June 9th
St Anselm (1033-1109), Confessor, Bishop; Aosta, Burgundy; Feast day April 21st
"Still, Thou are hidden, O Lord, from my soul in Thy light and Thy blessedness; and therefore my soul still walks in darkness and wretchedness. For it looks, and does not see Thy beauty. It hearkens, and does not hear Thy harmony. It smells, and does not perceive Thy fragrance. It tastes, and does not recognize Thy sweetness. It touches, and does not feel thy pleasantness. For Thou hast these attributes in Thyself, Lord God, after Thine ineffable manner, who hast given them to objects created by Thee, after their sensible manner; but the sinful senses of my soul have grown rigid and dull, and have been obstructed by their long listlessness."
Bl John Henry Newman (1801-1890), Cardinal, Confessor; London, England
"We must contemplate the God of our conscience as a Living Being, as one Object and Reality, under the aspect of this or that attribute. We must patiently rest in the thought of the Eternal, Omnipresent and All-knowing, rather than of Eternity, Omnipresence and Omniscience; and we must not hurry on and force a series of deductions, which, if they are to be realized, must distill like dew into our minds, and form themselves spontaneously there, by a calm contemplation and gradual understanding of their premises."
Saturday, June 8, 2013
June 8th
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Haute Savoie, France; Feast day, January 29th
"Some become proud and insolent, either by riding a good horse, wearing a feather in their hat, or by being dressed in a fine suit of clothes; but who does see the folly of this? For if there be any glory in such things, the glory belongs to the horse, the bird and the tailor; and what a meanness of heart must it be to borrow esteem from a horse, from a feather, or some ridiculous new fashion!...All this is extremely vain, foolish and impertinent; and the glory which is raised on so weak foundations is justly esteemed vain and frivolous."
St John Chrysostom (347-407), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Antioch; Feast day September 13th
"For 'the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head,' and when Herod is plotting against Him, He flees, and at His birth is laid in a manger, and abides in an inn, and takes a mother of low estate; teaching us to think no such thing a disgrace, and from the first outset trampling under foot the haughtiness of man, and bidding us give ourselves up to virtue only. For why do you pride yourself on your country, when I am commanding you to be a stranger to the whole world? (so Christ speaks); when you have leave to become such as that all the universe shall not be worthy of you?"
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Haute Savoie, France; Feast day, January 29th
"Some become proud and insolent, either by riding a good horse, wearing a feather in their hat, or by being dressed in a fine suit of clothes; but who does see the folly of this? For if there be any glory in such things, the glory belongs to the horse, the bird and the tailor; and what a meanness of heart must it be to borrow esteem from a horse, from a feather, or some ridiculous new fashion!...All this is extremely vain, foolish and impertinent; and the glory which is raised on so weak foundations is justly esteemed vain and frivolous."
St John Chrysostom (347-407), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Antioch; Feast day September 13th
"For 'the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head,' and when Herod is plotting against Him, He flees, and at His birth is laid in a manger, and abides in an inn, and takes a mother of low estate; teaching us to think no such thing a disgrace, and from the first outset trampling under foot the haughtiness of man, and bidding us give ourselves up to virtue only. For why do you pride yourself on your country, when I am commanding you to be a stranger to the whole world? (so Christ speaks); when you have leave to become such as that all the universe shall not be worthy of you?"
June 7th
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"As God in His infinite goodness is ever ready to overwhelm us with His graces when we offer no obstacle to His merciful designs, whoever is perfectly confined to His will can justly expect an abundance of His favors. Yes, God will treat him with great liberality, and will make him, like another David, a man after His own Heart."
St John of the Cross (1542-1591), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Fontiveros, Spain; Feast day November 24th
"The soul that loves and possesses creature wealth is supremely poor and wretched in the sight of God, and for this reason will be unable to attain to that wealth and glory which is the state of transformation in God; since that which is miserable and poor is supremely far removed from that which is supremely rich and glorious."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"As God in His infinite goodness is ever ready to overwhelm us with His graces when we offer no obstacle to His merciful designs, whoever is perfectly confined to His will can justly expect an abundance of His favors. Yes, God will treat him with great liberality, and will make him, like another David, a man after His own Heart."
St John of the Cross (1542-1591), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Fontiveros, Spain; Feast day November 24th
"The soul that loves and possesses creature wealth is supremely poor and wretched in the sight of God, and for this reason will be unable to attain to that wealth and glory which is the state of transformation in God; since that which is miserable and poor is supremely far removed from that which is supremely rich and glorious."
June 6th
St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641), Widow, Foundress; Dijon, France; Feast day August 21st
"Let us be sure that we understand what an honor it is for us to spend time in prayer, as much time as we wish, as intimately as we wish. The man who wins from his prince an audience an hour long counts himself lucky, and our God, before whom the kings of the earth are less than a spark in the full blaze of the sun, and less than a little worm in the presence of the highest angels -- this great God, nevertheless, shows Himself eager to hear us at any hour of the day or night that suits us to address Him."
St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Bishop, Doctor of the Church; Bagnoregio, Italy; Feast day July 14th
"If you wish God to stoop down to reach you, carry the woes of Christ crucified in your heart."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Turn to God in childlike prayer whenever afflictions or temptations come upon you. Strive, moreover, to maintain the spirit of prayer, and thus you will preserve a continual recollection of God. You will live in His presence, and His love will abide in your heart. Finally, prayer will enable you most faithfully and frequently to testify your filial reverence and love for your Heavenly Father."
St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641), Widow, Foundress; Dijon, France; Feast day August 21st
"Let us be sure that we understand what an honor it is for us to spend time in prayer, as much time as we wish, as intimately as we wish. The man who wins from his prince an audience an hour long counts himself lucky, and our God, before whom the kings of the earth are less than a spark in the full blaze of the sun, and less than a little worm in the presence of the highest angels -- this great God, nevertheless, shows Himself eager to hear us at any hour of the day or night that suits us to address Him."
St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Bishop, Doctor of the Church; Bagnoregio, Italy; Feast day July 14th
"If you wish God to stoop down to reach you, carry the woes of Christ crucified in your heart."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Turn to God in childlike prayer whenever afflictions or temptations come upon you. Strive, moreover, to maintain the spirit of prayer, and thus you will preserve a continual recollection of God. You will live in His presence, and His love will abide in your heart. Finally, prayer will enable you most faithfully and frequently to testify your filial reverence and love for your Heavenly Father."
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
June 5th
St Isidore (560-636), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Cartagena, Spain; Feast day April 4th
"There is nothing from which man cannot fly, save from himself. Let him go where he will, he cannot escape the pursuit of an accusing conscience. There is no torment which exceeds that of a guilty conscience. If then, you desire to live in peace, live in the practice of virtue."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Though your sins are as numerous as the sands on the shore, though your life has been wasted in crime, never forget that God is your Father, that He awaits you with open arms and open heart, that He is continually calling upon you to return and be reconciled to Him. Have the desire to change your life; be resolved to walk in the path of virtue, and turn to God in humble prayer, with unshaken confidence that you will be heard. 'Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.'"
St Isidore (560-636), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Cartagena, Spain; Feast day April 4th
"There is nothing from which man cannot fly, save from himself. Let him go where he will, he cannot escape the pursuit of an accusing conscience. There is no torment which exceeds that of a guilty conscience. If then, you desire to live in peace, live in the practice of virtue."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Though your sins are as numerous as the sands on the shore, though your life has been wasted in crime, never forget that God is your Father, that He awaits you with open arms and open heart, that He is continually calling upon you to return and be reconciled to Him. Have the desire to change your life; be resolved to walk in the path of virtue, and turn to God in humble prayer, with unshaken confidence that you will be heard. 'Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.'"
June 4th
St Quirinus (d. 303), Bishop, Martyr; Sisak, Croatia; Feast day June 4th
"The God whom I serve is everywhere; He is in heaven, on earth, and in the sea. He is above all things, containing everything within Himself; and by Him alone everything subsists."
"I thank thee, O Lord, that I have borne reproaches for thy sake; and I beseech thee to let those who are in this prison know that I adore the true God,and that there is no other besides thee."
St Isidore (560-636), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Cartagena, Spain; Feast day April 4th
"If you would have a hope of being pardoned your sins at the hour of death, do penance for them while you are able. But if you spend your life in wickedness, and still hope for forgiveness at your death, you are running a most serious risk. Though you are not sure that you will be damned, your salvation is by no means more certain."
St Quirinus (d. 303), Bishop, Martyr; Sisak, Croatia; Feast day June 4th
"The God whom I serve is everywhere; He is in heaven, on earth, and in the sea. He is above all things, containing everything within Himself; and by Him alone everything subsists."
"I thank thee, O Lord, that I have borne reproaches for thy sake; and I beseech thee to let those who are in this prison know that I adore the true God,and that there is no other besides thee."
St Isidore (560-636), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Cartagena, Spain; Feast day April 4th
"If you would have a hope of being pardoned your sins at the hour of death, do penance for them while you are able. But if you spend your life in wickedness, and still hope for forgiveness at your death, you are running a most serious risk. Though you are not sure that you will be damned, your salvation is by no means more certain."
June 3rd
St Augustine (354-430), Confessor, Bishop, Father of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th
"Give me grace, Lord, to do what You command, and command what You please."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Let these words assure you that however difficult God's commandments may appear, His grace will render their observance very easy, and if faithful to them, you will soon experience that His yoke is sweet and His burden light."
St Bernard (1090-1153), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Fontaine-les-Dijon, France; Feast day August 20th
"When a vice is confirmed by habit it cannot be extirpated except by a very special and even miraculous grace."
St Augustine (354-430), Confessor, Bishop, Father of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th
"Give me grace, Lord, to do what You command, and command what You please."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Let these words assure you that however difficult God's commandments may appear, His grace will render their observance very easy, and if faithful to them, you will soon experience that His yoke is sweet and His burden light."
St Bernard (1090-1153), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Fontaine-les-Dijon, France; Feast day August 20th
"When a vice is confirmed by habit it cannot be extirpated except by a very special and even miraculous grace."
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