Monday, September 5, 2016

Abandoning God's mysteries to God...

 "The Eucharist bathes the tormented soul 
in light and love." - St. Bernadette Soubirous

0000abeautifulprayer.jpg (500×375)


"Let weak and frail man come here suppliantly
to adore the Sacrament of Christ,
not to discuss high things,
or wish to penetrate difficulties,
but to bow down to secret things in humble veneration,
and to abandon God's mysteries to God,
for Truth deceives no man -
Almighty God can do all things.  Amen."

St Paul of the Cross

LABOR DAY
American Federal Holiday
First Monday in September



"Work is not only good in the sense that it is useful or something to enjoy; it is also good as being something worthy, that is to say, something that corresponds to man's dignity, that expresses this dignity and increases it. ... Work is a good thing for man - a good thing for his humanity  - because through work man not only transforms nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed in a sense becomes 'more a human being.'" ~ St JP II, Laborem Exercens #9

“Prayer after Work ”, by Fr. Peter John Cameron, o.p.
From Blessing Prayers.
© Magnificat – Used with permission.    

Most merciful Father, thank you for this day of work with all its achievements as well as its  burdens.  Thank you for all the successes, the challenges, and even the difficulties that it brought to me.  Your Son once said to His Apostles, "Come by yourselves to an out-of-the-way place and rest a little." Thank you for this gift of rest.  May this time be a chance for me to renew my gratitude for all your blessings.  In your great compassion and generosity, please be mindful of those who are out of work.  And help me to do a better job tomorrow.  I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 St Joseph, patron of the Worker, pray for us!

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Seeking tenderness, living tenderness...

"We must pray to Jesus to give us that tenderness of the Eucharist."
- St Teresa of Calcutta

 Santisimo Sacramento-thumb-450x256-231.jpg (450×256)

"Each one of us is a co-worker of Christ...
we must labor hard to carry Him to the hearts
where He has not yet been known and love...
But, unless we have Jesus, we cannot give Him;
that is why we need the Eucharist. 
Spend as much time as possible in front of the Blessed Sacrament
and He will fill you with His strength and His power."

St Teresa of Calcutta
Canonized 04 Sept 2016

 " Mother Teresa loved to say, 'Perhaps I don’t speak their language, but I can smile'.  Let us carry her smile in our hearts and give it to those whom we meet along our journey, especially those who suffer.  In this way, we will open up opportunities of joy and hope for our many brothers and sisters who are discouraged and who stand in need of understanding and tenderness."

From today's homily for Canonization of Mother Teresa - Pope Francis

SOBMother-Teresa23.jpg (481×379) 
Photo credit: Peter Canclini

"Our lives must be woven around the Eucharist...
fix your eyes on Him who is the light;
bring your hearts close to His Divine Heart;
ask Him to grant you the grace of knowing Him,
the love of loving Him, the courage to serve Him.
Seek Him fervently." - St Teresa of Calcutta

Mother-Teresa-by-Chas-Fagan.jpg (345×453)
Official Canonization portrait - artist: Charles Fagan


St Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Holy places...

 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. - Ps 122:1-2
  
2542050197_fc19e45ee8_z.jpg (640×551)

Non enim pro locis res, sed pro bonis rebus loca amanda sunt –
"Things are not to be loved for the sake of a place,
but places are to be loved
for the sake of their good things."


Pope St Gregory the Great
Italy ~ 540-604
Doctor of the Church
Prolific writer, untiring servant for Christ
Compiled Antiphony (chants of Church used for Liturgy)
Established Schola Cantorum (Rome's training school for choristers)
Patron:  Popes, Teachers, Choirboys, Musicians, Singers
Feast Day - September 3 

Photo credit: Church Kneeling, Lawrence, OP

36_76926~pope-gregory-the-great.jpg (249×360)
"The sacred Scriptures grow with
the one who reads them."- St Gregory the Great


St Gregory the Great, pray for us!

Friday, September 2, 2016

Sacrament of awesome might....

As you have heard from the beginning,
His command is that you walk in love. - II John 6

d694d44ad29a40cc0b0930589c6031b3.jpg (495×661)

"Hail, Thou Living Bread from heaven!
Sacrament of awesome might!

I adore Thee -I adore Thee -
Every moment, day and night.

Holiest Jesu! - Heart of Mary!
O'er me shed your gifts divine:

Holiest Jesu! my Redeemer!
All my heart and soul are Thine."

Edward Caswall
Painting: St Therese strewing roses.  Artist unknown

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Every one, a devoted hero...

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13
 
catholicvs-la-santa-misa-en-el-arte-xxxix-the-holy-mass-in-art-xxxix.jpg (534×700)
 
"I have long had the feeling that, since the world
is growing so rapidly worse and worse and God has lost His hold,
as it were, upon the hearts of men, He is looking all the more earnestly
and anxiously for big things from those who are faithful to Him still.
 
He cannot, perhaps, gather a large army
round His standard, but He wants every one in it to be a hero,
absolutely and lovingly devoted to Him."

Fr William Doyle, SJ