Why do you receive Communion?...

 Why do you receive Communion?

St Francis de Sales explains 
in his Introduction to the Devout Life 
that our primary intention should be 

to grow in the love of Jesus Christ:

"Your main intention in Communion should be 

to grow, strengthen, and abound in the Love of God; 

for Love's Sake receive that which Love Alone gives you.  

Of a truth there is no more loving or tender aspect 

in which to gaze upon the Savior than this act, 

in which He, so to say, annihilates Himself, and 

gives Himself to us as food, in order to fill our souls, 

and to unite Himself more closely 

to the heart and flesh of His faithful ones. 

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Painting of Jesus: Artist - Heinrich Hofmann

This classic, Introduction to the Devout Life 

would be an excellent Lenten read.

Sharing in His chalice...

 This holy man fought to the death 

for the law of his God and 

did not fear the words of the godless, 

for he was built on solid rock.  

Entrance Antiphon (Today's Liturgy )

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God of all creation, who were pleased

to give the Bishop Saint Polycarp

a place in the company of the Martyrs,

grant, through his intercession, that, 

sharing with him in the chalice of Christ,

we may rise through the Holy Spirit to eternal life.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

 Collect (Today's Liturgy)

 St Polycarp of Smyrna

69-155 AD
Disciple of apostle St John

Friend of Ignatius of Antioch

Apostolic Father 

Bishop of Smyrna, Martyr

Exemplary in catechesis

Feast Day - February 23

"Hear me declare with boldness, I am a Christian," Bishop Polycarp said. "And if you wish to learn what the doctrines of Christianity are, 

appoint me a day, and you shall hear them."

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Polycarp was denounced to the government, arrested, and tried on the charge of being a Christian. When the proconsul urged him to save his life by cursing Christ, he replied: “Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” 

Earlier, in a Letter to the Philippians...

“Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the Lord, ‘firm and unchangeable in faith, lovers of the brotherhood, loving each other, united in truth,’ helping each other with the mildness of the Lord, despising no man.”

And wrote on another occasion...

“If we pray to the Lord to forgive us, we ourselves must be forgiving; we are all under the eyes of our Lord and God, and every one of us must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, where each of us will have to give an account.”

Click here: St. Polycarp - YouTube (2 mins) 

Click here: Polycarp - YouTube (3:20 mins)

St Polycarp, pray for us!

Secure in Christ: First Sunday of Lent...

  First Sunday of Lent 

"Very few people believe in the devil these days, 

which suits the devil very well.  He is always 

helping to circulate the news of his own death.  
The essence of God is existence, 

and He defines Himself as: 'I am Who am.'  
The essence of the devil is the lie, 

and he defines himself as:  'I am who am not.'  
Satan has very little trouble with those who 

do not believe in him; they are already on his side." 

 Ven Fulton J Sheen, Life of Christ
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The Temptations of Jesus - The Catholic Thing

Fr Thomas G Weinandy, OFM, Cap.

The Temptation of Christ - Erik Armusik - © Eric Armusik, all rights reserved

"What does Jesus Christ do in the Eucharist? 

It is God who, as our Savior, offers Himself 

each day for us to His Father's justice.

If you are in difficulties and sorrows, 

He will comfort and relieve you. 

If you are sick,

He will either cure you or give you 

strength to suffer so as to merit Heaven. 

If the devil, the world, and the flesh 

are making war upon you, 

He will give you the weapons with which 

to fight, to resist, and to win victory. 

If you are poor,  

He will enrich you with all sorts of 

riches for time and eternity.

Let us open the door of His sacred 

and adorable Heart, and be wrapped about 

for an instant by the flames of His love, and we 

shall see what a God who loves us can do. 

O my God, who shall be able to comprehend?"

St. John Vianney

"The Holy Eucharist is the perfect 

expression of the love of Jesus Christ 

for man." - St. Maria Goretti

Driving out the beasts...

  "We need ... to reemphasize the glories of the Cross and of our 

Crucified Redeemer, to reopen the fountains of mercy 

just when the devil would make us the victim of wrath... 

We must arouse them from their insensibility 

by reminding them that His Blood is offered up 

every morning upon the altars."- St Gaspar del Bufalo

St Peter Damian wrote to a young nephew:

"If I may speak figuratively, drive out the 
roaring beasts from your domain; do not 

cease from protecting yourself daily by 

receiving the Flesh and Blood of the Lord.  
Let your secret foe see your lips 
reddened with the Blood of Christ. 
He will shudder, cower back, 
and flee to his dark, dank retreat."

St Peter Damian

Italy ~ 1007-1072
Benedictine monk, Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia
Reformer, Author - 

Liber Gomorrhianus (Book of Gomorrah)

Doctor of the Church

 MOTTO:  

“Do not prefer anything 

to the love of Christ.”

Feast Day - February 21

“Do not be depressed. 

Do not let your weakness make you impatient. 

Instead, let the serenity of your spirit 

shine through your face. 

Let the joy of your mind burst forth. 

Let words of thanks break from your lips.” 

 St Peter Damian

(Well said, St Peter!)

Click here: St. Peter Damian - YouTube (2 mins)

Click here: Homily: St Peter Damian - YouTube (3:30 mins)

Click here: General Audience of Pope Benedict XVI, 9 September 2009 

(Address in re: St Peter Damian)

St Peter Damian, pray for us!

Choosing one's path...

  "God dwells in our midst, in 

the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.” 

 St Maximilian Kolbe

“When there are two roads

which will bring me to some place, 

I take the one with more churches 

so as to be nearer the Blessed Sacrament.

When I see a place where my Jesus is,

I could not be happier, and I say, 
“You are here, my God and my All.”

Venerable Jean-Jacques Olier  (+1657)

Painting: Road to Church ~ Glenn Barclay

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During Lent consider making a visit  to our Lord

in a different Church or Chapel each day/week.
He is there - our God and our All...

Oh, happy trails, happy pilgrim!

Open invitation...

 "Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God 

and the one most helpful to us." - St Alphonsus Ligouri

"He makes it ever clearer to me

that He wants me to burn with love for Him

in devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. 

Every time I receive Him

I must feel renewed that longing which 

stirs within me to live for Jesus only 

and to obtain the grace of preservation 

from so many sins which I should 

certainly commit if He did not come to my help. 

How can I remain deaf to His invitation?"

Pope St John XXIII

Be open to an invitation 
to daily Mass or daily Adoration...

+ASH WEDNESDAY+...

    "Jesus, I give You my whole heart and my whole will.  

They once rebelled against You, 

but now I dedicate them completely to You…

Receive me, and make me faithful until death.” 

 St. Alphonsus Liguori

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ASH WEDNESDAY*

"Give me, good Lord, a full faith and 

a fervent charity, a love of You, good Lord, 

incomparably above the love of myself; 

and that I love nothing that displeases You

but everything for the sake of You.

Take from me, good Lord, this lukewarm -- 

or rather cold-hearted -- way of meditation and 

this dullness in praying to You.  And give me 

warmth, delight, and life in thinking of You.

And give me grace to long for Your 

holy Sacraments, and specifically to rejoice 

in the presence of Your Blessed Body, sweet 

Savior Christ, in the holy Sacrament of the altar, 

and duly to thank You for Your precious 

visitation through it; and at that high Memorial, 

may I have grace to remember and consider 

Your most bitter passion with tender compassion."

St. Thomas More

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*ASH WEDNESDAY is solemnly observed by the Church to mark the beginning of the forty days of penance in the Lenten season. The faithful who attends the Mass on this day will be marked on the forehead with a CROSS of ASHES as a sign of conversion, penance, fasting and human mortality.  

Ash Wednesday in Iraq. DoD Photo (Spc Daniel Schneider)

"The ashes create a bond of solidarity between us.

They make it easier for us to help each other choose the 

right way, to offer a word of support, an arm to lean on, 

when we see each other falter." - Bishop Erik Varden, O.C.S.O.

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him;
and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. - Ecclesiastes 4:12

During Lent, we are called to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. They are the "three-fold cord" spoken of in Ecclesiastes 4:12. Satan will not prevail against us if we follow Christ's call to use this three-fold cord as a basis for our Christian walk.

"Act, and God will act. " -  St Joan of Arc

 

Prayer is good when accompanied

by fasting, almsgiving, and righteousness.

A little with righteousness is better than much 

with wrongdoing.  It is better to give alms 

than to treasure up gold. - Tobit 12:8

Click here: Ash Wednesday & Lent in Two Minutes - YouTub

Pope Leo’s Message for Lent 2026

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Let us pray - one for the other - 

for perseverance, fidelity and conversion
in this Lenten season!