Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST

Quote/s of the Day – 24 July – “Good Soil”

Quote/s of the Day – 24 July – Friday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: Jeremiah 3:14-17, Responsorial psalm Jeremiah 31:10-13, Matthew 13:18-23

“Good Soil”

“This, beloved, is the way in which we found our salvation,
Jesus Christ, the High Priest who offers our gifts,
the patron and helper in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15).
It is through Him, that we look straight at the heavens above.
Through Him, we see mirrored, God’s faultless
and transcendent countenance.
Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened.
Through Him, our unintelligent and darkened mind shoots up into the light.
Through Him, the Master was pleased to let us taste
the knowledge that never fades,
He who is “the radiance of His splendour,
who towers as much above the angels,
as the title He has inherited, is superior to theirs.”

St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)

matthew-7-14-the-road-that-leads-to-life-this-beloved-is-the-way-in-which-we-st-pope-clement-i-23-june-2020-and 24 july 2020

O Lord and Master of My Life
Prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian (306-373)
Father & Doctor of the Church

O Lord and Master of my life,
give me not a spirit of sloth, vain curiosity,
lust for power and idle talk.
But give to me, Thy servant,
a spirit of soberness, humility, patience and love.
O Lord and King,
grant me to see my own faults
and not to condemn my brother.
For blessed art Thou to the ages of ages.
Amen
O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
O God, cleanse me, a sinner.
O God, my Creator, save me
and for my many sins forgive me!

o-lord-and-master-of-my-life-st-ephrem-17-march-2020 and 24 july 2020

“A Christian is:
a mind through which Christ thinks,
a heart through which Christ loves,
a voice through which Christ speaks
and a hand through which Christ helps.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of the Church

a-chrisitan-is-a-mind-through-which-christ-thinks-st-augustine-14-april-2020-easter-tuesday 24 july 2020

“You have the words of eternal life”

John 6:68

“These words surely make quite obvious to us
the necessity for sitting at the feet of Christ,
taking Him as our one and only teacher
and giving Him our constant and undivided attention. …
Keeping with their guide was the Israelites’ salvation then,
just as not leaving Christ is ours now.
… We will stay with You always and hold fast to Your commandments.
We will receive Your words without finding fault,
or thinking Your teaching hard,
as the ignorant do but thinking rather:
“How sweet are Your words to my throat!
Sweeter to the mouth are they, than honey or the honeycomb!”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor of the Church

john 6 68 you have the words - these words sure - st cyril of alex 24 july 2020

“Paul says: I appeal to you by the mercy of God,
to present your bodies as a sacrifice, living and holy.
The prophet said the same thing:
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire
but you have prepared a body for me.
Each of us is called to be both a sacrifice to God and His priest.
Do not forfeit what divine authority confers on you.
Put on the garment of holiness, gird yourself with the belt of chastity.
Let Christ be your helmet, let the cross on your forehead be your unfailing protection.
Your breastplate, should be the knowledge of God, that He Himself has given you.
Keep burning continually, the sweet smelling incense of prayer.
Take up the sword of the Spirit.
Let your heart be an altar.
Then, with full confidence in God, present your body for sacrifice.
God desires, not death but faith;
God thirsts, not for blood but for self-surrender;
God is appeased, not by slaughter but by the offering, of your free will.”

St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450)
Bishop, Father & Doctor of the Church
“Doctor of Homilies”

each-of-us-is-called-to-beoth-a-sacrifice-to-god-and-his-priest-st-peter-chrysologus-5-may-2020 and 24 july 2020

“Fix your minds on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Inflamed with love for us, He came down from heaven to redeem us.   For our sake He endured every torment of body and soul
and shrank from no bodily pain.
He Himself gave us an example of perfect patience and love.
We, then, are to be patient in adversity.”

St Francis of Paola OM (1416-1507)

fix-your-minds-on-the-passion-st-francis-of-paola-2-april-2019 and 24 july 2020

“There is One very near you
Who knocks at your door every hour of the day,
Who begs you to listen to Him
and to keep silence in order to hear Him.”

St Simon-Marie-Just Ranfer de Bretenières (1838-1866)
Martyr

there-is-one-very-near-you-st-simon-ranfer-de-bretenieres-14-nov-2019 and 7 july 2020

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FATHERS of the Church, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 July – ‘… The Grace of Repentance …’

One Minute Reflection – 14 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” = Tuesday of the Fifteenth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Isaiah 7:1-9Psalm 48:2-8Matthew 11:20-24 and the Memorial of St Francisco Solanus y Jiménez OFM (1549 – 1610) Priest – “The Wonder Worker of the New World” and St Camillus de Lellis MI (1550-1614) “The Giant of Charity”

“But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgement for the land of Sodom than for you.”… Matthew 11:24

REFLECTION – “Let us fix our thoughts on the blood of Christ and reflect how precious that blood is in God’s eyes, inasmuch as its outpouring for our salvation, has opened the grace of repentance to all mankind.
For we have only to survey the generations of the past, to see, that in everyone of them, the Lord has offered the chance of repentance to any, who were willing to turn to Him.   When Noah preached repentance, those who gave heed to him were saved.   When, after Jonah had proclaimed destruction to the people of Niniveh, they repented of their sins and made atonement to God with prayers and supplications, they obtained their salvation, notwithstanding, that they were strangers and aliens to Him.

All those, who were ministers of the grace of God, have spoken, through the Holy Spirit, of repentance.
The very Lord of all, Himself has spoken of it and even with an oath – By my life, the Lord declares, it is not the sinner’s death that I desire, so much as his repentance and, he adds, this gracious pronouncement, Repent, O house of Israel and turn from your wickedness. Say to the children of my people, though your sins may stretch from earth to heaven and though they may be redder than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, yet if you turn wholeheartedly to me and say ‘Father’, I will listen to you as I would to a people that was holy.

Thus, by His own almighty will, He has confirmed his desire that repentance should be open to everyone of His beloved.

Let us bow, then, to that sovereign and glorious will.   Let us entreat His mercy and goodness, casting ourselves upon His compassion and wasting no more energy in quarrels and a rivalry which only ends in death.” … St Pope Clement I (c 35-99) – From his Letter to the Corinthians (Chs 7, 4-8, 3; 8, 5-9, 1; 13, 1-4; 19, 2)matthew 11 24 but i tell you that it shall be more tolerable - let us bow then to that sovereign - st pope clement I 14 july 2020

PRAYER – God our Father, we are Your children and You have set us aside to come home to You by the light of the way of Your divine Son. Fill us with knowledge of our need to turn to You in sorrow and repentance, that we may one day attain our final home with You. Grant we pray, that by the intercession of Saints Francisco Solanus and Camillus de Lellis, we may too become lights announcing Your love to all around us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.ST FRANCISCO SOLANO PRAY FOR US 14 JULY 2020

st camillus de lellis pray for us

 

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 9 July – ‘… For the love of Jesus’

Quote/s of the Day – 9 July – The Memorial of Blessed Marija of Jesus Crucified Petković (1892-1966)

“Love infinitely,
the most sweet Lord Jesus Christ,
do everything for Him alone
and spend your life,
in works of mercy and of love.”

Bl Marija of Jesus Crucified Petković (1892-1966)

love infinitely the most sweet lord jesus christ - bl marija of jesus crucified opetkovic 9 july 2020

“Through Him, our gaze
penetrates the heights of heaven
and we see, as in a mirror,
the most holy face of God.
Through Christ, the eyes of our hearts are opened
and our weak and clouded understanding,
reaches up toward the light.”

St Pope Clement I (c 35-99)
Apostolic Father, Bishop of Rome and Martyr

john-14-9-he-who-has-seen-me-has-seen-the-father-through-him-our-gaze-st-pope-clement-of-rome-9-may-2020 and 9 July 2020

“In the morning let your first act be
to greet My Heart and to offer Me your own.
Whoever, breathes a sigh toward Me,
draws Me to himself.”

Jesus to St Matilda/Mechtilde of Hackeborn
(c 1241-1298)

in-the-morning-let-your-first-act-be-jesus-to-st-matilda-of-hackeborn-19-nov-2019-and-26-april-2020 and 9 july 2020

“O blessed Jesus, give me stillness of soul in You.
Let Your mighty calmness reign in me.
Rule me, O King of Gentleness,
King of Peace.”

St John of the Cross (1542-1591)

Doctor of the Churcho-king-of-gentleness-st-john-of-the-cross-14dec2018-and-14dec2019-and-26-april-2020 and 9 july 2020

“You leave the land
just as it is when you depart,
you do not carry anything away.
Our first aim is to go to God,
we are not on earth for anything but this!”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

you-leave-the-land-just-as-it-is-stjohn-vianney-6-may-2019 and 9 july 2020

“Do everything
out of love for God,
for God,
with God,
to get to God.”

Bl Maria Rosa Flesch (1826-1906)

do-everything-out-opf-love-for-god-for-god-with-god-to-get-to-god-blmaria-rosa-flesch-19-june-2020-sacred-heart and 9 july 2020

“The well-being of souls is only in Christ.
Therefore, let the love of Jesus
be our perfection and our profession,
let us light our hearts
from the eternal flames of love
that radiate from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

the-well-being-of-souls-is-only-in-christ-bl-paolo-manna-7-feb-2020 and 9 july 2020

“Go for the love of Jesus,
for the interests of Jesus
and Jesus will always be at your side,
always in your heart.”

Bl Paolo Manna (1872-1952)

go for the love of jesus - bl paolo manna 9 july 2020

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 June – “The road that leads to life”

One Minute Reflection – 23 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Tuesday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36, Psalm 48:2-4, 10-11, Matthew 7:6, 12-14

“The road that leads to life” … Matthew 7:14

REFLECTION – “This, beloved, is the way in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the High Priest who offers our gifts, the patron and helper in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15).   It is through Him, that we look straight at the heavens above.   Through Him, we see mirrored, God’s faultless and transcendent countenance.   Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened.   Through Him, our unintelligent and darkened mind shoots up into the light.   Through Him, the Master was pleased to let us taste the knowledge that never fades, He who is “the radiance of His splendour, who towers as much above the angels, as the title He has inherited, is superior to theirs” (He 1:3-4) (…)

Let us take our body.   The head is nothing without the feet and the feet are nothing without the head.   The smallest organs of our body are necessary and valuable to the whole body, in fact, all parts conspire and yield the same obedience, toward maintaining the whole of the body (cf.1 Co 12:12f.).
Therefore, let the whole of our body be maintained in Christ Jesus and let each submit to their neighbour’s rights in the measure determined by the special gift bestowed on them.   Let the strong care for the weak and the weak respect the strong;  let the rich support the poor and the poor render thanks to God for giving them the means of supplying their needs;   let the wise show their wisdom, not in words but in active help;  the humble must not testify to themselves but leave it to another to testify in their behalf.   Those who are continent must not boast, knowing that it is another who confers on them the ability to remain continent.

Let us, therefore reflect, brethren, of what clay we were made, what and who we were when we entered the world, out of what grave and darkness, our Maker and Creator has brought us into the world, where He has prepared His benefits before our birth.   Since, then, we owe all these blessings to Him, we are obliged to thank Him in every way.” … St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)- Pope from c 90 to c 99 – Letter to the Corinthians, § 36-38matthew 7 14 the road that leads to life - this beloved is the way in which we - st pope clement I 23 june 2020

PRAYER – The Elder Brother’s Prayer

Teach me, my Lord,
to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life,
in disappointments,
in the thoughtlessness of those I trusted,
in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.
Let me put myself aside,
to think of the happiness of others,
to hide my little pains and heartaches,
so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.
Teach me to profit by the suffering
that comes across my path.
Let me so use it that it may make me
patient, not irritable.
That it may make me broad in my forgiveness,
not narrow, haughty and overbearing.
May no one be less good
for having come within my influence.
No one less pure, less true, less kind,
less noble for having been a fellow traveller
in our journey toward Eternal Life.
As I go my rounds from one distraction to another,
let me whisper from time to time,
a word of love to Thee.
May my life be lived in the supernatural,
full of power for good,
and strong in its purpose of sanctity.
Amenthe elder brother's prayer - new - 23 june 2020

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 May – “He who has seen me has seen the Father…”

One Minute Reflection – 9 May – Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter, Readings: Acts 13:44-52, Psalm 98:1-4, John 14:7-14 and the Memorial of Bl Giovanni Benincasa of Montepulciano OSM (1375-1426)

“He who has seen me has seen the Father…”…John 14:9

REFLECTION – “Beloved, Jesus Christ is our salvation, He is the high priest through whom we present our offerings and the helper who supports us in our weakness. Through Him, our gaze penetrates the heights of heaven and we see, as in a mirror, the most holy face of God.   Through Christ, the eyes of our hearts are opened and our weak and clouded understanding, reaches up toward the light.   Through Him the Lord God willed that we should taste eternal knowledge, for Christ is the radiance of God’s glory and as much greater than the angels as the name God has given Him is superior to theirs.
… Think, my brothers, of how we first came into being, of what we were at the first moment of our existence.   Think of the dark tomb out of which our Creator brought us into His world, where He had His gifts prepared for us, even before we were born.   All this we owe to Him and for everything, we must give Him thanks.   To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.” … St Pope Clement of Rome (c 35-99), Apostolic Father, Bishop of Rome and Martyr – An excerpt from his Letter to the Corinthiansjohn 14 9 he who has seen me has seen the father - through him our gaze - st pope clement of rome 9 may 2020

PRAYER – Since it is from You God, our Father, that redemption comes to us, Your adopted children, look with favour on the family You love, give us true freedom and to all who believe in Christ and bring us all alike to our eternal heritage.   Grant we pray, that by the prayers of Your holy angels and saints, Blessed Giovanni Benincasa and most especially our beloved Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ, we may run this race always in prayer, trusting in Your divine Son’s intercession, to attain the Glory of Your Kingdom and the Light of Your Face. Through Jesus Christ, in the union of the Holy Spirit, God with You, forever and ever, amen.

mary-mater-christi-pray-for-us-18-may-2019 and 9 may 2020

BL GIOVANNI BENINCASA PRAY FOR US 9 MAY 2020

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ON the SAINTS, POETRY, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 1 November – On the Saints

Quote/s of the Day – 1 November – The Solemnity of All Saints

“Follow Me”

Matthew 9:9matthew 9 9 the calling of matthew follow me 21 sept 2019

“Follow the saints,
because those who follow them
will become saints.”

Saint Pope Clement I (c 35-99)follow the saints - 17 august 2019 st pope clement I

“This is the army the Lord raises,
these are the children of the baptismal font,
the works of grace, the fruit of the Spirit.
They have followed Christ without having seen Him,
they sought Him and believed.
They recognised Him with the eyes of faith not those of the body.
They have not put their finger into the mark of the nails
but they have bound themselves to His cross and embraced His sufferings.
They have not seen the Lord’s side but, by grace,
they have become members of His body
and have made His words their own:
“Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe!”

Basil of Seleucia (Died c 468) Bishopthis-is-the-army-the-lord-raises-basil-of-seleucia-feast-of-st-thomas-3-july-2019 AND 1 NOV 2019.jpg

The Angel to Gerontius
“There was a mortal, who is now above
In the mid-glory – he, when near to die,
Was given communion with the Crucified –
Such, that the Master’s very wounds were stamp’d
Upon his flesh and, from the agony
Which thrill’d through body and soul in that embrace
Learn, that the flame of the Everlasting Love
Doth burn, ere it transform ….”

From the Dream of Gerontius
Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)the-angel-to-gerontius-from-the-dram-of-gerontius-bl-john-henry-newman-on-st-francis-4-oct-2019 AND 1 NOV 2019.jpg

“God creates out of nothing.
Wonderful you say.
Yes, to be sure but He does.
what is still more wonderful,
He makes saints out of sinners.”god creates out of nothing - soren kierkegaard - 1 nov 2017

“The tyrant dies and his rule is over,
the Martyr dies and his rule begins.”

Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)the tyrant dies and his rule is over the martyr dies and his rule begins - soren kierkegaard 21 jan 2019

“Let us speak about saints to forge saints.”

Saint Jose Maria de Yermo y Parres (1851–1904)let us spak about saints to forge saints - st jose maria parres 20 sept 2019.jpg

“For the saints are sent to us by God
as so many sermons.
We do not use them, it is they who move us
and lead us, to where we had not expected to go.”

Charles Cardinal Journet (1891-1975)

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/01/quote-s-of-the-day-1-november-the-solemnity-of-all-the-saints/

the saints are sent to us by god - card charles journet 21 march 2019.jpg

Posted in ON the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SANCTITY

Quote of the Day – 17 August – Become a Saint!

Quote of the Day – 17 August – Saturday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C

“Follow the saints,
because those who follow them
will become saints!”

Saint Pope Clement I (c 35-99)follow the saints - 17 august 2019 st pope clement I.jpg

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD

Thought for the Day – 27 April – The Preservation of Unity

Thought for the Day – 27 April – Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter C, – Gospel: John 14:1-6

The Preservation of Unity

“And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”...John 14:3

Saint Pope Clement I (Died 99)
Apostolic Father, Bishop of Rome and Martyr

An excerpt from his Letter to the Corinthiansthrough him our gaze penetrates the heights of heaven - st pope clement 1 17 may 2019.jpg

Beloved, Jesus Christ is our salvation, He is the high priest through whom we present our offerings and the Helper, who supports us in our weakness.   Through Him, our gaze penetrates the heights of heaven and we see as in a mirror, the most holy face of God. Through Christ, the eyes of our hearts are opened and our weak and clouded understanding, reaches up toward the light.   Through Him, the Lord God willed, that we should taste eternal knowledge, for Christ is the radiance of God’s glory and as much greater than the angels, as the name God has given Him is superior to theirs.

So then, my brothers, let us do battle with all our might, under His unerring command. Think of the men serving under our military commanders.   How well disciplined they are!   How readily and submissively they carry out orders!   Not everyone can be a prefect, a tribune, a centurion, or a captain of fifty but each man, in his own rank, executes the orders of the emperor and the officers in command.   The great, cannot exist, without those of humble condition, nor can those of humble condition, exist without the great.   Always, it is the harmonious working together, of its various parts, that insures the well-being of the whole.   Take our own body as an example –  the head is helpless without the feet and the feet can do nothing without the heart.   Even our least important members, are useful and necessary, to the whole body and all work together for its well-being in harmonious subordination.

Let us, then, preserve the unity of the body that we form in Christ Jesus and let everyone give his neighbour the deference, to which his particular gifts, entitle him.   Let the strong care for the weak and the weak respect the strong.   Let the wealthy assist the poor and the poor man thank God for giving him someone to supply his needs.   The wise man should show his wisdom, not by his eloquence but by good works, the humble man should not proclaim his own humility but leave others to do so, nor must the man who preserves his chastity, ever boast of it but recognise that the ability to control his desires has been given him by another.

Think, my brothers, of how we first came into being, of what we were at the first moment of our existence.   Think of the dark tomb, out of which our Creator brought us into His world, where He had His gifts prepared for us, even before we were born.   All this we owe to Him and for everything, we must give Him thanks.   To Him be glory forever and ever. Amenso then my brothers let us do battle under His - st pope clement I - 17 may 2019.jpg

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS

Quote of the Day – 26 July

Quote of the Day – 26 July

“This world and the world to come,
are two enemies.
We cannot therefore be friends to both;
but we must decide which we will forsake
and which we will enjoy.”

St Pope Clement I

this world and the word to come-s pope clement I