Our Morning Offering – 4 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
Daily Prayers to the Infant Jesus
O Almighty God, in the form of a little Child! Make me worthy to meditate upon Thy Greatness and Power, Thy Goodness and Mercy and Thy Majesty as God and Man.
O Divine Infant! With the most profound reverence, I contemplate Thy Divine Countenance, shedding its gentle and forgiving Light like the sun, on good and bad. Deign, O friendly Eyes of my Jesus, to cast one look of grace upon me and to give to my eyes, sincere tears of repentance that on my judgement day, they need not fear Thy look of righteous anger.
O Sweetest Jesus! Fervent with admiration, I praise Thy Holy Lips, filled with heavenly wisdom and uttering words of grace for the remission of sin. Lest, however, Thy Divine Lips might one day be forced to pronounce the sentence of condemnation upon me on account of my own words, I beseech Thee, O Lord, place a seal upon my lips, so that they may never be opened to utter an uncharitable opinion or a sinful word; may I ever preserve Thy Truth and Thy Love in my heart and upon my tongue. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – “The Month of The Holy Souls in Purgatory” and the Feast of the Holy Souls in Purgatory
The Doctrine of Purgatory by Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva Doctor of Charity of the Church
From “The Catholic Controversy“ (originally published by Burns and Oates, London 1886) Translated by Rev Henry Benedict Mackey OSB (19th Century) English Canon of the Isle of Wight
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108) Apostolic Father of the Church
Receive in tranquility and peace, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants, who have departed this present life to come to Thee. Grant them rest and place them in the habitations of Light, the abodes of blessed spirits. Give them the life that will not age, good things that will not pass away, delights that have no end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“ … Yet only grant me repentance here below That I may make reparation for my sins, … That these tears may extinguish the blazing furnace With its burning flames. …
And, instead of acting like the merciless, Set merciful compassion within me, That, by showing mercy to the poor, I may obtain Your mercy.”
St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173) Armenian Bishop
“The more one longs for a thing, the more painful does deprivation of it become. And because, after this life, the desire for God, the Supreme Good, is intense in the souls of the just – (because this impetus toward Him, is not hampered by the weight of the body and that time of enjoyment, of the Perfect Good, would have come) had there been no obstacle. The soul suffers enormously, from the delay.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Angelic Doctor
“If, during life, we have been kind to the suffering Souls in Purgatory, God will ensure that help be not denied us, after death.”
St Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)
“The Holy Souls must sometimes think, reproachfully, how little their friends on earth do to aid them in their present sufferings. Among many other methods of aiding them, I can offer up for them all the pains of mind and body which God sends me, asking God to accept them in alleviation of the sufferings of the holy souls. This will help me to be patient and to suffer willingly and, when my time comes, I shall find that patient suffering for others, will shorten my time of banishment from God, in the fires of Purgatory.”
Quote/s of the Day – 15 October – St Teresa of Jesus of Avila OCD (1515-1582) Virgin
“Why should I fear the Judgement when my Judge will be my Best Friend?”
“He gives according to the love He bears us …, according to the courage He sees in each and the love each has for His Majesty. He will see, that whoever loves Him much, will be able to suffer much for Him; whoever loves Him little, will be capable of little. I myself hold, that the measure for being able to bear, a large or small cross, is love …”
“Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20
“But, if Each One is distinct, how can we say that the Three are One Essence? For this is what we believe. This is deepest truth and I would die for it a thousand times. In these Three Persons there is but One Will and One Power and One Might; neither can One be without the Others. There is One Sole Creator of all created things. Could the Son create an ant without the Father? No! because Their Power is One. The same is to be said of the Holy Ghost. Thus, there is one God Almighty and the Three Persons are One Majesty. Is it possible to love the Father without loving the Son and the Holy Ghost? No, for those who please One of the Three Persons, please all Three Persons and those who offend One, offend all. Can the Father exist without the Son and without the Holy Ghost? No, for they are One in Being and where One is, there are the Three; they cannot be divided.”
AND by St Teresa’s Confessor, St Peter of Alcantara OFM (1499-1562) Confessor:
“Strain not after tears, strive not for sentiments of devotion, do not force your heart. Rest rather in interior solitude. Dwell therein quietly, waiting until God’s will be accomplished in you. When it shall please Him to send you tears, oh, how sweet will those tears be, for is not your impatience which has secured them – they are the fruits of humility and of peace. On your part, then, you must receive them with the deepest self-effacement, allowing God to work in you.”
St Teresa, who has written much in his praise, says among other things:
“He died as he had lived, a Saint and I have, after his death, received many graces from God, through his intercession. I have often seen him in great glory and when I saw him the first time, he said to me: ‘O happy penance, which has obtained so great a glory for me!‘”
Quote/s of the Day – 4 July – The Feast of St Andrew of Crete (c660-c740) Bishop, Father of the Church
“Then, let us run with Him as He presses on to His Passion. Let us imitate those who have gone out to meet Him, not scattering olive branches or garments or palms in His path but spreading ourselves before Him as best we can, with humility of soul and upright purpose. So may we welcome the Word as He comes (Jn 1:9); so may God, Who cannot be contained within any bounds, be contained within us. For He is pleased to have shown us this gentleness, He, Who is gentle and who “rides upon the setting sun” (Ps 56:12) which refers to our extreme lowliness. He is pleased to come and live with us and to raise us up or bring us back to Himself.”
“Arise my soul and review your deeds which have preceded you. Scrutinize them closely and shed the rain of your tears, declaring openly to Christ, our thoughts and deeds so that you may be justified.”
“Being thy servant, O Mary, is a surety of salvation which God grants solely, to those He will save!”
Quote/s of the Day – 2 April – Feastday of St Francis of Paola OM (1416-1507) –Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Lent – Isaias 1:16-19 – John 9:1-38 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your deeds from My Eyes …”
Isaias 1:16
“Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother. They know nothing of covetousness, ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying. This state of mind opens the road to Heaven. To imitate our Lord’s own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God’s little ones.”
St Hilary (315-368) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Prayer, appeases the anger of God; He pardons the sinner when he prays with humility.”
St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455)
“We must be very sorry for faults with a repentance which is strong, constant, tranquil but not troubled, unquiet or fainthearted.”
(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 9, Chapter 7).
“Christ was more concerned with St. Peter’s repentance and remorse, than with his sin.”
Lenten Meditations – 26 March – With Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900) Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Sacred Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ” “Short Meditations for Lent” From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Wednesday after the Third Sunday in Lent St Peter’s Repentance
Read St Luke xxii:55–62
[55] And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall and were sitting about it, Peter was in the midst of them. [56] Whom, when a certain servant maid had seen, sitting at the light and had earnestly beheld him, she said: This man too, was with Him. [57] But he denied Him, saying: Woman, I know Him not. [58] And after a little while, another seeing him, said: Thou also art one of them. But Peter said: O man, I am not. [59] And after the space, as it were of one hour, another certain man affirmed, saying: Of a truth, this man was also with Him; for he is also a Galilean. [60] And Peter said: Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, as he was yet speaking, the cock crew. [61] And the Lord turning, looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the Word of the Lord, as He had said: Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. [62] And Peter going out, wept bitterly. [Luke 22:55-62]
+1. St Peter had thrice denied his Master and the third time with oaths and curses! He was ashamed of Christ, afraid to own himself a servant of Christ and all because of a woman’s jeering tongue. As I look over my life, how many times there have been when I have been faithless as Peter was! I have not boldly spoken out as I ought. I have perhaps, taken part in talk hateful to my Lord and Master. I have been ashamed to run counter to uncharitable or evil conversation, although I knew well enough that it was sinful.
+2. After the third denial, the cock crew and at the same time Our Lord turned and looked upon Peter. It was at the moment when He was being dragged from the tribunal to the servants’ room amid the jeers and mockery of the soldiers. All this time St Peter had been present to His thoughts, amid all the outrages and insults and not St Peter alone but all, who, although, not at heart disloyal, nevertheless, fall into sin through weakness. Remember me, O Lord, when I am in danger of falling and when Satan desires to have me that he may iift me as wheat.
+3. That look pierced St Pete’s heart with a keen pang of shame, sorrow and repentance. How could he have been faithless to the Lord Whom he loved and for Whom he had joyfully given up all! At once, he made his way out of the hall and, with tears of anguish, begged for pardon. Those tears were not unmixed with the sweet consolation of knowing he was forgiven and with a firm resolution, not to let this fall discourage him. Here is a model for me when I have sinned!
Quote/s of the Day – 1 September – Pentecost XV – Galatians 5:25-26; 6:1-10; Luke 7:11-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Young man, I say to thee, arise!”
Luke 7:14
“Rather blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.’”
Luke 11:28
“She began to bathe His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet and anointed them with ointment.”
Luke 7:38
“Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God and an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17); if, indeed, you are preparing yourself that you may receive; if you are drawing near in faith that you may be made faithful; if of set purpose, you are putting off the old man!”
St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Do not content yourself with confessing your venial sins merely as to the fact but accuse yourself too, of the motive which induced you to commit them.”
(Introduction to the Devout Life, Part II, Chapter 19).
“Christ was more concerned with St. Peter’s repentance and remorse, than with his sin.”
Quote/s of the Day – 25 January – Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, Apostle
“O my brethren, if only we wanted to, if only we all wanted to perceive our soul’s paralysis in all its depth! Then we would see that it is lying on a stretcher of sins, deprived of strength. Christ’s action within us, would be a source of light and we would understand that each day He sees our lack of faith, harmful as it is, that He draws us towards healing remedies and sharply presses our rebellious wills. “My son” He says, “your sins are forgiven you.”
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Golden Words” Father & Doctor of the Church
“What are you afraid of, you men of little faith? That He will not pardon your sins? But with His own hands He has nailed them to the Cross. That you are used to soft living and your tastes are fastidious? But He knows the clay of which we are made (Gn 2:7). That a prolonged habit of sinning binds you like a chain? But the Lord loosens the shackles of prisoners. Or perhaps that angered by the enormity and frequency of your sins, He is slow to extend a helping hand? But where sin abounded, grace became superabundant (Rom 5,20). Are you worried about clothing and food and other bodily necessities so that you hesitate to give up your possessions? But He knows that you need all these things (Mt 6,32). What more can you wish? What else is there to hold you back from the way of salvation? ”
St Bernard (1091-1153) Mellifluous Doctor of the Church
“When it is dark, we do not see how dusty and dirty our house is. Only when the place is flooded with sunlight, do we realise its awful condition. So, we need the light of God’s grace to show us the real state of our soul and to induce us to clean up our hearts!”
St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor of the Church
“I see clearly with the interior eye, that the sweet God loves, with a pure love, the creature that He has created and has a HATRED for nothing but SIN, which is more opposed to Him, than can be thought or imagined.”
St Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)
“A person who is conscious of his misery, can certainly have great confidence in God. In fact, he cannot have true confidence in Him, without this consciousness of his misery. This knowledge and acknowledgement of our misery, leads us to the presence of God.”
“Let us then depart, let us depart from Egypt, let us approach Our Lord, let us make provision of good works; let the feet of our affections be bare, let us clothe ourselves with innocence, let us not be satisfied with crying for mercy, let us go forth from Egypt, let us delay no longer. The hour is come to arise from sleep, since we know that He receives sinners; the Angels await our repentance, the Saints pray for it!”
St Francis de Sales 91567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Thought for the Day – 23 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn
“Finally, the Christian will sometimes shed tears of joy. There are some people who are not easily moved. Rigid and inflexible, they proceed in all things, with mathematical precision and cannot be swayed by the promptings of the heart. They are incapable of shedding a tear.
If we love God sincerely, however, we shall have what is called by the Fathers, ‘the gift of tears.’ It is because we know God so little that we love Him so little. If we loved Him fervently, the contemplation of His infinite goodness and mercy, would move us to tears of love and of joy! So it was with the Saints, especially in the presence of the Crucifix and of the Blessed Sacrament and in the presence of the marvels of creation.
We are incapable of shedding tears of love and of joy because we know and love God so little. “Our love and knowledge of God are imperfect” (Summa Theologae I-II q 68 a2), writes St Thomas Aquinas. We are too absorbed in worldly vanities to be capable of such heartfelt joy and love.
Let us meditate more often and love God more fervently and He will grant us ‘the gift of tears!‘”
Quote/s of the Day – 5 September – St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455) Bishop of Venice, Confessor
“He cannot help sorrowing for others’ sins, who sorrows truly, for his own.”
“The exterior works of Martha, without the interior spirit of Mary, cannot be perfect. He deceives himself. who expects, without the aid of prayer, to succeed in the work of saving souls, — a work as dangerous as it is sublime! Without the reflection of prayer, he shall certainly faint on the way!”
“Prayer, appeases the anger of God; He pardons the sinner when he prays with humility.”
Quote/s of the Day – 29 June – Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
“There are the gates of our true country, the two lights of the immense world. There Paul’s voice is heard like thunder; there Peter withholds or hurls the bolt . The former opens the hearts of men, the latter opens Heaven. Peter is the Foundation-stone, Paul the Architect of the temple where stands the Altar by which God is propitiated. Both together form a single Fountain, which pours out its healing and refreshing waters.”
St Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609) “The Troubadour of Christ”
“Yes, the Apostle chosen to be His co-worker, merited to share, the same Name as Christ. They built the same Building together – Peter does the planting, the Lord gives the increase and it is the Lord, too, Who sends those, who will do the watering (cf 1 Cor 3:6f).”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
“These falls were both very great but there was this difference. One acknowledged his guilt; the other despaired. Yet, our Saviour had inspired in the heart of both, the same Peccavi [admission of guilt] (“I have sinned”) … From this time on, St Peter never ceased weeping, principally when he heard the cock crow at night and morning, for he remembered this crowing as the signal for his conversion. … Why then was Judas not converted? … Alas, did not this unhappy man know that Our Lord alone could give it to him, that He was the Saviour and held Redemption in His hands? … Certainly, he knew it but he did not wish, nor dare to ask pardon. ”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“He grieved for his three sins, not only on that sad night but throughout his life. St Clement (c35-c101 the third succeeding Pope after St Peter) writes that he wept so often that his tears wore two deep furrows in his cheeks and that, whenever he heard the cock crowing, the cry pierced his heart. He loved Jesus sincerely and passionately. If we really love Jesus as Peter did and are prepared to face death for His sake, as Peter was, then we may be sure that we shall never offend God again.”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness, of what you have seen and what you will be shown. I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those, who have been consecrated by faith in Me.”
Acts 26:16-18
“Yet I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who has loved me and given himself up for me.”
One Minute Reflection – 13 April – Easter Thursday – The Memorial of St Hermenegild (Died 585) Martyr, Confessor – Acts 8:26-40, John 20: 11-18 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping.” – John 20:11
REFLECTION – “Why are you weeping?” You yourself are the cause of your tears, you are the one who makes yourself cry … You cry because you do not believe in Christ: believe and you will see Him. Christ is there; He never misses those who look for Him. “Why are you weeping?” Tears do not serve you any good; you need to have faith, a living faith and worthy of God. Do not think about mortal things and you will stop crying … Why should you be weeping for what makes others rejoice?
“Whom are you looking for?” Can you not see that Christ is the Strength of God that Christ is the Wisdom of God that Christ is Holiness, Christ is Chastity, Christ is Purity, Christ was born of a Virgin, Christ comes from the Father and is with the Father and is always in the Father – born and, therefore, not created, not rejected but always loved, True God from True God? “They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they laid Him” You are mistaken woman, you think that Christ has been taken away from the tomb by others and you do not believe that He has risen by His Own Power. But no-one can take away the Power of God, no-one takes away the Wisdom of God, no-one can take away His venerable Chastity. Christ is not taken away from the tomb of the just man, nor from the intimacy of the Virgin, nor from the secrecy of her faithful soul and even if there were someone who wanted to take Him away, they could not take Him away.
So the Lord tells her: “Mary, look at Me.” As long as she does not believe, she is called “woman” when she begins to turn towards Him, she is called “Mary.” She receives the same name as the one who gave birth to Christ; for it is the soul that spiritually gives birth to Christ. “Look at Me,” He says. Whoever looks at Christ, amends their life – we lose our way when we do not look at Christ. Therefore, as she turns around, she sees Him and says: “Rabbouni, which means Teacher.” The one who looks, turns around; the one who turns around, is better able to lay hold; the one who sees, progresses. This is why she calls “Teacher” the One she thought was dead, she found the One she thought was lost!” —St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan, Father and Doctor of the Church (Treatise on Virginity 17-21).
PRAYER – OGod, Who didst teach Thy blessed Martyr Hermenegild to choose a heavenly, rather than an earthly crown, grant, we beseech Thee, that we, like him, may so pass through temporal things that we finally miss not those which are eternal. Through esus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 8 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Repentance of St Peter
“When Peter realised how wretchedly he had fallen, the first thing which he did, was to escape from the occasion of sin. “Peter went out” (Lk 22:62), He grieved for his three sins, not only on that sad night but throughout his life. St Clement (c35-c101 the third succeeding Pope after St Peter) writes that he wept so often that his tears wore two deep furrows in his cheeks and that, whenever he heard the cock crowing, the cry pierced his heart. He loved Jesus sincerely and passionately. When he was asked three times if he loved Him, he replied humbly, “Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee” (Cf Jn 21:16).
Can we say these same words to Jesus, with equal sincerity and humility? If we really love Jesus as Peter did and are prepared to face death for His sake, as Peter was, then we may be sure that we shall never offend God again.”
Quote/s of the Day – 30 March – Thursday in Passion Week – Daniel 3:25, 34-45, Luke 7:36-50 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“She began to bathe His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet and anointed them with ointment.”
Luke 7:38
“Do not content yourself with confessing your venial sins merely as to the fact but accuse yourself too, of the motive which induced you to commit them.” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part II, Chapter 19).
“We must be very sorry for faults with a repentance which is strong, constant, tranquil but not troubled, unquiet or fainthearted.” (Treatise on the Love of God, Book 9, Chapter 7).
“Christ was more concerned with St. Peter’s repentance and remorse, than with his sin.” (The Spirit of St. François de Sales, VII, 8)
AnaStpaul 
You must be logged in to post a comment.