June 11th
St Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510), Widow; Genoa, Italy; Feast day September 15th
"I say that, on God's part, I see Paradise has no gate, but that whosoever will may enter therein; for God is all mercy, and stands with open arms to admit us to His glory. But still I see that the Being of God is so pure (far more than one can imagine), that should a soul see in itself even the least mote of imperfection, it would rather cast itself into a thousand hells than go with that spot into the presence of the Divine Majesty."
St Augustine (354-430), Confessor, Bishop, Father of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th
"Who shall grant me to rest in Thee? By whose gift shalt Thou enter into my heart and fill it so compellingly that I shall turn no more to my sins but embrace Thee, my only good? What are Thou to me? Have mercy, that I may speak. What rather am I to Thee, that Thou shouldst demand my love and if I love Thee not be angry and threaten great woe. For Thy mercies' sake, O Lord my God, tell me what Thou art to me. Say unto my soul, I am Thy salvation. So speak that I may hear, Lord, my heart is listening; open it that it may hear Thee say to my soul, I am Thy salvation. Hearing that word, let me come in haste to lay hold upon Thee. Hide not thy face from me. Let me see Thy face even if I die, lest I die with longing to see it."
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
June 10th
St Margaret (1045-1093), Queen, Confessor; Scotland; Feast day June 10th
"I thank thee, Almighty God, that in sending me so great an affliction in the last hour of my life, thou wouldst purify me from my sins, as I hope by thy mercy."
"O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy death hast given life to the world, deliver me from all evil."
St Anselm (1033-1109), Confessor, Bishop; Aosta, Burgundy; Feast day April 21st
"For how great is that light from which shines every truth that gives light to the rational mind? How great is that truth in which is everything that is true, and outside which is only nothingness and the false? How boundless is the truth which sees at one glance whatsoever has been made and by whom, and through whom, and how it has been made from nothing? What purity, what certainty, what splendour where it is? Assuredly more than a creature can conceive."
St Margaret (1045-1093), Queen, Confessor; Scotland; Feast day June 10th
"I thank thee, Almighty God, that in sending me so great an affliction in the last hour of my life, thou wouldst purify me from my sins, as I hope by thy mercy."
"O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy death hast given life to the world, deliver me from all evil."
St Anselm (1033-1109), Confessor, Bishop; Aosta, Burgundy; Feast day April 21st
"For how great is that light from which shines every truth that gives light to the rational mind? How great is that truth in which is everything that is true, and outside which is only nothingness and the false? How boundless is the truth which sees at one glance whatsoever has been made and by whom, and through whom, and how it has been made from nothing? What purity, what certainty, what splendour where it is? Assuredly more than a creature can conceive."
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."
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."
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.'"
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