Live as you believe...

"One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it.
But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is 
a fate more terrible than dying." - St Joan of Arc

"Ask Jesus to make you a saint.

After all, only He can do that.

Go to confession regularly

and to Communion as often as you can."

St. Dominic Savio

“There is no shame so great that God’s mercy cannot

shine forth from its midst. ... Jesus is not afraid

to go to the core of our shame to heal us.

Sins and secrets do not scare Him.  

The serpent causes shame and hiding; 

Jesus invites us to mercy and communion.” 
~ Fr Richard Veras

"When you go to Confession, know this, that I Myself am waiting

for you in the confessional; I am only hidden by the priest,

but I Myself act in the soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the

God of Mercy.  Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls

draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great 
there is no limit to My generosity.” - Our Lord to St Faustina

Following the Apostle of Charity...

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, 
and from his fullness we have all received - Jn 1:14,16

(Today's Communion Antiphon)

"The presence of Jesus in the tabernacle 

must be a kind of magnetic pole attracting

an ever greater number of souls enamoured of Him,

ready to wait patiently to hear His voice

and, as it were, to sense the beating of His heart.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Ps 34:8)."  

Mane Nobiscum Domine (Stay With Us Lord)

Apostolic Letter, 10/07/04, Pope St John Paul II

St John the Beloved Disciple

who sensed the beating of His Heart...

Apostle and Evangelist

Son of Zebedee, brother of James

Asia Minor, Galilee (6-115 AD)

Apostle of Charity

Patron of Asia Minor, Theologians

Feast Day - December 27

Valentin de boulogne

"It is a long way from being eager to sit on a throne of power

or to call down fire from heaven to becoming the man who could write: 

“The way we came to know love was that He laid down His life for us;

so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16). 

Through John we know how we are to participate

as our destiny in the life of Christ."~ St Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein)

Click here: St. John the Evangelist - YouTube (2 mins)

Click here: St. John the Apostle - YouTube (7:30 mins)

O most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus, 

Thou art concealed in the Holy Eucharist, and Thou

beatest for us still… I worship Thee with all my best love and awe, 

with my fervent affection, with my most subdued, most resolved will.

O my God, when Thou dost condescend

to suffer me to receive Thee, to eat and drink Thee, and Thou for

a while takest up Thy abode within me, O make my heart beat with Thy Heart. 
Purify it of all that is earthly, all that is proud and sensual, all that is 
hard and cruel, of all perversity, of all disorder, of all deadness. 

So fill it with Thee, that neither the events of the day

nor the circumstances of the time may have power to ruffle it,

but that in Thy love and Thy fear it may have peace. Amen.

- Bl John Henry Newman, Meditations and Devotions 

Part III [XVI] para. 3

The eagle, believed to look directly into the light of the sun, is the symbol of St. John.  This bird was used because in his Gospel St. John dwells particularly upon the Divinity of the Redeemer and contemplates with the unflinching eye of an eagle the highest truths.

St John, pray for us!

Life in abundance...

 

“Holy Communion, 
as the word itself implies,

is the intimate union of Jesus 
and our soul and body. 

If we want to have life 
and have it more abundantly,

we must live on the Flesh of our Lord.”

Bl Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Painting: Angleus ~Emile Friant

The authentic life...

"Indeed, if the first word of Christ's teaching,

the first phrase of the Gospel Good News, was

"Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Metanoeite),

the sacrament of the passion, cross and resurrection seems to

strengthen and consolidate in an altogether way this call on our souls.  

The Eucharist and Penance thus become in a sense

two closely connected dimensions of authentic life

in accordance with the spirit of the Gospel, of truly Christian life. 

The Christ who calls to the Eucharistic banquet

is always the same Christ who exhorts us to penance

and repeats His "Repent."   Redemptor Hominis 20 

Saint John Paul II

"Never fear that your past faults and infidelities 

will prevent you reaching the degree of union 

that God intends for you; 

in an instant He can repair all that."

Dom Columba Marmion

Consecrating the routine...

"Our life must reach out toward the Infinite,

and from that source we must draw whatever we can expect

of merit and dignity." - Bl Contardo Ferrini

 

"Then the sacred moment arrives when we receive our Lord

and are united with Him.  The moment itself is fleeting;

it takes just a quick swallow, a short turn, and we walk back to our seats.

 

To transform this ordinary routine... At the moment

of communion, we could use some mental or vocal aspiration

such as that of St Francis de Sales: 

Who am I, Lord, and who are you?

or perhaps that of St Elizabeth:

Where does this blessing come from -

that my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:43)

or that of St John the Evangelist:

Yes, come, Lord Jesus. (Rev 22:20)

...the actual thought or saying can be anything that helps us

to focus on the moment immediately before us."

Fr Thomas F Dailey, O.S.F.S.

Excerpt from book: Live Today Well,

St Francis de Sales's Simple Approach to Holiness (2015)

Live as you believe...

"One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it.

But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a

fate more terrible than dying." - St Joan of Arc

"Ask Jesus to make you a saint.

After all, only He can do that.

Go to confession regularly

and to Communion as often as you can."

St. Dominic Savio

“There is no shame so great that God’s mercy cannot

shine forth from its midst. ... Jesus is not afraid

to go to the core of our shame to heal us.  

Sins and secrets do not scare Him.  

The serpent causes shame and hiding; 

Jesus invites us to mercy and communion.” ~ Fr Richard Veras

"When you go to Confession, know this, that I Myself am waiting

for you in the confessional; I am only hidden by the priest,

but I Myself act in the soul.  Here the misery of the soul meets the

God of Mercy.  Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls

draw graces solely with the vessel of trust.  If their trust is great

there is no limit to My generosity.”  - Our Lord to St Faustina

For love of us...

"Is it possible that there are souls who do not understand what

the Blessed Eucharist is?  Who are insensible to the Divine Presence;

to the mysterious ardent effusion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus? 

O Heart of Jesus! Heart of Love!" - St Gemma Galgani

 

 

"How sweet the Spirit of Jesus!

Oh what is it that ever induced Jesus

to communicate Himself to us

in such an enchanting and wonderful way?

 

Just think - Jesus our food!  Jesus my food!

 

At this moment what would I not wish to say to you?
But I fail in the attempt. 

I succeed only in crying and in repeating: 

Jesus my food!

 

And in thinking that Jesus

has done this through

the immense love He has for us."

 

 

St Gemma Galgani

From a letter to a friend in Rome

 

 

Image: British soldiers receive Communion

 

Second Sunday of Advent: Repentance,Grace

 Second Sunday of Advent

Repentance and Grace

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight.  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain
and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight,
 and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." - Luke 3:4-6

 

 "O Jesus, open to me Your sacramental breast, because I wish to place all my affections there. O Jesus, how much I love Thee! But why do You act towards me with so much love, while I offend You with countless ingratitudes? This thought alone, if I could but comprehend it, should be enough to turn me into a furnace of love. Is it not an irresistible love to love Him who is not angry with one who always offends Him? O Jesus, if I only considered attentively Your immense love for me, how greatly I should excel in every virtue!

Pardon me, O Jesus, so much carelessness; pardon such great ignorance. My God! Jesus my love, infinite Goodness! What would have become of me if You had not drawn me to Thee? Open to me Thy Heart, open to me Thy sacramental breast; I open mine to You."

 St Gemma Galgani (+1903)

During this holy Advent season make frequent and good confessions

that you may receive 
frequent and good Holy Communions.

 
Photo Credit:  John Gutmann

On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry

Advent Hymn by Charles Coffin (+1749)

On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Come, then, and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings from the King of kings.

Then cleansed by every Christian breast
And furnished for so great a Guest.
Yea, let us each our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.

For Thou art our Salvation, Lord,
Our Refuge, and our great Reward.
Without Thy grace our souls must fade
And wither like a flower decayed.

Lay on the sick Thy healing hand
And make the fallen strong to stand;
Show us the glory of Thy face
Till beauty springs in every place.

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee
Who advent sets Thy people free,
Whom, with the Father, we adore
And Holy Ghost forevermore.

In the quiet of the heart ...

 "It seems to me that I have found my heaven on earth, because

my heaven is you, my God, and you are in my soul. 

You in me, and I in you - may this be my motto." - St Elizabeth of the Trinity

"When one has just received communion,

of what use are the words of men

when it is God who is speaking?

We must listen

to what the good Lord says to our heart."

St. John Vianney

Photo image: La Purisima Concepcion Catholic School students pray during Mass (Los Angeles, California, 2011)

Wealth of one...

"...food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man

will give you.  On him God the Father 

has placed His seal of approval."  ~ John 6:27

"Sacrifice all earthly goods

rather than a single Communion."

St Mary Magdelen of Pazzi

Patroness of First Communicants

"We are born to love, we live to love, 

and we will die to love still more."— St. Joseph Cafasso

Remembering... 

"Today is the historical feast of Blessed Imelda Lambertini.  The daughter of a noble family, Blessed Imelda was born in 1322 in Bologna, Italy.  She was an only child and grew up going to Mass frequently with her family.  When she was nine, Imelda entered the Dominican Convent in Val di Pietra.  As the youngest one there, she prayed with the others and wore a modified Dominican habit, but was unable to receive Communion, which was not permitted by Church law until the age of twelve.  This hurt her very deeply.  She prayed that Jesus would grant her wish and allow her to receive Him sooner. She even asked the convent priest, but he refused to make an exception.  To receive Jesus in Communion became the consuming desire of her heart.  She would even sometimes exclaim: "Tell me, can anyone receive Jesus into his heart and not die?"

When Imelda was eleven years old, on the eve of the Ascension, she remained behind after Mass, praying silently in the chapel.  As the other sisters began to leave the chapel, a great miracle occurred.  Suddenly, a heavenly fragrance filled the air and a luminous host had emerged from the tabernacle and was hovering above Imelda's head.  The sisters told the priest and upon seeing the host, he knelt in adoration and received the host on the paten.  He immediately gave Communion to Imelda.  Upon receiving Jesus, Imelda was so overcome with joy that she had died in a loving state of ecstasy. In 1910, Pope St Pius X began to allow children to receive Holy Communion at age seven." (Excerpt from Catholic Fire)

"Tell me, can anyone receive

Jesus into his heart

and not die?"

Bl Imelda Lambertini

Italy ~ 1322 -1333

Virgin, Dominican

Protectress/Patroness of First Communicants

Incorrupt

(Historical) Feast Day - May 12

Click here: Love In The Holy Eucharist (A story of Bl Imelda Lambertini)

Click here: Corpus Christi & the Love of Blessed Imelda - YouTube (16 mins)

Bl Imelda, pray for us!

Receive frequently, very frequently!

 ...Conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,
 realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,
handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold
but with the precious blood of Christ... I Peter 1:17-19

"Receive the Body and Blood of Christ 
very frequently.

The sight of a Christian's lips red 
with the Blood of Christ terrifies the enemy. 
He immediately recognizes the sign of his own ruin.

He cannot stand the instrument of divine victory

by which he was taken captive and cast down."

St. Peter Damian

A day in HISTORY:  Today, May 8, is the Birthday Anniversary of St John Vianney - and also the Anniversary of my First Holy Communion - oh-so-many years ago. Earlier in that week I had contracted the measles, so was home convalescing, but I remember the day vividly! 

When our parish priest brought the Blessed Sacrament into our home a sweet, holy hush  blanketed the living room. The relatives that had gathered to celebrate my private First Holy Communion, reverently bowed very low.  I listened, I watched and I pondered all - fittingly dressed in my white dress and veil.  My polka-dotted face held beaming grin and my heart nearly burst! ~ Janette

Oh, happy, holy day!

Do you remember/can you figure out 

your First Holy Communion date? 

Do HEARTILY celebrate it!

Translation holy card: "The things of earth seem of little account

when one possesses the highest good."

HAT TIP: http://dovesandtheeucharist.blogspot.com/ 

A thousand welcomes...

"Where love exists it works great things" - St Gregory the Great

"Would that we could all have the vivid Mary-like faith and devotion that breathes through the beautiful old Irish prayer.  During the dark days of persecution it was said by the faithful on receiving Communion:

Welcome, a thousand welcomes,

white love of my heart,

welcome within me!"

 

Excerpt from Mary and the Eucharist

by Fr Richard Foley, S.J. (Pg 45)

 

Image: First Communion ~ Jules Octave Triquet

The final word ...

"The final word is love." - Dorothy Day

"It was not enough for Him that He should become one of ourselves by adopting a human nature like our own. It was not enough that He should share the hardships of a life like our own—that He should suffer and die and atone for our sins, in our name.

He loved us, and He would not rest until He should be completely united to us. And in His love He devised this most extraordinary method of union, in which He Himself becomes our food! Truly a tremendous lover!"

Dom Mary Eugene Boylan

This Tremendous Lover (pg 146)

"Love is never finished." - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Preparing the soul for love

 "Purity prepares the soul for love,

and love confirms the soul in purity." - Bl John Henry Neuman

 

 

"Daily receive with the best dispositions

Him Whom you so greatly need every day. 

Live in such purity that you will receive

Holy Communion profitably each time."

 

St Augustine