June 29th
St Peter (d. 64/67), Apostle, Pope, Martyr; Bethsaida, Palestine; Feast day June 29th
"Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
"Behold, O Lord, we have left all things and have followed thee."
"Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."
"Thou are Christ, the Son of the living God."
"Be prudent therefore and watchful in prayers. But above all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves; for charity covers a multitude of sins."
"Lay aside therefore all malice, and all deceit, and pretense, and envy, and all slander. Crave, as newborn babes, pure spiritual mild, that by it you may grow to salvation; if, indeed, you have tasted that the Lord is sweet. Draw near to Him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen and honored by God."
"You, however, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people; that you may proclaim the perfections of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in the time of visitation; cast all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. Be sober, be watchful! For your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same suffering befalls your brethren all over the world. But the God of all grace, who has called us unto His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself, after we have suffered a little while, perfect, strengthen and establish us. To Him is the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
June 28th
St Iranaeus (120-202), Bishop, Church Father, Martyr; Smyrna, Greece; Feast day June 28th
"The greatest church is the most ancient and known to all, founded at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul, which retains the tradition which it received from them, and which is derived through a succession of bishops down to us. Showing which, we confound all who, any way out of self-conceit, love of applause, blindness, or false persuasions, embrace what ought not to be advanced; for to this church (of Rome,) on account of its chiefer presidentship, it is necessary that every church, that is, the faithful everywhere, address themselves, in which church the tradition from the apostles is everywhere preserved."
"To this almighty Maker and Disposer of all things it is, that we Christians offer up our prayers, with eyes lifted up to heaven; and without a prompter, we pray with our hearts rather than with our tongues; and in all our prayers are ever mindful of all our emperors and kings wheresoever we live, beseeching God for every one of them, that He would bless them with length of days, and a quiet reign, a well established family, a valiant army, a faithful senate, an honest people, and a peaceful world, with whatever else either prince or people can wish for. Thus while we are stretching forth our hands to God, let your tormenting irons harrow our flesh, let your gibbets exalt us, or your fires consume our bodies, or let your swords cut off our heads, or your beasts tread us to the earth. For a Christian, upon his knees to his God, is in a posture of defense against all the evils you can crowd upon him. Consider this, O you impartial judges, and go on with your justice; rack out the soul of a Christin, which is pouring out herself to God for the life of the emperor."
St Iranaeus (120-202), Bishop, Church Father, Martyr; Smyrna, Greece; Feast day June 28th
"The greatest church is the most ancient and known to all, founded at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul, which retains the tradition which it received from them, and which is derived through a succession of bishops down to us. Showing which, we confound all who, any way out of self-conceit, love of applause, blindness, or false persuasions, embrace what ought not to be advanced; for to this church (of Rome,) on account of its chiefer presidentship, it is necessary that every church, that is, the faithful everywhere, address themselves, in which church the tradition from the apostles is everywhere preserved."
"To this almighty Maker and Disposer of all things it is, that we Christians offer up our prayers, with eyes lifted up to heaven; and without a prompter, we pray with our hearts rather than with our tongues; and in all our prayers are ever mindful of all our emperors and kings wheresoever we live, beseeching God for every one of them, that He would bless them with length of days, and a quiet reign, a well established family, a valiant army, a faithful senate, an honest people, and a peaceful world, with whatever else either prince or people can wish for. Thus while we are stretching forth our hands to God, let your tormenting irons harrow our flesh, let your gibbets exalt us, or your fires consume our bodies, or let your swords cut off our heads, or your beasts tread us to the earth. For a Christian, upon his knees to his God, is in a posture of defense against all the evils you can crowd upon him. Consider this, O you impartial judges, and go on with your justice; rack out the soul of a Christin, which is pouring out herself to God for the life of the emperor."
Thursday, June 27, 2013
June 27th
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop, Confessor, Founder; Marianella, Italy; Feast day August 2nd
"Ah, if faith had not assured us of it, who could ever have believed that a God, almighty, most happy, and the Lord of all, should have condescended to love man to such an extent that He seems to go out of Himself for the love of him? We have seen Wisdom itself, that is the Eternal Word, become foolish through the excessive love He bore to man!"
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Thorens-Glieres, France; Feast day January 29th
"With what love would not our souls become enkindled at the sight of those flames which are in the Redeemer's breast! And oh, what happiness, to be able to be consumed by that same fire with which our God burns for us! What joy, to be united to God by the chains of love!"
St John of Avila (1499-1569), Priest, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Almodovar del Campo, Spain; Feast day May 10
"No human intellect can conceive how strongly this fire burns in the heart of Jesus Christ. As He was commanded to suffer death once, so, had He been commanded to die a thousand times, His love had been sufficient to endure it. And if what He suffered for all men had been imposed upon Him for the salvation of one single soul, He would have done the same for each in particular as He did for all."
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop, Confessor, Founder; Marianella, Italy; Feast day August 2nd
"Ah, if faith had not assured us of it, who could ever have believed that a God, almighty, most happy, and the Lord of all, should have condescended to love man to such an extent that He seems to go out of Himself for the love of him? We have seen Wisdom itself, that is the Eternal Word, become foolish through the excessive love He bore to man!"
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Thorens-Glieres, France; Feast day January 29th
"With what love would not our souls become enkindled at the sight of those flames which are in the Redeemer's breast! And oh, what happiness, to be able to be consumed by that same fire with which our God burns for us! What joy, to be united to God by the chains of love!"
St John of Avila (1499-1569), Priest, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Almodovar del Campo, Spain; Feast day May 10
"No human intellect can conceive how strongly this fire burns in the heart of Jesus Christ. As He was commanded to suffer death once, so, had He been commanded to die a thousand times, His love had been sufficient to endure it. And if what He suffered for all men had been imposed upon Him for the salvation of one single soul, He would have done the same for each in particular as He did for all."
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
June 26th
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Founder, Doctor of the Church; Savoy, France; Feast day January 29th
"When we remember that Jesus Christ, true God, has loved us to such an excess as to suffer death, and the death of the cross, for us, our hearts are, as it were, put in a wine-press, and suffer violence, until love be extorted from them, but a violence which, the stronger it is, becomes the more delightful."
St Augustine (354-430), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th
"My Lord, what ever I behold on the earth, or above the earth, all speak to me, and exhort me to love You; because all assure me that You have made them for the love of me."
St Leonard (1676-1751), Priest, Confessor; Port Maurizio, Italy; Feast day November 27th
"If every morning for one half-hour the sky were to send us a shower of gold, would you not, dear reader, find time to gather in some of it. Well, each day there falls a shower of supernatural gold, not from the clouds, but from the altars of Holy Church. This golden shower is increase of grace, forgiveness of sin, remission of punishment and fellowship in the merits of Christ."
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Founder, Doctor of the Church; Savoy, France; Feast day January 29th
"When we remember that Jesus Christ, true God, has loved us to such an excess as to suffer death, and the death of the cross, for us, our hearts are, as it were, put in a wine-press, and suffer violence, until love be extorted from them, but a violence which, the stronger it is, becomes the more delightful."
St Augustine (354-430), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th
"My Lord, what ever I behold on the earth, or above the earth, all speak to me, and exhort me to love You; because all assure me that You have made them for the love of me."
St Leonard (1676-1751), Priest, Confessor; Port Maurizio, Italy; Feast day November 27th
"If every morning for one half-hour the sky were to send us a shower of gold, would you not, dear reader, find time to gather in some of it. Well, each day there falls a shower of supernatural gold, not from the clouds, but from the altars of Holy Church. This golden shower is increase of grace, forgiveness of sin, remission of punishment and fellowship in the merits of Christ."
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
June 25th
St Ignatius of Antioch (35-107), Bishop, Martyr, Church Father; Syria; Feast day February 1
"I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink I desire His blood, which is love incorruptible."
St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660), Priest, Confessor; Gascony, France; Feast day July 19
"You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy -- the root of all that is evil, and the failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud."
St Julian Peter Eymard (1811-1868), Priest, Confessor, Founder; La Mure, France; Feast day August 2
"He loves, He hopes, He waits. If He came down on our altars on certain days only, some sinner, on being moved to repentance, might have to look for Him, and not finding Him, might have to wait. Our Lord prefers to wait Himself for the sinner for years rather than keep him waiting one instant."
St Ignatius of Antioch (35-107), Bishop, Martyr, Church Father; Syria; Feast day February 1
"I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink I desire His blood, which is love incorruptible."
St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660), Priest, Confessor; Gascony, France; Feast day July 19
"You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy -- the root of all that is evil, and the failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud."
St Julian Peter Eymard (1811-1868), Priest, Confessor, Founder; La Mure, France; Feast day August 2
"He loves, He hopes, He waits. If He came down on our altars on certain days only, some sinner, on being moved to repentance, might have to look for Him, and not finding Him, might have to wait. Our Lord prefers to wait Himself for the sinner for years rather than keep him waiting one instant."
Monday, June 24, 2013
June 24th
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), Virgin, Foundress, Doctor of the Church; Avila, Spain; Feast day October 15th
"Love of God does not consist in experiencing His tendernesses, but in serving Him with resolution and humility."
St John of Avila (1499-1569), Priest, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Almodovar del Campo, Spain; Feast day May 10
"O how much better it is to endure aridity and temptation by God's will than to be raised to the heights of contemplation without God's will!"
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Thorens-Glieres, France; Feast day January 29th
"If we do nothing else but banish distractions and temptations in our prayers, the prayer is well made."
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), Virgin, Foundress, Doctor of the Church; Avila, Spain; Feast day October 15th
"Love of God does not consist in experiencing His tendernesses, but in serving Him with resolution and humility."
St John of Avila (1499-1569), Priest, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Almodovar del Campo, Spain; Feast day May 10
"O how much better it is to endure aridity and temptation by God's will than to be raised to the heights of contemplation without God's will!"
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Thorens-Glieres, France; Feast day January 29th
"If we do nothing else but banish distractions and temptations in our prayers, the prayer is well made."
June 23rd
St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Bagnoregio, Italy; Feast day July 14
"Great are the excellences of prayer, great its privileges. The heavens open before it and unveil therein their secrets, and to it are the ears of God ever attentive."
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop, Confessor, Founder; Marianella, Italy; Feast day August 2nd
"Perhaps if God had given us greater talent, better health, a more personable appearance, we might have lost our souls! Great talent and knowledge have caused many to be puffed up with the idea of their own importance and, in their pride, they have despised others. How easily those who have these gifts fall into grave danger to their salvation!...'But one thing is necessary,' and it is not beauty, not health, not talent. It is the salvation of our immortal souls."
St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Bagnoregio, Italy; Feast day July 14
"Great are the excellences of prayer, great its privileges. The heavens open before it and unveil therein their secrets, and to it are the ears of God ever attentive."
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop, Confessor, Founder; Marianella, Italy; Feast day August 2nd
"Perhaps if God had given us greater talent, better health, a more personable appearance, we might have lost our souls! Great talent and knowledge have caused many to be puffed up with the idea of their own importance and, in their pride, they have despised others. How easily those who have these gifts fall into grave danger to their salvation!...'But one thing is necessary,' and it is not beauty, not health, not talent. It is the salvation of our immortal souls."
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