Voice of god quote of the day

Quote/s of the Day – 28 August – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of Grace and Father–

St Jerome wrote to Augustine in 418:
“You are known throughout the world;
Catholics honour and esteem you
as the one who has established anew the ancient Faith.”

“The sky and the earth and the waters
and the things that are in them, the fishes
and the birds and the trees are not evil.
All these are good;
it is evil men who make this evil world.”

“What is reprehensible,
is that while leading good lives themselves
and abhorring those of wicked men,
some, fearing to offend,
shut their eyes to evil deeds
instead of condemning them
and pointing out their malice.”

“People who associate the name of Christian
with a dishonest life, injure Christ! …
If God’s Name, is blasphemed by bad Christians,
it is praised and honoured,
on the other hand,
by the good:
“For in every place, we are the aroma of Christ”
(2 Cor,14-15).
And it is said in the Song of Songs:
“Your name is oil poured out” (1,3).”

“You do not know
when your last day may come.
You are an ingrate!
Why not use the day, today,
that God has given you
to repent?”

“If you believe what you like in the Gospels
and reject what you don’t like,
it is not the Gospel you believe
but yourself.”

“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!”

“Give of your earthly goods
and receive eternal ones;
give earth and receive heaven!”

Breathe in Me, O Holy Spirit
By St Augustine (354-420)

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

Hear us, O Heavenly Father,
For the Sake of Your Only Son
By St Augustine (354-430)

Almighty Father, come into our hearts
and so fill us with Your love
that forsaking all evil desires,
we may embrace You, our only good.
Show us, O Lord our God, what You are to us.
Say to our souls, I am your salvation,
speak so, that we may hear.
Our hearts are before You,
open our ears,
let us hasten after Your Voice.
Hide not Your Face from us,
we beseech You, O Lord.
Open our hearts, so that You may enter in.
Repair the ruined mansions,
that You may dwell therein.
Hear us, O Heavenly Father,
for the sake of Your only Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/28/quotes-of-the-day-28-august-st-augustine/

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

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

Visits to the Blessed Sacrament

“Let us consider the Infinite Goodness of Jesus.
He became man for us and spent thirty three years on earth, “doing good and healing all” (Acts 10:38).
More than this, He chose to remain with us until the end of time, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, to be our Friend and Comforter and the Food of our souls.
In His Infinite Power and Goodness, is there anything more He could have done for us?
All day, He waits there, anxious to heal our ills, to console us in our troubles and, to give us the strength to persevere in our journey towards perfection and towards Heaven.

Let us listen to that loving Voice!
Do not be ungrateful for this miracle of Infinite Goodness.
Let us go to Jesus, as often as we can, especially in the evening, when our day is nearly over.
We shall find Him a True Friend, Who is always ready to listen – better still, He is a Friend Who is able and willing, to help us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/02/26/thought-for-the-day-26-february-visits-to-the-blessed-sacrament/

Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – The Transfiguration of Our Lord

“And a cloud overshadowed them
and a voice came out of the cloud,
“This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”

Mark 9:7

“By His loving foresight,
He allowed them to taste for a short time,
the contemplation of eternal joy,
so that they might bear persecution bravely.”

The Venerable St Bede (673-735)Father and Doctor of the Church

“At His Transfiguration
Christ showed His disciples,
the splendour of His Beauty,
to which He will shape and colour,
those who are His :
‘He will reform our lowness
configured to the Body of His Glory.’”

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

One Minute Reflection – 6 August – The Transfiguration of Our Lord – 2 Peter 1:16-19, Matthew 17:1-9..

“His face shone like the sun and His garments became white as snow.” – Matthew 17:2

REFLECTION – “The Lord displays His glory before chosen witnesses and makes illustrious that bodily shape which He shared with others, with such splendour that His countenance shone like the sun and His garments were as white as snow. In this Transfiguration, the chief object was to remove the scandal of the Cross from the hearts of the disciples and, to prevent their faith being disturbed, at the humiliation of His voluntary Passion, by revealing the excellence of His hidden dignity. But with no less foresight, the foundation was laid of the hope of holy Church that the whole Body of Christ, might realise, with what a change it was to be endowed and that the members, might promise themselves, a share in that honour which had shone forth in their Head.

But to confirm the Apostles and to lead them onto all knowledge, still further, instruction was conveyed by this miracle. For Moses and Elias, that is, the law and the prophets, appeared talking with the Lord, so that, in the presence of these five men, might most truly be fulfilled, what was said – In two or three witnesses every word stands. What more stable, what more steadfast, than the word, in the proclamation of which, the trumpet of the old and of the new TestamentS, sounds forth and the records of ancient witnesses, agree with the teaching of the Gospel? For the pages of both Covenants corroborate each other and He, Whom, under the veil of Mysteries, the types that went before, had promised, is displayed clearly and manifestly by the splendour of His present glory.

The Apostle Peter, therefore, being stirred by the revelation of these Mysteries, despising things worldly and scorning things earthly, was carried away by a certain excess of mind, to the desire of things eternal and, being filled with rapture at the whole vision, longed to make his abode with Jesus, in the place where he was gladdened by the sight of His glory. And so also he says: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us set up here, three tents, one for Thee and one for Moses and one for Elias. But to this proposal the Lord made no reply, signifying that what he asked was not indeed wicked, but irregular, since the world could not be saved, except by Christ’s Death and by the Lord’s example in this, the faithful were called upon to believe that, although there ought not to be any doubt about the promises of happiness, yet, we should understand that, amid the trials of this life, we must ask for power to endure, rather than for glory.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor (Sermon on the Transfiguration – excerpt).

PRAYER – O God, Who in the glorious Transfiguration of Thy Only-begotten Son strengthened the Mysteries of faith, by the testimony of the fathers and, by the Voice coming down in a shining cloud, miraculously betokened the complete adoption of Thy children, mercifully grant that we, be made co-heirs with that King of glory and sharers in that same glory .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).

Thought for the Day – 2 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

How to Remain Aware of the Presence of God

“Another way of increasing our sense of the Presence of God, is to perceive Him in all His creatures.
St Therese of the Child Jesus loved to contemplate the image of her Creator in the flowers of the fields and in the stars of the firmament.

God has created all things for our benefit and He is Present in all things.
He sees what use we make of them and can judge whether we employ them to honour Him, Who is our beginning and our end.
The ray of Divine Beauty,which shines in every created thing, should attract us towards its Creator and cause us to adore and serve Him.
Whenever we meet a learned and holy person, moreover, the reflection of God’s Power and Goodness, is even more compelling.
“Learn to love the Creator in the creature,” says St Augustine, “lest the thing which He has made should grip you and you shuld lose Him by Whom you also were created” (In Ps 19),

In other words, let us learn to see the Creator in all His creatures so that these may not enslave us and cause us to love Him, Who is our highest Good.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/06/thought-for-the-day-6-august-how-to-remain-aware-of-the-presence-of-god/

Thought for the Day – 19 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“God speaks to us through His Saints.

The Saints are those in whom God dwells in such a special way that their entire personalities reflect Him.
They live the Gospel perfectly.
They have renounced themselves in order to belong completely to God.
Not only have they overcome their evil inclinations but, they have conquered themselves in the process of that Christian annihilation which, sublimates human nature, rather than destroys it.
They have enthroned God in the place of their own will and of their own ego, so that, like St Paul, they can claims:
“It is no longer I that live but Christ lives in me.”

God still speaks to us through His Saints, for even in this troubled and [digital] age, there are pure and humble souls declared to God and the service of their fellowmen.
Whenever we encounter one of these privileged beings, whether in the pages of a book [or online] or in our actual surrounding world, let us pay attention to them and do our best to imitate their virtues.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/10/thought-for-the-day-17-july-the-voice-of-god-2/

Thought for the Day – 15 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Voice of God

“Be not silent Lord, be not far from me” (Ps 34:22).

It is never really God Who is silent.
He is forever appealing to us to lead good lives.
He is never really far from us but is always ready to bestow His gifts on us.
Even when we have sinned, we hear His Voice prompting us to thoughts of remorse.
Even when we stray away from Him, He follows and asks us to return to Him.
It is we, who must ensure that the noise of the world, will not prevent us from hearing His Fatherly appeal and that sinful temptations will not destroy His influence over us.

Let us continually implore His graces because we are always in need of them.
Let us use them well, so that they will enable us to gain everlasting life.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Thought for the Day – 13 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Grace of God

“It is astonishing to consider how much St Paul accomplished when he had been transformed by the grace of God.
Formerly, a persecutor of Christians, he became the Apostle of the Gentiles.
Enlightened by faith and inspired by charity, he travelled the globe, spreading everywhere, the religion of Jesus Christ.

He feared neither the anger of the hostile Jews, nor the tribunals of the Roman judges, neither long and difficult journeys, nor scourging, shipwreck and imprisonment.
“The love of Christ impels us,” (2 Cor 5:14) he said.
It was the love of God which drove him on and on, until he met his martyrdom.
But what about ourselves?
We also have received grace from God.
Often we hear His voice appealing to us to abandon our sinful ways, to practise virtue, to love Him more ardently and to prove our love, by deeds.
If we co-operate, we shall be able to say with St Paul: “by the grace of God, I am what I am and his grace in me has not been fruitless,” (1 Cor 15:10) and “I have laboured … yet, not I but the grace of God with me” (ibid).

It is wise to recall, however, that Judas also received special graces from God.
He did not correspond with them and was probably damned for eternity.
If we fail to correspond with God’s graces, the result will be tragic for ourselves.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE::
https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/12/thought-for-the-day-12-july-the-grace-of-god/

Quote/s of the Day – 7 June – Pentecost Tuesday – Acts 8:14-17, John 10:1-10.

“… He goes before them
and the sheep follow Him
because they know His Voice.”

John 10:4

“And as for that in the good ground
they are those who, hearing the word,
hold it fast in an honest and good heart
and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Luke 8:15

“… Scripture, as a whole,
is God’s one perfect and complete instrument,
giving forth, to those who wish to learn …
It is one Saving Music…”

Origen (c 185-253)Theologian, Father of the Church

“If you believe what you like in the Gospels
and reject what you don’t like,
it is not the Gospel you believe
but yourself.”

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

“The more you devote yourself,
to study of the Sacred utterances,
the richer will be your understanding of them,
just as the more the soil is tilled,,
the richer is the harvest.”

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

“He is the origin of all wisdom.
The Word of God in the heights,
is the source of wisdom.
Christ is the source of all true knowledge,
for He is “the way, the truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6). …
As way, Christ is the teacher
and origin of knowledge …
Without this Light,
which is Christ,
no-one can penetrate
the secrets of faith.”

St Bonaventure (1221-1274)Seraphic Doctor

One Minute Reflection – 7 June – Pentecost Tuesday – Acts 8:14-17, John 10:1-10.

“I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” – John 10:10

REFLECTION – “Thus says the Lord: “I Myself will come’”… This is what He has undoubtedly done and what He will yet do: “I Myself am coming: I will seek out My sheep, I will tend them as a shepherd tends His flock.” The wicked shepherds took no care of them because they did not redeem their sheep, with their blood… “My sheep hear My Voice. I will seek out My sheep from the midst of the scattered sheep and will bring them out from all the places they were scattered, on the day of clouds and darkness. No matter how difficult it is to find them, I will find them… I will rescue My sheep from foreign lands, I will gather them and lead them back to their own homes; I will lead them to pasture on the mountains of Israel.”

These “mountains of Israel” are the writers of Sacred Scripture. They are the pastures where you are to feed, if you wish to do so safely. Savour everything you learn from them and reject everything outside. Do not go astray in the mists, listen to the Shepherd’s Voice. Gather on the mountains of Sacred Scripture. There, you will find true delight for your heart. There, is nothing poisonous there, nothing dangerous; they are rich pastures… “I will lead them beside rivers, in the best places.” From those mountains we were just talking about, rivers of Gospel preaching pour down since “the voice [of the Apostles] resounds to the ends of the earth” and all the ends of the earth provide pleasant and fertile pastures for the sheep.

“I will cause them to feed in good pasture… and their sheepfold will be there,” that is to say, there, they will rest, there, they will be able to say: “It is good to be here; true enough, it is perfectly clear, we have found the truth.” They will take their rest in the glory of God as in a sheepfold.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermon 46, On the shepherds; CCL 41, 529).

PRAYER – Let the power of the Holy Spirit be present within us, O Lord, graciously to cleanse our hearts, as well as to guard us from all harm. 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).

SACRED Heart of JESUS, Thy Kingdom come! – Indulgence 300 Days – Every time – Raccolta 179 St Pius X, 6 November 1906.

Quote/s of the Day – 4 May – The Memorial of St Monica (322-387) Mother of St Augustine – 1 Timothy 5:3-10, Luke 7:11-16

“My grace is sufficient for thee,
for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-9

“Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight.
I do not know what there is now for me to do
or why I am still here,
all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.”

Saint Monica,on the conversionof St Augustine

“Our Lord and Saviour lifted up His Voice
and said with incomparable majesty:
“Let all men know, that grace comes after tribulation.
Let them know, that without the burden of afflictions,
it is impossible to reach the height of grace.
Let them know,
that the gifts of grace increase,
as the struggles increase.
Let men take care not to stray and be deceived.
This is the only true stairway to paradise
and without the cross,
they can find no road to climb to Heaven.”

St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

Late Have I Loved You
By St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

Late have I loved You,
Beauty so ancient and so new,
late have I loved You!
Lo, you were within,
but I outside,
seeking there for You,
and upon the shapely things
You have made
I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.
You were with me
but I was not with You.
They held me back far from You,
those things which would have no being,
were they not in You.
You called, shouted,
broke through my deafness.
You flared, blazed,
banished my blindness.
You lavished Your fragrance,
I gasped
and now I pant for You.
I tasted You
and now I hunger and thirst.
You touched me
and I burned for Your peace.
Amen

One Minute Reflection – 3 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross – 1 Peter 2:21-25, John 10:11-16

“I am the good shepherd and I know mine and mine know me.”- John 10:14

REFLECTION – “Let us consider Christ, our shepherd …. He rejoices in those sheep of His that are around Him and goes in search of those, that stray. Mountains and forests cause Him no fear; He crosses ravines to reach the sheep that is lost. Even if He finds it in a piteous state, He is not angry but touched with pity; He takes it on His shoulders and, from His own weariness, heals the exhausted sheep (Lk 15:4 f.) …

With good reason Christ declares: “I am the Good Shepherd, I seek out the lost sheep, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal (Ez 34:16). I have seen the flock of mankind struck down by sickness; I have witnessed my lambs wander about where demons dwell; I have seen my flock ravaged by wolves. All this I have seen and have not witnessed it from on high. That is why I took hold of the withered hand, gripped by pain as if by a wolf; I have unbound those whom fever had bound; I taught him to see whose eyes had been shut from his mother’s womb; I brought Lazarus out from the tomb where he had lain for four days (Mk 3:5; 1:31; Jn 9; 11). For I am the Good Shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” …

The prophet knew this shepherd when, long before His Passion, He declared what would take place: “Like a sheep led to the slaughter or a sheep, dumb before the shearers, he opened not his mouth” (Is 53:7). Like a sheep, the shepherd has offered His neck for His flock …. By His death, He heals from death; by His tomb, He empties the tomb …. The tombs are full and the prison shut until the shepherd, comes down from the cross, He has come to bring His captive sheep the joyful news of their liberation. We see Him in hell where He gives the order for their release (1 Pt 3:19); we see Him call His sheep once more, giving them the call to life from the dwellings of the dead. “The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” This is how He intends to win the affection of His sheep and those who know how to listen to His voice, love Christ.” – Basil of Seleucia (Died 448) Bishop of Seleucia, Writer – Oratio 26

PRAYER – O Good Shepherd,
You Whom My Soul Loves.
By St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395)
Father of the Church

Where are You pasturing Your flock,
O good Shepherd,
Who carry the whole flock on Your shoulders?
(For the whole of human nature is one sheep
and You have lifted it onto Your shoulders).
Show me the place of peace,
lead me to the good grass that will nourish me,
call me by name so that I,
Your sheep, hear Your voice
and by Your speech,
give me eternal life.
Answer me, You Whom my soul loves.
… Show me then (my soul says),
where You pasture Your flock,
so that I can find that saving pasture too
and fill myself with the food of Heaven,
without which, no-one can come to eternal life
and run to the spring
and fill myself with the drink of God.
You give it, as from a spring,
to those who thirst –
water pouring from Your side, cut open by the lance,
water that, to whoever drinks it,
is a spring of water,
welling up to eternal life.
Amen

This is a tiny excerpt from St Gregory of Nyssa’s commentary on the Song of Songs (Cap. 2: PG 44, 802), using the imagery of Psalm 23, appeals to the Lord Jesus Christ for the promised green pastures, restful waters and noonday rest that is the final, eternal destination of those who love God and walk in His ways.

Thought for the Day – 16 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Death of our Saviour

“Jesus had now come to the last morning of His earthly life.
The Blood had been drained from His Body as a result of His fatal Wounds and He felt a great thirst, “I thirst,” He murmured in a weak voice.
He expressed in these words, not only His physical thirst but also, His spiritual thirst for souls.
He had given everything for the eternal salvation of men, yet, He realised with Divine foresight, that many would refuse to co-operate with His infinite love,
His thirst was a burning love for us and it was answered, on the physical level, by the vinegar which was given to Him to drink and in the moral order, by our ingratitude.

Seeing that His mission was fulfilled with His last breath, Jesus entrusted His soul to His Heavenly Father, “Father, into Thy Hands, I commend My spirit” (Lk 23:46).
Then, in order to show that His Death was voluntary, He cried out in a loud Voice, “It is consummated!” (Jn 19:30).
Jesus was dead!

Let us prostrate ourselves before His lifeless Body covered with sores and furrowed with blood.
Let us vow, never to offend Him again.
Let us give Him our minds, our hearts, our souls, our whole being.
Let us love Him more and more!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/14/thought-for-the-day-14-april-the-death-of-our-saviour/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/04/03/thought-for-the-day-3-april-the-death-of-our-saviour/

Quote/s of the Day – 6 April – Wednesday of Passion Week, the Fifth Week of Lent Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-19, 25, John 10:22-38

“My sheep hear My Voice;
I know them and they follow Me.”

John 10:27

“The mark of Christ’s sheep
is their willingness to hear and obey,
just as disobedience
is the mark of those who are not His.
We take the word ‘hear’
to imply obedience
to what has been said.”

“My sheep follow me,” says Christ.
By a certain God-given grace,
believers follow in the footsteps of Christ.
No longer subject to the shadows of the Law ,
they obey the commands of Christ,
and guided by His words,
rise through grace,
to His own dignity,
for they are called children of God.
When Christ ascends into heaven,
they also follow Him.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)

“Chosen soul, how will you bring this about?
What steps will you take to reach the high level
to which God is calling you?
The means of holiness and salvation,
are known to everybody,
since they are found in the Gospel,
the masters of the spiritual life have explained them,
the Saints have practised them…
These means are –
sincere Humility,
unceasing Prayer,
complete Self-denial,
abandonment to Divine Providence
and obedience to the Will of God.”

St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

“Peace in us is the result
of two kinds of necessary obedience,
the obedience to right reason
of the lower faculties
and the obedience of right reason
to God, our Creator.
“This is the peace which God
gives on earth to men of goodwill;
this is the most perfect wisdom,”
St Augustine.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Friday of the Fopurth Week of Lent – 1 April – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – 3 Kings 17:17-24, John 11:1-45

“O Lord, remember not, against u,s the iniquities of the past, may Your compassion, quickly come to us, for we are brought very low.” – Psalm 78:8-9

“I Am the Resurrection and the Life:he that believes in Me,although he be dead, shall live. ”

John 11:25

“WHEN HE ASKED: “Where have you laid him?” tears came to our Lord’s eyes. His tears were like rain, Lazarus was like seed and the tomb like the earth. He cried out in a Voice like thunder and death trembled at His Voice. Lazarus sprang up like the seed, came out and worshiped the Lord Who had raised him up.

JESUS… RESTORED LIFE to Lazarus and died in his place, for, when He drew him out of the tomb and sat down at his table, He Himself was symbolically buried by the oil Mary poured over His head (Mt 26,7). The power of the death, which had overcome Him for four days, was wiped out… that death might know, how easy it was for the Lord to overcome it, on the Third Day… His Promise is truthful – He had promised that He Himself would come to life again, on the Third Day (Mt 16,21)… Therefore the Lord restored their joy to Mary and Martha by treading down death, to demonstrate, that He Himself would not be held by death forever… From now on, every time someone says that rising on the third day is impossible, let the,m consider him who was raised on the fourth day…

“GO AND TAKE AWAY THE STONE” What is this? He who raised a dead man and restored him to life, couldn’t he have opened the tomb and overturned the stone? He who said to his disciples: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: ‘Move from here to there’” (Mt 17,20), could He not move aside the stone, shutting the entrance to the tomb, with one word? Certainly He could! He whose Voice, when He hung on the cross, split rocks and sepulchers, could have taken away the stone with His Word (Mt 27,51-52). But because He was Lazarus’ friend, He said: “Open it that the smell of decay may hit you and you who wrapped him in his winding sheet, unbind him, that you may surely recognise the one you buried.” – St Ephrem (306-373) Deacon in Syria, Great Father & Doctor of the Church (Commentary on the Diatessaron, 17, 7-10 ; SC 121).

One Minute Reflection – 8 March – Tuesday of the First Week of Lent – Isaias 55:6-11 Matthew 21:10-17-1and the Memeorial of St John of God (1495-1550)

“For just as from the heavens, the rain and snow come down and do not return there, until they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats.” – Isaias 55:11

REFLECTION – “For the rain and the snow do not return to heaven but accomplish in the earth the will of him that sends them. So the Word that He shall send through His Christ, Who is Himself, the Word and the Message, shall return to Him with great power. For when He shall come and bring it, He shall come down like rain and snow and through Him all that is sown shall spring up and bear righteous fruit and the Word shall return to His Sender but not in vain shall His going have been but thus shall He say, in the presence of His Sender, “Behold, I and the children that the Lord has given me.” And this is the Voice through which the dead shall live. And this is the Voice of God that shall sound from on high and raise up all the dead.” – St Aphraates “the Sage” (Died c 345) (Feast Day – 29 January) Abbot, Father of the Church [see note below] (Demonstrations 8).

PRAYER – Lord God, bestow a full measure of Your grace upon us, who seek to make our lenten journey fruitful. Confirm us in Your service and help us to bear witness to You in the society in which we live by our lives, our fasting and prayer, our gift of self. Listen kindly we pray, to the prayers of St John of God who so avidly followed in the footsteps of our Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name, with the Holy Ghost, we pray, one God forever, amen.

St Aphraates was a Syriac Christian author of the third century from the Persian Empire who composed a series of twenty-three sermons on points of Christian doctrine and practice. He was an Ascetic and Celibate. He may have been a Bishop and later Syriac tradition places him at the head of Mar Mattai Monastery near Mosul, therefore, he was certainly an Abbot.

Quote/s of the Day – 25 February – Sexagesima Weekday – 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9, Luke 8:4-15

“In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.”

John 1:1

“And the word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us.”

John 1:14

“Let the world be in upheaval.
I hold to His Promise
and read His Message,
that is my protecting wall and garrison.
What Message?
“Know that I am with you always,
until the end of the world!”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)Father and Doctor of the Church

“What a happy day they spent!
What a blessed night!
Who can say what it was they heard
from the Lord’s mouth?
Let us, too, build a dwelling in our hearts,
construct a house
where Christ can come
to teach and converse with us.”

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

“My child, it is indeed
the Voice of God you have heard.
He has given you a great grace
in thus calling you into His one true Church.
While you live,
never cease to thank Him
and bless Him for it.”

St John Francis Régis (1597-1640)

Beloved and Most Holy Word of God
By St James of the Marches (1391-1476)

Beloved and most holy Word of God!
You enlighten the hearts of the faithful,
You satisfy the hungry,
console the afflicted.
You make the souls of all,
productive of good
and cause all virtues to blossom.
You snatch souls
from the devil’s jaw.
You make the wretched holy
and men of earth,
citizens of heaven!
Amen

Thought for the Day – 18 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Interior Silence

“God speaks readily when our souls are silent.
He cannot be heard in the noise of the world.
But we do not have to abandon our normal way of life in order to find a little interior recollection.
It is enough to pause for a moment and remember God’s presence.
Once we have formed the habit of doing this, it becomes quite easy, at anytime and in any place.
We may be walking along the street, or in the middle of our work.
We may be in a room full of people chatting together.
Wherever we are, we shall be able to pause and raise our minds to God.
If we acquire this habit, we can lead peaceful lives, on a completely supernatural level.“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Part One Here:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/18/thought-for-the-day-18-february-interior-silence/

Quote/s of the Day – 8 February – The Memorial of St John of Matha (1160-1213) Confessor – Sirach 31:8-11, Matthew 12:35-40

“Open the door to him, at once,
when he comes and knocks.”

Luke 12:36

“I am the Light of the world;
he who follows me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

“I am the door.
Whoever enters through me
will be saved….”

John 10:9

“I am the way
and the truth
and the life.
No-one comes to the Father
except through me.
If you know me,
then you will also know my Father.
From now on,
you do know him
and have seen him.”

John 14:6-7

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door,
[then] I will enter his house
and dine with him and he with me.”

Apocalypse 3:20

“Let your door stand open
to receive Him,
unlock your soul to Him,
offer Him a welcome in your mind
and then you will see
the riches of simplicity,
the treasures of peace,
the joy of grace.
Throw wide the gate of your heart,
stand before the Sun
of the everlasting Light.”

St Ambrose (c 340-397)Father and Doctor of the Church

“May He,
Who is the Track of the runners
and the Reward of the winners,
lead and guide you along it –
He, Christ Jesus!”

Bl Guerric of Igny O.Cist (c 1080-1157)

“Christ is both the way and the door.
Christ is the staircase and the vehicle …”

St Bonaventure (1221-1274)Seraphic Doctor

“ He who finds Jesus, finds a rare treasure,
indeed, a good above every good,
whereas he who loses Him,
loses more than the whole world.
The man who lives without Jesus,
is the poorest of the poor,
whereas no-one is so rich,
as the man who lives in His grace.
… Let all things be loved, for the sake of Jesus
but Jesus, for His own sake.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

Quote/s of the Day – 6 February – The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – Readings: Colossians 3:12-17, Matthew 13:24-30

“A sower went out to sow”

Matthew 13:30

“Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?
How then has it weeds?”

Matthew 13:27

“It is better to be cured
within the Church’s community
than to be cut off from its Body
as incurable members.
As long as a member still forms
part of the Body,
there is no reason to despair of its cure;
once it has been cut off,
it can be neither cured nor healed.”

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

“Brethren, the just man shall scarcely be saved.
What, then, will become of the sinner?”

St Arsenius s the Great (c 354-c 449)

“… [The Kingdom of God] … is within you.
That is, it depends on your own wills
and is in your own power,
whether or not you receive it.
Everyone, that has attained
to justification, by means of faith in Christ
and decorated by every virtue,
is counted worthy,
of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)Father and Doctor of the Church

“And like the little grain of mustard seed …
we should set it in the garden of our soul,
all weeds being pulled out
for the better feeding of our faith.
Then shall it grow and …
through the true belief of God’s word …
we shall be well able to command
a great mountain of tribulation
to void from the place
where it stood in our hearts,
whereas with a very feeble faith
and faint, we shall scarcely
be able to remove a little hillock.”

St Thomas More (1478-1535)

“My child, it is indeed
the Voice of God you have heard.
He has given you a great grace
in thus calling you into His one true Church.
While you live,
never cease to thank Him
and bless Him for it.”

St John Francis Régis (1597-1640)

One Minute Reflection – 30 January – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany – Romans 13:8-10, Matthew 8:23-27

“There came a great calm” – Matthew 8:26

REFLECTION – “Christ’s sleep is the symbol of a mystery. The ship’s passengers represent souls traversing the life of this world, on the wood of the cross. In addition, the ship is the symbol of the Church. Indeed, truly… the heart of each member of the faithful, is a ship sailing across the sea: – it cannot sink, provided the spirit engages in good thoughts.

Has someone insulted you? It is the wind beating against you. Have you become angry? It is the swell mounting. Does temptation arise? It is the wind blowing. Is your soul troubled? It is the waves rising up… Awaken Christ and let Him speak to you. “Who, then, is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Who is He? “His is the sea for he has made it;“ all things were made by him” (Ps 95[94],5; Jn 1,3). So imitate the winds and the sea, obey your Creator. The sea shows itself to be docile to Christ’s Voice and do you remain deaf? The sea obeys, the winds drop and do you continue to blow? What are we trying to say by this? Speaking, getting upset, plotting revenge – isn’t this continuing to blow and not wanting to give way before Christ’s Word? When your heart is stirred up do not allow yourself to be swamped by the waves!

If, nevertheless, the wind blows us over – for we are only human – and if it stirs up the bad feelings in our hearts, let us not despair. Let us awaken Christ, so as to continue our journey on a peaceful sea.” – St Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo, Great Western Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (Sermon 63).

PRAYER – O God, You Who know that our human frailty cannot stand fast against the great dangers that beset us, grant us health of mind and body, that with your help we may overcome what we suffer on account of 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).

Thought for the Day – 6 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Epiphany

“Let us consider the faith of the Magi, a faith which was willing, lively and active.
They saw in the sky the star which heralded the Infant Jesus and experienced the divine inspiration in their hearts.
Immediately they went in search of Him.
They were not even deterred by the long and hazardous journey which lay before them.

When they arrived at Jerusalem, they found Herod, who did not know what they were talking about.
The star disappeared and the priests replied coldly to the questions they asked.
But all the time their trust in the divine call continued to grow.
Eventually, they reached a poor barn, where they found, not an earthly King but, a little Child Who was crying on the straw bed of a manger.
As a reward for their trouble and perseverance, a voice in their hearts told them that this was Jesus, the King of Kings and Saviour of the world.

Unfortunately, when we hear the divine call, no matter how clear and simple it is, we find a thousand excuses for delaying and perhaps, for not responding to it at all!
Let us humbly promise to be more generous in listening for it and more energetic in complying with it, regardless of the cost.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/06/thought-for-the-day-6-january-2/

Thought for the Day – 2 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Necessity of Meditation in Silence

“The masters of the spiritual life assure us, that without the practice of meditation, it is almost impossible for the just man to persevere in virtue, ot for the lukewarm and tepid, to become fervent, or for the sinner, to be converted!
God, it is true, can work miracles.
At times the grace of God can strike the sinner with the suddenness of a thunderbolt and convert him.
But, it is the ordinary rule of the spiritual life, that meditation on the truths of eternity, especially on the Last Things, stirs up the soul and moves it, under the influence of Divine grace, to form good resolutions.
Even though, the first fervour early diminishes, the daily repetition of this pious practice, revives and strengthens such good resolutions and causes them to be realised, in activities which are in accordance with Catholic teaching.

Sin and lukewarmness, cannot co-exist with the practice of daily mental prayer, if this is carried out as it should be.
If we keep our hearts united to God and listen willingly and attentively to His Voice, we shall be able to effect, in ourselves, that total renovation of which St Paul speaks: “But be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man, which has been created according to God, in justice and holiness of truth” (Eph 4:23-24).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE;
https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/02/thought-for-the-day-2-january-the-necessity-of-meditation-in-silence/

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

The Contemplative and the Active Life

“We ought not to imagine that contemplation is a privilege exvclusive to Monks and Nuns.
In fact, it belongs to all Catholics.
It is the privilege of the peasant, artisan, or clerk, who, on his way home from work, pays a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
“Here I am, my God,“ anyone of them may say.
“I am very tired.
Please give me some rest for my soul.
I am weary and worried, both in body and in soul.
I wish to love You more and to be faithful to You, until I die.
I wish to think only of You but there are so many other things which I must think about.
I have so many temptations and disturbances, which cause me to forget You and which often lead me into evil.
O God, be the light of my soul, the peace of my heart, the divine strength of my weak will. …”
Murmuring words like these, they listen to God and seem to see Him bending down towards them.

Then there is the student who has spent the day pouring over books, searching for the truth.
He goes into the Church for a moment and kneels down.
His mind is full of the tumult of thoughts, calculations and problems, never completely answered or explained in the books, written by men.
He asks God for the light which he has not found, for the answer which he has not discovered, for the peace and calm, which only He can give.

At least for a moment, all these workers and students are contemplatives.
They have left behind the noise of the world, in order to listen to the Voice of God.
But this Voice, which does not speak in words but in silence and in peace, is the Voice of contemplation.
Prayer comes afterwards, when God makes His presence felt in the soul.
In this way, no matter who or what we are, we should all be contemplatives.
In other words, we should seek, in quiet conversation with God, the truth and tranquiliity which the world cannot give us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

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

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

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

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Quote/s of the Day – 27 October – Readings: Romans 8: 26-30; Psalm 13: 4-6; Luke 13: 22-30

“And people will come
from the east
and the west
and from the north
and the south …”

Luke 13:29

“It becomes no man
to nurse despair
but, in the teeth
of clenched antagonisms,
to follow up
the Worthiest [One]
till he die.”

St Alfred the Great (859-899) King

“A good man is not a perfect man;
a good man is an honest man,
faithful and unhesitatingly responsive
to the Voice of God in his life.”

St John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr

“Just as speech has been given to men
to be the interpreter of their feelings and desires,
so it is through the conscience,
that God teaches us,
what He judges of everything
and what He expects of each one of us.
This divine Voice forms various interior words,
to express various lessons
and the different orders,
that it pleases God to give to His creature.
It is the bond of communication
that the Lord desires to have with us
and the most usual organ he makes use of,
to touch our hearts and open to us His own.”

St Claude la Colombière SJ (1641-1682)

Thought for the Day – 23 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Necessity of Meditation

“With desolation is all the land made desolate because, there is none that considereth in the heart” (Jer 12:11).
Very often the world is plunged in the desolation of evil because there is nobody who will speak with God in the silence of his heart and try to regulate his life according to His holy commandments.
It is in a particularly outstanding way today, that the heresies of actionism and externalism dominate the great mass of mankind.
To act, to rush, to arrive … above all, to arrive!
But to arrive where?
In this frantic, frenzied and tumultuous race, in which good people are often found competing, two very sure things are forgotten, namely, that we shall finally arrive at death and, that from death we shall pass on to eternity.
The whole course of our lives, therefore, should be directed toward this end.
But, if we are to keep this end in view, prudent reflection is essential, especially meditation, made with the assistance of the Divine Light, on the eternal truth.

Absorbed in the deafening din of the world around us, it is difficult to hear the voice of God.
At least, for a little while each day, we must create within ourselves, a zone of silence, in order to listen to His voice.
Since God speaks readily in the silence of the heart, let us recollect ourselves before Him, in this quiet oasis.
At least a quarter of an hour of daily meditation is essential for the life of a Christian.
This should be the jumping-off board for all the actions of day, if we wish these to be correct and productive of good.

It is very useful, moreover, to recall to mind frequently during the day, the resolutions which have been formed and to accompany these reflections, with short prayers, aspirations and acts of love for God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Thought for the Day – 17 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Divine Counsellor

“Nobody can speak to our souls with greater efficacy than Jesus Christ, “Listen to the interior Master,” wrote St Margaret Mary Alacoque, “Never do anything without seeking His advice.”

Certain conditions are necesaary, however, before we can hear the Voice of God in the intimacy of our hearts.
First of all, there must be silence and recollection.
Jesus does not speak where there is noise and dissipation and, even if He were to speak, His Voice would not be heard.

It is necessary, now and again – especially in moments of difficulty – to remove ourselves from the external confusion of life, so that we shall be able to hear the Voice of God.
Then, it is true, we shall hear two voices and we shall hesitate …
One is the voice of nature.
When we feel that we have been offended, it urges us to seek revenge or, at least, to let our attitude be known.
When temptation assails us and upsets our peace of mind, we hear a pleasant voice urging us to satisfy our sinful inclinations.
But there is another Voice within us – it is gentle and sweet like Jesus Himself; it is calm, serene and lofty, like all that is eternal.
We must listen to this, not to the other; this we must accept and follow with full deliberation, even if it entails grave sacrifice.

There must be sacrifice, for it is not sufficient to enter an atmosphere of silence and recollection, in order to listen to the Voice of Jesus, our Divine Counsellor.
We must also have the courage and the Christian fortitude to put His advice and teaching into practice!

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE;
https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/10/thought-for-the-day-10-december-the-divine-counsellor/

Quote/s of the Day – 11 May – “Mary’s Month” – Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter,Readings: Acts 16: 22-34, Psalms 138: 1-2, 2-3, 7-8, John 16: 5-11

“I will send to you the Spirit of truth,
says the Lord;
he will guide you to all truth.”

John 16:7,13

“If one of us has a conscience
polluted by the stain of avarice,
conceit, vain-glory, indignation,
irascibility, or envy and the other vices,
he has “a daughter badly troubled by a demon”
like the Canaanite woman.”

St Bede the Venerable (673-735)Father and Doctor of the Church

“A good man is not a perfect man;
a good man is an honest man,
faithful and unhesitatingly responsive
to the Voice of God in his life.”

St John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr

“Just as speech has been given to men
to be the interpreter of their feelings and desires,
so it is through the conscience,
that God teaches us,
what He judges of everything
and what He expects of each one of us.
This divine Voice forms various interior words,
to express various lessons
and the different orders,
that it pleases God to give to His creature.
It is the bond of communication
that the Lord desires to have with us
and the most usual organ he makes use of,
to touch our hearts and open to us His own.”

St Claude la Colombière SJ (1641-1682)

Christian reflections
(Spiritual writings, coll. Christus no 9,)

“The Heart of Jesus is with me.”

“Three things I cannot escape:
the eye of God,
the voice of conscience,
the stroke of death.
In company, guard your tongue.
In your family, guard your temper.
When alone guard your thoughts.”

Venerable Matthew Talbot (1856 – 1925)

“Then steer your ship with steady arm,
Trust Me and rest your soul.
Your little boat I’ll keep from harm,
I’ll guide it toward its goal. …
Be therefore, steadfast, calm and true,
Your God is at your side.
Through storm and night
He’ll see you through
With conscience as your guide.”

St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross OCD.(1891-1942Edith Stein“At the Helm”

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

The Meaning of Easter, Part Two

“In the course of this battle for our spiritual resurrection, it is necessary for us to grow continually in Jesus.
When we make a good Confession t Easter, He favours us anew, by means of His grace.
When we receive Holy Communion, He comes to us and is renally present in our souls.
But, in what way is He present?
Sometimes, He is silent and hidden.
He may seem to be asleep, as He slept n the Apostles’ boat o the ea of Galilee, when the waves were raging violently all around them.
Often, we have Jesus within us but do not listen to His Voice.
He does not live actively in us; He does not speak to us.
Why is this?
It is because, we are distracted and indifferent, absorbed in the petty affairs of this world.
We must be fervent!
It is necessary to LISTEN for His Voice, to be united to Him and, above all, to LOVE Him.
Then, our actions will not be our own but, HIS.
He will grow in us by His grace and we shall act in Jesus, with Jesus and for Jesus.
Then, Jesus will be everything to us and we shall be able to say with St Paul, “It is now, no longer I that live but, Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

Does this goal seem too difficult to attain?
Does it seem that it is not meant for us?
Such a doubt is an insult to Our Lord, Who, has told us to be perfect, as His heavenly Father is perfect. (Cf Mt 5:48).
It is enough, however, that we should earnestly desire to reach this goal and should try, with the help of God’s grace, to come gradually nearer to it everyday.
THIS is the resurrection which should take place in us this Easter!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/04/06/thought-for-the-day-6-april-the-meaning-of-easter/