Our Morning Offering – 17 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
Let Me Sing the Song of Love By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873 – 1897)
Deepen Thy love in me, O Lord that I may learn, in my inmost heart how sweet it is to love, to be dissolved and to plunge myself into Thy love. Let Thy love possess and raise me above myself, with a fervour and wonder beyond imagination. Let me sing the song of love. Let me follow Thee into the heights. Let my soul spend itself in Thy praise, rejoicing for love. Let me love Thee more than myself and myself, only for Thy sake. Let me love others, as Thy law commands. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873–1897)
“It is above all, the Gospel which supports me during my prayer. There, I find all which my poor little soul needs. There, I always discover new lights, hidden and mysterious meaning. … Just when I need it, I discover lights which I had not seen before.”)
“Our vocation, yours and mine, is not to go harvesting in the fields of ripe corn. Jesus does not say to us: “Lower your eyes, look at the fields and go and reap them,” our mission is still loftier. Here are Jesus’ words: “Lift up your eyes and see…. ” See how, in My Heaven, there are places empty; it is for you to fill them … each one of you is My Moses praying on the mountain (Ex 17:8) ask Me for labourers and I shall send them, I await only a prayer, a sigh from your heart!” ”
O Jesus, Dear Holy Child By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873 – 1897)
O Jesus, dear Holy Child, my only treasure, I abandon myself to Thy every whim. I seek no other joy than that of calling forth Thy sweet Smile. Vouchsafe to me, the graces and the virtues of Thy Holy Childhood, so that, on the day of my birth into Heaven, the Angels and Saints may recognise in Thy Spouse, Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Amen
Lenten Offering By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face of Lisieux (1873-1897)
O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this Lent for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its Infinite Merits and I wish to make reparation for my sins, by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful Love. O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfil perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee, the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in Heaven, for all eternity. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 3 October – “The Month of The Most Holy Rosary and The Holy Angels” – The Feast of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873–1897) and A First Friday of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Daily Offering to the Sacred Heart of Jesus By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (of Lisieux) OCD (1873-1897)
O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to His Infinite Merits and I wish to make reparation for my sins, by casting them into the furnace of His Merciful Love. O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfil perfectly Thine Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee, the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day, be united together in Heaven for all Eternity. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 14 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus”
Daily Offering to the Sacred Heart By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (of Lisieux) OCD (1873-1897)
O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to His Infinite Merits and I wish to make reparation for my sins, by casting them into the furnace of His Merciful Love. O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfil perfectly Thine Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee, the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day, be united together in Heaven for all Eternity. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 22 March – Saturday of the Second Week in Lent
Lenten Offering By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face of Lisieux (1873-1897)
O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this Lent for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its Infinite Merits and I wish to make reparation for my sins, by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful Love. O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfil perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee, the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in Heaven, for all eternity. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 25 February – Ferial Day – Sexagesima Week – 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9; – Luke 8:4-15 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The seed is the Word of God.”
Luke 8:11
“… Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it.”
Luke 11:28
“Sacred Scripture is the Lord’s money!”
St Ambrose (340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
“The faithful, who spend at least a quarter of an hour, in reading Sacred Scripture with great reverence, due to the Word of God, after the manner of spiritual reading, may gain, an Indulgence of 300 days.”
St Jerome (347-419) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Scripture is perfect wisdom, starting point and point of arrival, to which our whole existence should be adapted.”
St Hesychius of Jerusalem (Died c450) Priest, Exegete, Father
“It is above all, the Gospel which supports me during my prayer. There, I find all which my poor little soul needs. There, I always discover new lights, hidden and mysterious meaning. … Just when I need it, I discover lights which I had not seen before.”
One Minute Reflection – 16 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – St John Francis Régis SJ (1597-1640) Priest, Confessor, Missionary –The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost – Romans 8:18-23; Luke 5:1-11 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“ And Jesus saith to Simon: Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men. – Luke 5:10
REFLECTION – “On that night of light [ Christmas, at fourteen years of age] began the third period of my life, the most beautiful and the most filled with graces from Heaven … I could say to Him like His Apostles: “Master, I fished all night and caught nothing.” More merciful to me than He was to His disciples, Jesus took the net Himself, cast it, and drew it in filled with fish. He made me a fisher of souls. I experienced a great desire to work for the conversion of sinners. The cry of Jesus on the Cross sounded continually in my heart: “I thirst!” These words ignited within me an unknown and very living fire. I wanted to give my Beloved to drink and I felt myself consumed with a thirst for souls …
To awaken my zeal, God showed me my desires were pleasing to Him. I heard talk of a great criminal just condemned to death for some horrible crimes; everything pointed to the fact that he would die impenitent. I wanted, at all cost,s to prevent him from falling into hell… I felt, in the depths of my heart, certain that our desires would be granted but to obtain courage to pray for sinners I told God I was sure He would pardon the poor, unfortunate Pranzini; that I’d believe this, even if he went to his death without any signs of repentance or without having gone to Confession. I was absolutely confident in the mercy of Jesus. But, I was begging Him for a “sign” of repentance, only for my own simple consolation. My prayer was answered to the letter! …
After this unique grace, my desire to save souls grows each day and I seemed to hear Jesus say that which He said to the Samaritan woman: “Give me to drink!” It was a true interchange of love – to souls, I was giving the Blood of Jesus – to Jesus, I was giving these same souls, refreshed by the Divine Dew. I slaked His Thirst and the more I gave Him to drink, the more the thirst of my poor, little soul increased and it was this ardent thirst, He was giving me as the most delightful drink of His Love.” – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897) Carmelite (Autobiographical Manuscript).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servant, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, Thy Saints, remembering Thy Confessor John Francis Regis, may be delivered from present sadness, and enter into the joy of thine eternal. 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).
MAY the Heart of JESUS in the most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the Tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. – Indulgence 100 Days, Once a Day. Raccolta 161 Blessed Pius IX, 29 February 1868.
Our Morning Offering – 12 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus”
Daily Offering to the Sacred Heart By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (of Lisieux) OCD (1873-1897)
O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to His Infinite Merits and I wish to make reparation for my sins, by casting them into the furnace of His Merciful Love. O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfil perfectly Thine Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee, the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day, be united together in Heaven for all Eternity. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 29 March – Wednesday in Passion Week
A Lenten Offering By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face of Lisieux (1873-1897)
O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this Lent for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its Infinite Merits and I wish to make reparation for my sins, by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful Love. O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfil perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee, the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in Heaven, for all eternity. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – All Souls Day – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
“Remember, when you leave this earth, you can take nothing with you, which you have received, only that, which you have given.”
St Francis of Assisi (c 1181–1226)
“This death … has already levelled his bow to strike me. Is it not prudent to prevent its stroke, by dying now to the world, that at my death, I may live to God?”
St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)
“It seems to me, my daughters, that everything passes so quickly that we should be thinking more, about how to die, than how to live!”
St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church
“The powers of hell will assail the dying Christian but his Angel Guardian will come to console him. His Patrons and St Michael, who has been appointed by God to defend his faithful servants, in their last combat with the devils, will come to his aid.”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
“It is not Death that will come to fetch me, it is the good God. Death is no phantom, no horrible specter, as presented in pictures. In the catechism it is stated, that death is the separation of soul and body, that is all! Well, I am not afraid of a separation which will unite me to the good God forever.”
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873 – 1897)
Prayer for a Holy Death By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
My beloved Jesus, I will not refuse the cross, as the Cyrenian did; I accept it, I embrace it. I accept, in particular, the death Thou hast destined for me, with all the pains which may accompany it; I unite it to Thy Death, I offer it to Thee Thou hast died for love of me; I will die for love of Thee and to please Thee. Help me by Thy grace. I love Thee, Jesus, my love; I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always and then do with me what Thou will. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873 – 1897)
“Whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a little child, shall not enter it.”
Mark 10:15
“A word or a smile, is often enough, to put fresh life into a despondent soul.”
“Prayer is an aspiration of the heart. It is a simple glance directed to Heaven. It is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy.”
“It is true, I suffer a great deal– but do I suffer well? That is the question?!”
“It is not Death that will come to fetch me, it is the good God. Death is no phantom, no horrible specter, as presented in pictures. In the catechism it is stated, that death is the separation of soul and body, that is all! Well, I am not afraid of a separation which will unite me to the good God forever.”
“If I did not simply live from one moment to another, it would be impossible for me to be patient but I only look at the present, I forget the past and I take good care not to attempt to foretell the future.”
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873 – 1897)
One Minute Reflection – 3 October – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873 – 1897) – Isaias 66:12-14, Matthew 18:1-4 Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”… Matthew 18:3
REFLECTION – “Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Just as this child, whose example I show you, does not persist in anger, does not long remember injury suffered, is not enamoured inordinately by the sight of a beautiful woman, does not think one thing and say another, so you too, unless you have similar innocence and purity of mind, will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven! Or, it might be taken in another way: “Whosoever, therefore, humiliates himself like this child, is greater in the kingdom of heaven,” so as to imply that anyone, who imitates Me and humiliates himself following My example, so that he abases himself as much as I abased Myself in accepting the form of a servant, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” – St Jerome (343-420) Translator of Sacred Scripture into Latin (The Vulgate) One of the original four Doctors of the Latin Church, Father (Commentary on Matthew 3).
PRAYER – O Lord, Who said: Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to follow the footsteps of blessed Thérèse the Virgin, in humility and simplicity of heart that we may obtain everlasting rewards.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).
Saint of the Day – 3 October – Sant Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face or The Little Flower (1873 – 1897) Virgin.
Marie Francoise Thérèse Martin, known as the Little Flower of Jesus, was born 2 January 1873 at Alencon in Normandy, France, of very Christian parents. The Martins, who lost four of their little ones in early infancy or childhood, regarded their children as Gifts from Heaven and offered them to God before their birth. Thérèse was the last flower of this blessed stem, which gave four Sisters to the Carmel of Lisieux, still another to the Visitation of Caen.
The five sisters were left without their mother, a victim of cancer, when Thérèse was only four years old but her two oldest sisters were of an age to take excellent care of the household and continue the Christian character formation, of the younger ones, which their mother had initiated. Their saintly father was soon to see his little flock separated, however, when one after the other they left to enter religious life. He blessed each one and gave them all back to God, with humble gratitude to God for having chosen his daughters.
From childhood,Thérèse had manifested a tender piety which her naturally lively temperament could not alter. Her mother’s death affected her profoundly, however and, at the age of nine, she was visited with a severe trial in the form of an illness the doctors could not diagnose and which seemed incurable. She was instantly restored to her ordnary good health by the Virgin Mary, in answer to her desolate sisters’ prayers – Thérèse saw Her statue become animated, to smile at her with an ineffable tenderness as she lay on her bed of suffering.
Before the age of fifteen, Thérèse already desired to enter the Carmel of Lisieux, where her two eldest sisters were already nuns; a trip to Rome and a petition at the knees of the Holy Father, Leo XIII, gave her the inalterable answer – that her Superiors would regulate the matter. Many prayers finally obtained an affirmative reply to her ardent request and four months after her fifteenth birthday, she entered Carmel with a great joy. She could say then, “I no longer have any desire but to love Jesus even to folly.“
She adopted flowers as the symbol of her love for her Divine Spouse and offered all her little daily sacrifices and works, as rose petals at the feet of Jesus. Divine Providence gave to the world, the autobiography of this true Saint, whose little way of spiritual childhood was described in her own words, in her Story of a Soul. She could not offer God the macerations of the great soldiers of God, only her desires to love Him ,as they had loved Him and to serve Him, in every way possible. She chose “all” in spirit, for her beloved Lord.
Later, she would be named Patroness of missions. Her spirituality does not imply only sweetness and light, however, for this loving child of God, passed by a tunnel of desolate spiritual darkness, yet never ceased to smile at Him, wanting to serve Him, if it were possible, without His even knowing it.
When nine years had passed in the Carmel, the little flower was ready to be plucked for heaven and, in a slow agony of Consumption, Thérèse made her final offering to God. She suffered so severely that she said she would never have believed it possible and could only explain it by her desire to save souls for God. She died in 1897, was Beatified in 1923 and Canonised in 1925.
And now, as she foretold, she is spending her heaven in doing good upon earth. Countless miracles have been attributed to her intercession. Little Flower of Jesus please pray for Holy Mother Church and for all Her faithful children.
St Thérèse of Lisieux/St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face/The Little Flower OCD (1873 – 1897) Virgin, Carmelite Nun. She was Canonised by Pope Pius XI on 17 May 1925. The same Pope proclaimed her Universal Patron of the Missions, alongside Saint Francis Xavier, on 14 December 1927. Up until 1969 her Memorial was celebrated on 3 October. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/01/saint-of-the-day-st-therese-of-lisieux-o-c-d-1873-1897-doctor-of-the-church/
St Adalgott of Chur Bl Agostina of the Assumption St Candidus the Martyr St Cyprian of Toulon Bl Damian de Portu St Dionysius the Aeropagite Bl Dominic Spadafora Bl Edmund of Scotland St Ewald the Black St Ewald the Fair St Froilan
Martyrs of Alexandria – 9 Saints: A number of Christian Martyrs remembered together. We know the names Caius, Cheremone, Dionysius, Eusebio, Fausto, Lucio, Maximus, Paul, Peter and that there were at least two more whose names have not come down to us, and that’s about all we know.
Lenten Preparation Novena in Reparation to the Holy Face Day Nine
“All those who, attracted by My Love and venerating My Countenance, shall receive, by virtue of My Humanity, a brilliant and vivid impression of My Divinity. This splendour shall enlighten the depths of their souls, so that in eternal glory the celestial court shall marvel at the marked likeness of their features, with My Divine Countenance.” … Our Lord Jesus Christ to St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)
DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER
O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we ask Your help, in making a perfect Novena of Reparation with Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment. We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)
DAY NINE Psalm 50:18-19: For in sacrifice Thou take no delight, burnt offering Thou wouldst refuse. A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit, a contrite and humble heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
Sacred Face of our Lord and our God, what words can we say to express our gratitude? How can we speak of our joy? That You have deigned to hear us, that You have chosen to answer us in our hour of need. We say this because we know, that our prayers will be granted. We know that You, in Your loving kindness, listen to our pleading hearts and will give, out of Your fullness, the answer to our problems. Mary, our Mother, thank you for your intercession on our behalf. Saint Joseph, thank you for your prayers. Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition ……………… Pardon and mercy.
Prayer to the Holy Face By St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897) of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face OCD (1873-1897)
O Jesus, Who, in Thy cruel Passion didst become, the ‘reproach of men and the Man of Sorrows,’ I worship Thy Divine Face. Once it shone with the beauty and sweetness of the Divinity but now, for my sake, it is become as ‘the face of a leper.’ Yet, in that disfigured Countenance, I recognise Thy infinite love and I am consumed with the desire of making Thee loved by all mankind. The tears that flowed so abundantly from Thy Eyes are, to me, as precious pearls which I delight to gather, that with their worth, I may ransom the souls of poor sinners. O Jesus, Whose Face is the sole beauty which ravishes my heart, I may not see, here below, the sweetness of Thy glance, nor feel the ineffable tenderness of Thy kiss, I bow to Thy Will—but I pray Thee, to imprint in me Thy divine likeness and I implore Thee, so to inflame me with Thy love, that it may quickly consume me and that I may soon reach the vision of Thy glorious Face in Heaven. Amen.
Pray (1) Our Father, (3) Hail Marys, (1) Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every Adoration Thine (Three times)
Madonna di Valverde, / Our Lady of Valverde di Rezzato, Italy (1399 and 1711) – 1 October:
The Sanctuary of the Madonna di Valverde, belonging to the Parish of San Giovanni Battista di Rezzato Diocese of Brescia, is located in Valverde, at the foot of the Botticino and Serle hills. The Sanctuary was born in the places of the apparitions of 1399, the only one in history where both the Madonna and her Divine Son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour aooeared with His Mother and the second Marian Apparition of 1711.
For over six centuries the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Valverde has been a destination of pilgrimages from all over the north of Italy and is, above al,l in the heart of the community of Rezzato – Virle, which every year, on the Feast of St Anna on 26 July, recalls, with a solemn historical procession, the miracle of the apparitions.
In 1399, more than six hundred years ago, during the ploughing work in a field near Valverde, the oxen pulling the plough stopped and bent their knees. A man in a red robe and a blue mantle (Christ) appeared to the worker who guided them and ordered him to throw the three loaves that he kept in his saddlebag into the nearby pond. The peasant got ready to obey the order but was held back by the Apparition of the Madonna who advised him to return to beg the Lord, to revoke the order just given. If the three loaves had touched the waters of the lake, three scourges would have been unleashed (famine, plague and war) with which Christ intended to punish men for their impiety. Jesus, by the insistence of tHis Holy Mother, consented to the peasant’s plea and agreed that only one of the loaves need be thrown into the water and, therefore, only the scourge of the epidemic would spread throughout the area. Our Lady recommended to the peasant to announce to everyone, what he had seen with his own eyes, exhorting men to repent and to approach faith and the Sacraments again.
A Chapel was first built near the lake, then, in the early seventeenth century, a large and beautifully decorated Sanctuary followed.
St Thérèse of Lisieux/St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face/The Little Flower OCD (1873 – 1897) Virgin, Carmelite Nun, Doctor of the Church (Memorial) She was Canonised by Pope Pius XI on 17 May 1925. The same Pope proclaimed her Universal Patron of the Missions, alongside Saint Francis Xavier, on 14 December 1927. Up until 1969 her Memorial was celebrated on 3 October. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/01/saint-of-the-day-st-therese-of-lisieux-o-c-d-1873-1897-doctor-of-the-church/
St Aizan of Abyssinia St Albaud of Toul Bl Andrew Sushinda Bl Antoni Rewera St Aretas of Rome St Bavo of Ghent (c 589–654) Married. Widower, Monk and Hermit. Bl Cecilia Eusepi Bl Christopher Buxton St Crescens of Tomi St Dodo Bl Dominic of Villanova Bl Edward James St Evagrius of Tomi St Fidharleus Bl Gaspar Fisogiro St Gregory the Illuminator St John Kukuzelis Bl John Robinson
St Maxima of Lisbon Bl Nikita Budka St Piaton of Tournai St Priscus of Tomi Bl Ralph Crockett Bl Robert Widmerpool Bl Robert Wilcox
St Romanos the Melodist (c 490-c 556) Deacon, Hymnographer, Poet, Writer. He is said to have composed more than 1,000 hymns celebrating various festivals of the ecclesiastical year, the lives of the saints and other sacred subjects, some 60 to 80 of which survive. Wonderful Saint Romanos! https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/01/saint-of-the-day-1-october-st-romanos-the-melodios-c-490-c-556/
St Sazan of Abyssinia St Verissimus of Lisbon St Virila St Wasnulf — Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Carmelo Juan Pérez Rodríguez • Blessed Higinio Mata Díez • Blessed Juan Mata Díez • Blessed Álvaro Sanjuán Canet • Blessed Florencia Caerols Martínez
Quote/s of the Day – 1 October – Thursday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Job 19:21-27, Psalms 27:7-8, 8-9, 13-14, Luke 10:1-12 and The Memorial of St Romanos the Melodios (c 490-c 556) and St Thérèse of the Child Jesus/Lisieux OCD (1873 – 1897) Doctor of the Church
“We implore You, O All-Holy, Long-Suffering Life and Restoration, Source of goodness, look down from heaven and visit all those who ever trust in You; rescue our life, Lord, from all constraint and affliction, and, in the faith of truth, guide us all. At the prayers of the Immaculate Mother of God and Virgin, Save your world and those in the world and spare us all, You who, for us, became man without change, only Lover of mankind.”
St Romanos the Melodios (c 490-c 556) (On the Life of Christ, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord)
“Our vocation, yours and mine, is not to go harvesting in the fields of ripe corn, Jesus does not say to us; “Lower your eyes, look at the fields and go and reap them,” our mission is still loftier. Here are Jesus’ words: “Lift up your eyes and see….” See how in My Heaven there are places empty, it is for you to fill them! … each one of you is my Moses praying on the mountain (Ex 17:8f), ask Me for labourers and I shall send them, I await only a prayer, a sigh from your heart!”
“Prayer is an aspiration of the heart. It is a simple glance directed to Heaven. It is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy.”
“She is more mother than Queen.”
“It is not Death that will come to fetch me, it is the good God. Death is no phantom, no horrible specter, as presented in pictures. In the catechism it is stated, that death is the separation of soul and body, that is all! Well, I am not afraid of a separation which will unite me to the good God forever.”
“Let us go forward in peace, our eyes upon heaven. the only one goal of our labours.”
One Minute Reflection – 1 October – Thursday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Job 19:21-27, Psalms 27:7-8, 8-9, 13-14, Luke 10:1-12 and the Memorial of St Romanos the Melodios (c 490-c 556) and St Thérèse of the Child Jesus/Lisieux OCD (1873 – 1897) Doctor of the Church
“After this the Lord appointed seventy [-two] others whom He sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place He intended to visit…” … Luke 10:1
REFLECTION – “The names of the apostles of the Saviour are clear to everyone from the Gospels but no list of the seventy[two] disciples is in circulation anywhere. Some have said, to be sure, that Barnabas was one of them and the Acts of the Apostles and Paul writing to the Galatians, have made special mention of him. They say Sosthenes was of these as well. Together with Paul, he wrote to the Corinthians. Tradition also holds that Matthias, who was listed among the apostles in place of Judas and Joseph Justus, who was honoured with him, at the same casting of lots, were considered worthy of the same calling among the seventy. They say that Thaddaeus was also one of them, about whom I shall presently relate a story which has come down to us.
On observation, you would find that the disciples of the Saviour appear to have been more than the seventy [two]. Paul says that after the resurrection from the dead Cephas saw him first, then the Twelve. After these saw him, he was seen by more than five hundred brothers all at once, some of whom he says had fallen asleep, although the majority were still alive at the time that this account was being composed by him.” … Eusebius of Caesarea (c 260-c 340) Bishop, Historian, Theologian – (Ecclesiastical History, 1.)
PRAYER – God, our Father, Your promised Your Kingdom to the little ones and the humble of heart. Give us grace to walk confidently in the way of St Romanos and St Thérèse, so that helped by their prayers, we may see Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 1 October – Thursday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time and the Memorial of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus/Lisieux O.C.D. (1873 – 1897) Doctor of the Church
Morning Offering By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus
O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to It’s infinite merits and I wish to make reparation for my sins, by casting them into the furnace of It’s Merciful Love. O my God! I ask Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfil perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee, the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in Heaven for all Eternity. Amen
St Aizan of Abyssinia St Albaud of Toul Bl Andrew Sushinda Bl Antoni Rewera St Aretas of Rome St Bavo of Ghent Bl Cecilia Eusepi Bl Christopher Buxton St Crescens of Tomi St Dodo Bl Dominic of Villanova Bl Edward James St Evagrius of Tomi St Fidharleus Bl Gaspar Fisogiro St Gregory the Illuminator St John Kukuzelis Bl John Robinson Blessed Juan de Palafox Mendoza (1600–1659) His Life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/01/saint-of-the-day-1-october-blessed-juan-de-palafox-mendoza-1600-1659/ St Julia of Lisbon
St Maxima of Lisbon Bl Nikita Budka St Piaton of Tournai St Priscus of Tomi Bl Ralph Crockett Bl Robert Widmerpool Bl Robert Wilcox St Romanos the Melodist (c 490-c 556) St Sazan of Abyssinia St Verissimus of Lisbon St Virila St Wasnulf — Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Carmelo Juan Pérez Rodríguez • Blessed Higinio Mata Díez • Blessed Juan Mata Díez • Blessed Álvaro Sanjuán Canet • Blessed Florencia Caerols Martínez
Quotes of the Day – 22 August – The Memorial of the Queenship of Mary
“Every Saint belongs to the court of the Queen of All Saints.”
St John Eudes (1501-1680)
“Let all the children of the Catholic Church, who are so very dear to us, hear these words of ours. With a still more ardent zeal for piety, religion and love, let them continue to venerate, invoke and pray to the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, conceived without original sin. Let them fly with utter confidence to this most sweet Mother of mercy and grace in all dangers, difficulties, needs, doubts and fears. Under her guidance, under her patronage, under her kindness and protection, nothing is to be feared; nothing is hopeless. Because, while bearing toward us a truly motherly affection and having in her care, the work of our salvation, she is solicitous about the whole human race. And since, she has been appointed by God, to be the Queen of heaven and earth and is exalted above all the choirs of angels and saints and, even stands at the right hand, of her only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, she presents our petitions in a most efficacious manner. What she asks, she obtains. Her pleas can never be unheard!”
Bl Pius IX (1792-1878)
Ineffabilis Deus (which proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December 1854)
“To serve the Queen of Heaven is already to reign there and to live under her commands, is more than to govern.”
St John Vianney (1786-1859)
“She is more Mother than Queen.”
St Therese of the Child Jesus (1873-1897) Doctor of the Church
“With the certainty of faith, we know that Jesus Christ is king in the full, literal and absolute sense of the word; for He is true God and man. This does not, however, prevent Mary from sharing His royal prerogatives, though in a limited and analogous manner; for she was the Mother of Christ and Christ is God and she shared in the work of the divine Redeemer, in His struggles against enemies and in the triumph He won over them all. From this union with Christ the King she assuredly obtains so eminent a status that she stands high above all created things and upon this same union with Christ is based that royal privilege, enabling her to distribute the treasures of the kingdom of the divine Redeemer.”
Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
Excerpted from Ad Caeli Reginam
“Mary … as the Mother of our Lord, comes nearer to Him than any angel, nearer even than the Seraphim who surround Him and cry continuall, “Holy Holy Holy” … The Blessed Mother of God has hosts of angels who do her service and she is their Queen.”
“Her Son will deny her nothing that she asks and herein lies her power. While she defends the Church, neither height nor depth, neither men nor evil spirits, neither great monarchs, nor craft of man, nor popular violence, can avail to harm us; for human life is short but Mary reigns above, a Queen forever.”
One Minute Reflection – – 19 November – Tuesday of the Thirty Third Week of Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 19:1–10 and the Memorial of St Matilda of Hackeborn (c 1241-1298)
“Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” … Luke 19:6
REFLECTION – “Celine, what a mystery is our grandeur in Jesus. This is all that Jesus has shown us in making us climb the symbolic tree about which I was just talking to you. And now, what science is He about to teach us? Has He not taught us all? Let us listen to what He is saying to us: “Make haste to descend, I must lodge today at your house.” Well, Jesus tells us to descend. Where, then, must we descend? Celine you know better than I, however, let me tell you where we must now follow Jesus. In days gone by, the Jews asked our divine Saviour: “Master, where do you live?” And He answered: “The foxes have their lairs, the birds of heaven their nests, but I have no place to rest my head.” This is where we must descend in order that we may serve as an abode for Jesus. To be so poor that we do not have a place to rest our head. This is, dear Celine, what Jesus has done in my soul during my retreat. You understand, there is question here of the interior. (…)
What Jesus desires is that we receive Him into our hearts. No doubt, they are already empty of creatures but, alas, I feel mine is not entirely empty of myself and it is for this reason that Jesus tells me to descend. He, the King of kings, humbled Himself in such a way that His face was hidden and no one recognised Him and I, too, want to hide my face, I want my Beloved alone to see it, that He be the only one to count my tears, that in my heart at least He may rest His dear head and feel that there, He is known and understood!” … St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Look with favour on our prayer Lord and in Your saving love, may your light so penetrate the hidden places of our hearts, that we may become like You, pure and humble of heart. May no sordid desires darken our minds and may we be renewed and enlightened as we receive Your heavenly grace. Grant that the intercession of St Matilda of Hackeborn lead us to a new way of remorse and repentance as we learn from You, our Saviour. Through Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 1 October – The Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, OCD (1873 – 1897) Virgin and Doctor of the Church
In the Heart of the Church I will be Love
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus
Doctor of the Church
An excerpt from her autobiography
Since my longing for martyrdom was powerful and unsettling, I turned to the epistles of Saint Paul in the hope of finally finding an answer. By chance, the twelfth and thirteenth chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians caught my attention and, in the first section, I read that not everyone can be an apostle, prophet or teacher, that the Church is composed of a variety of members and, that the eye cannot be the hand. Even with such an answer revealed before me, I was not satisfied and did not find peace.
I persevered in the reading and did not let my mind wander, until I found this encouraging theme – Set your desires on the greater gifts. And I will show you the way which surpasses all others. For the Apostle insists that the greater gifts are nothing at all without love and that this same love is surely the best path leading directly to God. At length I had found peace of mind.
When I had looked upon the mystical body of the Church, I recognised myself in none of the members, which Saint Paul described and, what is more, I desired to distinguish myself more favourably within the whole body. Love appeared to me to be the hinge for my vocation. Indeed, I knew that the Church had a body composed of various members but in this body the necessary and more noble member was not lacking, I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart, appeared to be aflame with love. I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more. I saw and realised, that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love, embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting.
Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul, I proclaimed –
O Jesus, my Love, at last I have found my calling, my call is love. Certainly I have found my place in the Church and You gave me that very place, my God. In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love and thus, I will be all things, as my desire finds its direction.
One Minute Reflection – 1 October – Tuesday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 9:51–56 and The Memorial of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus OCD (1873 – 1897) Doctor of the Church
“Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. … Luke 9:54-55
REFLECTION – “When someone has been made worthy to taste God’s love, he usually forgets everything else by reason of its sweetness. For once that person has tasted that love, anything visible seems of no interest. The soul joyfully draws near to the beautiful love of all people without distinction. It is never troubled by their weaknesses, which do not frighten it. Just like the blessed apostles who, in the midst of all the evils which they had to bear from their torturers were completely incapable of hating them and did not tire of loving them, this was shown by the fact that, in the end, they even bore death so as to meet them again one day in heaven.
And yet these were the very same people who, a little earlier, had begged Christ to make fire come down from heaven on the Samaritans, who had only refused to welcome them in their village. But once they had received the gift of tasting God’s love, they were made perfect even to the point of loving the wicked.” … St Isaac the Syrian (c 613-c 700) – Spiritual Discourses, 2nd Series, no. 10,36
PRAYER – God, our Father, Your promised Your Kingdom to the little ones and the humble of heart. May we love You and our neighbour, even those who hate us. Give us grace to walk confidently in the way of St Thérèse, so that helped by her prayers, we may see Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen
Our Morning Offering – 1 October – The Memorial of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus OCD (1873 – 1897)
O Jesus, dear Holy Child By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus
O Jesus,
dear Holy Child,
my only treasure,
I abandon myself
to Thy every whim.
I seek no other joy
than that of calling forth
Thy sweet Smile.
Vouchsafe to me the graces
and the virtues of
Thy Holy Childhood,
so that on the day
of my birth into Heaven
the Angels and Saints
may recognise in Thy Spouse:
Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
Amen
St Aizan of Abyssinia
St Albaud of Toul
Bl Andrew Sushinda
Bl Antoni Rewera
St Aretas of Rome
St Bavo of Ghent
Bl Cecilia Eusepi
Bl Christopher Buxton
St Crescens of Tomi
St Dodo
Bl Dominic of Villanova
Bl Edward James
St Evagrius of Tomi
St Fidharleus
Bl Gaspar Fisogiro
St Gregory the Illuminator
St John Kukuzelis
Bl John Robinson Bl Juan de Palafox Mendoza (1600–1659)
St Julia of Lisbon Bl Luigi Maria Monti CFIC “Sons of the Immaculate Conception” (1825-1900)
About Blessed Luigi: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/saint-of-the-day-1-october-blessed-luigi-maria-monti-1825-1900/
St Maxima of Lisbon
Bl Nikita Budka
St Piaton of Tournai
St Priscus of Tomi
Bl Ralph Crockett
Bl Robert Widmerpool
Bl Robert Wilcox
St Romanos the Melodist
St Sazan of Abyssinia
St Verissimus of Lisbon
St Virila
St Wasnulf
—
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Carmelo Juan Pérez Rodríguez
• Blessed Higinio Mata Díez
• Blessed Juan Mata Díez
• Blessed Álvaro Sanjuán Canet
• Blessed Florencia Caerols Martínez
One Minute Reflection – 13 August – Tuesday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 and the Memorial of St John Berchmans SJ (1599-1621)
“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”…Matthew 18:3
REFLECTION – “God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realised, so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.”…St Thérèse de Lisieux (1873-1897) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – God, our Father, Your promised Your Kingdom to the little ones and the humble of heart. Let us ask St John Berchmans to give us some of his great attention to the little things in life being so important in the eyes of God. Lord God, grant us grace to walk confidently in the way of St John Berchmans, so that helped by his prayers, we may see Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Quote of the Day – 30 June – Thirteenth Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 9:51–62
Another said, “I will follow you, Lord but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:61-62
“You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.”
“The Lord delights in every little step you take.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church
“You cannot be half a saint. You must be a whole saint or no saint at all.”
“Detach the heart from creatures and you shall find God.”
St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Doctor of the Church
“Why don’t you give yourself to God once and for all… really… NOW!”
St Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975)
“Holiness is heroism.”
Bishop Robert Barron
“If you aren’t changing your schedule to follow Jesus, you are not a disciple of Jesus.”
Today’s Scripture Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose….Romans 8: 26-28
Reflection for the Third Day
St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897) once said, that love was her vocation in life. Never was this vocation tested more than in the last nine months of her life as she lay dying with tuberculosis. She wrote a note to her sister Céline: ‘Here is great love, to love Jesus without feeling the sweetness of His love – that is love pushed to the point of heroism.’
Today’s Prayer
Jesus, I believe. Help my unbelief!
Jesus, You are the real bedrock of my hope.
Help me always to rely on You,
especially in times of doubt and trouble.
Daily Invocation
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
Novena Prayer
Lord Jesus, the needs of Your people,
open Your Sacred Heart in love for each of us.
You care for us when we are lost,
sympathise with us in loneliness
and comfort us in mourning.
You are closest to us when we are weakest.
You love us most, when we love ourselves least,
You forgive us most, when we forgive ourselves least
and You call us to spread Your love
in whatever way we can.
Lord Jesus, Your Sacred Heart
is moved with compassion
when we are suffering,
when we need Your help
and when we pray for each other.
I ask You to listen to my prayer during this Novena
and grant what I ask.
—————————-
(Mention your intention silently.)
If what I ask, is not for my own good
and the good of others,
grant me what is best,
that I may build up Your kingdom
of love in our world.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 23 May – ‘Mary’s Month’ – Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter, C
The Depths of the Love of Your Heart By St Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Virgin full of grace,
I know that at Nazareth you lived modestly,
without requesting anything more.
Neither ecstasies, nor miracles,
nor other extraordinary deeds enhanced your life,
O Queen of the elect.
The number of the lowly,
“the little ones,” is very great on earth.
They can raise their eyes to you without any fear.
You are the incomparable Mother
who walks with them,
along the common way
to guide them to heaven.
Beloved Mother, in this harsh exile,
I want to live always with you
and follow you every day.
I am enraptured by the contemplation of you
and I discover the depths of the love of your heart.
All my fears vanish under your motherly gaze,
which teaches me to weep and to rejoice!
Amen
AnaStpaul 
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