Tag: treasure

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 21 August– ‘ … For everything lies in the soul’s inner sanctuary. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 21 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Jane Frances de Chantal VHM (1572-1641) Widow – Proverbs 31:10-31′; Matthew 13:44-52 – – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure  hidden in a field; he who finds it, hides it and in his joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “In my opinion, it would be unworthy of us to withdraw, even for a moment, from the contemplation of Christ. When we have lost sight of Him, even briefly, let us turn our mind’s regard back to Him, directing the eyes of our heart, as by a very straight line. For everything lies in the soul’s inner sanctuary. There, after the devil has been expelled and the vices no longer reign at all, the Kingdom of God can be established in us, as the Evangelist says: “For amen I say to you that the Kingdom of God is within you.”

But within us there can be nothing else than knowledge or ignorance of the truth and the love, of either the vices, or the virtues, by which we make ready a Kingdom in our hearts, either for the devil or for Christ.

The Apostle Paul also describes the characteristics of this Kingdom when he says: “For the Kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Thus, if the Kingdom of God is within us and the Kingdom of God is itself, righteousness and peace and joy, then, whoever abides in these things, is undoubtedly in the Kingdom of God … Let us lift up the eyes of our soul to that Kingdom which is endless joy!” – St John Cassian (c360-435) Monk, Theologian, Founder of Monasteries, Father of the Church, Disciple of St John Chrysostom (Conferences No 1).

PRAYER – Almighty and merciful God, Who endowed St Jane Frances, burning with love of Thee, with a wondrous strength of spirit through all the paths of life, in the way of perfection and willed through her, to ennoble Thy Church, by a new religious family, grant by her merits and prayers, that we who are aware of our weakness, may trust firmly in Thy power and, by the assistance of divine grace, overcome all obstacles in our way. Through the same 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 IMMACULATE HEART PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS

Our Morning Offering – 13 August – O Immaculate Heart of Mary By St Gertrude

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Our Morning Offering – 13 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”

O Immaculate Heart of Mary
By St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)

O Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I have nothing in myself to offer thee
which is worthy of thee
but what thanksgiving I ought I to pay thee,
for all the favours
which thou hast obtained for me
from the Heart of Jesus!
What reparation ought I to make thee
for all my tepidity, in thy service!
I desire to return thee love for love,
the only good which I possess,
is the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
which thou, thyself hast given me.
I offer thee this Treasure of Infinite Price,
I cannot do more
and thou dost not deserve less, at my hand
but, receiving from me,
this Gift most Precious in thy sight,
be pleased, I beseech thee,
to accept too, my poor heart
which I here offer to thee
and I shall be forever blessed.
Amen.

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on the POOR, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 August – ‘ … If we entrust our wealth to them, we shall not lose it. …’ St Augustine

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One Minute Reflection – 10 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Lawrence (Died 258) Martyr, “Keeper of the Treasures of he Church” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-10; John 12:24-26 – – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“If it dies, it produces much fruit” – John 12:24

REFLECTION – “Saint Lawrence was a Deacon in Rome. The Church’s persecutors ordered him to hand over the treasures of the Church. It was to win a real treasure in Heaven that he underwent the torments which we cannot listen to, without horror, for he was stretched out on a gridiron over a fire … Nevertheless, he triumphed over all his bodily sufferings by means of the extraordinary strength he drew from his charity and, with the help of Him, Who made him resolute. “For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works which God has prepared in advance that we should live in them” (Eph 2:10).

Now this is what stirred up his persecutors’ wrath … Lawrence said: “Order chariots to come along with me, on which I can bring you the treasures of the Church.” When he was given some chariots, he filled them with the poor and brought them back, saying: “These are the Church’s treasures.”

Nothing is truer, my brethren. The great wealth of Christians is found in the needs of the poor, provided we grasp how to put our possessions to good use. The poor are always before us; if we entrust our wealth to them, we shall not lose it.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermon 302, for the Feast of Saint Lawrence).

PRAYER – Grant us, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, to extinguish the flames of our sins, as Thou granted St Lawrence to overcome the fires of his tortures. 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 FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 August – ‘There is a kind of riches which sows death wherever it holds sway …’

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One Minute Reflection – 7 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Cajetan (1480-1547) Confessor – Ecclesiasticus 31:8-11, Matthew 6:24-33 – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“No man can serve two masters.” – Matthew 6:24

REFLECTION – “There is a kind of riches which sows death wherever it holds sway – free yourselves from it and you will be saved. Purify your soul, make it poo,r so that you may be able to hear the Saviour’s call repeating – “Come, follow Me” (Mk 10:21). He is the Way on which the pure in heart walk; God’s grace does not penetrate the soul who is burdened and pulled apart by a great number of possessions.

People who look upon their fortune, their gold and silver and houses, as God’s gifts, witness to their gratitude to God by assisting the poor with their goods. They know they possess them, more on account of their brethren, than on their own. They remain in control of their riches, rather than becoming its slave. Such as these, do not shut the riches up within their soul, any more than they place their lives in them but, they untiringly pursue a wholly divine life. And, if it should happen that their fortune vanishes, they accept their ruin with a free heart. God calls “blessed” such as these and calls them “poor in spirit” certain heirs, to the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 5:3). …

On the other hand, there are those who hug their wealth, rather than the Holy Ghost to their heart. Such as these keep all their lands for themselves, constantly add to their fortunes and have no worries about anything, except to be amassing more all the time. They never lift their eyes to Heaven but wallow in material things. Indeed, these are no more than dust and will return to dust (Gen 3:19). How can anyone experience a desire for the Kingdom, who carries a field or a mine, instead of a heart within? Death will inevitably surprise this person in the midst of their uncontrollable desires. For “where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Mt 6:21).” – St Clement of Alexandria (c150- c215) Theologian, Philosopher, Professor who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria, Father of the Church (Who is the rich man who can be saved?).

PRAYER – O God, Who bestowed upon St Cajetan, Thy Confessor, the grace to follow the apostolic way of life; grant us we beseech Thee, by his intercession and example, ever to trust in Thee and to long only for the things of Heaven.Through the same 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 CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on PEACE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 July – ‘ … This greeting with its hidden power … is amply sufficient for us all. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 31 July– “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Confessor – 2 Timothy 2:8-10; 3:10-12; Luke 10:1-9. – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Into whatever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house.
And, if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him but if not, it shall return to you.” – Luke 10:5-7

REFLECTION – “As you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house,‘” (Lk 10:5) so that the Lord Himself might enter and remain there, as with Mary. … This greeting is the Mystery of Faith which shines forth in the world. Through it, enmity is stifled, war is ended and people acknowledge one another. The effect of that greeting was hidden by a veil in spite of the fact that it prefigures the Mystery of the Resurrection … when the light rises and dawn chases night away. From the moment Christ sent out His disciples, people began to give and receive this greeting, a source of healing and blessing. …

This greeting with its hidden power … is amply sufficient for us all. That is why Our Lord sent it out, together with His disciples, as forerunner, so that it might bring about peace and, carried by the voice of the Apostles whom He sent, prepare the way before them. It was sown in every dwelling … it entered into all who heard it, so as to separate and set apart, the children it recognised as its own. It remained in them but it denounced those who were alien to it, for they did not welcome it.

This greeting of peace did not dry up; it began in the Apostles and then sprang up in their brethren, revealing the Lord’s inexhaustible treasures. … Present in those who offered greetings in this way and in those who welcomed the greeting, this announcement of peace was neither diminished nor divided. It announced that the Father is near and is in everyone; it revealed that the Son’s mission is bound up with all, even if its object is to be with His Father. It will not cease to proclaim that images are now brought to completion and Truth will cast all shadows away at last.” – St Ephrem (306-373) Father and Doctor of the Church (Diatessaron 8: 3-4).

PRAYER – O God, Who, to spread abroad the greater glory of Thy Name through St Ignatius, strengthened the Church militant with new power; grant that we ,who are struggling on earth, may, by his help and after his example, be found worthy to be crowned with him 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 CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 29 July – The better part …

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Quote/s of the Day – 29 July – St Martha, Sister of Saint Lazarus and Saint Mary of Bethany – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2, Luke 10:38-42

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious
and troubled about many things
and yet, only one thing is needful.
Mary has chosen the best part
and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:41-42

“Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth,
where rust and moth consume
and where thieves break in and steal
but lay up for yourselves,
treasures in Heaven …”

Matthew 6:19-20

“Sell what you possess and give alms.
Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old,
a treasure unfailing in Heaven,
where neither thief draws near,
nor moth destroys.”

Luke 12:33

“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love,
in which the royal Prophet said to Him,
‘Thou, O Lord, art my portion.’
Let others choose to themselves,
portions among creatures,
for my part, Thou art my portion,
Thou alone I have chosen
for my whole inheritance.”

St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605)
“The Apostle to the English”

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.”

St Isidore of Seville (c 560-636)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Man, my friends, was created
and placed upon this earth,
chiefly and exclusively,
in order to reach God;
the rest of creation helps him
reach that goal.”

St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on TRUTH, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 July – The Treasure and The Pearl

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One Minute Reflection – 26 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Grandmother of Jesus.– Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Jesus said in parables: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field. … Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant seeking good pearls. ”- Matthew 13:44 and 45

REFLECTION – “The two parables of the treasure and the pearl, both teach us the same thing – we should prefer the Gospel before all earthly treasures. … However, there is something even more praiseworthy than this – we should delight to give it preference, joyfully, unhesitatingly. Let us never forget this, to abandon all else, so as to follow God, is to gain more, than one loses. The preaching of the Gospel is hidden in this world like a hidden treasure, a treasure without price.

To gain this treasure … two conditions are required – the forsaking of this world’s goods and a firm determination. For, it is a question “of a merchant searching for fine pearls, when he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” This one pearl is Truth and Truth is one, it is not divided. Do you possess a pearl? Then you know your wealth, it is clenched in the palm of your hand, no-one is aware of your fortune.

So it is with the Gospel, if you embrace it with faith, if it remains enclosed in your heart, what a treasure you have You alone know it is there. Unbelievers, who know neither what it is nor what value it has, have no idea of your incredible wealth!” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church (Homilies on Saint Matthew’s Gospel No 47:2).

PRAYER – O God, Who in Thy kindness gave blessed Anne the grace to be the mother of her, who Mothered Thy Only-begotten Son, graciously grant that we who keep her feast, maybe helped by her intercession with Thee. Through the same 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 DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on the POOR, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 8 July– the Kingdom of Heaven

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 July– Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52

“Jesus said in parables:
The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure,
hidden in a field.”

Matthew 13:44

“What is a man’s treasure
but the heaping up of profits
and the fruit of his toil?
For, whatever a man sows,
this too will he reap and each man’s gain,
matches his toil and where delight
and enjoyment are found,
there the heart’s desire is attached.
Now, there are many kinds of wealth
and a variety of grounds for rejoicing –
every man’s treasure is that, which he desires.
If it is based on earthly ambitions,
its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched.
… By distributing what might be superfluous
to support the poor, they are amassing
imperishable riches, so that what they have
discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss.
They have properly placed those riches,
where their heart is – it is a most blessed thing,
to work to increase such riches,
rather than to fear that they may pass away.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Look at the fig tree and all the trees,
when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near.
So too, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.”
Luke 21:29-31

“He means that just as the coming of summer
is recognised by the fruit on the trees,
so is the nearness of the Kingdom of God recognised
by the destruction of the world.
These words show that the fruit of the world is destruction –
it increases only to fall, it produces, only to destroy
by its disasters whatever it produces.
The Kingdom of God is aptly compared to summer,
because it is then that the clouds of our sorrow pass away
and the days of life shine
with the brightness of the Eternal Sun. …
Therefore, my friends, do not love
what you see cannot long exist.
Keep in mind the Apostle John’s precept,
in which he counsels us not “to love the world
or the things in the world because,
if anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn 2:15).”

St Gregory the Great (540-604)
Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church

“But seek first the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness
and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33

“But, [you will tell me],
there is so much to do, so many household jobs,
so much business in town, in the fields –
work everywhere! Do we have to abandon it all, then,
so as to think of nothing but God?”
No – but these occupations have to be sanctified
by seeking God in them and doing them
to find Him in them, rather than, to see them done.
What our Lord wants, is for us to seek His glory,
His Kingdom, His righteousness, before all else
and, for this, to make our foundation the interior life,
faith, trust, love, religious exercises …, labours and sufferings,
with God our Sovereign Lord in view…
Once we are firmly set in the search for God’s glory,
we can be assured that the rest will follow.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on VICE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 July– ‘ … For everything lies in the soul’s inner sanctuary. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 8 July– “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Elizabeth of Portugal TOSF (1271-1336) Widow, Queen – Proverbs 31:10-31; Matthew 13:44-52 – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure  hidden in a field;
he who finds it, hides it and in his joy, goes and sells all that he has
and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “In my opinion, it would be unworthy of us to withdraw, even for a moment, from the contemplation of Christ. When we have lost sight of Him, even briefly, let us turn our mind’s regard back to Him, directing the eyes of our heart, as by a very straight line. For everything lies in the soul’s inner sanctuary. There, after the devil has been expelled and the vices no longer reign at all, the Kingdom of God can be established in us, as the Evangelist says: “For amen I say to you that the Kingdom of God is within you.”

But within us there can be nothing else than knowledge or ignorance of the truth and the love, of either the vices, or the virtues, by which we make ready a Kingdom in our hearts, either for the devil or for Christ.

The Apostle Paul also describes the characteristics of this Kingdom when he says: “For the Kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Thus, if the Kingdom of God is within us and the Kingdom of God is itself, righteousness and peace and joy, then, whoever abides in these things, is undoubtedly in the Kingdom of God … Let us lift up the eyes of our soul to that Kingdom which is endless joy!” – St John Cassian (c360-435) Monk, Theologian, Founder of Monasteries, Father of the Church, Disciple of St John Chrysostom (Conferences No 1).

PRAYER – Most merciful God, Who among other admirable gifts, endowed blessed Queen Elizabeth with the special grace of calming the tumult of war; grant by her intercession that, after the peace for which we humbly pray, we may attain everlasting happiness. Through the same 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 AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRAYERS to THE HOLY GHOST, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WATCHING, St PAUL!, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The HEART, The HOLY GHOST, The HOLY NAME, The LAMB of GOD, The SECOND COMING

Quote/s of the Day – 17 June – Visiting St Augustine

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Quote/s of the Day – 17 June – Ferial Day – Visiting St Augustine

“Our hearts were made for Thee, O God
And restless must they be
Until, O God, this grace accord,
Until they rest in Thee!”

“So Saul was led to Ananias –
the ravaging wolf is led to the sheep.
But the Shepherd,
Who guides everything from Heaven above,
reassures him…
“Do not fear, I will show him
what he will have to suffer, for My Name’s sake”
(Acts 9:16).
What wonder is this!
The wolf is led, a captive, to the sheep…
The Lamb who died for the sheep,
teaches it not to be afraid anymore!”

“He asks for our faith and offers us salvation.
What He offers us, is so precious
that what He asks of us, is as nothing!”

Breathe in Me, O Holy Ghost
By St Augustine (354-420)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Breathe in me, O Holy Ghost,
that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Ghost,
that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Ghost,
that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Ghost,
to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Ghost,
that I always may be holy.
Amen

“Then they tried to seize Him.”
If only they had seized Him!
But by faith and intellect, not so as to mock and put Him to death!
At this very moment, as I speak to you …
all of us, both you and I, are wanting to seize Christ.
To ‘seize’ what does that mean?
You have ‘seized’ when you have understood.
But Christ’s enemies were looking for something different.
You have seized in order to possess
but they wanted to seize Him in order to get rid of Him!
And because, this was how they wanted to seize Him,
what does Jesus do? “He escaped from their power.”
They were unable to seize Him because
they did not have the hands of faith. …
We truly seize Christ, if our minds grasp the Word!”

“Let Us Hate Our Sins and Love Him
Who Will Exact Punishment for Them.
What then should the Christian do?
He ought to use the world, not become its slave.
And what does this mean?
It means having, as though not having.
… Are we really certain that we love Him?
Or do we love our sins more?
Therefore, let us hate our sins and love Him
Who, will exact punishment for them.
He will come whether we wish it or not.
Do not think that because He is not coming just now,
He will not come at all. He will come,
you know not when and provided He finds you prepared,
your ignorance of the time of His coming,
will not be held against you.”

Watch, O Lord!
With Those Who Wake,
or Watch, or Weep Tonight
By St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

Watch, O Lord,
with those who wake,
or watch,
or weep tonight
and give Thy Angels and Saints,
charge over those who sleep.
Tend Thy sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest Thy weary ones.
Bless Thy dying ones.
Soothe Thy suffering ones.
Pity Thy afflicted ones.
Shield Thy joyous ones.
And all, for Thine Love’s sake.
Amen

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, HOLY COMMUNION, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 14 June – St Basil the Great

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 June – St Basil the Great (329-379) Bishop of Caesarea, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church.

“Let listening to worldly news
be BITTER FOOD for you
and let the words of
Saintly men
be as combs
filled with honey.”

“He seems to demand of us
the most entire renunciation …
So, if we keep back for ourselves,
any earthly goods or any perishable supplies,
our minds will remain sunk in them,
as though in mud.
Then, inevitably, our souls will become unable
to contemplate God and will be unmoved
by desire for the splendours of Heaven
and for the good things promised us.
We shall only be able to acquire those good things,
if we ask for them unceasingly,
with a burning desire that will, besides,
make easy the effort needed to gain them.”

“A tree is known by its fruit,
a man by his deeds.
A good deed is never lost,
he who sows courtesy,
reaps friendship
and he who plants kindness,
gathers love.”

“Be constant in secret prayers
which God, Who indeed sees in secret,
rewards in the open.
Hold fast to this exercise
of a most excellent way of life.
that you may find hidden treasure
in the day of need.”

Lord, I Know that I Am Not Worthy
Prayer before Holy Communion
By St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Lord, I know that I am not worthy
to receive Thy Holy Body and Precious Blood;
I know that I am guilty
and that I eat and drink
condemnation to myself,
not discerning the Body and Blood
of Christ, my God.
But trusting in Thy loving kindness,
I come to Thee, Who hast said –
‘Whoever eats My Body and drinks My Blood,
will dwell in Me and I in him’;
Therefore, Lord, have compassion on me
and do not put to shame Thy sinful servant
But deal with me according to Thy great mercy
And grant that these Holy Gifts,
may be for me,
healing, cleansing, enlightenment,
protection, salvation and sanctification
of soul and body.
May they cast out from me
every dark delusion,
sinful deed or work of the evil one.
May they move me to trust
and love Thee always,
to amendment of life,
increase of virtue,
obedience to Thy commandments,
communion of the Holy Spirit,
provision for my final journey
and a good defence before the dreadful
seat of judgement.
Amen.

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/06/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-june-st-basil-the-great-2/

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on SIN, SACRED HEART ASPIRATIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 June – ‘… This is the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price …’

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One Minute Reflection – 14 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and the Octave Day of the Sacred Heart – Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19, John 19:31-37 – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… One of the soldiers opened His side with a lance and immediately there came forth blood and water. ” – John 19:34

REFLECTION – “Let us draw near to the Heart of our most sweet Lord Jesus and we shall be glad and rejoice in it. How good and how sweet it is to dwell in this Heart! This is the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price which we discover, O Jesus, when we dig in the field of Thy Body (cf Mt 13:44). Who, then, would cast aside this Pearl? Far from it! For It, I will give away all my goods and offer in exchange, all my concerns and affections. I will lay down all my cares in the Heart of Jesus, it is He Who will suffice for me and Who will, without fail, supply all I need to live on!

It is within this temple, this Holy of holies, this Ark of the Covenant, that I shall come to offer worship and praise to the Lord’s Name. “I have found a heart with which to pray to my God” said David (1 Ch 17:25). And I too have found the Heart of my Lord and King, my Brother and Friend. Shall I not pray to Him, then? Indeed I shall pray, for, I dare to say it – His Heart is all mine…

O Jesus, deign to receive and answer my prayer. Draw me wholly into Thine Heart. Although the deformity of my sins prevents me from entering in, yet, Thou can receive and purify me from my impurities since, through an incomprehensible Love, this Heart has expanded and opened wide. O most pure Jesus, wash me from my iniquities so that, purified by Thee, I may dwell in Thy Heart all the days of my life, to see and do Thy will. If Thine Side has been pierced, then it is so that our entrance there should be opened. If Thine Heart has been wounded, then it is so that, sheltered from outward distress, we can make our home within it. And, too, it is so that in this visible wound, we might see the invisible wound of Love.” – [Attrib] St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Franciscan, Doctor of the Church (editations on the Lord’s Passion 3).

PRAYER – We beseech Thee, O Lord, hear our prayers which we offer on the festival of blessed Basil, Thy Confessor and Bishop and through his intercessory merits, who had the grace to serve Thee worthily, absolve us from all our sins. 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).

MAY the Heart of JESUS in the most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the Tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. – Indulgence 100 Days, Once a Day. Raccolta 161 Pius IX, 29 February 1868.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the POOR, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 10 June – That Pearl, that treasure

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Within the Octave of the Sacred Heart – Proverbs 31:10-31; Matthew 13,44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Who, when he had found one pearl
of great price, … sold all that he had
and bought it.”

Matthew 13:46

“Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth,
where rust and moth consume
and where thieves break in and steal
but lay up for yourselves,
treasures in Heaven …”

Matthew 6:19-20

“Sell what you possess and give alms.
Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old,
a treasure unfailing in Heaven,
where neither thief draws near,
nor moth destroys.”

Luke 12:33

“For the man who loves God,
it is sufficient to please the One he loves
and, there is no greater recompense to be sought,
than the loving itself.
For love is from God, by the very fact
that God Himself is love.
The good and chaste soul
is so happy to be filled with Him
that it desires to take delight in nothing else.
For what the Lord says is very true:
‘Where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.’”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
ather and Doctor of the Church

“Whoever thinks well on eternity,
troubles himself little about what happens
in these three or four moments of mortal life.”

“By giving yourself to God,
you not only receive Himself in exchange
but, eternal life as well!”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, franciscan OFM, Lady POVERTY, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on POVERTY, SACRED HEART ASPIRATIONS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 June – The pearl of great price

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One Minute Reflection – 10 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Within the Octave of the Sacred Heart – St Margaret of Scotland (1045-1093) Widow – Proverbs 31:10-31; Matthew 13,44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, … sold all that he had and bought it.” – Matthew 13:46

REFLECTION – “Among the gifts of grace which Francis received from God the generous Giver, he merited, as a special privilege, to grow in the riches of simplicity through his love of the highest poverty. The holy man saw that poverty was the close companion of the Son of God and now that it was rejected by the whole world, he was eager to espouse it in everlasting love. For the sake of poverty, he not only left his father and mother but also gave away everything he had. No -one was so greedy for gold, as he was for poverty; nor was anyone so anxious, to guard his treasure, as he was in guarding this pearl of the Gospel.

In this, especially, would his sight be offended, if he saw in the friars, anything which did not accord completely with poverty. Indeed, from the beginning of his religious life until his death, his only riches were a tunic, a cord and underclothes and, with this much, he was content. He used to frequently call to mind with tears the poverty of Jesus Christ and his mother, claiming that it was the queen of the virtues because, it shone forth so preeminently in the King of kings (1Tm 6:15) and in the Queen, His Mother.

When the Friars asked him at a gathering what virtue does more to make one a friend of Christ, he replied as if opening the hidden depths of his heart: “Know, brothers, that poverty is the special way to salvation, as the stimulus of humility and the root of perfection, whose fruit is manifold but hidden. This is the Gospel’s treasure “hidden in a field” (Mt 13:44); to buy this, we should sell everything and, in comparison to this, we should spurn everything we cannot sell.” – St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Franciscan, Doctor of the Church (Life of Saint Francis).

PRAYER – O God, Who made blessed Queen Margaret glorious by her remarkable charity toward the poor; grant, by her intercession and example that Thy charity may continually increase in our hearts. 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).

ALL PRAISE, honour and glory to the Divine Heart of JESUS. Indulgenced– 50 Days, once a day. 168 Pope Leo XIII, 14 June 1901.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, St PETER!, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 22 April – But seek first the Kingdom of God

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Quote/s of the Day – 22 April – St Pope Soter (Died c174) Martyr and St Pope Caius I (Died 296) Martyr – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11; … Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter
and upon this rock, I will build My Church
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Matthew 16:18

“But the God of all grace,
Who hath called us into His eternal glory
in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little,
will Himself perfect you and confirm you
and establish you.
To Him be glory and empire
forever and ever. Amen.”

1 Peter 5:10-11

“Look at the fig tree and all the trees,
when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near.
So too, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.”
Luke 21:29-31

“He means that just as the coming of summer
is recognised by the fruit on the trees,
so is the nearness of the Kingdom of God recognised
by the destruction of the world.
These words show that the fruit of the world is destruction –
it increases only to fall, it produces, only to destroy
by its disasters whatever it produces.
The Kingdom of God is aptly compared to summer,
because it is then that the clouds of our sorrow pass away
and the days of life shine
with the brightness of the Eternal Sun. …
Therefore, my friends, do not love
what you see cannot long exist.
Keep in mind the Apostle John’s precept,
in which he counsels us not “to love the world
or the things in the world because,
if anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn 2:15).”

St Gregory the Great (540-604)
Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church

“But seek first the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness
and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33

“But, [you will tell me],
there is so much to do, so many household jobs,
so much business in town, in the fields –
work everywhere! Do we have to abandon it all, then,
so as to think of nothing but God?”
No – but these occupations have to be sanctified
by seeking God in them and doing them
to find Him in them, rather than, to see them done.
What our Lord wants, is for us to seek His glory,
His Kingdom, His righteousness, before all else
and, for this, to make our foundation the interior life,
faith, trust, love, religious exercises…, labours and sufferings,
with God our Sovereign Lord in view…
Once we are firmly set in the search for God’s glory,
we can be assured that the rest will follow.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, HOLY COMMUNION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on VIRTUE, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, St PETER!, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 11 April – St Pope Leo the Great

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Quote/s of the Day – 11 April – St Leo I, the Great (c400-461) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church

“Peter has spoken
by the mouth of Leo!”

“Nothing escaped the Wisdom and Power of Christ,
the elements of nature lay at His service,
spirits obeyed Him, Angels served Him. …
And yet, out of all the world,
Peter alone was chosen to stand at the head,
for the calling of all the peoples
and the oversight of all the Apostles
and Fathers of the Church.”

“Virtue is nothing
without the trial of temptation,
for there is no conflict,
without an enemy,
no victory, without strife.”

“No-one, however weak, is denied
a share in the victory of the Cross.
No-one is beyond the help
of the prayer of Christ.”

“Our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ
has no other purpose than to transform us
into that which we receive.”

“For the man who loves God,
it is sufficient to please the One he loves
and, there is no greater recompense to be sought,
than the loving itself.
For love is from God, by the very fact
that God Himself is love.
The good and chaste soul
is so happy to be filled with Him
that it desires to take delight in nothing else.
For what the Lord says is very true:
‘Where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.’”

St Pope Leo the Great (c400-461)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on VICE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, SELF-DISTRUST, The HEART, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 18 March –Instructions for Mortifying Passions,to Attain the Necessary Virtues (Part Two)

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Thought for the Day – 18 March – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

XXXIII: … Instructions for Mortifying Passions,
to Attain the Necessary Virtues (Part Two)

“And a last 3 points of advice:

+++ 4. Let your whole heart desire nothing, think of nothing, crave nothing, long for nothing but to conquer that passion with which you are struggling and to attain its contrary virtue.
Be this your world, your Heaven, your earth, your whole treasure and all with
the sole view of pleasing God.
Whether eating or fasting, labouring, or resting, watching or sleeping, at home or abroad, whether engaged in devotion or in manual labour, let all be directed to the conquest and extinction of this passion and, to the attainment of the contrary virtue.

+++ 5. Wage unceasing war against earthly pleasures and comforts, so will no vice have much power to assail you.
For all vices spring from this one root of pleasure – when this, therefore, is cut away by hatred of self, they lose their strength and power.
For, if with one hand you will try to fight against some particular sin, or pleasure and, with the other dally, with other earthly enjoyments, although their guilt be not mortal but only venial, your battles will be difficult and bloody, your victories infrequent and uncertain.
Keep, therefore, constantly in mind these Divine words:
“He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth
his life in this world keepeth it unto life eternal.” John 12:25.

“Brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. ”

+++ 6. Lastly, it would be well, it maybe even necessary, for you to make, in the first place, a general Confession, with all the necessary conditions that you may be the better assured of your Lord’s favour, to Whom Alone you must look for all grace and victory!”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/03/17/thought-for-the-day-17-march-instructions-for-mortifying-passionsto-attain-the-necessary-virtues-part-one/

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2024, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on the POOR, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 18 March – Use Your Money for Good!

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 18 March – The Feast of St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church

“Blessed is the man who feareth the Lord,
he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.”
Psalm 111:1

“Go, sell what you possess
and give to the poor
and you will have
treasure in Heaven.”
Matthew 19:21

Use Your Money for Good!

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Riches, gold and silver do not belong to the devil, as some think. For the whole world of riches belongs to the faithful man but not a penny to the faithless.

Now, nothing is more faithless than the devil,and God says plainly, by the Prophet, “The gold is mine and the silver is mine” (Haggai 2:8) and He gives it to whoever He wills. Simply use it well and there is nothing wrong with money. But whenever you have made bad use of it, you are unwilling to blame your own management, so you impiously throw the blame back at the Creator.

A man may even be justified by money.
“I was hungry and you gave Me to eat” that certainly was from money.
“I was naked and you clothed Me” that too was certainly from money.

Do you want to learn how money can become a door to the Kingdom of Heaven? “Go,” Jesus says, “sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in Heaven” (Matthew 19:21).

Now, I have made these remarks because of those heretics who say that our possessions and our money and our bodies, are cursed. I do not want you to be a slave to money but neither do I want you to treat, as your enemies do, the good things, to be used for good which God has given you.”

Posted in CATECHESIS, CHRIST the SUN of JUSTICE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, LENT 2024, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, St Francis de Sales, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The SECOND COMING

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 9 March – Heaven or Hell?

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 9 March – Saturday of the Third Week in Lent – Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Thou hast loved justice
and hated iniquity;
therefore God, thy God,
hath anointed thee
with the oil of gladness,
above thy fellows.”
Psalm 44:8

“So shall it be at the end of the world.
The Angels shall go out
and shall separate the wicked
from among the just.
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire:
there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 13:49-50

HEAVEN or HELL?

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

“CONSIDER THAT THE CHOICE you make in this life will last forever in the next!
Consider too, that while both are open to receive you, according to your choice, yet God, Who is prepared to give the one by reason of His Justice, the other by reason of His Mercy, all the while desires, unspeakably that you should select Paradise. offering you countless graces on God’s part, countless assistance to attain to it.
Consider that Jesus Christ, enthroned in Heaven, looks down upon you in loving invitation – ‘O beloved one, come unto Me and joy forever in the eternal blessedness of My Love!’
Behold His mother yearning over you with maternal tenderness, ‘Courage, my child, do not despise the Goodness of my Son, or my earnest prayers for thy salvation.‘ …

O Hell, I abhor thee now and forever; I abhor thy griefs and torments, thine endless misery, the unceasing blasphemies and maledictions which thou pourest out upon my God and turning to thee, O blessed Paradise, eternal glory, unfading happiness, I choose thee forever as my abode, thy glorious mansions, thy precious and abiding tabernacles.

O my God, I bless Thy Mercy which gives me the power to choose, O Jesus, Saviour, I accept Thine Eternal Love and praise Thee for the promise Thou hast given me, of a place prepared for me, in that blessed New Jerusalem, where I shall love and bless Thee forever. ” (Excerpt – ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’ 9th Meditation).

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 March – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.” – Matthew 22:34-46

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One Minute Reflection – 8 March – Friday in the Second Week of Lent – The Memorial of St John of God OH (1495-1550) Confessor, Founder of the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God – Ecclesiasticus Sirach 31:8-11, Matthew 22:34-46 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Master, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” … Matthew 22:36

REFLECTION – “O Lord, what is it that you require of Your servants? “Take my yoke upon you,” you say. And what sort of yoke is this? “My yoke is easy and my burden light.” Now who would not willingly bear a yoke that does not press down but gives strength; a burden that does not weigh heavily but refreshes? As You rightly added: “And you will find rest” (Mt 11:29). And what is this yoke of Yours that does not tire but gives rest? It is the first and greatest of the commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.” What could be easier, better or more agreeable than to love the goodness, beauty and love that is most perfectly Yours, O Lord my God?

Do You not offer a reward to those who keep the com­mandments, which are “more desirable than a heap of gold and sweeter than honey from the comb?” (Ps 19[18]:11) So in every way, You offer a very ample reward, as James the Apostle says: “The Lord has prepared the crown of life for those who love him” (Jas 1:12) …And Paul quotes these words from Isaiah: “No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9).

That first and great commandment is not only profitable for the man who keeps it or for God Who commands it – the other commandments of God also make perfect him who obeys them, improves him, instructs him and makes him illustrious; in a word, they make him good and holy. If you understand this, realise that you have been created for the glory of God and for your own eternal salvation; this is your end, this is the object of your soul and the treasure of your heart. You will be blessed if you reach this goal but miserable if you are cut off from it.” – St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) Doctor of the Church (The Ascent of the Mind to God, 1).

PRAYER – O God, Who caused blessed John, when burning with love for Thee, to walk unharmed through the midst of flames and through him, enriched Thy Church with a new religious family; grant by the help of his merits, our sins may be burned away by the fire of Thy love and eternal remedies may come to us. 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 CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SLOTH, QUOTES on WATCHING, The HEART, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 March – Where the heart is

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 March – Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent – Ecclesiasticus Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure
hidden in a field.”

Matthew 13:44

“Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth,
where rust and moth consume
and where thieves break in and steal
but lay up for yourselves,
treasures in Heaven …”

Matthew 6:19-20

“For the man who loves God,
it is sufficient to please the One he loves
and, there is no greater recompense to be sought,
than the loving itself.
For love is from God, by the very fact
that God Himself is love.
The good and chaste soul
is so happy to be filled with Him
that it desires to take delight in nothing else.
For what the Lord says is very true:
‘Where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.’”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
ather and Doctor of the Church

“Watch, therefore and pray and labour diligently
and do not delay to weave the web of your wedding-garment
that you may be found ready and adorned to meet the Bridegroom!
And remember daily that He, Who gives you the morning,
does not promise you the evening
and although He gives the evening,
yet promises not the morrow.
Spend, therefore, every moment of every hour
according to God’s will, as if it were your last
and so much the more carefully, as, for every moment,
you will have to give the strictest account!

Finally, I warn you to account that day lost,
in which you will neither have gained some victory
over your evil inclinations and your self-will,
although it may have been full of busy action,
nor returned thanksgiving to your Lord for His mercies
and especially for His bitter Passion endured for you
and for His sweet and fatherly correction,
when He has made you worthy to receive,
at His Hand, the inestimable treasure of suffering.”

Fr Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“Where is the heart which loves?
On the thing it loves.
Therefore, where our love is,
there our heart is held captive.
It cannot leave it; it cannot be lifted higher,
it cannot go either to the right or the left;
see, it is fixed. Where the miser’s treasure is,
there is his heart and where our heart is,
there is our treasure.
And what is so deplorable is
that the things which hold us in servitude,
are, for the most part, such unworthy things!”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, GOD ALONE!, GUARDIAN ANGELS - Prayers etc, HYMNS, LENT 2024, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on SIN, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 6 March – Sweet Angel of Mercy!

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 6 March – Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent – Ecclesiasticus Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Nor then do thou leave me,
Angelical friend!
But at the tribunal
Of Judgement attend
And cease not to plead
For my soul, till, forgiven,
Thou bear it aloft
To the Palace of Heaven!”

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure hidden in a field.”
Matthew 13:44

Sweet Angel of Mercy!
By Fr Edward Caswell C.Orat. (1814-1878)

Sweet Angel of mercy!
By Heaven’s decree
Benignly appointed
To watch over me!
Without thy protection,
So constant and nigh,
I could not well live;
I should tremble to die.

All thanks for thy love,
Dear companion and friend!
Oh may it continue
With me to the end!
Oh cease not to keep me,
Blest guide of my youth,
In the ways of religion
And virtue and truth.

Support me in weakness,
My spirit inflame;
Defend me in danger,
Secure me from shame,
That safe from temptation,
Or sudden surprise,
I may mount the straight path
That ascends to the skies.

When Satan his snares
For my ruin shall lay,
Be thou, gentle comrade,
My comfort and stay
And in every event
Which may happen to me,
Make all my desires
With thine to agree.

When I wander in error,
My footsteps recall,
Remove from my path
What might cause me to fall.
Preserve me from sin
And in all that I do,
May God and His glory
Be ever in view.

O thou who didst witness
My earliest breath,
Be with me, I pray,
In the hour of death.
Console me in sadness,
Refresh me in pain
And teach me how best
I may mercy obtain.

That, cleansed by confession
Complete and sincere,
From every defilement
Afflicting me here,
All glowing with love,
I may gladly depart.
With faith on my lips
And with hope in my heart.

Nor then do thou leave me,
Angelical friend!
But at the tribunal
Of Judgement attend
And cease not to plead
For my soul, till, forgiven,
Thou bear it aloft
To the Palace of Heaven!

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SLOTH, QUOTES on WISDOM, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 March –  ‘ … And, the greater their purity, the more they will see!’

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One Minute Reflection – 6 March – “The Month of St Joseph” – Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent Sts Perpetua and Felicity (Died c203) Martyrs  – Ecclesiasticus Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.” – Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “Some of the brethren think that they are excluded from the Holy Ghost’s gifts of grace. Because they neglect to practise the commandments, they do not know that he who has an unadulterated faith in Christ, has within himself, the sum total of all the Divine gifts. Since, through our laziness, we are far from having an active love for Him — a love which shows us the Divine Treasures within us — we naturally think that we are excluded from these gifts.

If, as St Paul says: “Christ dwells in our hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17) and, “all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in Him” (Col 2:3), then, all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in our hearts! They are revealed to the heart, in proportion to our purification by means of the commandments. This is the treasure, hidden in the field of your heart which you have not yet found because of your laziness. Had you found it, you would have sold everything and bought that field. But now, you have abandoned that field and give all your attention to the land nearby, where there is nothing but thorns and thistles! It is for this reason that the Saviour says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8) for He is hidden in the hearts of those who believe in Him. They shall see Him and the riches that are in Him, when they have purified themselves, through love and self-control. And, the greater their purity, the more they will see!” – St Maximus the Confessor (c580-662) Abbot and Theologian (Centuries of love 4:69).

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that we may venerate with unceasing devotion Thy holy Martyrs Perpetua and Felicitas and, although we cannot pay them the honour that is their due, may we at least present to them, our humble homage. 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", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LENT 2024, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, SELF-DISTRUST, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 28 February – ‘…Let Us Hate Our Sins and Love Him Who, Will Exact Punishment for Them …’

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 28 February – St Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin/Gabriel Possenti CP (1838-1862) Confessor, – 1 John 2:14-17; Mark 10:13-21 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“He will not deprive, of good things,
those who walk in innocence.
O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man
who trusts in Thee!”
Psalm 83:13

“One thing is lacking to thee;
go, sell whatever thou has
and give to the poor
and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven
and come, follow Me.”
Mark 10:21

Let Us Hate Our Sins and Love Him
Who Will Exact Punishment for Them.

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“What then should the Christian do?
He ought to use the world, not become its slave.
And what does this mean?
It means having, as though not having.

So says the Apostle: “My brethren, the appointed time is short — from now on, let those who have wives, live as though they had none and those who mourn, as though they were not mourning and those who rejoice, as though they were not rejoicing and those who buy, as though they had no goods and those who deal with this world, as though they had no dealings with it.”

For the form of this world is passing away.
But I wish you to be without anxiety.
He who is without anxiety waits without fear until his Lord comes.
For what sort of love of Christ is it to fear His coming?
Brothers, do we not have to blush for shame?
We love Him, yet we fear His coming!
Are we really certain that we love Him?
Or do we love our sins more?
Therefore, let us hate our sins and love Him Who, will exact punishment for them.
He will come whether we wish it or not.
Do not think that because He is not coming just now, He will not come at all. He will come, you know not when and provided He finds you prepared, your ignorance of the time of His coming, will not be held against you.” (A Discourse on Psalm 95)

Posted in "Follow Me", CATECHESIS, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the POOR, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VICE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The BEATITUDES, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 February – ‘One thing is lacking to thee … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 28 February – “The Month of the Most Holy and Blessed Trinity”– St Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin/Gabriel Possenti CP (1838-1862) Confessor, – 1 John 2:14-17; Mark 10:13-21 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“One thing is lacking to thee; go, sell whatever thou has and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven and come, follow Me.” – Mark 10:21

REFLECTION – “Blessed is the poor man who cried and whom the Lord heard. Blessed is the man poor in offence. Blessed is the man poor in vices. Blessed is the poor man, in whom the prince of this world finds nothing. Blessed is the poor man who, is like that Poor Man Who, although He was rich, became poor for our sake. Matthew fully revealed this when he said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” One poor in spirit is not puffed up, is not exalted in the mind of his own flesh. This Beatitude is first, when I have laid aside every sin and I have taken off all malice and I am content with simplicity, destitute of evils. All that remains is that I regulate my conduct. For what good does it do me to lack worldly goods, unless I am meek and gentle?

Although there are many charms of delights in riches, yet there are more incentives to practice virtues. Although virtue does not require assistance and the contribution of the poor person, is more commended, than the generosity of the rich, yet with the authority of the heavenly saying, He condemns, not those who have riches but those who do not know how to use them. The pauper is more praiseworthy who gives with eager compassion and is not restrained, by the bolts of looming scarcity. He thinks that he who has enough for nature, does not lack. So the rich person is the more guilty, who does not give thanks to God, for what he has received but vainly hides wealth given for the common use and conceals it, in buried treasures. Then the offence consists, not in the wealth but in the attitude.

Purify yourself with your tears. Wash yourselves with mourning. If you weep for yourself, another will not weep for you…. One who is a sinner weeps for himself and rebukes himself, that he may become righteous, for just people accuse themselves of sin. Let us pursue order because, it is written, “Set in order love in me.” I have laid down sin. I have tempered my conduct. I have wept for my transgressions. I begin to hunger. I hunger for righteousness. The sick, when he is seriously ill, does not hunger because, the pain of the illness excludes hunger. What is the hunger for righteousness? What is the bread of which it is said, “I have been young and am old and I have not seen the righteous man forsaken, nor his seed begging bread?” Surely, one who is hungry, seeks increase of strength. What greater increase of virtue is there, than the rule of righteousness?” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan, Father and Doctor of the Church( Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 5).

PRAYER – O God, Who taught blessed Gabriel to meditate continually on the sorrows of Thy most sweet Mother and Who, through her, exalted him by the glory of a holy life and miracles; grant us, we beseech Thee, through his intercession and example so to share in the sorrows of Thy Mother that her motherly protection may save us. 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 AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CATECHESIS, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, St Francis de Sales, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN

Quote/s of the Day – 26 February – Two Wings …

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 February – Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure
hidden in a field.”

Matthew 13:44

“Do you wish your prayer
to fly toward God?
Make for it two wings –
fasting and almsgiving!”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“What is a man’s treasure
but the heaping up of profits
and the fruit of his toil?
For, whatever a man sows,
this too will he reap and each man’s gain,
matches his toil and where delight
and enjoyment are found,
there the heart’s desire is attached.
Now, there are many kinds of wealth
and a variety of grounds for rejoicing –
every man’s treasure is that, which he desires.
If it is based on earthly ambitions,
its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched.
… By distributing what might be superfluous
to support the poor, they are amassing
imperishable riches, so that what they have
discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss.
They have properly placed those riches,
where their heart is – it is a most blessed thing,
to work to increase such riches,
rather than to fear that they may pass away.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Let your tongue be poor
with them in converse
but let your hands be rich
to distribute out of your abundance!”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LENT 2024, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on ALMS, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 26 February – ALMSGIVING

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 26 February – St Margaret of Cortona (1247–1297) Penitent – Sirach 51:13-17, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure hidden in a field;
he who finds it, hides it
and in his joy,
goes and sells all that he has
and buys that field.”
Matthew 13:44

“For where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.”
Luke 12:34

ALMSGIVING

St Peter Chrysologus (c400-450)
Bishop of Ravenna
Father and “Doctor of Homilies”

“All this is what that treasure brings about.
Either through almsgiving, it raises the heart of a man into Heaven, or through greed, it buries it in the earth!

That is why He said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
O man, send your treasure on, send it ahead into Heaven, or else your God-given soul will be buried in the earth.
Gold comes from the depth of the earth — the soul, from the highest Heaven.
Clearly, it is better to carry the gold to where the soul resides, than to bury the soul in the mine of the gold.
That is why God orders those, who will serve in His army here below, to fight as men stripped of concern for riches and unencumbered by anything.
To these he has granted the privilege of reigning in Heaven.” (Sermon 22)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 February – Our Precious Pearl

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One Minute Reflection – 26 February – “The Month of the Most Holy and Blessed Trinity” –St Margaret of Cortona (1247–1297) Penitent – Sirach 51:13-17, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds a single pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” – Matthew 13:45-46

REFLECTION – “For the man who loves God, it is sufficient to please the One he loves and, there is no greater recompense to be sought, than the loving itself. For love is from God, by the very fact, that God Himself is love. The good and chaste soul is so happy to be filled with Him that it desires to take delight in nothing else. For what the Lord says is very true: – ‘Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.’

What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that, which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched.

But those who enjoy the things that are above and eternal, rather than earthly and perishable, possess an incorruptible, hidden store, of which the Prophet speaks: ‘Our treasure and salvation have come, wisdom and instruction and piety, from the Lord: these are the treasures of justice.’ Through these, with the help of God’s grace, even earthly possessions are transformed into heavenly blessings. It is a fact that, many people use the wealth, which is either rightfully left to them or otherwise, acquired, as a tool of devotion. By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is, – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.” – St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermon 92).

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that we may imitate Thy holy Penitent Margaret, may we at least present to her, our humble homage. 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 CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SLOTH, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, The PASSION, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 18 February – How to Combat Sloth (Part Two)

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Thought for the Day – 18 February – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

XX: … How to Combat Sloth
(Part Two)

“Call to mind then, frequently that a single elevation of the heart to God, a single genuflection in His honour, is worth more than all the treasures of the world and that, as often as we do violence to ourselves and our sinful passions, a glorious crown of victory is prepared for us, by angels’ hands in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Remember too, on the other hand that God gradually withdraws from the slothfulm, the grace which He had once bestowed upon them; while He increases that of the diligent, permitting them, at last, to enter into His joy.

If you are unequal at first to a bold encounter with toil and hardship, disguise them from yourself, that they may not seem as formidable as sloth would represent them to you.

The exercise before you, is perhaps, to acquire some virtue by many repeated acts, by many days of toil and the enemies to be overcome, seem to you many and strong.
Begin these acts then, as if you had but a few of them to perform, that is, only a few days’ conflict to endure.
Fight only against one adversary, as if there were no more to be resisted and, in full confidence that, with the help of God, you will be stronger than they. By this means, sloth will begin to grow feeble and will make way. at last, for the gradual entrance of the contrary virtue.

I would say the same of prayer.
An hour of prayer is perhaps needful for you and this seems a difficult matter to sloth but apply yourself to it, as if intending to pray but for the eighth part of an hour, you will then easily pass on to another eighth and so on, to the whole.
But if, in the second, or any other of these divisions, you should feel too violent a repugnance and difficulty, leave the exercise awhile, lest you become weary but return to, it shortly.

You should pursue the same method with respect to manual labours, when you are called upon to do things which to sloth appear many in number and difficult of performance and so cause you much disturbance of mind.
Begin, therefore, quietly and courageously with one, as if you had no more to do and when you have dilligently accomplished this, you will be able to
perform all the others with far less labour than sloth would have you believe possible.
But if you do not pursue this method and encounter the toil and hardships which lie in your way, resolutely, the vice of sloth will so gain the mastery over you that you will be forever harassed and annoyed, not only by the present toil and difficulty which will always attend the first exercises of virtue but, even by the distant prospect of them.
You will be forever in fear of being tried and assailed by enemies, or laden with some fresh burden so that, even in the time of peace, you will live in perpetual disquiet.

Know too that this vice of sloth will, by its secret poison, not only consume, the first and feeble roots which would in time have produced habits of virtue but even the roots of habits already acquired.
Like a worm in the wood, it will go on insensibly corroding and eating away the marrow of the spiritual life.

By these means, the devil seeks to ensnare and delude all men but especially, spiritual persons.
Watch, therefore and pray and labour diligently and do not delay to weave the web of your wedding-garment that you may be found ready and adorned to meet the Bridegroom!
And remember daily that He, Who gives you the morning, does not promise you the evening and although He gives the evening, yet promises not the morrow.
Spend, therefore, every moment of every hour according to God’s will, as if it were your last and so much the more carefully, as, for every moment, you will have to give the strictest account!

Finally, I warn you to account that day lost, in which you will neither have gained some victory over your evil inclinations and your self-will, although it may have been full of busy action, nor returned thanksgiving to your Lord for His mercies and especially for His bitter Passion endured for you and for His sweet and fatherly correction, when He has made you worthy to receive, at
His Hand, the inestimable treasure of suffering.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/02/17/thought-for-the-day-17-february-how-to-combat-sloth-part-one/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2024, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER

Ash Wednesday – 14 February – Our Lenten Journey With The Angels and the Saints

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Ash Wednesday – 14 February – Our Lenten Journey With The Angels and the Saints Begins – Joel 2:12-19, Matthew 6:16-21 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Return to Me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning;
rend your hearts, not your garments
and return to the Lord, your God.”
Joel 2:12-13

“Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth,
where rust and moth consume
and where thieves break in and steal
but lay up for yourselves,
treasures in Heaven …”

Matthew 6:19-20

Prayer, Fasting and Mercy

St Peter Chrysologus (c400-450)
Bishop of Ravenna
“Doctor of Homilies”
Father and Doctor of the Church

“There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one and they give life to each other.

Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no-one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them, or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others you open God’s ear to yourself.

When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. If you ask for yourself, that which you deny to others, your asking is a mockery.

Let this be the pattern for all men when they practice mercy – show mercy to others in the same way, with the same generosity, with the same promptness, as you wish others to show mercy to you.

Therefore, let prayer, mercy and fasting be one single plea to God on our behalf, one speech in our defence, a threefold united prayer in our favour.” – (An excerpt from his Sermon 43)