Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on SILENCE, The DIVINE INFANT, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Thought for the Day – 21 December – The Silence of the Divine Infant

Thought for the Day – 21 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

A Christmas Novena VI
The Silence of the Divine Infant

Let us kneel in spirit before the Holy Infant.
He is silent but His heart beats with love for His heavenly Father and for the afflicted human race which He has come to redeem.
Let us adore God in the Mystery of His silence and let us ask Him to favour us with His inspirations and graces.

Let us ask Him to teach us to be like Him, so that our Hearts may be closed to the vain attractions of the world and open to the influence of the supernatural.
Let us ask Him to help us to employ the gifts of speech, in order to adore, praise and thank God and to draw down His blessings upon ourselves and oupon our fellowmen.

May the words which we utter exercise a prayerful and fruitful apostolate, for it was chiefly for this purpose that God endowed us with the gift of speech.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/21/thought-for-the-day-21-december-2/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/12/21/thought-for-the-day-21-december-the-silence-of-the-divine-infant-2/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 21 December – The Silence of the Divine Infant

Thought for the Day – 21 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

A Christmas Novena VI
The Silence of the Divine Infant

Evil always attracts a great deal of attention, whereas goodness operates in silence.
The reason why evil creates such a stir, is that it is the work of pride and of ambition.
It wants to be seen and to be applauded.
Goodness, good works, is done for God.
It does not seek the world’s applause but, only the approval of God.
When an enterprise sets out to look for publicity, there is reason to fear that it does not come from God but is prompted by human motives.
As a result, it will prove sterile!

If we sincerely desire to please God, we shall work in silence.

We shall not aim at our own worldly interests but, shall seek our own spiritual good and that of our fellowmen.
If it is God’s will. our good work may shine also before men but let us remember that this is for the glory of God and in order to give good example to our neighbour.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/21/thought-for-the-day-21-december-2/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The DIVINE INFANT, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 21 December – The Silence of the Divine Infant

Thought for the Day – 21 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

A Christmas Novena VI
The Silence of the Divine Infant

Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word of God, made man, the infinite and substantial image of the Divine Intellect.
Nevertheless, the Divine Infant, Whom we adore in the stable at Bethlehem, is mute and silent.
The voluntary humiliation of the Son of God is such, that He, the Word of God, cannot utter a single human syllable.

By this chosen silence, however, He teaches us many things.
In the first place, He teaches us humility and self-denial.
He teaches us, moreover, to recollect ourselves in the Presence of God, so that it may be easier for us to speak with Him and for Him, to make known what He requires of us.
The silence of prayer brings forth divine consolations and inspirations to holiness,

Do we love to be silent?
It is not necessary to become hermits but, it is essential, from time to time, to place ourselves quietly in the Presence of God.
God cannot be heard through the noise and confusion of the world, whereas, He speaks clearly to the soul, which seeks the silence of prayer.
In any case, if we go about looking for the gossip and idle chatter of the world, it is almost impossible not to offend God.
“Avoid profane and empty babblings,” St Paul urges us, “for they contribute much to ungodliness” (2 Tim 2:16).
“If anyone does not offend in word,” adds St James, “he is a perfect man” (Js 3:2).
“The tongue is a little member,” he continues but, goes onto emphasis that it is capable of doing either a great deal of good or a great deal of harm.
“With it, we bless God the Father and, with it, we curse men, who have been made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren ought not to be so” (Js 3:5-10).

There are two main lessons which we should learn, therefore, from the silence of the Divine Infant.
We should learn to love recollection and, we should learn to make proper use of the gift of speech, which can be an equally powerful weapon, in the cause of good, or, in the cause of evil!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in ADVENT REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on GOSSIP, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on SIN, The DIVINE INFANT, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Thought for the Day – 21 December – The Silence of the Divine Infant

Thought for the Day – 21 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Silence of the Divine Infant

Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word of God, made man, the infinite and substantial image of the Divine Intellect.
Nevertheless, the Divine Infant, Whom we adore in the stable at Bethlehem, is mute and silent.
The voluntary humiliation of the Son of God is such, that He, the Word of God, cannot utter a single human syllable.
By this chosen silence, however, He teaches us many things.
In the first place, He teaches us humility and self-denial.
He teaches us, moreover, to recollect ourselves in the Presence of God, so that it may be easier for us to speak with Him and for Him, to make known what He requires of us.
The silence of prayer brings forth divine consolations and inspirations to holiness,

Do we love to be silent?
It is not necessary to become hermits but, it is essential, from time to time, to place ourselves quietyly in the Presence of God.
God cannot be heard through the noise and confusion of the world, whereas, He speaks clearly to the soul, which seeks the silence of prayer.
In any case, if we go about looking for the gossip and idle chatter of the world, it is almost impossible not to offend God.
“Avoid profane and empty babblings,” St Paul urges us, “for they contribute much to ungodliness” (2 Tim 2:16).
“If anyone does not offend in word,” adds St James, “he is a perfect man” (Js 3:2).
“The tongue is a little member,” he continues but, goes onto emphasis that it is capable of doing either a great deal of good or a great deal of harm.
“With it, we bless God the Father and, with it, we curse men, who have been made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren ought not to be so” (Js 3:5-10).

There are two main lessons which we should learn, therefore, from the silence of the Divine Infant.
We should learn to love recollection and, we should learn to make proper use of the gift of speech, which can be an equally powerful weapon, in the cause of good, or, in the cause of evil!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci