March 12th
St Gregory the Great (540-604), Confessor, Pope, Doctor of the Church; Rome, Italy; Feast day March 12th
“My little children, I conjure you, by Christ, our good Master, love affectionately, and this is enough. Love will teach you what to do. The unction of the Holy Ghost will instruct you.”
St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868), Confessor; Grenoble, France; Feast day August 2nd
"When a spark of the Eucharist is placed in a soul, a divine germ of life and of all the virtues is cast into that heart. This germ is sufficient of itself, so to say, to do much."
Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471), Confessor; Kempen, Germany
"Gentle Jesus, forgive me for having so often offended you, for so easily turning to vanities, and for not setting my heart on that which I have proposed to do. How often I look back on the amount of time I spent on so many things, all far from important, while I paid no attention to your Passion. You have preceded me along the narrow road, and with eyes dry I pass by as if your sorrows have no effect on me. Remember my foolish heart and instill in it a loving remembrance of your most bitter Passion."
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
March 11th
St Eulogius (d.859), Priest, Confessor; Cordova, Spain
"Ah! if you could but conceive the reward which waits for those who persevere in the faith to the end, you would renounce your temporal dignity in exchange for it."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Thine is the supreme and immutable good which is not contained by place, is not changed by novelties, does not pass away with time, and has no need of help from anyone. It is sufficient unto itself; of itself it can do all things and in itself it finds all its delight. Thine is that supreme goodness which is not reached by the senses because it is spiritual and eternal, but it is known with the intellect and enjoyed with the will and experienced with the heart. It is sought by devotion, found by hope, embraced by charity, and will be possessed forever in glory."
St Pius X (1835-1914), Pope, Confessor; Reise, Italy; Feast day September 3rd
"Devotion to the Eucharist is the noblest of devotions, because it has God as its object. It is the most profitable for salvation, because it gives us the Author of Grace. It is the sweetest, because the Lord is Sweetness Itself."
St Eulogius (d.859), Priest, Confessor; Cordova, Spain
"Ah! if you could but conceive the reward which waits for those who persevere in the faith to the end, you would renounce your temporal dignity in exchange for it."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Thine is the supreme and immutable good which is not contained by place, is not changed by novelties, does not pass away with time, and has no need of help from anyone. It is sufficient unto itself; of itself it can do all things and in itself it finds all its delight. Thine is that supreme goodness which is not reached by the senses because it is spiritual and eternal, but it is known with the intellect and enjoyed with the will and experienced with the heart. It is sought by devotion, found by hope, embraced by charity, and will be possessed forever in glory."
St Pius X (1835-1914), Pope, Confessor; Reise, Italy; Feast day September 3rd
"Devotion to the Eucharist is the noblest of devotions, because it has God as its object. It is the most profitable for salvation, because it gives us the Author of Grace. It is the sweetest, because the Lord is Sweetness Itself."
Sunday, March 10, 2013
March 10th
Ss The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (d.320), Martyrs; Sebaste, Armenia
"Lord, we are forty who are engaged in this combat; grant that we may be forty crowned, and that not one be wanting to this sacred number."
St Ambrose (340-397), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Present day Trier, Germany; Feast day December 7th
"We possess all things in Christ, or rather Christ is all things to us. If you would be healed of your wounds, He is a Physician; if you thirst, He is a living Fountain; if you fear death, He is your Life; if you are weary of the burden of sin, He is your Justification; if you hate darkness, He is uncreated Light; if you would reach Heaven, He is the Way; if you hunger, He is your Food."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Let me love You with all my soul, O Infinite Beauty. Open my eyes that they may see Your beauty and close them to all things else. Let all creatures, Lord, be a mirror in which I contemplate You, an image in which I see You, a ladder by which I rise to You, and a book wherein I read of Your grandeurs."
"Open my eyes, O Lord, and anoint them with the balm of Your grace so that I may see some small spark of Your splendor."
Ss The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (d.320), Martyrs; Sebaste, Armenia
"Lord, we are forty who are engaged in this combat; grant that we may be forty crowned, and that not one be wanting to this sacred number."
St Ambrose (340-397), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Present day Trier, Germany; Feast day December 7th
"We possess all things in Christ, or rather Christ is all things to us. If you would be healed of your wounds, He is a Physician; if you thirst, He is a living Fountain; if you fear death, He is your Life; if you are weary of the burden of sin, He is your Justification; if you hate darkness, He is uncreated Light; if you would reach Heaven, He is the Way; if you hunger, He is your Food."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Let me love You with all my soul, O Infinite Beauty. Open my eyes that they may see Your beauty and close them to all things else. Let all creatures, Lord, be a mirror in which I contemplate You, an image in which I see You, a ladder by which I rise to You, and a book wherein I read of Your grandeurs."
"Open my eyes, O Lord, and anoint them with the balm of Your grace so that I may see some small spark of Your splendor."
Saturday, March 9, 2013
March 9th
St Frances of Rome (1384-1440), Widow, Foundress; Rome, Italy
"God's will is mine."
St Gregory of Nyssa (330-395), Bishop, Confessor; Cappadocia, Turkey
"Perfection consists in fearing, as the only thing to be dreaded, to lose the friendship of God; and in having only one desire, viz., of God's friendship, in which also man's spiritual life consists. This is to be obtained by fixing the mind only on divine and heavenly things."
St Pacian of Barcelona (310-391), Bishop, Confessor, Father of the Church; Barcelona, Spain
"Not I, but only God, who both blots out sin in baptism, and does not reject the tears of penitents. What I do is not in my own name, but in the Lord's. Wherefore whether we baptize, or draw to penance, or give pardon to penitents, we do it by Christ's authority. You must see whether Christ can do it, and did it, -- Baptism is the sacrament of our Lord's passion; the pardon of penitents is the merit of confession. All can obtain that, because it is the gratuitous gift of God; but this labour is but of a small number who rise after a fall, and recover by tears, and by destroying the flesh."
St Frances of Rome (1384-1440), Widow, Foundress; Rome, Italy
"God's will is mine."
St Gregory of Nyssa (330-395), Bishop, Confessor; Cappadocia, Turkey
"Perfection consists in fearing, as the only thing to be dreaded, to lose the friendship of God; and in having only one desire, viz., of God's friendship, in which also man's spiritual life consists. This is to be obtained by fixing the mind only on divine and heavenly things."
St Pacian of Barcelona (310-391), Bishop, Confessor, Father of the Church; Barcelona, Spain
"Not I, but only God, who both blots out sin in baptism, and does not reject the tears of penitents. What I do is not in my own name, but in the Lord's. Wherefore whether we baptize, or draw to penance, or give pardon to penitents, we do it by Christ's authority. You must see whether Christ can do it, and did it, -- Baptism is the sacrament of our Lord's passion; the pardon of penitents is the merit of confession. All can obtain that, because it is the gratuitous gift of God; but this labour is but of a small number who rise after a fall, and recover by tears, and by destroying the flesh."
Friday, March 8, 2013
March 8th
St John of God (1495-1550), Confessor, Founder; Montemayor-el-Novo, Portugal
"Give peace and quiet to my soul which greatly desires this. O most worthy Lord, may this creature of Yours serve and praise You. May I give my whole heart and mind to You."
"Then shall I truly live, when I shall be quite filled with You alone, and Your love; now I am a burden to myself, because I am not entirely full of You.”
St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Bishop, Doctor of the Church; Bagnoregio, Italy; Feast day July 14th
“If a person repeats often in his heart, Lord, when shall I love thee? he will feel an heavenly fire kindled in his soul much more than by a thousand bright thoughts or fine speculations on divine secrets, on the eternal generation of the Word, or the procession of the Holy Ghost.”
St John of God (1495-1550), Confessor, Founder; Montemayor-el-Novo, Portugal
"Give peace and quiet to my soul which greatly desires this. O most worthy Lord, may this creature of Yours serve and praise You. May I give my whole heart and mind to You."
St Augustine (354-430), Confessor, Bishop, Father of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th
"Then shall I truly live, when I shall be quite filled with You alone, and Your love; now I am a burden to myself, because I am not entirely full of You.”
St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Bishop, Doctor of the Church; Bagnoregio, Italy; Feast day July 14th
“If a person repeats often in his heart, Lord, when shall I love thee? he will feel an heavenly fire kindled in his soul much more than by a thousand bright thoughts or fine speculations on divine secrets, on the eternal generation of the Word, or the procession of the Holy Ghost.”
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
March 7th
St Thomas of Aquinas (1225-1274), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Roccasecca, Sicily
"Man cannot live without joy; therefore, when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures."
"Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know You, diligence to seek You, wisdom to find You, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace You; through Jesus Christ our Lord."
"The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love; It signifies Love, It produces Love. The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life."
"Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know You, a heart to seek You, wisdom to find You, conduct pleasing to You, faithful perseverance in waiting for You, and a hope of finally embracing You."
"A fourth point about charity is that it truly leads to happiness, since eternal blessedness is promised only to those who have charity. For all other things are insufficient without charity."
St Thomas of Aquinas (1225-1274), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Roccasecca, Sicily
"Man cannot live without joy; therefore, when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures."
"Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know You, diligence to seek You, wisdom to find You, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace You; through Jesus Christ our Lord."
"The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love; It signifies Love, It produces Love. The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life."
"Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know You, a heart to seek You, wisdom to find You, conduct pleasing to You, faithful perseverance in waiting for You, and a hope of finally embracing You."
"A fourth point about charity is that it truly leads to happiness, since eternal blessedness is promised only to those who have charity. For all other things are insufficient without charity."
March 6th
St Colette (1380-1447), Confessor, Virgin; Picardy, France
"We must faithfully keep what we have promised. If through human weakness we fail, we must always without delay arise again by means of holy penance, and give our attention to leading a good life and to dying a holy death. May the Father of all mercy, the Son by his holy passion, and the Holy Spirit, source of peace, sweetness and love, fill us with their consolation. Amen."
St Alphonsus (1696-1787), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Marianella, Naples; Feast day August 2nd
"Meditation, and particularly meditation on the passion of Jesus Christ, is the blessed furnace in which the love of God is kindled and fanned."
St John Chrysostom (347-407), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Antioch; Feast day September 13th
"The holy Eucharist is a fire which inflames us, that, like lions breathing fire, we may retire from the holy table, being made terrible to the devil."
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