Tag: theblessednessofthepureofheart

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, The BEATITUDES, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 27 November – The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 27 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

“Let us conclude this meditation with an appropriate prayer of St Thomas Aquinas.

“Make my heart watchful, O God,
so that no vain thoughts may distract it from Thee.
Make it noble,
so that it may never be seduced by any base affection.
Make it steadfast,
so that troubles may not dismay it.
Make it free,
so that it may not yield to the onslaughts of passion.
Grant me, my God,
the intelligence, to understand Thee,
the love, to seek Thee,
the wisdom, to find Thee,
words, to please Thee,
the perseverance, to wait faithfully for Thee
and, the hope of embracing Thee, at last.
Grant that I, a repentant sinner,
may bear Thy chastisements with resignation.
Poor pilgrim which I am,
may I draw on the treasury of Thine grace
and may I one day,
be eternally happy with Thee in Heavnely glory!
Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/04/thought-for-the-day-4-december-the-blessedness-of-the-pure-of-heart/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/27/thought-for-the-day-27-november-the-blessedness-of-the-pure-of-heart/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PURITY, The BEATITUDES

Thought for the Day – 27 November – The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 27 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

“The pure of heart will see God.
St Thomas Aquinas observed that the heart may and should be purified in two ways, even as God may be seen in two ways (Summa Theologiae II-II q 8, a 7).
The first essential, is to purify the disturbed passions, which blind the soul to heavenly things.
The second, is to cleanse the mind and to make it immune to error and to evil fancies, so that it maybe permanently enlightened by God.

Similarly, the vision of God is twofold.
When we see God perfectly, we see His Divine Essence and, such happiness is possible only in the Beatific Vision.
There is also an imperfect vision of God, by which we see Him, not in Himself but in created things.
We can and should, have this vision in this life.
All the wonders of creation are rays of the eternal beauty of God.
Creatures, therefore, should form, for us, a material ladder which leads us to God.
We should never become entangled with transient worldly goods but, should see and love God in them all.
The Saints were pure of heart and could see God more clearly than the most learned scholar.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/04/thought-for-the-day-4-december-the-blessedness-of-the-pure-of-heart/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The BEATITUDES, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 4 December – The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 4 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

“Blessed are the pure of heart,” says Jesus in the beatitudes, for they shall see God (Mt 5:8) .
“The sensual man,” adds St Paul, “does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:14).

How true this is.
When the flesh gains control over the spirit and our lower instincts enslave the intellect, we are overcome by confusion and spiritual blindness.
No longer can we see God’s reflection in created things, no longer do we hear His Voice.
Impurity and sensuality, lead to disregard for the law of God, whereas purity of heart, make it easy for us to love His law.

One day, as was his custom, St Joseph Cafasso went to the prison to visit the convicts.
Among them there was a hardened old sinner, who was interested, neither in God, nor in confessing his sins.
The Saint met him and tried to persuade him to kneel down and make his Confession.
“I do not believe in God,” replied the old man.
The Saints simply looked at him, “Kneel down,” he said, “confess your sins and afterwards, you will believe.”
It turned out as he had predicted.
The old crime-hardened sinner told his sins, wept for them and became a new man.
It was as if the scales had fallen from his eyes, which now saw God clearly once more!
Through the forgiveness of his sins, he found again the way of supernatural love.

We should be grateful to God that we are not in the same state as this poor prisoner was but, it is probable, that we have often been disturbed by impure suggestions.
On these occasions, we may have lost sight of God and our high and pure ideals, may have suffered an eclipse.
We must preserve our chastity, however,
With this purpose in view, we should renew our good resolutions in the presence of God and should constantly implore His grace and the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci