Quote/s of the Day – 18 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The Feast of Our Lady of Expectation
“The Lord is near. Have no anxiety …”
Philippians 4:5-6
“Let your door stand open to receive Him, unlock your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your mind and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the joy of grace. Throw wide the gate of your heart, stand before the Sun of the Everlasting Light!”
St Ambrose (340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
“He became small because you were small – understand how great He is and you will become great along with Him. This is how houses are built, how the solid walls of a building are raised. The stones brought to construct the building increase, you too, increase, understanding how great Christ is and how He, Who appeared to be small, is great, very great indeed! …”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
“In adoring our Saviour’s birth, it is our origin we celebrate. Christ’s temporal generation is the source of the Christian people, the birth of His Mystical Body. All of us encounter in this Mystery, a new birth in Christ.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Church
“If we would please this Divine Infant, we too must become children, simple and humble. We must carry to Him, flowers of virtue, of meekness, of mortification, of charity. We must clasp Him in the arms of our love.”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
One Minute Reflection – 10 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – St Nicholas of Tolentino OSA (1245-1305) Confessor – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14 – Luke 12:32-34 – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Sell what you possess and give alms. Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in Heaven, where neither thief draws near, nor moth destroys.” – Luke 12:33
REFLECTION – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3) … Of this generous poverty, the Apostles first, after the Lord, have given us example. Unhesitatingly leaving all they had, at the Voice of the Heavenly Master, they were joyfully converted and abandoned the catching of fish, to become fishers of men (Mt 4:18). Among the latter, many became like themselves, by imitating their faith; for with those first children of the Church, “the community of believers was of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). Stripped of all their possessions, they were enriched with eternal goods, thanks to holy poverty. Welcoming the Apostles’ preaching, they rejoiced to have nothing in this world and yet, possess all things in Christ. (2 Cor 6:10).
Hence, the blessed Apostle Peter, when he was going up to the temple and was asked for alms by a lame man, said, “I have neither silver nor gold but what I do have I give you; in the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts 3:6)… Peter healed him with a word and he, who did not have a coin with Cæsar’s image upon it, restored upon the man, the Image of Christ. And by the riches of this treasure, not only was that one person aided, whose power of walking was restored but too, the five thousand men who then believed the Apostle’s preaching because of this miracle (Acts 4:4). And Peter, that poor man, who did not have anything to give him, who asked for alms, bestowed so great a gift of Divine Grace that, not content with setting one man upright on his feet, he healed, those many thousands of believers in their hearts, by giving them faith.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 95 2-3).
PRAYER – Be mindful, O Lord, of our humble prayers in this commemoration of Thy Saint Nicholas, so that we, who have no confidence in our own righteousness, may be assisted by the merits of those, who have been pleasing to Thee. 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).
One Minute Reflection – 6 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – The Transfiguration of Our Lord – 2 Peter 1:16-19 – Matthew 17:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“His Face shone like the sunand His garments became white as snow.” – Matthew 17:2
REFLECTION – “The Lord displays His glory before chosen witnesses and makes illustrious that bodily shape which He shared with others, with such splendour that His Countenance shone like the sun and His garments became as white as snow. In this Transfiguration, the chief object was to remove the scandal of the Cross from the hearts of the disciples and, to prevent their faith being disturbed, at the humiliation of His voluntary Passion, by revealing the excellence of His hidden dignity. But, with no less foresight, the foundation was laid, of the hope of holy Church, that the whole Body of Christ, might realise, with what a change it was to be endowed and that the members, might promise themselves, a share in that honour which had shone forth in their Head.
But to confirm the Apostles and to lead them onto all knowledge, still further, instruction was conveyed by this miracle. For Moses and Elias, that is, the law and the prophets, appeared talking with the Lord, so that, in the presence of these five men, might most truly be fulfilled, what was said – In two or three witnesses every word stands. What more stable, what more steadfast, than the Word, in the proclamation of which, the trumpet of the Old and of the New Testaments, sounds forth and the records of ancient witnesses, agree with the teaching of the Gospel? For the pages of both Covenants corroborate each other and He, Whom, under the veil of Mysteries, the types that went before, had promised, is displayed clearly and manifestly by the splendour of His present glory.
The Apostle Peter, therefore, being stirred by the revelation of these Mysteries, despising things worldly and scorning things earthly, was carried away by a certain excess of mind, to the desire of things eternal and, being filled with rapture at the whole vision, longed to make his abode with Jesus, in the place where he was gladdened by the sight of His glory. And so also he says: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us set up here, three tents, one for Thee and one for Moses and one for Elias. But to this proposal the Lord made no reply, signifying that what he asked was not indeed wicked, but irregular, since the world could not be saved, except by Christ’s Death and by the Lord’s example in this, the faithful were called upon to believe that, although there ought not to be any doubt about the promises of happiness, yet, we should understand that, amid the trials of this life, we must ask for power to endure, rather than for glory.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor (Sermon on the Transfiguration – excerpt).
PRAYER – O God, Who in the glorious Transfiguration of Thy Only-begotten Son strengthened the Mysteries of faith, by the testimony of the fathers and, by the Voice coming down in a shining cloud, miraculously betokened the complete adoption of Thy children, mercifully grant that we, be made co-heirs with that King of glory and sharers in that same glory. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 11 April – St Leo I, the Great (c400-461) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church
Grant to Us, O Lord By St Leo I, the Great (c400-461) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church
Grant to us, O Lord, not to mind earthly things but rather, to love heavenly things that while, all things around us pass away, we may even now, hold fast to those things which last forever. Amen
“Our Saviour, dearly beloved, is born today; let us rejoice! It is not right to be sad today, the natal day of Life – He Who has dispelled the fear of mortality and brought us to the joy of promised eternity. Let no man be cut off from a share in this rejoicing. The cause of our joy is common to every man because, our Lord, the destroyer of sin and death, Who finds none guiltless, Comes to free all. Let the holy exult, he draws near his palm; let the sinner rejoice, he is invited to pardon; let the Gentile be quickened, he is called to Life!”
“The obedience of the Star calls us to imitate its humble service: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace which invites all men to find Christ.”
“No-one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the Cross. No-one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ.”
“What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For, whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now, there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that, which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched. … By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) ather and Doctor of the Church
Our Morning Offering – 11 April – Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady of Sorrows
O Mother of Sorrows, Stand by Me in My Last Agony By St Gabriel Francis Possenti of Our Lady of Sorrows (1838-1862)
O Mother of Sorrows, by the anguish and love with which thou didst stand at the Cross of Jesus, stand by me in my last agony. To thy maternal heart I commend the last three hours of my life. Offer these hours to the Eternal Father in union with the agony of our dearest Lord, in atonement for my sins. Offer to the Eternal Father the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, mingled with your tears on Calvary, that I may obtain the grace of receiving Holy Communion with the most perfect love and contrition, before my death and that I may breathe forth my soul in the adorable Presence of Jesus. Dearest Mother, when the moment of my death has at last come, present me as your child to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive me for having offended Him, for I knew not what I did! Beg Him to receive me into His Kingdom of Glory to be united with Him forever. Amen
St Antipas of Pergamum (Died c92) Martyr, Bishop of Pergamon, Greece (in modern Turkey), spiritual student of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist. His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2021/04/11/saint-of-the-day-11-april-st-antipas-of-pergamum-died-c-92-spiritual-student-of-saint-john-the-apostle-and-evangelist/
St Guthlac (674–715) Monk, Hermit, Ascetic. St Guthlac was from Lincolnshire in England. He is particularly venerated in the Fens of eastern England where many Churches are dedicated to him. His sister is venerated as Saint Pega, an anchoress. His body was incorrupt until its destruction in the 16th century by the dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. Holy St Guthlac: https://anastpaul.com/2019/04/11/saint-of-the-day-11-april-st-guthlac-674-715/
St Hildebrand of Saint-Gilles St Isaac of Spoleto (Died c550) Abbot and Confessor Bl James of Africa Bl John of Cupramontana Bl Lanunio St Machai St Maedhog of Clonmore Bl Mechthild of Lappion Bl Paul of Africa St Philip of Gortyna St Raynerius Inclusus St Sancha of Portugal St Stephen of Saint-Gilles
Quote/s of the Day –20 March – Ferial Day – Thursday in the Second Week in Lent – Jeremias 17:5-10 – Luke 16:19-31 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously everyday. And at his gate lay a poor man, named Lazarus…”
Luke 16:19–20
“Amen I say to you, as long as you did NOT do it for one of these least ones, you did NOT do it for Me.”
Matthew 25:45
“Give of your earthly goods and receive eternal ones; give earth and receive Heaven!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
“What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For, whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now, there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that, which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched. … By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) ather and Doctor of the Church
“If thou wouldst see well, pluck out thine eyes and be blind; if thou wouldst hear well, be deaf and if thou wouldst speak well, become dumb; if thou wouldst advance, stand still and advance with thy mind; if thou wouldst work well, cut off thy hands and work with thy heart; if thou wouldst love much, hate thyself; if thou wouldst live well, mortify thyself; if thou wouldst gain much and be rich, first lose all and become poor and if thou wouldst enjoy peace, afflict thyself and be ever in fear and suspect thine own self; if thou wouldst be exalted and have great honour, humble and abase thyself; if thou wouldst be held in great reverence, despise thyself and do reverence to him who reviles thee; if thou wouldst that it should be well with thee, suffer all evil things and if thou wouldst be blessed, desire that all should speak ill of thee and if thou wouldst have true and eternal rest, then toil and suffer and desire to have every temporal affliction. O what great wisdom it is to know how to do and to work out these things.”
One Minute Reflection – 28 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family” – St Peter Nolasco OdeM (c 1182–c1256) Confessor, Founder – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14; Luke 12:32-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Sell what you possess and give alms. Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in Heaven, where neither thief draws near, nor moth destroys.” – Luke 12:33
REFLECTION – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3) … Of this generous poverty, the Apostles first, after the Lord, have given us example. Unhesitatingly leaving all they had, at the Voice of the Heavenly Master, they were joyfully converted and abandoned the catching of fish, to become fishers of men (Mt 4:18). Among the latter, many became like themselves, by imitating their faith; for with those first children of the Church, “the community of believers was of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). Stripped of all their possessions, they were enriched with eternal goods, thanks to holy poverty. Welcoming the Apostles’ preaching, they rejoiced to have nothing in this world and yet, possess all things in Christ. (2 Cor 6:10).
Hence, the blessed Apostle Peter, when he was going up to the temple and was asked for alms by a lame man, said, “I have neither silver nor gold but what I do have I give you; in the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts 3:6)… Peter healed him with a word and he, who did not have a coin with Cæsar’s image upon it, restored upon the man, the Image of Christ. And by the riches of this treasure, not only was that one person aided, whose power of walking was restored but too, the five thousand men who then believed the Apostle’s preaching because of this miracle (Acts 4:4). And Peter, that poor man, who did not have anything to give him, who asked for alms, bestowed so great a gift of Divine Grace that, not content with setting one man upright on his feet, he healed, those many thousands of believers in their hearts, by giving them faith.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 95 2-3).
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who, as an example of Thy love, divinely taught St Peter to enrich Thy Church with new offspring, a family of Religious devoted to the ransom of the faithful, grant by his intercession that we may be released from the slavery of sin and rejoice in lasting freedom in Heaven. 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).
One Minute Reflection – 11 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family” – Within the Octave of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12 – cripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy Light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” – Isaias 60:1
REFLECTION – “The loving Providence of God determined that, in the last days He would aid the world, set on its course to destruction. He decreed that all nations should be saved in Christ.
A promise had been made to the holy Patriarch Abraham, in regard to these nations. He was to have a countless progeny, born not from his body but from the seed of faith. His descendants are, therefore, compared with the array of the stars. The father of all nations, was to hope, not in an earthly progeny but, in a progeny from above.
Let the full number of the nations now take their place in the family of the Patriarchs. Let the children of the promise, now receive the blessing in the seed of Abraham, the blessing renounced by the children of his flesh. In the persons of the Magi, let all people adore the Creator of the universe – let God be known, not in Judea only but in the whole world, so that His Name may be great in all Israel.
Dear friends, now that we have received instruction in this revelation of God’s grace, let us celebrate, with spiritual joy, the day of our first harvesting, of the first calling of the Gentiles. Let us give thanks to the merciful God, Who has made us worthy, in the words of the Apostle, to share the position of the Saints in Light, Who has rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. As Isaias prophesied – the people of the Gentiles, who sat in darkness, have seen a great Light and for those who dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, a Light has dawned. He spoke of them to the Lord – The Gentiles, who do not know Thee, will invoke Thee and the peoples, who knew Thee not, will take refuge in Thee.” – St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from his On the Lord’s Epiphany, Sermon 3)
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who by the guidance of a star this day revealed Thy Only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know Thee now by faith, may come to behold Thee in glory. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 8 January – Within the Octave of the Epiphany
“Rather blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.’”
Luke 11:28
“I Am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the Light of Life.”
John 8:12
“Our hearts were made for Thee, O God And restless must they be Until, O God, this grace accord, Until they rest in Thee!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
“The obedience of the Star calls us to imitate its humble service: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace which invites all men to find Christ.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Humility is the mother of many virtues because, from it are born: obedience, fear, reverence, patience, modesty, meekness and peace. He who is humble easily obeys everyone, fears to offend anyone, is at peace with everyone, is kind to all!”
St Thomas of Villanova OSA (1488-1555)
“When God puts inspirations into a heart, the first He gives, is obedience. ”
“To find the Saviour outside obedience, is to lose Him altogether.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 8 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family” – Within the Octave of The Epiphany –Isaias 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“… They fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” … Matthew 2:11
REFLECTION – “But if, with careful thought, we wish to see how their threefold kind of gift, is also offered by all who come to Christ, with the foot of faith — is not the same offering repeated in the hearts of true believers? For he who acknowledges ,Christ the King of the universe brings Gold from the treasure of his heart, he who believes the Only-begotten of God to have united man’s true nature to Himself, offers Myrrh and he who confesses Him, in no wise, inferior to the Father’s Majesty, worships Him in a manner, with Incense.” … St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – “Give me, therefore, I pray Thee, this gold, this incense and this myrrh. Give me the gold of Thy holy love, give me the spirit of holy prayer, give me the desire and strength to mortify myself in everything that displeases Thee. I am resolved to obey Thee and to love Thee but Thou knowest my weakness, oh, give me the grace to be faithful to Thee!” … St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 7 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family” – Within the Octave of Epiphany – Feast of the Holy Family – Isaias 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Where is He Who is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His Star in the east and are come to adore Him.” – Matthew 2:2
REFLECTION – “All these things we know to have taken place ever since the Three Wise Men, aroused in their far-off land, were led by a Star to recognise and worship the King of Heaven and earth. The responsiveness of that Star exhorts us to imitate it’s obedience and, as much as we can, to make ourselves servants of that grace which invites us all to Christ. For, whoever lives religiously and chastely in the Church and “sets his mind on the things which are above, not on the things that are upon the earth” (Col 3:2) resembles that heavenly light in a certain sense. So long as he maintains, in himself, the brightness of a holy life, he points out to many, like a Star, the way that leads to God. All having this concern, dearly-beloved… you will shine in the Kingdom like children of Light.”… St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Church.
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who by the guidance of a star this day revealed Thy Only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know Thee now by faith, may come to behold Thee in glory. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 6 January – The Epiphany of the Lord
“We have seen His Star in the east and are come to adore Him.”
Matthew 2:2
“The obedience of the Star calls us to imitate its humble service: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace which invites all men to find Christ.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Thus we offer the Lord, Gold, when we shine in His Sight with the Light of heavenly wisdom …. We offer Him Frankincense, when we send up pure prayer before Him and Myrrh, when, “mortifying our flesh with its vices and passions” (Gal 5:24) by self-control, we carry the cross behind Jesus.”
St Bruno of Segni O.Cart. (c 1030 -1101)
Bishop (1st Sermon on the Epiphany PL 165, 863).
Chalk the Door – Epiphany House Blessing 20 C+M+B 25
“Christus mansionem benedicat” Peace be to this house and to all who dwell herein. From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord – “and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts – Gold for the Great King, Incense for the True God and Myrrh to symbolise His Burial.”
The equation is written to be the first two digits of the year, followed by the initials C, M and B, followed by the last two digits of the year. Each portion is split by plus signs (being the Sign of the Cross). For this year, the equation would be written as “20 + C + M + B + 25” The chalking holds two meanings. The C, M and B, refer to the traditional names of the Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. The letters also stand for the Latin phrase “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” which means “May Christ Bless this House” The plus signs represents the Cross and the 20 and 25 simply refer to the year.
Quote/s of the Day – 25 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” –
“With hearts truly grateful, Come, all ye faithful, To Jesus, to Jesus in Bethlehem; See Christ your Saviour, Heaven’s greatest favour. Let us hasten to adore Him; Our God and King.”
DEO GRATIAS!
“And the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth; we have beheld His Glory, Glory as of the Only Son from the Father.”
John 1:14
“Now this Word, Who was in God, this Word, Who was God, through Whom, all things were made and without Whom, nothing was made, in Whom, is Life – He has Come down to us. What were we? Did we deserve Him to Come to us? No, we were unworthy of His having compassion on us but He was Worthy of taking pity on us.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Our Saviour, dearly beloved, is born today; let us rejoice! It is not right to be sad today, the natal day of Life – He Who has dispelled the fear of mortality and brought us to the joy of promised eternity. Let no man be cut off from a share in this rejoicing. The cause of our joy is common to every man because, our Lord, the destroyer of sin and death, Who finds none guiltless, Comes to free all. Let the holy exult, he draws near his palm; let the sinner rejoice, he is invited to pardon; let the Gentile be quickened, he is called to Life!”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Unity of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 23 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – St Pope Linus (c10 – c76) Successor to St Peter – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11; Matthew 16:13-19– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Upon this rock I will build My Church” – Matthew 16:18
REFLECTION – “Brothers, when it comes to fulfilling my duties as Bishop, I discover that I am weak and slack, weighed down by the weakness of my own condition, while at the same time, I want to act generously and courageously. However, I draw my strength from the untiring intercession of the almighty and eternal Priest, Who, like us but equal to the Father, lowered His Divinity to the level of man and raised humankind to the level of God. The decisions He made, give me a just and holy joy. For, when He delegated many shepherds to care for His flock, He did not abandon watching over His beloved sheep. Thanks to that fundamental and eternal assistance, I in turn, have received the protection and support of the Apostle Peter, who also does not abandon his function. This solid foundation, on which the whole of the Church is built, never grows tired of carrying the whole weight, of the building which rests on it.
The firmness of faith, for which the first of the Apostles was praised, never fails. Just as everything which Peter professed in Christ remains, so that which Christ established in Peter, remains … The order willed by God’s Truth remains. Saint Peter perseveres in the solidity which he received; he has not abandoned the governance of the Church which was placed in his hands. That, my brothers, is what that profession of faith, inspired by God the Father, obtained in the heart of the Apostle. He received the solidity of a rock which no assault can shake. In the entire Church, Peter says everyday: “Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the anniversary of his Consecration as Bishop).
PRAYER – Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd, and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Linus Thy Sovereign Pontiff, whom Thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
One Minute Reflection – 20 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – The Vigil of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist – Wisdom 5:16-20; Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” – Luke 6:20
REFLECTION – “Blessed,” He says, “are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3). It would perhaps be doubtful what poor He was speaking of, if in saying “blessed are the poor ” He had added nothing which would explain the sort of poor and then, that poverty by itself, would appear sufficient to win the Kingdom of Heaven, which many suffer from, hard and heavy necessity. But when He says “blessed are the poor in spirit,” He shows that the Kingdom of Heaven must be assigned to those who are recommended by the humility of their spirit, rather than, by the smallness of their means.
Yet it cannot be doubted, that this possession of humility is more easily acquired by the poor than the rich: for submissiveness is the companion of those, who want, while loftiness of mind, dwells with riches. Notwithstanding, even in many of the rich, is found that spirit which uses its abundance, not for the increasing of its pride but on works of kindness and counts that for the greatest gain which it expends in the relief of others’ hardships. It is given to every kind and rank of men, to share in this virtue because men maybe equal in will, though unequal in fortune and ,it does not matter, how different they are in earthly means, who are found equal in spiritual possessions. Blessed, therefore, is poverty which is not possessed with a love of temporal things and does not seek to be increased with the riches of the world but is eager to amass heavenly possessions.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 95, PL 54, 461).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God that the worshipful Feast of Thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist, St Matthew, on the eve whereof we now stand, may avail us, to the increase, both of godliness toward Thee and of health to our own souls. 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 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – Exaltation of the Holy Cross
“The Cross gives Light to the whole universe; it casts out darkness and gathers nations together in charity, into One Church, One Faith, One Baptism…”
St Ephrem (306-373) Father & Doctor of the Church
“As they were looking on, so we too gaze on His Wounds as He hangs. We see His Blood as He dies. We see the price offered by the Redeemer, touch the scars of His Resurrection.
He bows His Head, as if to kiss you. His Heart is made bare, open, as it were, in love to you. His arms are extended that He may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption.
Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind, as He was once fixed to the Cross in every part of His Body for you, so He may now be fixed in every part of your soul!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“The Kingdom of Heaven, says the Gospel, is like a mustard seed … Christ is the Kingdom of Heaven! Sown like a mustard seed in the garden of the Virgin’s womb, He grew up into the Tree of the Cross, whose branches, stretch across the world … Christ is the Kingdom because all the glory of His Kingdom, is within Him. Christ is a Man because all humanity is restored in Him. Christ is a Mustard Seed because the infinitude of Divine greatness, is accommodated to the littleness of flesh and blood!”
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Golden Words” Father & Doctor of the Church
“No-one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the Cross. No-one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ.”
St Pope Leo the Great (c400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“The Cross is my sure salvation. The Cross it is, I worship evermore. The Cross of our Lord is with me. The Cross is my refuge.” [Indulgence of 300 days]
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus / Doctor Communis
“Consider Jesus on the Cross as you would a devout book, worthy of your unceasing study and, by which you may learn the practice of the most heroic virtues. This is the book which may truly be called the “Book of Life” [Apocalypse, III, 5], which, at once enlightens the mind by its doctrines and inflames the will by its examples. The world is full of books but were it possible for man to read them all, he would never be so well instructed, to hate vice and embrace virtue, as by contemplating a Crucified God!”
One Minute Reflection – 11 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Pius I, Pope (Died c 154) Martyr – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Upon this rock I will build My Church” – Matthew 16:18
REFLECTION – “Brothers, when it comes to fulfilling my duties as Bishop, I discover that I am weak and slack, weighed down by the weakness of my own condition, while at the same time, I want to act generously and courageously. However, I draw my strength from the untiring intercession of the almighty and eternal Priest, Who, like us but equal to the Father, lowered His Divinity to the level of man and raised humankind to the level of God. The decisions He made, give me a just and holy joy. For, when He delegated many shepherds to care for His flock, He did not abandon watching over His beloved sheep. Thanks to that fundamental and eternal assistance, I in turn, have received the protection and support of the Apostle Peter, who also does not abandon his function. This solid foundation, on which the whole of the Church is built, never grows tired of carrying the whole weight, of the building which rests upon it.
The firmness of faith, for which the first of the Apostles was praised, never fails. Just as everything which Peter professed in Christ remains, so that which Christ established in Peter, remains … The order willed by God’s Truth remains. Saint Peter perseveres in the solidity which he received; he has not abandoned the governance of the Church which was placed in his hands. That, my brothers, is what that profession of faith, inspired by God the Father, obtained in the heart of the Apostle. He received the solidity of a rock which no assault can shake. In the entire Church, Peter says everyday: “Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the anniversary of his Consecration as Bishop).
PRAYER – Look forgivingly on thy flock, Eternal Shepherd and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Pius thy Martyr and Sovereign Pontiff, whom Thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church.. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 8 July– Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52
“Jesus said in parables: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field.”
Matthew 13:44
“What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For, whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now, there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that, which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched. … By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near. So too, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” Luke 21:29-31
“He means that just as the coming of summer is recognised by the fruit on the trees, so is the nearness of the Kingdom of God recognised by the destruction of the world. These words show that the fruit of the world is destruction – it increases only to fall, it produces, only to destroy by its disasters whatever it produces. The Kingdom of God is aptly compared to summer, because it is then that the clouds of our sorrow pass away and the days of life shine with the brightness of the Eternal Sun. … Therefore, my friends, do not love what you see cannot long exist. Keep in mind the Apostle John’s precept, in which he counsels us not “to love the world or the things in the world because, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn 2:15).”
St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church
“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
“But, [you will tell me], there is so much to do, so many household jobs, so much business in town, in the fields – work everywhere! Do we have to abandon it all, then, so as to think of nothing but God?” No – but these occupations have to be sanctified by seeking God in them and doing them to find Him in them, rather than, to see them done. What our Lord wants, is for us to seek His glory, His Kingdom, His righteousness, before all else and, for this, to make our foundation the interior life, faith, trust, love, religious exercises …, labours and sufferings, with God our Sovereign Lord in view… Once we are firmly set in the search for God’s glory, we can be assured that the rest will follow.”
Quote/s of the Day – 11 April – St Leo I, the Great (c400-461) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church
“Peter has spoken by the mouth of Leo!”
“Nothing escaped the Wisdom and Power of Christ, the elements of nature lay at His service, spirits obeyed Him, Angels served Him. … And yet, out of all the world, Peter alone was chosen to stand at the head, for the calling of all the peoples and the oversight of all the Apostles and Fathers of the Church.”
“Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict, without an enemy, no victory, without strife.”
“No-one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the Cross. No-one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ.”
“Our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ has no other purpose than to transform us into that which we receive.”
“For the man who loves God, it is sufficient to please the One he loves and, there is no greater recompense to be sought, than the loving itself. For love is from God, by the very fact that God Himself is love. The good and chaste soul is so happy to be filled with Him that it desires to take delight in nothing else. For what the Lord says is very true: ‘Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.’”
St Pope Leo the Great (c400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 11 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – St Leo I, the Great (c400-461) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church – Pet 5:1-4; 5:10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Upon this rock I will build My Church” – Matthew 16:18
REFLECTION – “Brothers, when it comes to fulfilling my duties as Bishop, I discover that I am weak and slack, weighed down by the weakness of my own condition, while at the same time, I want to act generously and courageously. However, I draw my strength from the untiring intercession of the Almighty and Eternal Priest, Who, like us but equal to the Father, lowered His divinity to the level of man and raised humankind to the level of God. The decisions He made, give me a just and holy joy. For, when He delegated many shepherds to care for His flock, He did not abandon watching over His beloved sheep. Thanks to that fundamental and eternal assistance, I in turn, have received the protection and support of the Apostle Peter, who also does not abandon his function. This solid foundation, on which the whole of the Church is built, never grows tired of carrying the whole weight, of the building which rests on it.
The firmness of faith, for which the first of the Apostles was praised, never fails. Just as everything which Peter professed in Christ remains, so that which Christ established in Peter, remains … The order willed by God’s Truth remains. Saint Peter perseveres in the solidity which he received; he has not abandoned the governance of the Church which was placed in his hands. That, my brothers, is what that profession of faith, inspired by God the Father, obtained in the heart of the Apostle. He received the solidity of a rock which no assault can shake. In the entire Church, Peter says everyday: “Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the anniversary of his Consecration as Bishop).
PRAYER – Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Leo Thy Sovereign Pontiff, whom Thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. 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 – 11 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – St Leo I, the Great (c400-461) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church
Grant to Us, O Lord By St Leo I, the Great (c400-461) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church
Grant to us, O Lord, not to mind earthly things but rather, to love heavenly things that while, all things around us pass away, we may even now, hold fast to those things which last forever. Amen
Saint of the Day – 11 April – St Leo I, the Great (c400-461) Confessor, Bishop of Rome, Great Western Father & Doctor of the Church. Born in c400 at Tuscany, Italy and died on 11 April 461 in Rome of natural causes. Papal Ascension – 29 September 440. Patronages – of Choristers, Musicians, of Castellana Grotte and Ponteginori, both in Italy and of the Diocese of Volterra also in Italy. St Leo was declared Doctor Unitatis Ecclesiae (Doctor of the Unity of the Church) Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV in 1754.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Rome, St Leo, Pope and Confessor, who was sunmaned “the Great” on account of his extraordinary merits. He gave the seal of his authority to the Holy Council of Chalcedon which was held in his time and which condemned Eutyches through his legates. After having merited the gratitude of the Church of God and the whole flock of Christ, by the many Decrees which he issued and the many excellent Treatise which he wrote, this good and zealous Shepherd, reseted in peace.”
He ranks among the most illustrious Sovereigns who ever occupied the Throne of St Peter. Of his life, we know little – with him, the man seems to disappear before the Pope.
He saw most clearly that one of his greatest tasks was to vindicate the primacy of the Roman Bishop, St Peter’s Successor and to raise the prestige of the Holy See before the entire world. Hardly any Pope in history has occupied a like position in the Ecclesiastical and political world.
As a writer, too, his name is famous. His sermons, which occur frequently in the Divine Office, belong to the finest and most profound in patristic literature. The Council of Chalcedon was held under his direction (451). The Breviary tells us: “Leo I, an Etruscan, ruled the Church at the time when Attila, King of the Huns, who was called the Scourge of God, invaded Italy. After a siege of three years, he took, sacked and burned Aquileia and then hurried on toward Rome. Inflamed with anger, his troops were already preparing to cross the Po, at the point where it is joined by the Mincio.
Here Attila was stopped by Leo (452). With God-given eloquence, the Pope persuaded him to turn back and when the Hun was asked by his servants why, contrary to custom, he had so meekly yielded to the entreaties of a Roman Bishop, he answered that he had been alarmed by a figure dressed like a Priest who stood at Leo’s side; this individual was holding a drawn sword and acted as if he would kill him if he advanced farther. As a result Attila retreated to Pannonia.”
The Painting below is a Fresco called “The Meeting of Leo I and Attila” by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. It was painted from 1513 to 1514 as part of Raphael’s commission to decorate the rooms which are now known as the “Stanze di Raffaello,” in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.
Meanwhile, Leo returned to Rome and was received with universal rejoicing. Some time later, the Vandal Genseric entered the City and again Leo, by the power of his eloquence and the authority of his holy life, persuaded him to desist from atrocity and slaughter (455).
Leo was also active in matters Liturgical. The Leonine Sacramentary, a compendium of Missal prayers, contains many of his compositions; some also give him credit for the beautiful offices of Advent.
The Meeting between St Leo the Great and Attila is the only Altarpiece in St Peter’s consisting of a monumental marble relief. It depicts the Pope repelling Attila and the Huns from attacking Rome. Attila raises his arm as Sts Peter and Paul appear in the sky.
St Leo I the Great (c400-461) Confessor, Bishop of Rome, Great Western Father & Doctor of the Church. Elected in 440, he worked tirelessly as “Peter’s Successor,” guiding his fellow Bishops as “equals in the episcopacy and infirmities.” He is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452 and persuaded him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. For the Church, he is greatly esteemed for his destruction of various heresies. One of Only 2 Popes surnamed as ‘the Great’!: https://anastpaul.com/2017/11/10/saint-of-the-day-10-november-st-pope-leo-i-doctor-of-the-church-c-400-461/
St Agericus of Tours St Aid of Achard-Finglas
St Antipas of Pergamum (Died c92) Martyr, Bishop of Pergamon, Greece (in modern Turkey), spiritual student of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist. His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2021/04/11/saint-of-the-day-11-april-st-antipas-of-pergamum-died-c-92-spiritual-student-of-saint-john-the-apostle-and-evangelist/
St Guthlac of Crowland (674–715) Monk, Hermit, Ascetic. St Guthlac was from Lincolnshire in England. He is particularly venerated in the Fens of eastern England where many Churches are dedicated to him. His sister is venerated as Saint Pega, an anchoress. His body was incorrupt until its destruction in the 16th century by the dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2019/04/11/saint-of-the-day-11-april-st-guthlac-674-715/
St Hildebrand of Saint-Gilles St Isaac of Monteluco Bl James of Africa Bl John of Cupramontana Bl Lanunio St Machai St Maedhog of Clonmore Bl Mechthild of Lappion Bl Paul of Africa St Philip of Gortyna St Raynerius Inclusus St Sancha of Portugal St Stephen of Saint-Gilles
One Minute Reflection – 12 March – “Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Lent – St Gregory the Great (540-604), Pope, Confessor, Father & Doctor of the Church, “Father of the Fathers” – 1 Peter 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
REFLECTION – “When the twelve holy Apostles had received from the Holy Ghost the power to speak all languages, they divided the regions of the earth amongst themselves, as fields for their Gospel labours. Then was Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, sent to the Capital City of the Roman Empire that he might make the Light to shine, from the head, to the whole body of the civilised nations. At that time, what nation was there which had no representative in Rome? What nations would be ignorant of what Rome had learned?
Here were to be refuted the theories of philosophers, here dissolved the vanities of earthly wisdom, here overthrown the worship of devils, here destroyed the impiety of every sacrilege; here, where superstitious zeal had collected all the error and vanity of the world. Therefore, to this City, O most blessed Peter, thou dost not fear to come and, while thy companion in glory, the Apostle Paul, is still occupied with the government of other Churches, thou dost enter this forest of savage beasts, this deep and turbulent ocean, with more boldness than when thou didst walk upon the water!
Thou hadst already taught those, of the circumcision who had been converted, thou hadst founded the Church of Antioch, the first that bore the noble name of Christian; thou hadst published the law of the Gospel throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia and, thou didst not fear for the difficulty of thy work, nor turn back because of thine old age but didst boldly set up the trophy of the Cross of Christ, upon those Roman walls, where the Providence of God had appointed the throne of thine honour and the glorious scene of thy passion.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the Feast of St Peter’s Chair at Rome).
PRAYER – O God, Who granted the rewards of everlasting happiness to the soul of Thy servant Gregory, mercifully grant that we, who are weighed down with the burden of our sins, may be raised up by his prayers to Thee. 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 – 6 March – Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent – Ecclesiasticus Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.”
Matthew 13:44
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where rust and moth consume and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves, treasures in Heaven …”
Matthew 6:19-20
“For the man who loves God, it is sufficient to please the One he loves and, there is no greater recompense to be sought, than the loving itself. For love is from God, by the very fact that God Himself is love. The good and chaste soul is so happy to be filled with Him that it desires to take delight in nothing else. For what the Lord says is very true: ‘Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.’”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) ather and Doctor of the Church
“Watch, therefore and pray and labour diligently and do not delay to weave the web of your wedding-garment that you may be found ready and adorned to meet the Bridegroom! And remember daily that He, Who gives you the morning, does not promise you the evening and although He gives the evening, yet promises not the morrow. Spend, therefore, every moment of every hour according to God’s will, as if it were your last and so much the more carefully, as, for every moment, you will have to give the strictest account!
Finally, I warn you to account that day lost, in which you will neither have gained some victory over your evil inclinations and your self-will, although it may have been full of busy action, nor returned thanksgiving to your Lord for His mercies and especially for His bitter Passion endured for you and for His sweet and fatherly correction, when He has made you worthy to receive, at His Hand, the inestimable treasure of suffering.”
Fr Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)
“Where is the heart which loves? On the thing it loves. Therefore, where our love is, there our heart is held captive. It cannot leave it; it cannot be lifted higher, it cannot go either to the right or the left; see, it is fixed. Where the miser’s treasure is, there is his heart and where our heart is, there is our treasure. And what is so deplorable is that the things which hold us in servitude, are, for the most part, such unworthy things!”
Quote/s of the Day – 26 February – Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.”
Matthew 13:44
“Do you wish your prayer to fly toward God? Make for it two wings – fasting and almsgiving!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For, whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now, there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that, which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched. … By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Let your tongue be poor with them in converse but let your hands be rich to distribute out of your abundance!”
One Minute Reflection – 26 February – “The Month of the Most Holy and Blessed Trinity” –St Margaret of Cortona (1247–1297) Penitent – Sirach 51:13-17, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds a single pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” – Matthew 13:45-46
REFLECTION – “For the man who loves God, it is sufficient to please the One he loves and, there is no greater recompense to be sought, than the loving itself. For love is from God, by the very fact, that God Himself is love. The good and chaste soul is so happy to be filled with Him that it desires to take delight in nothing else. For what the Lord says is very true: – ‘Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.’
What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that, which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched.
But those who enjoy the things that are above and eternal, rather than earthly and perishable, possess an incorruptible, hidden store, of which the Prophet speaks: ‘Our treasure and salvation have come, wisdom and instruction and piety, from the Lord: these are the treasures of justice.’ Through these, with the help of God’s grace, even earthly possessions are transformed into heavenly blessings. It is a fact that, many people use the wealth, which is either rightfully left to them or otherwise, acquired, as a tool of devotion. By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is, – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.” – St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermon 92).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that we may imitate Thy holy Penitent Margaret, may we at least present to her, our humble homage. 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).
One Minute Reflection – 25 February – “The Month of the Most Holy and Blessed Trinity” – The Second Sunday in Lent – Thessalonians 4:1-7; Matthew 17:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“His Face shone like the sunand His garments became white as snow.” – Matthew 17:2
REFLECTION – “The Lord displays His glory before chosen witnesses and makes illustrious that bodily shape which He shared with others, with such splendour that His countenance shone like the sun and His garments were as white as snow. In this Transfiguration, the chief object was to remove the scandal of the Cross from the hearts of the disciples and, to prevent their faith being disturbed, at the humiliation of His voluntary Passion, by revealing the excellence of His hidden dignity. But, with no less foresight, the foundation was laid, of the hope of holy Church, that the whole Body of Christ, might realise, with what a change it was to be endowed and that the members, might promise themselves, a share in that honour which had shone forth in their Head.
But to confirm the Apostles and to lead them onto all knowledge, still further, instruction was conveyed by this miracle. For Moses and Elias, that is, the law and the prophets, appeared talking with the Lord, so that, in the presence of these five men, might most truly be fulfilled, what was said – In two or three witnesses every word stands. What more stable, what more steadfast, than the Word, in the proclamation of which, the trumpet of the Old and of the New Testaments, sounds forth and the records of ancient witnesses, agree with the teaching of the Gospel? For the pages of both Covenants corroborate each other and He, Whom, under the veil of Mysteries, the types that went before, had promised, is displayed clearly and manifestly by the splendour of His present glory.
The Apostle Peter, therefore, being stirred by the revelation of these Mysteries, despising things worldly and scorning things earthly, was carried away by a certain excess of mind, to the desire of things eternal and, being filled with rapture at the whole vision, longed to make his abode with Jesus, in the place where he was gladdened by the sight of His glory. And so also he says: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us set up here, three tents, one for Thee and one for Moses and one for Elias. But to this proposal the Lord made no reply, signifying that what he asked was not indeed wicked, but irregular, since the world could not be saved, except by Christ’s Death and by the Lord’s example in this, the faithful were called upon to believe that, although there ought not to be any doubt about the promises of happiness, yet, we should understand that, amid the trials of this life, we must ask for power to endure, rather than for glory.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor (Sermon on the Transfiguration – excerpt).
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who sees how we are deprived of all strength, guard us inwardly and outwardly that in body, we may be protected against all misfortunes and in mind, cleansed of evil thoughts and by the intercession of blessed and gloriosus ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, be assisted on this earthly pilgrimage. 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 – 21 January – St Agnes (c 291- c 304) Virgin and Martyr – Romans 12:16-21; Matthew 8:1-13 – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”
Matthew 8:8
“By viewing himself as unworthy, he showed himself worthy, for Christ to come, not merely into his house but also into his heart.”
“For the Master of humility, both by word and example, sat down also, in the house of a certain proud Pharisee, Simon and although He sat down in his house, there was no place in his heart. For in his heart. the Son of Man could not lay His head.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“The obedience of the Star calls us to imitate its humble service: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace which invites all men to find Christ.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“To receive the grace of God into our hearts, we ought to empty them of our own glory.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of Charity
“Keep your heart in peace and let nothing trouble you, not even your faults. You must humble yourself and amend them peacefully, without being discouraged or cast down, for God’s dwelling, is in peace.”
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