Posted in "Follow Me", ADVENT QUOTES, CATECHESIS, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUTH, St PETER!, The DIVINE INFANT, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 11 December – ‘Let us become like Christ, …’

Quote/s of the Day – 11 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Monday of the Second Week of Advent – 1 Peter 5:1-4, 10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

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

Then go and learn,
neither to be moved with injuries nor flatteries.
If you die to the world and to yourself,
you will begin to live to Christ.

St Macarius of Egypt (c300-390)

Let us become like Christ,
since Christ became like us.
He assumed the worse,
that He might give us the better;
He became poor,
that we through His poverty,
might be rich.

St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Let us always belong to God,
unreservedly and without interruption.
May He ever live and reign in our hearts.

(Letter to Madame de Chantal)

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

Each one of us has a thirst
for all that is infinite, eternal and perfect.
God alone can satisfy this thirst.
Just as we are created by God,
so we are created for Him.
Just as we came from God,
so we are gradually travelling back towards Him,
for He is the final goal of our earthly journey.
We should meditate on this great truth
which we were first taught in the Catechism,
namely, that we were created
to know, love and serve God
on this earth and to be happy with Him
forever in Heaven.
God alone is the eternal beauty
which will satisfy our hearts.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OUR Cross, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on PURITY of INTENTION, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on TIME, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 22 November – Ready?

Quote/s of the Day – 22 November – St Cecilia (Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Ecclesiasticus 51:13-17, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“ … The Bridegroom came
and they, who were ready,
went in with Him …

Matthew 25:10

Penance is a needful thing to the sinner,
who desires to recover health of his soul.
And, in doing penance, there be three things
to be considered:
serious compunction of heart,
confession of mouth
and satisfaction by deed.

St John Fisher (1469-1535)
Martyr

If you wish to rid yourself of self-love,
purify your intentions
and, in every action,
seek what is pure
and what alone, will give honour to God.

St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

Lord, forgive this great sinner.
Give me time to do penance.
No more world, no more sins!

St Camillus de Lellis MI (1550-1614)

Our Lord, Who saved the world,
through the Cross,
will only Work for the good of souls,

through the Cross.

St Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865)

If we are to reach God, Who is our goal,
it is necessary for us to know, love and serve Him.
In the hidden depths of our own being, we hear His Voice.
As our Creator, Redeemer and Benefactor,
God has the right to the undivided affection of our hearts.
This love should not be empty and sterile, however,
it should be active and effective.
Knowing and loving God,
we should feel the obligation of serving Him
as our Master, in whatever He commands,
even when this demands a heavy sacrifice on our part!

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Thought for the Day – 21 March – Why God Created Us

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

Why God Created Us

If we are to reach God, Who is our goal, it is necessary for us to know, love and serve Him.
Everything speaks to us of God, from the blade of grass, to the cedar of Lebanon, from the insect which glows in the darkness of the night, to the highest stars of the firmanent.
In the hidden depths of our own being, we hear His Voice.
The more we grow in the knowledge of God, the more we feel the need to love Him.
We see how so much beauty, goodness and power is alone worthy of all our love.

As our Creator, Redeemer and Benefactor, God has the right to the undivided affection of our hearts.
This love should not be empty and sterile, however, it should be active and effective.
Knowing and loving God, we should feel the obligation of serving Him as our Master, in whatever He commands, even when this demands a heavy sacrifice on our part!

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/26/thought-for-the-day-26-march-why-god-created-us/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/25/thought-for-the-day-25-march-why-god-created-us/

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, I BELIEVE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DOUBT, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on REASON/INTELLECT, QUOTES on TRUTH, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The HOLY NAME, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The SIGN of the CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 26 August – Blessed art thou … Matthew 16:17

Quote/s of the Day – 26 August – St Zephyrinus (Died 217) Martyr and Pope – 1 Pet 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19

Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona
because flesh and blood
hath not revealed it to thee
but My Father Who is in Heaven.

Matthew 16:17

Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of Your eye;
hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 16:8,2

… May grace and peace
be yours in abundance,
through knowledge of God
and of Jesus Our Lord…

2 Peter 1:2

We recognise a tree by its fruit
and we ought to be able to recognise
a Christian by his action.
The fruit of faith
should be evident in our lives,
for being a Christian,
is more than making
sound professions of faith.
It should reveal itself
in practical and visible ways.
Indeed, it is better to keep quiet
about our beliefs
and live them out,
than to talk eloquently
about what we believe
but fail, to live by it.”

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108)
Father of the Church

See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!

Luke 21:8

“[Christ speaks:]
I became useless to those who knew Me not,
because I shall hide Myself,
from those who possessed Me not.
And I will be with those who love Me. …
I arose and am with them
and will speak by their mouths.
For they have rejected those who persecute them
and I threw over them, the yoke of My love. …
Then I heard their voice
and placed their faith in My Heart.
And I placed My Name upon their forehead (Rv 14,1)
because they are free and they are Mine!

Odes of Solomon
(Hebrew Christian text from the beginning
of the 2nd century) N° 42)

Do you desire security?
Here you have it.
The Lord says to you,
“I will never abandon you,
I will always be with you.”
If a good man made you such a promise,
you would trust him.
God makes it and do you doubt?
Do you seek a support, more sure
than the Word of God, which is infallible?
Surely, He has made the promise,
He has written it,
He has pledged His Word for it,
it is most certain!

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

Believing is:
an act of the intellect
assenting to the divine truth,
by command of the will,
moved by God through grace.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus. Doctor Communis

Each one of us has a thirst
for all that is infinite, eternal and perfect.
God alone can satisfy this thirst.
Just as we are created by God,
so we are created for Him.
Just as we came from God,
so we are gradually travelling back towards Him,
for He is the final goal of our earthly journey.
We should meditate on this great truth
which we were first taught in the Catechism,
namely, that we were created
to know, love and serve God
on this earth and to be happy with Him
forever in Heaven.
God alone is the eternal beauty
which will satisfy our hearts.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TRUTH, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 May – “Without Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

Quote/s of the Day – 7 May – Wisdom 5:1-5, John 15,1-7.

Without Me
you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

Whoever does not gather
with me, scatter
s.”

Luke 11:23

We recognise a tree by its fruit
and we ought to be able to recognise
a Christian by his action.
The fruit of faith
should be evident in our lives,
for being a Christian,
is more than making
sound professions of faith.
It should reveal itself
in practical and visible ways.
Indeed, it is better to keep quiet
about our beliefs
and live them out,
than to talk eloquently
about what we believe
but fail, to live by it.

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108)
Father of the Church

… Now is the time in this life of suffering,
when we journey apart from Him.
… So let us fast and pray now
because, we are in the days of childbirth!”

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

Girded with faith
and the performance of good works,
let us follow in His paths
by the guidance of the Gospel
.”

For at all times, we must so serve Him,
with the good things He has given us,
that he may not, as an angry Father,
disinherit his children,
nor as a dread Lord,
provoked by our evil deeds,
deliver us to everlasting punishment,
as wicked servants,
who refuse to follow Him to glory
.”

St Benedict (c 480-547)

Each one of us has a thirst
for all that is infinite, eternal and perfect.
God alone can satisfy this thirst.
Just as we are created by God,
so we are created for Him.
Just as we came from God,
so we are gradually travelling back towards Him,
for He is the final goal of our earthly journey.
We should meditate on this great truth
which we were first taught in the Catechism,
namely, that we were created
to know, love and serve God
on this earth and to be happy with Him
forever in Heaven.
God alone is the eternal beauty
which will satisfy our hearts.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 25 March – Why God Created Us

Thought for the Day – 25 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Why God Created Us

“We should ask the reason for everything which comes from the Hand of God.
Have you ever seriously considered WHY you are in this world?
It is certainly not for the sake of this passing earthly existence, for the sake of earning your living, or enjoying yourself.
You know well, that the passing pleasures of this life do not satisfy the human heart and cannot be the final goal of life.
Each one of us has a thirst for all that is infinite, eternal and perfect.
God alone can satisfy this thirst.
Just as we are created by God, so we are created for Him.

Just as we came from God, so we are gradually travelling back towards Him, for He is the final goal of our earthly journey.
We should meditate on this great truth which we were first taught in the Catechism, namely, that we were created to know, love and serve God on this earth and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.
Let us not allow ourselves to be dazzled by earthly beauty.
God alone is the eternal beauty which will satisfy our hearts.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/26/thought-for-the-day-26-march-why-god-created-us/

Apologies – the Dear Cardinal went missing yesterday , without leave- due to an Operator error, ‘Moi‘ 🙄

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMAN DIGNITY, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Thought for the Day – 26 March – Why God Created Us

Thought for the Day – 26 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Why God Created Us

redeemed us by his precious blood - bacci 26 march 2020

“God is infinitely happy in Himself from all eternity.
He contemplates His own Essence, which contains evey beauty and perfection.
In the inconceivable joy of this contemplation, He generates the substantial image of Himself, which is the Eternal Word, “the brightness of his glory and the image of his substance.” (Heb 1:3)
When He contemplates Himself, in the the Eternal Word, He naturally loves Himself.
This substantial and infinite Love, proceeds from God, as an eternal principle, insofar, as He knows Himself and thence, proceeds from the Father, Who contemplates and the Word, Who is contemplated.
In this mysterious circle of the divine life, God enjoys an eternal, infinite and perfect happiness.
Consequently, He is not in need of anything.
Nevertheless, He wishes to radiate even outside of Himself, the splendour of His power, beauty and goodness.
He created the world and placed man in it, as the sovereign being.
Unfortunately, sin came to disturb our being and to deprive us of the splendour of divine grace and, in this way, it weakened the sovereignty, which God had given us over all other creatures.
But Jesus, the Eternal Word made man, has raised us once more to the supreme dignity of sons of God and heirs of Heaven.
These reflections should arouse immense gratitude to God on our part, because, He gave us life and made us masters of the universe.
They should also make us deeply grateful to Jesus, because, in His infinite mercy, He raised us up after we had fallen and redeemed us, with His own Precious Blood.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci