Posted in "Follow Me", ArchAngels and Angels, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN

One Minute Reflection – 29 September – ‘Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ – Matthew 18:1

One Minute Reflection – 29 September – The Feast of the Dedication of the Archangel St Michael – Apocalypse 1:1-5, Matthew 18:1-10 – Scripture Search here: https://www.drbo.org/

At that time, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ And Jesus called a little child unto Him, set him in their midst and said, ‘Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whoever receives one such little child for My sake, receives Me.’” – Matthew 18:1-5

REFLECTION – “We must seek for reasons for individual sayings and actions of the Lord. After the coin was found, after the tribute paid, what do the Apostles’ sudden questions mean? Why precisely “at that time” did the disciples come to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Because they had seen that the same tax had been paid for both Peter and the Lord. From the equal price, they inferred that Peter may have been set over all the other Apostles, since Peter had been compared with the Lord in the paying of the tax. So they ask, who is greater in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus, seeing their thoughts and understanding the causes of their error, wants to heal their desire for glory, with a struggle for humility.

He called a child to Him to ask its age or to show the image of innocence. Or perhaps, He actually set a child in their midst — He Himself, Who had not come to be served but to serve — to show them an example of humility.

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) Priest, Monk, Translator of the Scriptures, Father and Doctor of the Church (Commentary on Matthew 3).

PRAYER – O God, Who assign according to a wondrous order, the duties of Angels and men, mercifully grant that our life on earth be guarded by those who continually stand in Thy presence and minister to Thee in Heaven. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The ASCENSION of the LORD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 May – “A little while now and you shall not see me” – John 16:16

One Minute Reflection – 8 May – The Third Sunday after Easter – 1 Peter 2:11-19, John 16:16-22 and the Feast of the Apparition of St Michael the Archangel at Monte Gargano, Italy (492)

A little while now and you shall not see me” – John 16:16

REFLECTION – “The Ascension of Christ into Heaven is in accord with reason – firstly, because Heaven was due to Christ by His very nature.   It is natural for someone to return to the place from whence they take their origin.   The beginning of Christ is from God, Who is above all things.   Jesus says to the Apostles (Jn 16:28):  “I came from the Father and have come into the world and now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father” … The just ascend into Heaven but not in the manner that Christ ascended, namely by His own power, for they are taken up by Christ – “Draw me, we will run after thee.” (Sg 1:3)  Or indeed, we can say, that no-one but Christ has ascended into Heaven because the just do not ascend, except, insofar as they are members of Christ, Who is the Head of the Church. …   Secondly, Heaven is due to Christ because of His Victory.   For He was sent into the world to combat the devil and He did overcome him.   Therefore, Christ deserved to be exalted above all things – “I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on His throne” (Rv 3:21)

Finally, the Ascension was owing to Christ because of His humility.   There never was humility so great as that of Christ Who, although He was God yet wished to become man and although He was the Lord, yet He wished to take the form of a servant and, as Saint Paul says:  “He was obedient even unto death” (Phil 2:7) and descended even into hell. Therefore, He deserved to be exalted even to Heaven, to God’s throne, for humility leads to exaltation.   “For whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11) and, “the one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens” (Eph 4:10).” … St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus/Doctor Communis (Commentary on the Apostle’s Creed).

PRAYER – O God, Who hast ordained and constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful order, mercifully grant, that as Thy holy Angels alway do Thee service in Heaven, so, by Thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth. 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).

St Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our safeguard against the
wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the power of God,
cast into hell, Satan
and all the evil spirits
who prowl throughout the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL MESSAGES, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

October – The Month of the Holy Rosary REMINDER

October – The Month of the Holy Rosary
REMINDER

of the Prayers to be conclude the Rosary each day of October (most especially) but I will add these always.

From Pope Francis’ Message – 29 September

“The Holy Father has decided to invite all the faithful, of all the world, to pray the Holy Rosary every day, during the entire Marian month of October and thus to join in communion and in penitence, as the people of God, in asking the Holy Mother of God and Saint Michael Archangel to protect the Church from the devil, who always seeks to separate us from God and from each other.”

The invocation “Sub tuum praesídium” is recited as follows:

“Sub tuum praesídium confúgimus,
sancta Dei Génetrix;
nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias in necessitátibus,
sed a perículis cunctis líbera nos semper,
Virgo gloriósa et benedícta”.

We fly to Thy protection,
O Holy Mother of God.
Do not despise our petitions
in our necessities
but deliver us always
from all dangers,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin

and

The Holy Father has also asked that the recitation of the Holy Rosary during the month of October conclude with the prayer written by Pope Leo XIII:

“Sancte Míchael Archángele, defénde nos in próelio;
contra nequítiam et insídias diáboli esto praesídium.
Imperet illi Deus, súpplices deprecámur,
tuque, Prínceps milítiae caeléstis,
Sátanam aliósque spíritus malígnos,
qui ad perditiónem animárum pervagántur in mundo,
divína virtúte, in inférnum detrúde. Amen”.

Saint Michael Archangel,
defend us in battle,
be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil,
may God rebuke him, we humbly pray
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God, cast into hell Satan
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl throughout the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amensub tuum and st michael prayer - 6 oct 2018

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL MESSAGES, PAPAL PRAYERS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

October – The Month of the Holy Rosary Message from Pope Francis

October – The Month of the Holy Rosary
Message from Pope Francis

Below is the complete and entire Message issued by the Holy See Press Office on 29 September 2018.

Holy See Press Office Communiqué, 29.09.2018

The Holy Father has decided to invite all the faithful, of all the world, to pray the Holy Rosary every day, during the entire Marian month of October and thus to join in communion and in penitence, as the people of God, in asking the Holy Mother of God and Saint Michael Archangel to protect the Church from the devil, who always seeks to separate us from God and from each other.

In recent days, before his departure for the Baltic States, the Holy Father met with Fr Fréderic Fornos, S.J., international director of Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and asked him to spread this appeal to all the faithful throughout the world, inviting them to conclude the recitation of the Rosary with the ancient invocation “Sub tuum praesídium” and with the prayer to Saint Michael Archangel that he protect us and help us in the struggle against evil (cf. Revelation 12, 7-12).

The prayer – the Pontiff affirmed a few days ago, on 11 September, in a homily at Santa Marta, citing the first chapter of the Book of Job – is the weapon against the Great Accuser who “goes around the world seeking to accuse”.   Only prayer can defeat him  . The Russian mystics and the great saints of all the traditions advised, in moments of spiritual turbulence, to shelter beneath the mantle of the Holy Mother of God pronouncing the invocation “Sub tuum praesídium”.

The invocation “Sub tuum praesídium” is recited as follows:

“Sub tuum praesídium confúgimus,
sancta Dei Génetrix;
nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias in necessitátibus,
sed a perículis cunctis líbera nos semper,
Virgo gloriósa et benedícta”.

We fly to Thy protection,
O Holy Mother of God.
Do not despise our petitions in our necessities
but deliver us always from all dangers,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.we fly to they protection - pope francis communique - oct rosary - no 2 - 1 october 2018

With this request for intercession the Holy Father asks the faithful of all the world to pray that the Holy Mother of God place the Church beneath her protective mantle – to preserve her from the attacks by the devil, the great accuser and at the same time to make her more aware of the faults, the errors and the abuses committed in the present and in the past and committed to combating without any hesitation, so that evil may not prevail.

The Holy Father has also asked that the recitation of the Holy Rosary during the month of October conclude with the prayer written by Pope Leo XIII:

“Sancte Míchael Archángele, defénde nos in próelio;
contra nequítiam et insídias diáboli esto praesídium.
Imperet illi Deus, súpplices deprecámur,
tuque, Prínceps milítiae caeléstis,
Sátanam aliósque spíritus malígnos,
qui ad perditiónem animárum pervagántur in mundo,
divína virtúte, in inférnum detrúde. Amen”.

Saint Michael Archangel,
defend us in battle,
be our protection
against the wickedness
and snares of the devil,
may God rebuke him,
we humbly pray
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl throughout the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amenoctober - pray the st michael prayer - the holy father 29 sept 2018 - made on 1 oct 2018

Note:   In recent weeks the bishops of several dioceses, across the world, have encouraged the praying of the Saint Michael Prayer after Mass – as we used to do. And I would add, Alleluia!