Quote/s of the Day – 17 March – Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent, Readings: Isaiah 49:8-15, Psalms 145:8-9,13-14, 17-18, John 5:17-30
“I tell you for certain, that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the one who sent me, has eternal life and will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life.”
John 5:24
“You do not know when your last day may come. You are an ingrate! Why not use the day, today, that God has given you to repent?”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Keep a clear eye toward life’s end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God’s creature. What you are in His sight, is what you are and nothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received… but only what you have given – a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)
“Do now, what you wish to have done, when your moment comes to die.”
St Angela Merici (1474-1540)
“See, my children, to die well, we must live well; to live well, we must seriously examine ourselves, every evening think over what we have done during the day; at the end of each week, review what we have done during the week; at the end of each month, review what we have done during the month; at the end of the year, what we have done during the year. By this means, my children, we cannot fail to correct ourselves and to become fervent Christians in a short time. Then, when death comes, we are quite ready, we are happy to go to Heaven.”
Quote/s of the Day – 1 March – Monday of the Second week of Lent, Readings: Daniel 9:4-10, Psalms 79:8, 9, 11 and 13, Luke 6:36-38
“Judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give, will be the measure you get back.”
Luke 6:37-38
“Someone who shows no clemency, who is not clothed with the bowels of mercy and tears, no matter what sort of student he is in spirituality, such a one does not fulfil the law of Christ.”
St Jerome (343-420) “The Man of the Bible” Father and Doctor of the Church
“Lift up and stretch out your hands, not to heaven but to the poor… if you lift up your hands in prayer without sharing with the poor, it is worth nothing.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you, nothing that you have received— only what you have given – a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
St Francis of Assisi (c 1181–1226)
“Let us learn of Him, that holy preference, which shows most love, to those who suffer most.”
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (1813–1853) “Servant to the Poor”
One Minute Reflection – 1 March – Monday of the Second week of Lent, Readings: Daniel 9:4-10, Psalms 79:8, 9, 11 and 13, Luke 6:36-38 and the Memorial of Saint Albinus of Angers (469-549) Bishop
“For the measure you give, will be the measure you get back.”… Luke 6:38
REFLECTION – “Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things – they leave behind them in this world but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve.” – St Francis of Assisi (c 1181–1226)
PRAYER – We beseech Your mercy Lord, let Your Spirit come upon us in power and fill us with His gifts, to render our minds and hearts pleasing to You and make us docile and merciful as Your Son has taught us. May our Lord Jesus, Your Son, guide us and may the prayers of St Albinus of Angers assist us to engrave Your precepts in our hearts and actions. Through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness and relenting in punishment.”
Joel 2:12-13
“He need not fear anything, nor be ashamed of anything, who bears the Sign of the Cross on his brow.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Keep a clear eye toward life’s end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God’s creature. What you are in His sight, is what you are and nothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received… but only what you have given – a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)
“Fasting, when rightly practised, lifts the mind to God and mortifies the flesh. It makes virtue easy to attain and increases our merits.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 28 January – Thursday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Hebrews 10:19-25, Psalms 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, Mark 4:21-25 and the Memorial of St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274) and Blessed Julian Maunoir SJ (1606-1683)
“For to the one who has, more will be given and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” – Mark 4:25
REFLECTION – “Blessed is the servant who attributes every good to the Lord God, for he who holds back something for himself, hides within himself, the money of his Lord God (Mt 25:18) and that which he thought he had, shall be taken away from him (Mt 25:18.28; Lk 8:18).
Blessed is the servant who esteems himself, no better when he is praised and exalted by people, than when he is considered worthless, simple and despicable; for what a man is before God, that he is and nothing more. …
Blessed is that religious, who takes no pleasure and joy except in the most holy words and deeds of the Lord and with these, leads people to the love of God in joy and gladness … Blessed is the servant who, when he speaks, does not reveal everything about himself in the hope of receiving a reward and, who is not quick to speak but wisely weighs what he should say and how he should reply. Woe to that religious, who does not keep in his heart, the good things the Lord reveals to him and who does not manifest them to others, by his actions but, rather seeks to make such good things known by his words. He, thereby, receives his reward while those who listen to him, carry away but little fruit. …
Blessed is that servant who stores up in heaven (Mt 6,20) the good things which the Lord has revealed to him and does not desire to reveal them to others, in the hope of profiting thereby. For the Most High will manifest his deeds to whomever he wishes. Blessed is the servant who keeps the secrets of the Lord in his heart.” – St Francis of Assisi (c 1181–1226) Founder of the Friars Minor – Admonitions, 19-22.28
PRAYER – Lord, our God, since it was by Your gift that St Thomas became so great a Saint and theologian, give us grace to understand his teaching and follow his way of life. May his great love for Jesus Crucified and His pure adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, be our guide to follow in Your Son’s footsteps and take up our cross and follow Him. Grant that by the prayers of St Thomas, we may grow in love and sanctity, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 25 January – Feast of the Conversion of St Paul
Great and Glorious God By St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)
Great and glorious God, my Lord Jesus Christ! I implore Thee to enlighten me and to disperse the darkness of my soul. Give me true faith, firm hope and perfect charity. Grant me, O Lord, to know Thee so well that in all things I may act by Thy light and in accordance with Thy holy will. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 17 January – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19, Psalms 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10, 1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20, John 1:35-42
“Come and you will see.”
“Speak Lord for your servant hears.”
1 Samuel 3:10
He said to them, “Come and you will see.”
John 1:39
“Go your way, behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”
Luke 10:3
“A person who wishes to become the Lord’s disciple must repudiate a human obligation, however honourable it may appear, if it slows us, ever so slightly, in giving the wholehearted obedience we owe to God.”
St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
“He wants you to become a living force for all mankind, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the Great Light, bathed in the glory of Him who is the Light of Heaven.”
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Be strengthened in Almighty God and in the power of His might, for with His help, nothing is difficult. Throw off the heavy load of your own will, cast aside the burden of sin and gird yourselves as valiant warriors. Forget what you are leaving behind; strain forward to the great things before you. I tell you, that every place where you set foot, shall be yours. For the Spirit who goes before your face is Christ the Lord. He will carry you to the topmost peak in the arms of His love.”
St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)
“Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes, through which, the compassion of Christ, looks out to the world. Yours are the feet, with which, He is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands, with which, He is to bless others now.”
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church
“It is our vocation to set people’s hearts ablaze, to do what the Son of God did, who came to light a fire on earth in order to set it ablaze with His love.”
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (1813–1853) “Servant to the Poor”
“The well-being of souls is only in Christ. Therefore, let the love of Jesus be our perfection and our profession, let us light our hearts from the eternal flames of love that radiate from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
Bl Paolo Manna PIME (1872-1952) “A Burning Soul”
Priest, Missionary in Burma (Myanmar), Superior General of PIME, Founder of the Pontifical Missionary Union
Quote/s of the Day – 13 October – Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 5:21-33,Psalms 128:1-2, 3,4-5, Luke 13:18-21
“Just as the Father who has life sent me and I have life because of the Father, so the man who feeds on me will have life because of me.”
John 6:57
“The doctrine of Christ is fittingly called leaven because, the bread is Christ.”
St Anbrose (340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
“If Christ did not want to dismiss the Jews without food in the desert, for fear that they would collapse on the way, it was to teach us, that it is dangerous to try to get to Heaven, without the Bread of Heaven.”
St Jerome (343-420) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Jesus Christ, the God-Man, was born in a manger and is spiritually reborn on the altar. He suffered on Calvary and continues to offer Himself on the altar. In His earthly life, He spread His teaching and worked miracles among the crowds. In the Eucharist, He spans the centuries and communicates Himself to all.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor
“And He departed from our sight that we might return to our heart and find Him there. For He left us and behold, He is here!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“O you sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? … Behold – daily He humbles Himself as when from heaven’s royal throne He came down into the womb of the Virgin. Daily, He Himself, comes to us with like humility; daily He descends from the bosom of the Father, upon the altar, in the hands of the priest.”
St Francis of Assisi (c 1181–1226)
“The Holy Eucharist, is a fire that purifies and consumes all our miseries and imperfections. Do everything in your power to make yourself worthy of the Eucharist and this Divine Fire, will take care of the rest.”
Quote/s of the Day – 4 October – The Memorial of St Francis of Assisi (c 1181–1226)
“Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society.”
“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you, nothing that you have received— only what you have given – a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
“Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve.”
“Your God is of your flesh, He lives in your nearest neighbour, in every man.”
“O you sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? … Behold – daily He humbles Himself as when from heaven’s royal throne He came down into the womb of the Virgin. Daily, He Himself, comes to us with like humility; daily He descends from the bosom of the Father, upon the altar, in the hands of the priest.”
“By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes” … Matthew 21:42
REFLECTION – “Christ has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Cor 5:18) Saint Paul thus brings out the greatness of the apostles, by showing us the ministry that was entrusted to them and at the same time, he shows us the love with which God loved us. After people refused to listen to Him who had been sent to them, God did not let His anger burst forth, He did not reject them. He persisted in calling them to Himself through the apostles. Who would not marvel at so much solicitude?
They killed the Son who had come to reconcile them, who was the only Son and of the same nature as the Father. The Father did not turn away from the murderers, He did not say: “I sent them my Son, and they, not satisfied with not having listened to Him, put Him to death and crucified Him. So now, it is only just that I abandon them.” He did the opposite. And after Christ had left earth, it is we, His ministers, who have the responsibility to replace Him. “He has given us the ministry of reconciliation. I mean that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not counting men’s transgressions against them.”
What love! going beyond all words and intelligence! Who was it had been insulted? God Himself! And who takes the first step towards reconciliation? He Himself (…) If God had wanted to make us give an account, we would truly be lost since “all died” (2 Cor 5:14). But in spite of our many sins, He did not strike with His vengeance but He even reconciled us to Himself. Not satisfied with taking away our debt, He even considered it to be nothing. In the same way, we have to forgive our enemies if we ourselves want to obtain this generous forgiveness: “He has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” … St John Chrysostom (345-407) Father and Doctor – Homily 11 on the Second Letter to the Corinthians, 4-5
PRAYER – All highest, glorious God, cast Your light into the darkness of our hearts, give us true faith, firm hope, perfect charity and profound humility, so that with wisdom, courage and perception, O Lord, we may do what is truly Your holy will. Amen. By St Francis of Assisi
Saint of the Day – 4 October – St Francis of Assisi OFM (c 1181–1226)- Founder of the Franciscan Order, Confessor of the Faith, Stigmatist. Francis set out to imitate Christ and literally carry out His work. This is vital in understanding Francis’ character, his affinity for the Eucharist and respect for the priests who carried out the sacrament. He preached: “Your God is of your flesh, He lives in your nearest neighbour, in every man.”
He and his followers celebrated and even venerated poverty, which was so central to his character that in his last written work, the Testament, he said, that absolute personal and corporate poverty was the essential lifestyle for the members of his order.
St Francis of Assisi was the living embodiment of Jesus Christ. He left home, riches and family to be with the poor and the destitute. In all creation he saw the image of God. In imitating Jesus Christ, his self-denial led to the foundation of orders and movements of evangelical poverty. Not to mention, his love was so total that – when he had nothing left to give – but gave more, he received the stigmata.
St Francis was the son of a cloth merchant. His worldly successes culminated in a career as a soldier. While preparing for a second campaign, St Francis received a vision. The moment was life-changing in that he realised he had been called apart. Climbing to the “Mount Tabor” of prayer to discern the will of God, he received another prompting; whereupon the once affluent man began to imitate the poor so that he might preach to them. When, at last, he took his father’s cloth to sell for alms that the Church of San Damiano may be restored, his father took him to court for relieving him of his possessions. In that moment, in the presence of the Bishop, St Francis went all in; doubling down on his mission by stripping off his garments and declaring that now he had no possessions.
Fully committed to imitating Jesus by administering to them exactly as He had done, St Francis preached to the poor – going barefoot and quite literally “(taking) no gold, nor silver, nor money in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff…” Submitting to papal authority since Tradition was handed to the Apostles by Jesus, St Francis encountered an obstruction in Pope Innocent III but the latter gave consent for St Francis’ Order after seeing, in a dream, St Francis holding up the Church of San Giovanni in Laterano. The rule of poverty and preaching Friars raised up altars where churches once lay abandoned. The order of the Poor Clares and Franciscan lay movements, also stemmed from St Francis’ apostolate. He refined his rule to include complete poverty and self-denial to live and be with Christ.
St Francis’ missions even brought him to Egypt, where an audience with the Sultan during the Crusades resulted in the Franciscan order gaining privileged access to Jerusalem. St Francis was a tireless worker; practicing prayer, penance, mortification and works to the extreme that Christ would go. Jesus fell asleep in the stern of a boat while the storm was raging – so exhausted was He. Then in 1224, while preparing for the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, St Francis asked in prayer how to best please God. In that moment, as recorded by St Francis’ biographers and those he was with, he saw a vision of a man coming down from heaven, with 2 wings above his head, 2 outstretched in fligh, and 2 covering his body; whose face was beautiful beyond earthly description and who smiled gently upon St Francis; making him see, that not in bodily martyrdom but in mind and heart he should conform to Christ. The brilliance of that vision never left St. Francis. Brimming with life, he received the stigmata.
St Francis receives the Stigmata – detail – Cigoli
At the time St Francis received the stigmata, he was feeble and blind. He sought to give more when he had absolutely nothing. Honouring him by not creating needs for ourselves, being humbled by others and bearing it for Christ, rejecting hedonism and conforming our will and intellect to that of the Divine, is how we can celebrate this mystic who forever rejoices by the side of and in-step with Jesus Christ.
Francis Serenaded by an Angel – Francisco Ribalta (1565–1628)
On 18 June 1939, Pope Pius XII named Francis a joint Patron Saint of Italy along with Saint Catherine of Siena with the apostolic letter “Licet Commissa.”
St Francis is the patron of animals, merchants and ecology. He is also considered the patron saint against dying alone; patron saint against fire; patron saint of the Franciscan Order and Catholic Action; patron saint of families, peace, and needleworkers. He is the patron saint of many dioceses and other locations around the world, including – Italy; San Pawl il-Bahar, Malta; Freising, Germany; Lancaster, England; Kottapuram, India; San Francisco de Malabon, Philippines (General Trias City); San Francisco, California; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Colorado; Salina, Kansas; Metuchen, New Jersey and Quibdó, Colombia.
St Adauctus of Ephesus Bl Alfonso Tabela St Aurea St Berenice St Caius of Corinth St Callisthene of Ephesus St Crispus of Corinth St Damaris of Athens St Diogenes of Milan St Domnina St Hierotheus Bl Julian Majali St Lucius of Alexandria St Peter of Damascus St Petronius (Died c 450) About St Petronius: https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/04/saint-of-the-day-4-october-saint-petronius-died-c-450/ St Prosdoce St Quintius of Tours — Martyrs of Alexandria – 2+ saints: A group of Christians, men and women, young and old, murdered together for their faith. The only names that have come down to us are the brothers Mark and Marcian.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Alfredo Pellicer Muñoz • Blessed Avelí Martínez de Arenzana Candela • Blessed Dionisio Ibáñez López • Blessed Francisco Martínez Granero • Blessed Fulgencio Martínez García • Blessed José Aloy Doménech • Blessed José Gafo Muñiz • Blessed José Miguel Peñarroya Dolz • Blessed Juan de Francisco Pío • Blessed Juan José Orayen Aizcorbe • Blessed Martina Vázquez Gordo • Blessed Publio Fernández González • Blessed Tomás Barrios Pérez
Quote/s of the Day – 2 September – Wednesday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Psalms 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21, Luke 4:38-44
“And the people sought him and came to him and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”
Luke 4:42-43
“Peace be with you as the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
John 20:21
“Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand and encourage through all patience and teaching.”
2 Timothy 4:2
“Lord, if Your people still have need of my services, I will not avoid the toil. Your will be done. I have fought the good fight long enough. Yet, if You bid me to continue to hold the battle line, in defence of Your camp, I will never beg to be excused from failing strength. I will do the work You entrust to me. While You command, I will fight beneath Your banner. Amen”
St Martin de Tours (c 316-397)
“I preached myself, the scholars came and praised me. I preached Christ, the sinners came and thanked me.”
St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Doctor of the Church
“It is no use walking somewhere to preach, unless our walking is our preaching.”
St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)
“What a tragedy, how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!”
St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)
“Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which, the compassion of Christ, looks out to the world. Yours are the feet, with which, He is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands, with which, He is to bless others now.”
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church
“Never say to God: “Enough;” simply say, “I am ready.”
Bl Sebastian Valfre (1629-1710)
“I greatly desire to become a saint, that I may be able to make others saints and thus procure the glory of God.”
St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)
“In everything, ask yourself only what the Master would have done and do that.”
“If anyone serves me, he must follow me and where I am, there will my servant be also.”
John 12:26
“The Lord is near do not be anxious about anything.”
“Let us listen to the Lord: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6). If you are looking for the Truth, follow the Way which is also the Truth. This is where you are going and it is how you go. It is not by another thing that you go to something; it is not by anything else that you come to Christ; it is through Christ that you come to Christ. How to Christ through Christ? To Christ God through Christ man; through the Word made flesh, to the Word who was with God, from the beginning; through what we have eaten to what the angels eat daily. In fact it is what is written: “He gave them bread from heaven; man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77[78]:24-25). What is the bread of angels? “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was in God and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1-3). How has man eaten the bread of angels? “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”
St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace
“Day by day follow God’s path, keeping Him closely attached to you by His promise. In fact, He Himself said, through the mediation of His apostles, to all those who seek His will and His testimonies (Ps 118[119]:31 LXX), that He would be with them until the end of the world (Mt 28:20) where paths and footsteps will be unknown (cf, Ps 76:20), as the divine David said in his songs. Yet, in an invisible way, He is present to the eyes of the mind, making Himself seen by those who have a pure heart and conversing with them. So pursue your path …. “
St Theodore the Studite (759-826)
Monk and Theologian at Constantinople
Catechesis 11
“Jesus is happy to come with us, as Truth is happy to be spoken, as Life to be lived, as Light to be lit, as Love is to be loved, as Joy to be given, as Peace to be spread.”
St Francis of Assisi (1181/2–1226)
“Someone who truly follows the Lord wants everyone to follow Him, which is why He turns to his neighbour with kind attentions, prayers and proclamation of the Gospel. Peter’s turning around, signifies all those things. … Christ, through interior inspiration and the Church, by preaching, says: “Come!” And whoever hears these words says to his neighbour: “Come!” which is to say: “Follow Jesus!” Then Peter, turning round, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following after. Jesus loves the one who follows Him.”
St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
Evangelical Doctor
“Do not be afraid! God will show you, to the hour and moment, what you should say and what you should do.”
St Léonie Françoise De Sales Aviat
(1844-1914)
“The way of the Cross is the only road that leads to Heaven. Consequently, a man who refuses to take this road cannot reach Heaven. … We must ascend our own Calvary, if we wish to imitate and follow Jesus. … Let the Passion of Christ be our rule of life. Let us be glad, when we seem to be more like Him and sorrowful, whenever we seem to be departing from the example which He set us. Suffering should be a source of consolation for us, for it makes us more like Jesus, as long as we endure it with resignation and with love.”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8, Responsorial psalm Isaiah 38:10-12, 16, Matthew 12:1-8
‘Take Christ’
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Isaiah 43:1
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! …The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4, 5d,6-7
“The Christian should be an ‘alleluia’ from head to foot.
St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of the Church
“May Christ be heard in our language, may Christ be seen in our life, may He be perceived in our hearts”
St Peter Damian (1007-1072)
Doctor of the Church
(Sermo VIII, 5)
“The one you are looking for, is the One who is looking.”
“Jesus is happy to come with us, as Truth is happy to be spoken, as Life to be lived, as Light to be lit, as Love is to be loved, as Joy to be given, as Peace to be spread.”
St Francis of Assisi (1181/2–1226)
“Love God, serve God, everything is in that.”
“Totally love Him, who gave Himself totally, for your love.”
St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
“If, then, you seek to know what path to follow, take Christ because He is the way.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor of the Church
“He will be with you also, all the way, that faithful God. Every morning when you awaken to the old and tolerable pain, at every mile of the hot uphill dusty road of tiring duty, on to the judgement seat, the same Christ there as ever, still loving you, still sufficient for you, even then. And then, on through all eternity.”
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
“Every Christian must be a living book wherein one can read the teaching of the gospel. This is what St Paul says to the Corinthians. Our heart is the parchment; through my ministry the Holy Spirit is the writer because ‘my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe’ (Psalm 45:1).”
Sunday Reflection – 5 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saint Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226) First Admonition
The Body of the Lord
“The Lord Jesus says to His disciples: “I am the way, the truth and the life; no-one comes to the Father but through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also and from now on, you shall know him and have seen him.” Philip says to him: “Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us.” Jesus says to him: “Am I with you so long a time and still you do not know me? Philip, he who sees me sees my Father also” (Jn 14:6-9). The Father dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16) and God is spirit (Jo 4:24) and no-one has ever seen God (Jo 1,18). Hence only in spirit can He be seen, for it is the spirit that gives life; the flesh has nothing to offer (Jo 6:63). Yet, neither is the Son, inasmuch as He is equal to the Father, seen by anyone other than by the Father, other than by the Holy Spirit.
Wherefore, all those who saw the Lord Jesus according to humanity and did not see and believe, according to the spirit and the divinity, that He is the true Son of God, were condemned. So also now, all those who behold the Sacrament which is sanctified by the words of the Lord upon the altar, at the hand of the priest, in the form of bread and wine and do not see and believe according to the spirit and divinity, that it is truly the most Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, are condemned. This the Most High Himself attests, who says: “This is my body and the blood of my New Testament” (Mk 14:22-24) and: “who feeds on my Flesh and drinks my Blood will have everlasting life” (Jn 6:55). Wherefore, the Spirit of the Lord, who dwells in His faithful ones, He it is who receives the most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord. All others who do not share of that Spirit and presume to receive Him eat and drink judgement to themselves (1Cor 11:29).
Wherefore, O you sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? (Ps 4:3). Why do you not recognise the truth and believe in the Son of God (Jo 9,35)? Behold – daily He humbles Himself (Phil 2:8) as when from heaven’s royal throne (Wisd 18:15) He came down into the womb of the Virgin. Daily He Himself comes to us with like humility; daily He descends from the bosom of the Father ( Jo 1:18; 6,38) upon the altar, in the hands of the priest. And, as He appeared to the Apostles in true flesh, so now also he shows himself to us in the Sacred Bread. And, as they by their bodily sight saw only His flesh, yet contemplating Him with the eyes of the spirit, believed Him to be very God, so we also, as we see our bodily eyes the bread and wine, are to see and firmly believe, that it is His most holy body and blood living and true. And in this way the Lord is always with His faithful, as He Himself says: “Behold I am with you always until the end of the world” (Mt 28:20).”
Lenten Preparation Novena to the Holy Face
Third Day – 19 February
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
THIRD DAY
(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)
Psalm 51,6b-7 You are just when you pass sentence on me, blameless when you give judgement. You know I was born guilty, a sinner from the moment of conception.
Prayer of Pope Pius IX
O Jesus!
Cast upon us a look of mercy,
turn Your Face towards each of us
as You did to Veronica,
not that we may see it with our bodily eyes,
for this we do not deserve
but turn it towards our hearts,
so that, remembering You,
we may ever draw from this fountain of strength,
the vigour necessary to
sustain the combats of life.
Amen.
Mary, our Mother and Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of your precious blood and Your Holy Face,
O Jesus, grant us our petition………………
Pardon and mercy.
Prayer of Saint Francis
All highest, glorious God,
cast Your light into the darkness of our hearts,
give us true faith, firm hope,
perfect charity and profound humility,
so that with wisdom,
courage and perception, O Lord,
we may do what is truly your holy will.
Amen.
To the Angels and Saints
We salute you,
through the Holy Face and Sacred Heart of Jesus,
O all you Holy Angels and Saints of God.
We rejoice in your glory
and we give thanks to our Lord
or all the benefits which He has
showered upon you,
we praise Him and glorify Him
and for an increase of your joy and honour,
we offer Him the most Holy Face
and gentle Heart of Jesus.
Pray that we may become formed
according to the heart of God.
Amen.
Pray (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Marys, one (1) Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine (Three times)
Quote/s of the Day – 19 February – The Memorial of St Conrad of Piacenza TOSF (c 1290-1351), Today’s Gospel: Mark 8:22-26
Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes and he looked intently and was restored and saw everything clearly.
Mark 8: 25
“Keep a clear eye toward life’s end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God’s creature. What you are in His sight, is what you are and nothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received… but only what you have given – a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
One Minute Reflection – 6 February – Thursday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12, Responsorial psalm 1 Chronicles 29:10-12, Mark 6:7-13 and the Memorial of St Francesco Spinelli (1853-1913)
He charged them to take nothing for their journey...Mark 6:8
REFLECTION – The Lord commands us in the Gospel: “Watch, be on your guard against all malice and greed” (cf. Lk 12:15). “Guard yourselves against the preoccupations of this world and the cares of this life” (cf. Mt 6:25; Lk 21:34). Therefore, none of the brothers, wherever he may be, or wherever he goes, should in any way carry, receive, or have received either money or coins, whether for clothing or books or payment for any work-indeed, for no reason-unless it is for the evident need of the sick brothers, for we must not suppose that money or coins have any greater value than stones. And the devil would like to blind those who desire it or consider it better than stones. Therefore, let us who have left all things behind, take care, that we do not lose the kingdom of heaven for so little (cf. Mt 19:27; Mk 10:24.28). And if we were to find coins in any place, let us give them no more thought than the dust which we crush with our feet, for all this is “vanity of vanities and all is vanity” (Eccl 1:2).
All the brothers should strive to follow the humility and the poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ (…). And they must rejoice when they live among people who are considered to be of little worth and who are looked down upon, among the poor and the powerless, the sick and the lepers and the beggars by the wayside. And when it may be necessary, let them go for alms. And they should not be ashamed but rather, recall that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living and all-powerful God (…) was a poor man and a transient and lived on alms, He and the Blessed Virgin and His disciples.” … St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) – Founder of the Friars Minor – Earlier Rule, §8-9
PRAYER – Grant us Lord, a true knowledge of salvation so that, freed from fear and from the power of our foes, we may serve You, unhampered by any worldly ties, trusting only in Your loving and guiding hand. Help us to give our hearts, minds, bodies, our all to You, serving faithfully all the days of our life. May the prayers of St Francesco Spinelli, Your faithful servant, give us strength. We make our prayer, through our Lord Jesus with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 4 October – The Memorial of St Francis of Assisi OFM (1181/2–1226)
We must be Simple, Humble and Pure
Saint Francis of Assisi Religious
An excerpt from his Letter Written to All the Faithful
It was through His archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above, made known to the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, that the worthy, holy and glorious Word of the Father would come from heaven and take from her womb, the real flesh of our human frailty. Though He was wealthy beyond reckoning, He still willingly chose to be poor, with His blessed mother. And shortly before His passion, He celebrated the Passover with His disciples. Then He prayed to His Father saying – Father, if it be possible, let this cup be taken from me.
Nevertheless, He reposed His will in the will of His Father. The Father willed that His blessed and glorious Son, whom He gave to us and who was born for us, should, through His own blood, offer Himself as a sacrificial victim on the altar of the cross. This was to be done not for Himself, through whom all things were made but for our sins. It was intended to leave us an example of how to follow in His footsteps. And He desires all of us to be saved through Him and to receive Him with pure heart and chaste body.
O how happy and blessed are those who love the Lord and do as the Lord Himself said, in the gospel – You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul and your neighbour as yourself. Therefore, let us love God and adore Him with pure heart and mind. This is His particular desire when He says – True worshippers adore the Father in spirit and truth. For all who adore Him must do so in the spirit of truth. Let us also direct to Him our praises and prayers saying – Our Father, who art in heaven, since we must always pray and never grow slack.
Furthermore, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbours as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world but they carry with them, the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these, they will receive from the Lord, the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God’s sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father’s children who do His work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Quote of the Day – 4 October – The Memorial of St Francis of Assisi OFM (1181/2–1226)
The Angel to Gerontius
“There was a mortal, who is now above
In the mid-glory – he, when near to die,
Was given communion with the Crucified –
Such, that the Master’s very wounds were stamp’d
Upon his flesh and, from the agony
Which thrill’d through body and soul in that embrace
Learn, that the flame of the Everlasting Love
Doth burn, ere it transform ….”
From the Dream of Gerontius
Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
One Minute Reflection – 4 October – Friday of the Twenty-sixth week in Ordinary Time, Year C Gospel: Luke 10:13-16 – The Memorial of St Francis of Assisi OFM (1181/2–1226)
“He who hears you, hears me and he who rejects you, rejects me and he who rejects me, rejects him who sent me.”…Luke 10:16
REFLECTION – “The truth is that St Francis really did have an extremely intimate relationship with Jesus and with the word of God, that he wanted to pursue sine glossa – just as it is, in all its radicality and truth. It is also true, that initially he did not intend to create an Order with the necessary canonical forms. Rather he simply wanted, through the word of God and the presence of the Lord, to renew the People of God, to call them back to listening to the word and to literal obedience to Christ.”…Pope Benedict XVI – Catechesis on St Francis – General Audience, 27 January 2010
“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received—only what you have given – a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”….St Francis of Assisi
PRAYER – Lord God, You made St Francis of Assisi, Christ-like in his poverty and humility, his gentleness and charity, his love and courage. Help us to walk in his ways that, with joy and love, we may follow Christ Your Son and be united with You. May the intercession of St Francis, be an assistance on our journey. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 4 October – The Memorial of St Francis of Assisi (1181–1226)
Morning Prayer of St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)
Lord, help me to live this day,
quietly, easily;
to lean on Your great strength,
trustfully, restfully;
to wait for the unfolding of Your will,
patiently, serenely;
to meet others,
peacefully, joyfully;
to face tomorrow,
confidently, courageously.
Amen
St Adauctus of Ephesus
Bl Alfonso Tabela
St Ammon the Great
St Aurea
Berenice
St Caius of Corinth
St Callisthene of Ephesus
St Crispus of Corinth
St Damaris of Athens
St Diogenes of Milan
St Domnina
St Hierotheus
Bl Julian Majali
St Lucius of Alexandria
St Peter of Damascus St Petronius (Died c 450)
St Prosdoce
St Quintius of Tours
—
Martyrs of Alexandria – 2+ saints: A group of Christians, men and women, young and old, murdered together for their faith. The only names that have come down to us are the brothers Mark and Marcian.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Alfredo Pellicer Muñoz
• Blessed Avelí Martínez de Arenzana Candela
• Blessed Dionisio Ibáñez López
• Blessed Francisco Martínez Granero
• Blessed Fulgencio Martínez García
• Blessed José Aloy Doménech
• Blessed José Gafo Muñiz
• Blessed José Miguel Peñarroya Dolz
• Blessed Juan de Francisco Pío
• Blessed Juan José Orayen Aizcorbe
• Blessed Martina Vázquez Gordo
• Blessed Publio Fernández González
• Blessed Tomás Barrios Pérez
One Minute Reflection – 10 August – Friday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Matthew 16:24–28 and the Memorial of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942) Martyr
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” ... Matthew 16:24
REFLECTION – “Two years before he gave his spirit back to heaven… Francis understood that just as he had imitated Christ in the actions of his life, so he should be conformed to him… in his Passion… He was in no way terrified but… by the Seraphic ardour of his desires, he was transformed into Him who chose to be crucified, because of “the excess of his love” (Eph 2:4). On a certain morning about the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, while Francis was praying on the mountainside, he saw a Seraph with six fiery and shining wings descend from the height of heaven. And when, in swift flight, the Seraph had reached a spot in the air near the man of God, there appeared between the wings, the figure of a man crucified, with His hands and feet extended in the form of a cross and fastened to a cross…
When Francis saw this, he was overwhelmed and his heart was flooded with a mixture of joy and sorrow. He rejoiced, because of the gracious way Christ looked upon him under the appearance of the Seraph but, the fact that he was fastened to a cross, “pierced his soul with a sword” of compassionate sorrow (Lk 2:35). He wondered exceedingly at the sight of so unfathomable a vision, realising that the weakness of Christ’s passion, was in no way compatible, with the immortality of the Seraph’s spiritual nature. Eventually, he understood by a revelation from the lord, that divine providence had shown him this vision so that, as Christ’s lover, he might learn in advance, that he was to be totally transformed into the likeness of Christ crucified, not by the martyrdom of his flesh but by the fire of his love consuming his soul.” … St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – “O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead but when I have arrived
where the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me and I shall be met with peace. How wondrous are the marvels of Your love, we are amazed, we stammer and grow dumb, for word and spirit fail us. Amen” …St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Thought for the Day – 7 July – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
Life of Saint Francis of Assisi known as the “Anonymous of Perugia” (13th century)
“The Lord sent them ahead of him to every town and place he intended to visit”
Filled with the Holy Spirit’s graces as he already was, blessed Francis foretold to his brothers what was going to happen to them. In the wood beside the chapel of Saint Mary of the Portioncula, where they were accustomed to meet for prayer, he called together those six brothers he already had and said: “Dearest brothers, let us have a good understanding of our vocation – in His mercy, God has not called us just for our own benefit but for the service and even for the salvation, of many others. So let us go out through the world, let us encourage and show men and women, by word and example, how to do penance for their sins and recall those commandments of God they have forgotten for so long.”
Then he added – “Do not be afraid, little flock (Lk 12,32) but put your trust in the Lord. Don’t ask each other – ‘And how are we going to preach, we who are ignorant and without learning?’ Remember, rather, our Lord’s words to His disciples: ‘It is not you who will be speaking but the Spirit of your Father who will be speaking in you’ (Mt 10,20). Therefore, it is the Lord Himself, who will transmit His Spirit and wisdom to you, to teach men and women the ways and practices of His commandments”.
Christ be near, at either hand,
Christ behind, before me stand;
Christ with me, where’er I go,
Christ around, above, below.
Christ be in my heart and mind,
Christ within my soul enshrined;
Christ control, my wayward heart;
Christ abide and ne’er depart.
Christ my life and only way,
Christ my lantern, night and day;
Christ be my unchanging friend,
guide and shepherd to the end.
One Minute Reflection – 24 May – Friday of the Fifth week of Easter, C, Gospel: John 15:12–17 and the Memorial of Our Lady Help of Christians and Blessed Maria Gargani (1892-1973)
“You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide”…John 15:16
REFLECTION – “Oh, how happy and blessed are those who love God and do as the Lord Himself says in the Gospel – “You shall love the lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and your neighbour as yourself.” Let us love God, therefore and adore Him with a pure heart and a pure mind…
And let us love our neighbours as ourselves. And if there is anyone who does not wish to love them as himself, at least let him do no harm to them but rather do good. But those who have received the power to judge others, should exercise judgement with mercy, as they themselves desire to receive mercy from the Lord… Let us then have charity and humility, let us give alms since this washes our souls from the stains of our sins. For people lose everything they leave behind in this world but they carry with them, the rewards of charity and the alms which they gave, for which they will have a reward and a suitable remuneration from the Lord…
Upon all men and women, if they have done these things and have persevered to the end, the Spirit of the Lord will rest and He will make His home and dwelling among them. They will be children of the heavenly Father whose works they do. And they are spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ… Oh, how glorious it is, how holy and great, to have a Father in heaven! Oh, how holy, consoling, beautiful and wondrous it is to have a Spouse! Oh, how holy… humble, peaceful, sweet, lovable, and desirable above all things to have such a Brother and Son, who laid down his life for his sheep and who prayed to the Father for us, saying: “Holy Father, protect those in your name whom you have given to me…; and I wish, Father, that where I am they also may be with me so that they may see my glory in your kingdom” … St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226) Founder of the Friars Minor – Letter to all the faithful, 2nd version
PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, You gave us a new birth in holy baptism and a new life in Your Son, who gave His life for us. Give us the grace to bear much fruit always striving after what He has taught who goes ahead of us to lead us to You. May the prayers of His beloved Mother and ours and Blessed Maria Gargani, grant us help and inspiration as we travel the road to eternal life. Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.
Thought for the Day – 23 May – Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter, C, Gospel: John 15:9-11
“I have said these things to you, so that my joy may be in you”...John 15:11
Saint Francis maintained: “My best defence against all the plots and tricks of the enemy is still the spirit of joy. The devil is never so happy as when he has succeeded in robbing one of God’s servants of the joy in his or her soul. The devil always has some dust on hold that he blows into someone’s conscience through a small basement window so as to make opaque what is pure. But in a heart that is filled with joy, he tries in vain to introduce his deadly poison. The demons can do nothing against a servant of Christ whom they find filled with holy gladness, whereas a dejected, morose and depressed soul easily lets itself be submerged in sorrow or captured by false pleasures.”
That is why he himself always tried to keep his heart joyful, to preserve that oil of gladness with which his soul had been anointed (Ps 45:7). He took great care to avoid sorrow, the worst of illnesses and when he felt that it was beginning to infiltrate his soul, he immediately had recourse to prayer. He said: “At the first sign of trouble, the servant of God must get up, begin to pray and remain before the Father until the latter has caused him or her to retrieve the joy of the person who is saved.” (Ps 51:12)…
Thomas of Celano (c 1190-c 1260)
Biographer of Saint Francis (c 1181-1226)
and Saint Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
Vita Secunda of St Francis, §125 and 127
St Francis, Pray for Us
that we may be filled with the true joy of a servant of Christ!
Our Morning Offering – 29 January – Tuesday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year C
Prayer Before a Crucifix By St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)
Most High glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart.
Give me right faith,
sure hope
and perfect charity.
Fill me with understanding
and knowledge
that I may fulfil
Your command.
Amen
Our Morning Offering -29 November – The Memorial of All Franciscan Saints and Blesseds and in particular, of St Francesco Antonio Fasani OFM Conv (1681 – 1742)
Prayer to do the Will of God By St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)
Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God, grant us in our misery, the grace to do for You alone what we know You want us to do and always to desire, what pleases You. Thus, inwardly cleansed, interiorly enlightened and inflamed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, may we be able to follow in the footprints of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And, by Your grace alone, may we make our way to You, Most High, Who live and rule in perfect Trinity and simple Unity and are glorified God all-powerful, forever and ever. Amen. (From “A Letter to the Entire Order”)
ther we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God’s sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father’s children who do His work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
AnaStpaul 
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