Tag: theparableofthebarrenfigtree

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 23 October – ‘This kind Master’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 23 October – Readings: Romans 8: 1-11; Psalm 24: 1b-6; Luke 13: 1-9

“I shall cultivate the ground around it
and fertilise it; it may bear fruit in the future.
If not, you may cut it down.”

Luke 13:8-9

“… This kind Master
closes His Church to no-one.
He not only receives
and pardons those adversaries,
those blasphemers,
those persistent enemies of His Name,
provided they do penance for their offence
and acknowledge the crime committed
but, He admits them to the reward
of the kingdom of heaven.
What can be called more patient,
what more kind?
Even he, who shed the Blood of Christ,
is given life,
by the Blood of Christ.”

St Cyprian of Carthage – (c 200- c 258)
Bishop and Martyr,
Father of the Church

“When he has begun to follow Me,
according to My teaching and precepts,
he will find many people contradicting him
and standing in his way,
many who not only deride but even persecute him.
Moreover, this is true,
not only of pagans who are outside the Church
but also of those, who seem to be in it visibly
but are outside of it because of the perversity of their deeds.
Although these glory,
in merely the title of Christian,
they continually persecute faithful Christians.”

St Caesarius of Arles (470-543)”

“If you seek an example of humility,
look upon Him Who is Crucified,
although He was God, He chose to be judged
by Pontius Pilate and put to death. …
If you seek an example of obedience,
imitate Him Who was obedient to the Father
“even to death” (Phil 2:8).
“For just as through the disobedience
of one person, Adam,
the many were made sinners,
so through the obedience of One,
the many will be made righteous” (Rom 5:19). .
If you seek an example of contempt
for earthly things,
imitate Him Who is “King of kings
and Lord of lords” (1 Tm 6:15),
“in whom are hidden
all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge” (Col 2:3).
On the Cross He was stripped naked,
ridiculed, spat upon, bruised,
crowned with thorns,
given to drink of vinegar and gall.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Angelic Doctor of the Church

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 October – ‘ … I lend them time …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 23 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Romans 8: 1-11; Psalm 24: 1b-6; Luke 13: 1-9

“I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilise it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you may cut it down.” – Luke 13:8-9

REFLECTION – “[Saint Catherine heard God say to her]: “Whether the world wills it or not, it offers Me glory. True, the people of the world do not offer Me glory in the way they ought, by loving Me above all things. But I, for My part ,draw from them glory and praise for My Name.

For My Mercy and the fulness of My Charity are reflected in them because I lend them time and do not order the earth to swallow them up for their sins. No, I look on them and order the earth to give them a share of its fruits and I command the sun to warm them and give them its light and heat and I order the sky to move above them. In all created things made for them, I employ My Mercy and Love, nor do I withdraw these because of their sins. I give to sinners, as I give to the just — and often more to sinners than to just because the just are ready to suffer and I will deprive them of earthly goods, in order to give them more abundantly of the goods of Heaven.

So My Mercy and Love shine on My servants, sometimes in the persecutions the world’s servants inflict on them, proving in them the virtues of patience and charity. By offering constant, humble prayer, My suffering servants turn it into glory and praise for My Name. So, whether the wicked will it or not, they offer Me glory in this, even though their intent is to insult Me..” – St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church, Co-patron of Europe (The gift of conformity to Christ, chap. 50, no. 80 (The Dialogue, Bk. 2).

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, help me to keep my death constantly before my eyes, for this is my final account. I pray You for a holy life that my death may be holy and that I may come to You and live for all eternity with You. May each moment of my life, the good and the trials, bear abundant fruit for love of You. When my hour is come, bid me come to You, Lord. Hear the prayers of your Saints and the Mother of Your divine Son, who lived each moment of her life for the glory of Your Kingdom. We ask this through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in FRUITS of the SPIRIT, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 7 September – The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 7 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

“Today’s subject for meditation is the parable of the barren fig tree in the Gospel of St Luke.
“A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came seeking fruit thereon and found none. And he said to the vine-dresser, ‘Behold, for tree years now, I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down, therefore; why does it still encumber the ground?’ But he answered him and said, ‘Sir, let it alone this year too, till I dig around it and manure it. Perhaps it may bear fruit but, if not, then afterwards thous shalt cut it down'” (Lk 13:6-9).

Perhaps Jesus has come many times to us also, looking for the fruit of our good works and has found none.
Perhaps, He has continued to bestow favours and blessings upon us and, perhaps, He has waited many years for us to correspond with His grace by performing acts of penance and of expiation.

We may have made good resolutions many times but, what became of them?
Temptations of various kinds may have caused us to neglect these resolutions, which remained like branches without any fruit.
We must remember, that although God is infinitely good and merciful, He is also, infinitely just.
The day could come when He might say: “Cut it down. Why does it still encumber the ground?”
In that case, what would become of us?

An episode described in the Gospel of St Mark, should induce serious reflection.
Jesus was walking from Bethany to Jerusalem and grew hungry on the way.
He saw a fig tree beside the road but, on inspection, found that it was barren.
“And He said to it: ‘May no fruit ever come from thee henceforth forever!’
“And immediately, the fig tree withered up.”
His disciples, we are told, were amazed when they saw this happening (Cf Mt 21:18-20).

How terrible, if God should ever pronounce this severe condemnation upon us!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci