinner when he prays with humility.”
St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455)
“We must be very sorry for faults with a repentance which is strong, constant, tranquil but not troubled, unquiet or fainthearted.”
(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 9, Chapter 7).
“Christ was more concerned with St. Peter’s repentance and remorse, than with his sin.”
Quote/s of the Day – 22 February – The Feast of the Chair of St Peter at Antioch –1 Peter 1:1-7; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:16
“Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee but My Father Who is in Heaven.”
Matthew 16:17
“Upon this Rock I will build My Church”
Matthew 16:18
“God is One and Christ is One, His Church is One, His See is One, founded by the Voice of the Lord on Peter. No other Altar can be set up, no other Priesthood instituted apart from that One Altar and that One Priesthood. Who so gathers elsewhere, scatters!”
St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200-258) Martyr, Bishop of Carthage, Father of the Church
“ O blessed gatekeeper of Heaven, to whom were given the keys of entry to eternity! ”
St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father & Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 22 February – The Feast of the Chair of St Peter at Antioch –1 Peter 1:1-7; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16
REFLECTION – “The Lord had asked: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” To be sure, His bodily appearance made known the Son of Man but, in putting this question, He led people to understand that, there was something else to be discerned, over and above what could be seen … The object of the question was, a mystery towards which the faith of the believer had to tend.
Peter’s confession was fully recompensed, as he deserved for having seen the Son of God within the Man. “Blessed” is he, indeed and praised, for having penetrated beyond merely human sight, not looking to that which comes of flesh and blood but, beholding the Son of God, revealed by His heavenly Father. He was accounted worthy to be the first, to recognise, what it was in Christ which was of God! What a foundation he had the good fortune to give to the Church, on the basis of his new name! He became the Rock worthy of building up the Church, so that it might break the laws of hell … and every prison-house of death. O blessed gatekeeper of Heaven, to whom were given the keys of entry to eternity! His judgement on earth, becomes authoritative, beforehand in Heaven, in such a way that, what has been bound or loosed on earth, becomes so also in Heaven.
Jesus also commands His disciples not to tell anyone He is the Christ, since others, namely the Law and the Prophets, must be the witnesses of His Spirit, while witness to the Resurrection belongs to the Apostles. And, just as the blessedness of those, who know Christ in the Spirit, was made known, so also, was made known, the danger of misunderstanding His humility and passion.” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father & Doctor of the Church (Commentary on St Matthew’s Gospel 16).
PRAYER – O God, Who when giving blessed Peter, Thine Apostle, the keys of the Heavenly Kingdom, bestowed on him the power of binding and loosing, grant that by the help of his intercession, we may be delivered from the bonds of our sins. 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 – 14 January – St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church
“The time for speaking is come, for the time for silence is past. Let Christ now appear, for Antichrist has begun his reign. Let us lay down our lives for our sheep, for thieves have got into the fold and a furious lion is prowling around it. Let us prepare for Martyrdom, f or the angel of satan hath transformed himself into angel of light!”
“He confesses Christ, the better to deny Him; he tries to procure a unity which shall destroy peace; he puts down some few heretics, so that he may also crush the Christians; he honours Bishops that they may cease to be bishops: he builds up Churches that he may pull down the Faith!”
(On antichrist and his prophet – sound familiar?)
“As the living Father has sent Me and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.” John 6:58
“He is in the Father by reason of His Divine Nature, we are in Him, by reason of His Human Birth and He is in us, through the Mystery of the Sacraments. This, surely, is what He wished us to believe; this is how He wanted us to understand the perfect Unity that is achieved through our Mediator, Who lives in the Father, while we live in Him and Who, while living in the Father, lives also in us. This is how we attain to Unity with the Father. Christ is in very truth in the Father by His Eternal Generation; we are in very truth, in Christ and He likewise is in us.”
“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost.”
Bl Amadeus of Clermont St Barbasymas St Caldeoldus of Vienne St Datius of Milan (Died 552) Bishopand Confessor St Engelmaro St Eufrasio of Clermont St Euphrasius the Martyr
St Felix of Nola (Died c 253) Priest, Confessor, Apostle of Charity .Patronages – against eye disease, against eye trouble, against false witness, against lies, against perjury, domestic animals, of Nola, Italy. The Roman Martyrology states of him today: “At Nola in Campania, the birthday of St Felix, Priest, who (as is related by Bishop, St Paulinus of Nola), after beomg subjected to torments by the persecutors, was cast into prison and extended, bound hand foot, on (snail) shells and broken earthenware. During the night, however, his bonds were loosened and he was delivered by an Angel. The persecution over, he brought many to the Faith of Christ by his exemplary life and teaching and renowned for many miracles, he rested in peace.” A Miraculous Life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/01/14/saint-of-the-day-14-january-st-felix-of-nola-died-c-253/
St Felix of Rome St Fermin of Mende St Fulgentius of Ecija St Glycerius of Antioch
St Macrina the Elder (Died c 340) Widow, Grandmother of St Basil the Great, St Gregory of Nyssa, St Peter of Sebaste and St Macrina the Younger. The Roman Martyrology says today: “St Macrina, disciple of St Gregory Thaumaturgus and the grandmother of St Basil, whom she brought up in the Faith.” Her Faith-filled Life: https://anastpaul.com/2023/01/14/saint-of-the-day-14-january-st-macrina-the-elder-died-c-340-widow/
St Malachy the Prophet St Nino of Georgia Bl Odoric of Pordenone
St Paul of Africa St Potitus Bl Rainer of Arnsberg St Sabas of Sinai St Sava of Serbia St Successus of Africa St Theodolus of Sinai Bl William de Sanjulia
Martyrs of Mount Sinai: A group of Monks on Mount Sinai who were Martyred by desert Bedouins. Their names and exact number have not come down to us. Martyred by Bedouins.
Martyrs of Raithu – 43 Saints: A group of 43 Monks in the Raithu Desert near Mount Sinai, Palestine, near the Red Sea. They were Martyred for their faith by desert Bedouins. Their names have not come down to us. Martyred by Bedouins.
Our Morning Offering – 13 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – The Eighth Day, The Octave of the Epiphany
Jesus Refulsit Omnium Jesus, Light of All the Nations By St Hilary (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church Doctor of the Divinity of Christ
Jesus, the merciful Redeemer of all nations, shone forth on this day; let the faithful of every race celebrate Him in their songs of praise.
A Star, shining in the heavens, announces His Birth; it leads the way and guides them to His Crib.
Prostrating, they adore the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes; they confess Him to be the true God, offering Him their mystic gifts.
Thirty years of His life had passed and He, the infinitely pure God, seeks the laver of baptism.
John, the favoured Baptist trembles as he bends the head of Jesus beneath the waters–that Jesus whose Blood was to purify the whole earth from its sins.
The Divine Voice of the Father is heard from Heaven, bearing testimony to His Son and the Holy Ghost, too, is present, the Giver of holy grace.
We beseech Thee in humble supplication, O Jesus! protect Thy people; we ask it of Thee by the power Thou didst show when Thou didst command the water to be changed into wine.
May praise, honour and all power be to the Trinity forever and forever. Amen
(Verses 4-6 omitted on the image). I could not find the name of the Translator of this version of this Hymn, often referred to as “the oldest” Christmas Hymn.
One Minute Reflection – 30 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – Ferial Day –Philippians 3:17-21, 4:1-3; Matthew 9:18-26 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“… The girl is not dead but sleepeth.” – Matthew 9:24
REFLECTION – “This synagogue Official can be understood as representing the Law of Moses who, when interceding on behalf of the crowd he had nurtured for Christ, by preaching the expectation of His coming, asks the Lord to restore a dead girl to life … The Lord promised to help him and, to assure him of it, he followed him.
First of all, however, the mass of pagan sinners was saved, together with the Apostles. The gift of life reverted, in the first place, to the elect predestined by the Law and yet, before that, salvation was bestowed on publicans and sinners, in the image of the woman. That was why, this woman was confident that, coming upon the Lord as He passed by, she would be healed of her haemorrhage at the touch of the Lord’s garment … In her faith, she was in haste to touch the fringe of His garment, that is to say, to attain, together with the Apostles, the gift of the Holy Ghost emanating from Christ’s Body after the manner of a fringe. She was swiftly healed. Thus, the cure intended for the one, was also granted to the other, whose faith and perseverance the Lord praised, since what had been prepared for Israel had been received by the Gentiles … The healing power of the Lord contained, in His Body spread even to the fringes of His garments. For indeed, God is neither divisible nor graspable, in such a way, as to be enclosed within a Body. He Himself shares out His gifts in the Spirit but is not divided among His gifts. In every place His power is touched by faith because, it exists everywhere and, is never absent anywhere. The Body He took did not restrict His power but His power took on the weakness of a body to redeem it …
Then, the Lord entered the Official’s house, otherwise called the synagogue … and many people mocked Him. Effectively, they did not believe in the God-Man and laughed to hear Him preach the resurrection from the dead. Taking the young girl’s hand, the Lord restored her to life, whose death, where he was concerned, was nothing but a dream.” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ (Commentary on Saint Matthew’s Gospel 9: 5-8 )
PRAYER – O God, our refuge and our strength, the very source of holiness, heed the devout prayers of Thy Church and grant that what we seek in faith, we may obtain in fact. 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 – 5 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” –Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows – Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows – Sirach 24:14-16: Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here:
“Rather blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.’”
Luke 11:28
“Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother. They know nothing of covetousness, ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying. This state of mind opens the road to Heaven. To imitate our Lord’s own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God’s little ones.”
St Hilary (315-368) Father and Doctor of the Church
“If anyone comes to Me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”
Luke 14:26
“ … For his brothers His relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in Him, of what advantage was that relationship? … Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good, unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart, than in her flesh.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of Grace
“Obedience is a short cut to perfection.”
St Philip Neri (1515-1595)
“Let us then depart, let us depart from Egypt, let us approach Our Lord, let us make provision of good works; let the feet of our affections be bare, let us clothe ourselves with innocence, let us not be satisfied with crying for mercy, let us go forth from Egypt, let us delay no longer. The hour is come to arise from sleep, since we know that He receives sinners; the Angels await our repentance, the Saints pray for it!”
St Francis de Sales 91567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 13 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Anacletus (c25-c89) 3rd Bishop of Rome and Martyr – 1 Petet 5:1-4; 5:10-11: Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter and upon this rock, I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18
“… About the fourth watch of the night, He came towards them, walking upon the sea …”
Mark 6:48
“In the expression “fourth watch of the night” we find the number corresponding to the signs of His care. Thus, the first watch was that of the Law; the second, that of the Prophets; the third, that of His coming in the flesh; the fourth is situated in His return in glory. But He will find the Church declining and hemmed in by the spirit of the Antichrist and all the distresses of this world. He will come when anxieties and afflictions are at their height … The disciples will be terrified even by the coming of the Lord, fearing the images of a reality distorted by Antichrist and by the deceitful imaginations infiltrating their sight. But our good Lord will speak to them directly, casting out their fear and saying: “It is I”, dispersing their fear of imminent shipwreck by faith in His coming! ”
St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father & Doctor of the Church
“We, as Catholics, are not permitted to believe anything of our own will, nor to choose, what someone has believed, of his [own will]. We have God’s Apostles as authorities, who did not themselves, of their own wills, choose anything of what they wanted to believe but faithfully transmitted, to the nations, the teachings of Christ.”
St Isidore of Seville (c560-636) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Let us trust in Him. Who has placed this burden upon us. What we ourselves cannot bear, let us bear, with the help of Christ. For He is All-powerful and He tells us: ‘My yoke is easy and my burden light.’”
St Boniface (c672-754) Martyr
“Thus we do not say that the Pope cannot err in his private opinions, as did John XXII; or be altogether a heretic, as perhaps Honorius was. Now, when he, [the Pope], is explicitly a heretic, he falls ipso facto, from his dignity and OUT of the Church! …
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 15 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Our Lady’s Saturday
“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost.”
St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
“O, that the soul of Mary were in us, to glorify the Lord! That the spirit of Mary were in us, to rejoice in God. May the life of Blessed Mary be ever present to our awareness. In her, as in a mirror, the form of virtue and beauty of chastity, shine forth. She was Virgin, not only in body but in mind and spirit. She never sullied the pure affection of her heart by unworthy feelings. She was humble of heart. She was serious in her conversations. She was prudent in her counsels. She preferred to pray rather than to speak. She united in her heart the prayers of the poor, and avoided the uncertainty of worldly riches. She was ever faithful to her daily duties, reserved in her conversations and always accustomed to recognise God as the witness of her thoughts. Blessed be the Name of Jesus!”
(On Virginity II 2.7)
St Ambrose (340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
“ … For His brothers His relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in Him, of what advantage was that relationship? … Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good, unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart, than in her flesh.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of Grace
“It is an axiom in Theology that when a person is chosen by God for any state, he receives, not only the dispositions necessary for it but, even the gifts which he needs to sustain that state with decorum.” (Speaking on the subject of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God).
St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)
“No-one who shall invoke this Mother of Grace, with devotion and perseverance, can possibly perish forever.”
St John Eudes (1601-1680) “The Apostle of Two Hearts”
Look Down, O Mother Mary! By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor Transl, Fr Edmund Vaughan, CSSR in 1863
Look down, O Mother Mary! From thy bright throne above; Cast down upon thy children One only glance of love.
And if a heart so tender With pity flows not o’er, Then turn away, O Mother! And look on us no more.
See how, ungrateful sinners, We stand before thy Son; His loving Heart upbraids us The evil we have done.
But if thou wilt appease Him, Speak for us—but one word; Thou only canst obtain as The pardon of our Lord.
O Mary, dearest Mother! If thou wouldst have us live, Say that we are thy children, And Jesus will forgive.
Our sins make us unworthy That title still to bear But thou art still our Mother, Then show a Mother’s care.
Open to us thy mantle, There stay we without fear, What evil can befall us If, Mother, thou art near?
O sweetest, dearest Mother! Thy sinful children save; Look down on us with pity, Who thy protection crave.
One Minute Reflection – 5 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – St Boniface (672-754) Martyr “The Apostle of Germany,” Confessor, Bishop – Within the Corpus Christu Octave – – 1 Corinthians 23-29, John 6:56-59.– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“As the living Father has sent Me and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.” – John 6:58
REFLECTION – “We believe that the Word became Flesh and that we receive His Flesh in the Lord’s Supper. How then can we fail to believe, that He really dwells within us? When He became Man, He actually clothed Himself in our flesh, uniting it to Himself forever. In the Sacrament of His Body, He actually gives us His own Flesh, which He has united to His Divinity. This is why we are all one because the Father is in Christ and Christ is in us. He is in us through His Flesh and we are in Him. With Him, we form a Unity, which is in God.
The manner of our indwelling in Him through the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, is evident from the Lord’s own Words: This world will see Me no longer but you shall see Me. Because I live ,you shall live also, for I am in My Father, you are in Me and I am in you. If it had been a question of mere unity of will, why should He have given us this explanation of the steps, by which it is achieved? He is in the Father by reason of His Divine Nature, we are in Him by reason of His Human Birth and He is in us, through the Mystery of the Sacraments. This, surely, is what He wished us to believe; this is how He wanted us to understand the perfect Unity that is achieved through our Mediator, Who lives in the Father, while we live in Him and Who,, while living in the Father, lives also in us. This is how we attain to Unity with the Father. Christ is in very truth in the Father by His Eternal Generation; we are in very truth, in Christ and He likewise is in us.
Christ Himself bore witness to the reality of His Unity, when He said: He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, lives in Me and I in him. No-one will be in Christ, unless Christ Himself has been in him; Christ will take to Himself only the Flesh of those who have received His Flesh.
He had already explained the Mystery of this perfect Unity, when He said: As the living Father sent Me and I draw life from the Father, so he who eats My Flesh will draw life from Me. We draw life from His Flesh, just as He draws life from the Father. Such comparisons aid our understanding, since we can grasp a point more easily, when we have an analogy. And the point is that Christ is the well-spring of our life. Since we, who are in the flesh, have Christ dwelling in us through His Flesh, we shall draw life from Him in the same way, in which He draws life from the Father.” – St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers , Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ (An excerpt from his On the Trinity).
PRAYER – O God, Who, through the zeal of blessed Boniface, Thy Martyr and Bishop, graciously called a multitude of people to the knowledge of Thine Name, mercifully grant that we, who keep his feast, may also enjoy his patronage.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).
HEART of JESUS burning with love of us, inflame our hearts with love of Thee. – 100 Days, once a day. (See Instructions. – Unless otherwise stated, e.g., “once a day,” a partial Indulgence may be gained any number of times in succession.) [169 Raccolta or Collection of Indulgences, 1910] Pope Leo XIII, 16 July 1893.
One Minute Reflection – 17 February – The First Saturday of Lent – Isaias 58:9-14, Mark 6:47-56 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“… About the fourth watch of the night, He came towards them, walking upon the sea …” – Mark 6:48
REFLECTION – “Then He made the disciples get into the boat, while He dismissed the crowds. After doing so, He went up to pray. When it was evening, He was there alone” (Cf Mt 14:22-23). If we are to explain these happenings we must distinguish between the times. If He was alone in the evening, this points to His solitude at the hour of His Passion when panic had caused everyone to scatter. If He made His disciples get into the boat and cross over the sea, while He Himself dismissed the crowds and if, having dismissed them, He went up a mountain, this means that He directed them to remain in the Church and to sail across the sea – that is to say, this world – until, at His return in glory, He would grant salvation to all, who are to be the remnant of Israel (cf. Rom 11:5)… and this people would give thanks to God His Father and be set firm within His glory and majesty…
“During the fourth watch of the night, He came toward them.” In the expression “fourth watch of the night” we find the number corresponding to the signs of His care. Thus, the first watch was that of the Law; the second, that of the Prophets; the third, that of His coming in the flesh; the fourth is situated in His return in glory. But He will find the Church declining and hemmed in by the spirit of the Antichrist and all the distresses of this world. He will come when anxieties and afflictions are at their height … The disciples will be terrified even by the coming of the Lord, fearing the images of a reality distorted by Antichrist and by the deceitful imaginations infiltrating their sight. But our good Lord will speak to them directly, casting out their fear and saying: “It is I”, dispersing their fear of imminent shipwreck by faith in His coming! ”- St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father & Doctor of the Church (Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew).
PRAYER – Hear, O Lord, our humble prayers and grant that we may devoutly keep this fast which has been established, to cure our souls and bodies. 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 – 14 January – St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church
“The Son of God, is nailed to the Cross but on the Cross, God conquers human death. Christ, the Son of God, dies but all flesh is made alive in Christ. The Son of God is in hell but man is carried back to Heaven!”
(On the Trinity Book II)I
“When I look at Thine heavens, according to my own lights, with these weak eyes of mine, I am certain, with reservation, that they are Thine heavens. The stars circle in the heavens, reappear year after year, each with a function and service to fulfil. And, although I do not understand them, I know that Thou, O God, are in them.”
“Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother. They know nothing of covetousness, ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying. This state of mind opens the road to Heaven. To imitate our Lord’s own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God’s little ones.”
Our Morning Offering – 14 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – Second Sunday after the Epiphany and the Feast day of St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost By St Hilary (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
Father, keep us from vain strife of words. Grant to us constant profession of the Truth! Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith so that we may hold fast to that which we professed when we were Baptised in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, that we may have Thou for our Father, that we may abide in Thy Son and in the fellowship of the Holy Ghost. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen
Saint of the Day – 14 January – St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church, Writer, Philosopher, Theologian, Preacher, Defender of the Faith, Doctor of the Divinity of Christ, Miracle-worker. The “Hammer of the Arians” and “Athanasius of the West.” Patronages – against rheumatism, against snakes and snakebites, children with learning impediments, children learning to walk, lawyers, mothers, of the sick, of La Rochelle and Poitiers in France,4 Cities in Italy. Also known as – Ilario di Poitiers, Malleus Arianorum.
The Roman Martyrology reads yesterday, 13 January the day of his death: “At Poitiers, in France, the birthday of St Hilary, Bishop and Confessor of the Catholic Faith which he courageously defended and for which he was banished for four years to Phrygia, where, among other miracles, he raised a man from the dead. Pope Pius IX declared him a Doctor of the Church. His festival is celebrated on the 14th day of this Month.”
This staunch defender of the Divinity of Christ was a gentle and courteous man, devoted to writing some of the greatest theology and was like his Master in being labeled a “disturber of the peace.” In a very troubled period in the Church, his holiness was lived in both scholarship and controversy.
Raised a pagan, he was converted to Christianity when he met his God of nature in the study of Sacred Scriptures. His wife was still living when he was chosen, against his will, to be the Bishop of Poitiers in France. He was soon involved in the immense fight against what became the scourge of the 4th Century, -Arianism which denied the Divinity of Christ.
The heresy spread rapidly. St Jerome said “The world groaned and marvelled to find that it was Arian.” When Emperor Constantius ordered all the Bishops of the West to sign a condemnation of Athanasius, the great Defender of the Faith in the East, Hilary refused and was banished from France to far off Phrygia. Eventually he was called the “Athanasius of the West.”
While in Phrygia, however, he continued to govern his Diocese, as well as writing two of the most important of his contributions to theology. While there, he was invited by some semi-Arians (hoping for reconciliation) to a Council the Emperor called to counteract the Council of Nicea. But Hilary predictably defended theTruth of the Church and when he sought public debate with the heretical bishop who had exiled him, the Arians, dreading the meeting and its outcome, pleaded with the Emperor to send this troublemaker back home to the small Town of Poitiers, where his enemies hoped he would fade into obscurity. Hilary was welcomed by his people but he continued the fight against the heretics without ceasing.
While Hilary closely followed the great St Athanasius, in exegesis and Christology respectively, his work shows many traces of vigorous independent thought. St Jerome and others consider our St Hilary as the first Catholic Hymnist. Hilary is the pre-eminent Latin writer of the 4th Century (before Sts Ambrose and Augustine) and his works continue to be highly influential. Remember this Hymn we prayed yesterday for the Octave of the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord:
Jesus Refulsit Omnium Jesus, Light of All the Nations By St Hilary (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church Doctor of the Divinity of Christ
Jesus, the merciful Redeemer of all nations, shone forth on this day; let the faithful of every race celebrate Him in their songs of praise.
A Star, shining in the heavens, announces His Birth; it leads the way and guides them to His Crib.
Prostrating, they adore the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes; they confess Him to be the true God, offering Him their mystic gifts.
Thirty years of His life had passed and He, the infinitely pure God, seeks the laver of baptism.
John, the favoured Baptist trembles as he bends the head of Jesus beneath the waters–that Jesus whose Blood was to purify the whole earth from its sins.
The Divine Voice of the Father is heard from Heaven, bearing testimony to His Son and the Holy Ghost, too, is present, the Giver of holy grace.
We beseech Thee in humble supplication, O Jesus! protect Thy people; we ask it of Thee by the power Thou didst show when Thou didst command the water to be changed into wine.
May praise, honour and all power be to the Trinity forever and forever. Amen
(Verses 4-6 omitted on the image). I could not find the name of the Translator of this version of this Hymn, often referred to as “the oldest” Christmas Hymn.
Our Morning Offering – 13 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – The Eighth Day, The Octave of the Epiphany
Jesus Refulsit Omnium Jesus, Light of All the Nations By St Hilary (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church Doctor of the Divinity of Christ
Jesus, the merciful Redeemer of all nations, shone forth on this day; let the faithful of every race celebrate Him in their songs of praise.
A Star, shining in the heavens, announces His Birth; it leads the way and guides them to His Crib.
Prostrating, they adore the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes; they confess Him to be the true God, offering Him their mystic gifts.
Thirty years of His life had passed and He, the infinitely pure God, seeks the laver of baptism.
John, the favoured Baptist trembles as he bends the head of Jesus beneath the waters–that Jesus whose Blood was to purify the whole earth from its sins.
The Divine Voice of the Father is heard from Heaven, bearing testimony to His Son and the Holy Ghost, too, is present, the Giver of holy grace.
We beseech Thee in humble supplication, O Jesus! protect Thy people; we ask it of Thee by the power Thou didst show when Thou didst command the water to be changed into wine.
May praise, honour and all power be to the Trinity forever and forever. Amen
(Verses 4-6 omitted on the image). I could not find the name of the Translator of this version of this Hymn, often referred to as “the oldest” Christmas Hymn.
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit By St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
Father, keep us from vain strife of words. Grant to us constant profession of the Truth! Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith so that we may hold fast to that which we professed when we were Baptised in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that we may have You for our Father, that we may abide in Your Son and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen
An Act of Oblation to the Holy 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
The Sign of the Cross In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
(50 Days. 100 Days if made with Holy Water Blessed Pope Pius IX, 1865.)
WHENE’ER across this sinful flesh of mine I draw the Holy Sign, All good thoughts stir within me and renew Their slumbering strength divine, Till there springs up a courage high and true To suffer and to do.
And who shall say but hateful spirits around, For their brief hour unbound, Shudder to see and wail their overthrow? While on far heathen ground Some lonely Saint hails the fresh odour, though Its source he cannot know.
John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Oxford – 25 November 1832
One Minute Reflection – 29 March –Wednesday in Passion Week – Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-19, 25, John 10:22-38 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“I and the Father are One.”- John 10:30
REFLECTION – “The Father is Who He Is and we must believe that. As for the Son, our mind gets discouraged in trying to reach Him and with every word we hesitate to make it heard. For He Is begotten of the One Who Is not begotten, the Only-Begotten of the One Who Is the One and Only, Truth come forth from Truth, the Living born of the Living, the perfect One Who comes from the perfect One, Power from Power, Wisdom from Wisdom, Glory from Glory, “the Image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15)…
How shall we understand the Only Son’s being begotten by the One Who Is not begotten?… This begetting is not a break or a division…“ The Father is in Me and I am in the Father.” (Jn 10:38) He is not adopted, for the Son is the true Son of God and says: “Whoever sees Me sees the Father.” (Jn 14:9) He did not come into existence like other beings, obeying a command, for… He has life in Himself as the One Who begot Him has life in Himself (Jn 5:26)… The One Who comes from the Perfect One, is Perfect, since the One Who possesses everything, gave everything to Him. The Father and Son each possess the secret of that birth.” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Church (De Trinitate II:8).
PRAYER – In Thy mercy, O Lord, may this hallowing fast enlighten the hearts of Thy faithful people and since Thou have given them the desire to serve Thee, lend a gracious ear to their prayers.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).
Our Morning Offering – 15 January – Second Sunday after the Epiphany
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit By St Hilary (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
Father, keep us from vain strife of words. Grant to us constant profession of the Truth! Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith so that we may hold fast to that which we professed when we were Baptised in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that we may have You for our Father, that we may abide in Your Son and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 14 January – St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church
“The time for speaking is come, for the time for silence is past. Let Christ now appear, for Antichrist has begun his reign. Let us lay down our lives for our sheep, for thieves have got into the fold and a furious lion is prowling around it. Let us prepare for Martyrdom, f or the angel of satan hath transformed himself into angel of light!”
“He confesses Christ, the better to deny Him; he tries to procure a unity which shall destroy peace; he puts down some few heretics, so that he may also crush the Christians; he honours Bishops that they may cease to be bishops: he builds up Churches that he may pull down the Faith!”
Bl Amadeus of Clermont St Barbasymas St Caldeoldus of Vienne St Datius of Milan St Engelmaro St Eufrasio of Clermont St Euphrasius the Martyr
St Felix of Nola (Died c 253) Priest, Confessor, Apostle of Charity .Patronages – against eye disease, against eye trouble, against false witness, against lies, against perjury, domestic animals, of Nola, Italy. The Roman Martyrology states of him today: “At Nola in Campania, the birthday of St Felix, Priest, who (as is related by Bishop, St Paulinus of Nola), after beomg subjected to torments by the persecutors, was cast into prison and extended, bound hand foot, on (snail) shells and broken earthenware. During the night, however, his bonds were loosened and he was delivered by an Angel. The persecution over, he brought many to the Faith of Christ by his exemplary life and teaching and renowned for many miracles, he rested in peace.” Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2019/01/14/saint-of-the-day-14-january-st-felix-of-nola-died-c-253/
St Felix of Rome St Fermin of Mende St Fulgentius of Ecija St Glycerius of Antioch
St Isaias the Martyr St Jesaja of Sinai St Macrina the Elder (Died c 340) Widow, Grandmother of St Basil the Great, St Gregory of Nyssa, St Peter of Sebaste and St Macrina the Younger. St Nino of Georgia Bl Odoric of Pordenone
St Paul of Africa St Potitus Bl Rainer of Arnsberg St Sabas of Sinai St Sava of Serbia St Successus of Africa St Theodolus of Sinai Bl William de Sanjulia
Martyrs of Mount Sinai: A group of Monks on Mount Sinai who were Martyred by desert Bedouins. Their names and exact number have not come down to us. Martyred by Bedouins.
Martyrs of Raithu – 43 Saints: A group of 43 Monks in the Raithu Desert near Mount Sinai, Palestine, near the Red Sea. They were Martyred for their faith by desert Bedouins. Their names have not come down to us. Martyred by Bedouins.
One Minute Reflection – 6 November – The Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost – Within the All Saints Octave – Philippians 1:6-11, Matthew 22:15-21 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Why do you tempt Me, ye hypocrites ? Show Me the coin of the tribute. And they offered Him a penny. And Jesus said to them: Whose image and. inscription is this? They said to Him, Caesar’s. Then He saith to them: Render, therefore, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s.” – Matthew 22:18-21
REFLECTION – “How wonderful this answer and how perfect the fulfilment of the prescribed Divine Law! So beautifully does He here indicate, the middle way, between not caring for the things of the world, on the one hand and the offence of injuring Caesar, on the other, that He proves the perfect freedom of minds, however devoted to God, to discharge all human duties, by commanding them to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.
If we possess nothing that is Caesar’s, we are not bound to render anything to him but, since we are concerned with the things which are his, since we make justly, use of his power and are subject to him as paid servants, to take care of property not our own, we cannot question our duty to render to Caesar, the things that are Caesar’s. But all of us, are always bound to render to God the things that are God’s that is, our body, our soul and our will. These things we hold from Him, for He is our Creator. It is, therefore, just and right that those who acknowledge that they owe to Him their being, life and preservation, should render to Him, all that they are and have.” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ.(Excerpt from his Homily on Matthew 22:15-21).
PRAYER – From all perils of soul and body defend us, O Lord, we beseech Thee and by the intercession of blessed and gloriosus ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of Thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints, graciously grant us safety and peace that all adversities and errors being overcome, Thy Church may serve Thee, in security and freedom. 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 – 22 October – Mary’s Day – Luke 11:27-28
“Blessed is the womb that bore You …”
Luke 11:27
Mary, Mother of Grace St Athanasius (297-373) Father & Doctor of the Church
It becomes you to be mindful of us, as you stand near Him who granted you all graces, for you are the Mother of God and our Queen. Help us for the sake of the King, the Lord God and Master, Who was born of you. For this reason, you are called full of grace. Remember us, most holy Virgin, and bestow on us gifts from the riches of your graces, Virgin full of graces. Amen
“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost.”
St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Mary was placed by God in the centre of history and we can say that everything was made through her and with her and in her.”
“O great, O gentle, O most lovable Mary, thy Holy Name cannot be spoken without inflaming the heart. To those who love thee, it is unspeakable consolation and joy even to think of thee; thou art a sweet memory to those who honour thee.”
St Bernard (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor of the Church
“Mary is the divine Page on which God the Father wrote the Word of God, His Son. Let us draw near to her and read her!”
St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
“No-one who shall invoke this Mother of Grace, with devotion and perseverance, can possibly perish forever.”
St John Eudes (1601-1680) “The Apostle of Two Hearts”
One Minute Reflection – 12 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, Matthew 9:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, – then He said to the paralytic – Arise, take up your pallet and go to your house. ” – Matthew 9:6
REFLECTION – “None can forgive sins except God alone and so, He who healed them, is God… And so that people might understand that He had taken flesh for the remission of their sins and to gain resurrection for their bodies, He said: “That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins on earth” – He then said to the paralytic: “Rise, pick up your pallet” It would have been enough to have said: “Rise” but… He added: “Pick up your pallet and go home.” Firstly, He granted remission of sins, then He manifested the power of the resurrection and then, by making him take up his pallet, He taught that weakness and pain will no longer afflict the body. Finally, by sending this man home healed, He showed that believers must rediscover the road to paradise, the same road that Adam, the father of all, abandoned when he was spoiled by the stain of sin.”… St Hilary (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church.
PRAYER – May the working of Thy mercy, we beseech Thee, O Lord, guide our hearts, for without Thee, we cannot please Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son ouTheeord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 9 July – Our Holy Mother’s Saturday and the Feast of Our Lady Queen of Peace
“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost.”
St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
“O Mary, you give assistance to everyone endeavouring to rise to God!”
St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303 – 1373)
“Let us run to Mary and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
The Holy Rosary By Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903)
Accept, mighty Maid, we beseech thee, This prayer with its fragrance of flowers; With one soul we seek thus to reach thee And hail thee, God’s Mother and ours.
Thy heart is made glad by our praying; Thy bounty is generous and wise; Thy hands are enriched for conveying What God’s tender Mercy supplies.
We kneel at thy Shrines in the Churches; Oh, gently look down from above, And welcome the heart that then searches For worthy expressions of love.
Let others present precious caskets Of gems, or heap Altars with gold; Slight prayer-beads shall serve us for baskets To bring thee the garland they hold.
With violets lowly we fashion This wreath and with these combined Red roses–our faith in the Passion With Chastity’s lilies entwined.
Our minds, as the Mysteries vary, Are active, our hands play their part; And always thy name, Holy Mary, Oft-uttered, rejoices the heart.
Be with us, we trust thee to guide us Through life and when labouring breath At the last, seeks thine aid, be beside us To help at the hour of our death.
“Wherefore, in the same holy bosom of His most chaste Mother, Christ took to Himself flesh and united to Himself, the spiritual Body formed by those who were to believe in Him. Hence Mary, carrying the Saviour within her, may be said, to have also carried, all those. whose life was contained in the life of the Saviour. Therefore, all we, who are united to Christ and, as the Apostle says, are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones (Eph 5:30), have issued from the womb of Mary, like a body united to it’s Head.”
St Pius X (1835-1914) Pope from 1903 to 1914 Encyclical “Ad diem illum laetissimum” #10-11
One Minute Reflection – 4 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 13:1-2.25-33.14,1.26-29.34-35.; Psalms 106: 6-7ab, 13-14, 21-23; Matthew 15: 21-28 and the Memorial of St Dominic de Guzman OP(1170-1221)
“ My daughter is tormented by a demon” – Matthew 15:22
REFLECTION – “This Gentile Canaanite woman no longer needs healing herself, since she confesses Christ as Lord and Son of David. But, she begs for help for her daughter, that is to say, for the crowd of Gentiles held captive under the domination of unclean spirits. Our Lord is silent, preserving for Israel with His silence, the honour of salvation. … Bearing in Himself the mystery of the Father’s Will, He answers that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel so that it might be clearly seen, that the daughter of the Canaanite woman, is a symbol of the Church. … This does not mean that salvation was not to be given to the gentiles but that our Lord had come “to His own and His own people” (Jn 1:11) and was waiting for the first fruits of faith from the people from whom he had come forth; the rest would be saved later through the preaching of the Apostles. …
And so that we might understand that the Lord’s silence was due to consideration of the times and not to any obstacle placed by His own will, He added: “Woman, your faith is great!” What He meant was, that this woman, who was already sure of her salvation, had – what is better still – faith in the gathering together of the Gentiles at the approaching time, when, through their faith, they would be set free like this young girl from all domination by unclean spirits. Indeed, confirmation of this came about: following the prefiguration of the Gentiles in the Canaanite woman’s daughter, people who were prisoner to all kinds of different illnesses, were brought to the Lord by the crowds on the mountain (Mt 15:30). These were unbelievers, that is to say sick, who were led by believers to adoration and worship and to whom, salvation was given, that they might comprehend, study, praise and follow God.” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Divinity of Christ – Commentary on Saint Matthew’s Gospel, 15 ; SC 258
PRAYER – Lord God, You gave St Dominic to the Church as a great preacher of the Truth. We pray that he will help us in these times, our times of lies, ruled by the evil one, by his merits, his teachings and his unfailing prayer. Through Jesus the Christ, Our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 8 July – – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – “He was not able to perform any mighty deed there because of their lack of faith”...Mark 6:4
And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief...Mark 6:5-6
REFLECTION – “Father, Almighty God, keep, I pray, my faith undefiled and till my last breath, grant that I may always confess my deepest convictions. May I ever hold fast to everything which I professed in the creed of my new birth, when I was baptised in the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. May I always adore You our Father and your Son who is one with You; give me always Your Holy Spirit, who proceeds from You, through Your Only-begotten Son.
For I have a convincing witness to my faith, who says, “Father, everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine” (Jn 17:10). This witness is my Lord Jesus Christ, forever God in You and from You and with You, who are blessed forever and ever. Amen”…Saint Hilary (c315-367) Bishop of Poitiers, Father & Doctor of the Church (De Trinitate, XII, final prayer)
PRAYER – Lord Holy God and Father of all, hold us always in Your Heart, keep us near to Your Son, that our faith may never fail us! Grant that by the prayers of Sts Aquila and Priscilla, we may hold fast to our Saviour, even in times of distress, hardship, persecution and humiliation, when this world assails us. Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever amen.
AnaStpaul 
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