Grace is a wonderful gift from God. It is not earned but given to us in love. When we become aware that God is with us, guiding us…everything changes. Grace is the present of God’ presence! God is not a distant God. He created us and loves us.
Let’s turn to the saints to find out how they felt about grace.
1. Let us not be afraid to suffer for the truth; for if we suffer for the truth, we shall find grace.
St. Hyacinth
St. Hyacinth of Poland
2. Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. The gift of grace increases as the struggle increases.
3. How great it is to possess Divine Grace, How beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights!
5. If only we would learn how great it is to possess Divine Grace and how many riches it has within itself, how many joys and delights. We would devote all our concern to winning for ourselves pains and aflictions in order to attain the unfathomable treasure of grace.
6. I am where God wills me to be. I have found rest and security. His wisdom governs me. His grace sanctifies me. His mercy encompasses me. His joy sustains me and all will be well with me.
9. Grace is like the sun. It shines on all, but only those who open their eyes and look up receive the light. The soul must be willing and awake, or the light passes by unnoticed.
13. The greatest grace God can give someone is to send him a trial he cannot bear with his own powers…and then sustain him with His grace so he may endure to the end and be saved.
20. He who knows how to forgive, prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross, so often will I forgive with all my heart.
21. Let us ask three graces of Jesus, to avoid Purgatory, to learn from Purgatory, to empty Purgatory.
Blessed James Alberione
Blessed James Alberione
22. What grace is meant to do, is to help good people, not to escape their sufferings, but to bear them with a stout heart, with a fortitude that finds it’s strength in faith.
I also understood that God’s love shows itself just as well in the simplest soul which puts up no resistance to His grace, as it does in the loftiest soul.
25. Take, O Lord and receive my liberty, my memory, my whole understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me. I surrender it all to You to be disposed acording to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace, with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.
Pride often keeps us from having healthy relationships. It prevents us from asking for help when we need it. Turning to God is difficult to do when we have too much pride.
The saints can help us know when pride is detrimental and how to conquer it. The following quotes from the saints can inspire us to be humble of heart.
1. It was pride that changed angels into devils. It is humility that make men as angels.
3. Do you know where the tree of death is rooted? In the height of pride, which is nourished by their sensual selfishness. Its core is impatience and its offshoot is the lack of any discernment. These are the four chief vices, which together tell the souls of those I have called trees of death, since they have failed to feed on the life of grace.(Pride, selfishness, lack of discernment, impatience)
4. If the poison of pride is swelling up in you, turn to the Eucharist.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
5. Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of Pride and anger. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit and raises man to Heaven.
6. 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.
8. As pride is the beginning of all sin, so humility is the foundation of all virtue. Learn to be really humble, and not, as the hypocrite, humble in only appearance.
11. The proud person is like a grain of wheat thrown into water – it swells, it gets big. Expose that grain to the fire – it dries up – it burns. The humble soul is like a grain of wheat, thrown into the earth – it descends, it hides itself, it disappears, it dies but to revive in heaven.
St. Mary of Jesus Crucified
St. Mary of Jesus Crucified
12. For what else is pride but, as a saint has defined it, the love of one’s own excellence.
14. If you are discouraged, it is a sign of pride because it shows you trust in your own powers. Your self-suffering, your selfishness, and your intellectual pride will inhibit His coming to live in your heart because God cannot fill what is already full. It is as simple as that.
16. We must all be on our guard against pride and empty boasting and beware of worldly or natural wisdom. A worldly spirit lives to talk a lot, but do nothing, striving for the exterior signs of holiness that people see, with no desire for true piety, and interior holiness of spirit.
19. How can one be pleasing to God when one is inflated with pride and self-love under the pretense of striving for God’s glory wile in fact one is seeking one’s own glory?
21. We put pride into everything like salt. We like to see that our good works are known. If our virtues are seen, we are pleased; if our faults are perceived, we are sad. I remark that in a great many people, if one says anything to them, it disturbs them, it annoys them. The saints were not like that- they were vexed if their virtues were known, and pleased that their imperfections should be seen.
23. We must observe also that among the heathen the names of the poor men are more likely to be known than of the rich. Now our Lord mentions the names of the poor, but not the names of the rich, because God knows and approves the humble, but not the proud.
24. Learn to love humility, for it will cover all your sins. All sins are repulsive before God, but the most repulsive of all is pride of the heart. Do not consider yourself learned and wise; otherwise, all your efforts will be destroyed, and your boat will reach the harbor empty. If you have great authority, do not threaten anyone with death. Know that, according to nature, you are susceptible to death, and that every soul sheds its body as its final garment.
25. Lord, free me from every pride, which is the source of all sins. Give me the grace to recognize sick and unbridled ambitions, that make me choose false greatness, or they cause complexes. Jesus, martyred on the cross, obedient to everything to the Father, I am asking for a humble heart like Your Heart. I am asking for humble eyes, who see themselves and others in truth. Amen
Mother Teresa will soon be officially declared a saint!
The day before the feast day of Bl. Mother Theresa Pope Francis will proclaim that she is a saint. Her feast day is celebrated on Sept. 5. The world remembers her as a “living saint”.
Bl. Teresa of Calcutta was born to parents Nikola and Drana Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1916 in Skopje of Macedonia and named Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She was baptized on August 17, 1910 in Macedonia. She was the third child in her family, following sister Aga and a brother, Lazar. Her father, Nikola died, when she was eight years old. Her father was a traveler, an extrovert, and a businessman who spoke five languages. Her mother, Drana, was extremely pious, adopting several orphans. She was known as Gonxha (pronounced gon’KHA) which means “flower bud”.
Gonxha desired early to become a missionary. At the age of eighteen, she joined the Sisters of Loreto. Here she took the name of Sister Mary Teresa after St. Therese of Lisieux. She was sent to Calcutta, India to teach at St. Mary’s High School for Girls, which was run by the Sisters of Loreto. On May 24, 1937, she took her final Profession of Vows to a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience. She then became known as Mother Teresa. In 1944, she became principal of the school.
Mother Teresa received a second calling while on a train. Christ spoke to her, asking her to work in the slums of Calcutta, caring for the sickest and poorest of the people.Pursuing this calling changed her life forever. In one year, she received approval to do the work she was being called to do. After six months of basic medical training she went to the slums to aid the needy and dying. Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charitywith 12 members, most of them students from St. Mary’s. She established a leper colony, an orphanage, a mission house, and several health clinics.
In 1971, Mother Teresa visited New York City, where she opened a soup kitchen and a home to care for HIV/AIDS sufferers. In 1979, she received the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1983, Mother Teresa suffered her first heart attack. After suffering from lung, kidney and heart problems for several years, she died on Sept. 5, 1997, which is now her feast day. At the time of her death her Missionaries of Charity numbered over 4,000. She had 610 foundations in 123 countries.
Mother Teresa was beatified on October 19, 2003, after confirmation of her first miracle. The miracle was reported that a woman who had a large and very visible tumor, had stayed with the Missionaries of Charity. After she and the Sisters had prayed for Mother Teresa’s intercession, the growth, six to seven inches in length, had disappeared within several hours. Finding no other medical explanation for the sudden cure it was declared her first miracle. Over 3500 other reports are being investigated as possible miracles.
After accepting a second miracle, Pope Francis cleared the way for Mother Teresa to be declared a saint. Pope Francis signed a decree declaring that the inexplicable 2008 recovery of a Brazilian man who suddenly woke from a coma caused by a viral brain infection was due to the intercession of the Albanian nun, who died in 1997.
The Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, the postulator spearheading Mother Teresa’s canonization case, stated that the man fully recovered following his wife’s prayers and he has since returned to work as a mechanical engineer. The couple also have had two children.
In 2003, Mother Teresa’s private correspondence revealed she had experienced a “dark night of the soul”… feeling abandoned by God and lacking in faith. This lasted unusually long; for fifty years. Many saints have experienced such feelings, described by John of the Cross, in his book Dark Night of the Soul. She was filled with loneliness, and torture, due to this lack of consolation from God.
Each image in the following list is accompanied by a quote or prayer of Mother Teresa. The images are all public domain images.
As we celebrate the sainthood and feast day of St.Teresa of Calcutta on Sept. 5, let’s remember the remarkable things she did and said.
Sisters of Charity
Prayer of Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go. Flood our souls with your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly that our lives may only be a radiance of yours. Shine through us and be so in us that every soul we come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul. Let them look up and see no longer us, but only Jesus. Stay with us and then we shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be light to others. The light, O Jesus, will be all from you. None of it will be ours. It will be you shining on others through us. Let us thus praise you in the way you love best by shining on those around us. Let us preach you without preaching, not by words, but by our example; by the catching force – the sympathetic influence of what we do, the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear to you.
Amen
Mother Teresa with Child/Associated Press
Mother Teresa: Smile
“Let us always meet each other with a smile for the smile is the beginning of love.”
“Peace begins with a smile.”
“Every time you smile at someone it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa: God and Faith
“We are nothing without God, but if we put our lives in God’s hands miracles happen.”
“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”
“Faith in action is love, and love in action is service. Byt transforming that faith into living acts of love, we put ourselves in contact with God Himself, with Jesus our Lord.”
“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.”
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa with Pope John Paul II
Mother Teresa: Prayer
The fruit of silence is prayer.
The fruit of prayer is faith.
The fruit of faith is love.
The fruit of love is service.
The fruit of service is peace.”
Mother Teresa
Young Mother Teresa
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhju (Mother Teresa)
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is life, fight for it.
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa: Abortion
“Any country that accepts abortion, is not teaching its people to love but to use any violence to get what it wants.”
“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”
“There are two victims in every abortion: a dead baby and a dead conscience.”
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa: Love and Forgiveness
“It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing.It is not how how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.”
“I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
“If we really want to love we must learn to forgive.”
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa: Helping the Sick
“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”
“Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not come, we have only today. Let us begin.”
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa in service
Mother Teresa: Service
“If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives; be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies; succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous, be happy anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God, it was never between you and them anyway.”
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa Praying
Mother Teresa: Prayer
“Love to pray. Feel often during the day the need for prayer and take trouble to pray Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of Himself. Ask and seek, and your heart will grow big enough to receive Him and keep Him as your own.”
“Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.”
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa: Silence
“We need to find God and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature; trees, flowers, grass, grows in silence. See the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
Meditating on the following quotes from the saints can lead us on our journey of faith.
It is by faith that God dwells in our hearts, in our memory, our intellect and penetrates even into our imagination. St. Bernard of Clairvaux
St. Bernard Clairvaux
2. The Lord is always near to all who call upon his help with sincerity, true faith, sure hope, and perfect love. St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
St. Ambrose,
3. The faith of those who live their faith is a serene faith. What you long for will be given to you, what you love, will be yours forever. St Leo the Great , Bishop of Rome
St. Leo the Great
4. Jesus saved the thief on the holy hill at Golgotha because of one hour’s faith, will he not save you too since you have believed? St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
5. Faith is to believe what you do not see, the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. Augustine of Hippo
St. Augustine
6. Faith lifts the soul. Hope supports it. Experience says it must, and love says let it be! St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
7. Faith is a beam radiating from the face of God. St. John Eudes
St. John Eudes
8. Live in faith and hope, though it may be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. Do not think that He is leaving you alone for that would be to wrong Him. St. John of the Cross
15. Faith is like a bright ray of sunlight. It enables us to see God in all things, as well as all things in God. St. Francis de Sales
S
t. Francis de Sales
16. Our door is faith. of it is strong enough, the entire house is safe. St. Ambrose
St. Ambrose
17. By itself, faith accomplishes nothing, for even the devil believes and trembles. No, faith must be joined to an active love which is expressed in good works. St. Maximus the Confessor
20. Faith leads us beyond ourselves. It leads us directly to God. St. John Paul II, Bishop of Rome
21. Your faith will help you realize that it is Jesus Himself who is present in the Blessed Sacrament, working working for you and calling you to spend one special hour with Hime each week. St. John Paul II, Bishop of Rome
St. John Paul II
22. If faith is lacking, it is because there is too much selfishness., too much concern for personal gain. For faith to be true, it has to be genuine and loving. Love and faith go together…they complete each other. St. Teresa of Calcutta
Mother Teresa
23. Among the many signs of a lively faith is the hope we have in eternal life. One of the secrets is not being overly sad at the death of those whom we dearly love in our Lord. St. Ignatius of Loyola
St. Ignatius Loyola
24. Your soul must hold fast to Him. You must follow after Him in your thoughts, you must tread His way, by faith, not in outward show. St. Ambrose
St. Ambrose
25. Faith fills a man with love for the beauty of its truth, with faith in the truth of its beauty. St. Francis de Sales
During our journey of faith, all of us at some time in our life need an extra dose of courage. To face our fears can be very daunting, requiring a decision from deep within ourselves not to run from adversity. Reflecting on the wisdom of the saints can help during those times. The following quotes are on the virtue of courage…another name for fortitude.
1. Grace and truth will in turn give rise to courage. Following Christ has always demanded courage.
2. Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.
5. We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage is steadfast and our trust is fixed on God.
10. True love is love that causes us pain, that hurts and yet brings us joy. That is why we must pray to God and ask Him to give us the courage to love.
11. Many people say “I don’t have the courage to make the sacrifice.” Let them do what I did: exert a great effort. God never refuses that first grace which gives one the courage to act. Afterward the heart is strenghthened.
12. Though the path is plain and smooth for men of good will, he who walks it will not travel far, and he will do so only with difficulty, if he does not have good feet; that is courage and a persevering spirit.
14. If one is to do good, he must have a little courage, be ready for sacrifice, deal affably with all and never slight anybody. By following this method, I have always had significant success, in fact, marvelous success!
16. Remember, that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing with you, nothing that you have received – only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.
18. Even if I must suffer greatly, thanks be to God’s mercy, I will not lack courage.
St. Genoveva Torres Morales
St. Genoveva Torres Morales
19. Courage, courage, my daughters. Remember that God does not give anyone more trials than can be suffered and that His Majesty is with the afflicted… for this is certain, there is no reason to fear God, but to hope in His mercy.
21. O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve you. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived, when the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me and I shall meet with peace.
22. Let us never lose courage or despair of God’s mercy. We may not understand His will for us in time, but in eternity the veil will be drawn, and we shall see that He acted only for our happiness. Let us bear our cross and leave it to God to determine the length and the weight.
24. When I am weak, Help me find courage. When I am afraid of what the future holds, Help me find trust. When I cannot see God anymore in my life, Hel me find faith.
25. God of our life. There are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage.
Flood the path with light, turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; turn our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so, quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to your honor and glory. Amen
Prayer is important in our faith journey. There are many prayer styles. Spending time with God is important whether it be alone, with nature, or with a group of many. We pray in our actions and in silence. We also make a joyful noise in praise and thanksgiving.
The following quotes help us to discover the prayer styles of the saints.
1. Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.
2. I pray like little children who do not know how to read. I say very simply to God what I wish to say, without composing beautiful sentences and He always understands me.
21. Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips but with your heart. In fact on certain occasions, you should only speak to Him with your heart.
The opposite of fear is trust. All of us have fears…the fear of the unkniwn, death,, the future, failure and even success! To deal with our fears, we need to be aware of them. Only then can we pray for the courage and wisdom to overcome them.
The following quotes and prayers from the saints may help you to turn your fears into trust.
1. A soul in a state of grace has nothing to fear of demons who are cowards.
3. The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He us also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the sign of the cross.
4. Di not be afraid to be holy! Have the courage to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since full, true freedom is born from holiness.
St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake Public Domain Image
6. Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you Holy, has always protected you and loves you as mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me.
8. Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what is possible for you to do.
St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake Public Domain Image
13. What do you have to fear? Nothing. Whom do you have to fear? No one. Why? Because whoever has joined forces with God obtains three great privileges: omnipotence without power, intoxication without wine and life without death.
22. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness.
23. Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.
24. O my Lord and Savior, in your arms I am safe. Keep me and I have nothing to fear. I know nothing about the future, but I rely upon You. I pray that You would give me what is good for me. Help me to know You, to believe in You, to love You, to serve You, to always aim at bringing You glory to Your precious name. Amen
The Feast of the Holy Trinity is celebrated on the Sunday following Pentecost. On this day we reflect on our relationship with three persons in one God.
Which person in the Holy Trinity do you feel closest to. In what order did you come to know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
The following quotes from the saints share their spirituality regarding their love of the Trinity.
Let them lead us in our faith journey .
1. The Father loves not only the Son, but also himself and us, by the Holy Ghost.
2. Worship the Trinity, which I call the only true devotion and saving doctrine.
St. Gregory Nazianzus
St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Bisop
3. Eternal Trinity…mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself, for You are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being.
3. St. Catherine of Siena
4. O Trinity, eternal Trinity! Fire, abyss of love…was it necessary that You should give even the Holy Trinity as food for souls? You gave us not only Your Word through the Redemption and the Eucharist, but You gave Yourself in the fullness of Love for Your creature.
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Catherine of Siena
5. O Father Eternal God, grant me faith and courage; Son, wisdom of the Father, grant me light and make me wise; Holy Spirit, beloved of the Father and Son, inflame my heart and purify my soul, that I may approach this majestic Sacrament with faith and love.
St. Paschal Baylon
St. Paschal Baylon
6. I have not even begun to think of unity when the Trinity bathes me in its splendor. I have not even begun to think of the Trinity when unity grasps me.
St. Gregory of Nazianzus
St. Gregory of Nazianzus
7. Every divine action begins with the Father, proceeds through the Son, and is completed by the Holy Spirit.
8. I vow and consecrate to God all that is in me: My memory and my actions to God the Father; My understanding and my works to the Son; My will and my thoughts to God the Holy Spirit.
9. O my God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely so as to establish myself in You, unmovable and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity.
11. Let all of us truly and humbly believe…and adore, serve, praise, bless, glorify, exalt…the Most High and Supreme Eternal God, Trinity and Unity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Wherever we are, in every place, at every hour, at every time, every day and continually.
12. I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness, of the Creator of creation.
13. O My God! Most Blessed Trinity, I desire to love You and make You loved, to work for the glory of Holy Church by saving souls on earth and liberating those suffering in purgatory. I desire to accomplish your will perfectly and to reach the degree of glory You have prepared for me in Your kingdom. I desire, in a word, to be a Saint, but I feel my helplessness and I beg You, O my God, to be Yourself my Sanctity!
14. Worship the Trinity, which I will call the only true devotion and saving doctrine.
St. Gregory of Nazianzus
St. Gregory of Nazianzus
15. The three persons are distinct from one another, a sublime knowledge is infused into the soul, embracing it with a certainty of the truth that the Three are of one substance, power and knowledge and are one God.
16. Eternal God, eternal Trinity, you are a mystery as deep as the sea, the more I search, the more I Find and the more I find the more I search for You.
17. When one of the Three Persons communicates with a soul, by the power of that one will, it finds itself united with the Three Persons and is inundated in the happiness flowing from the Most Holy Trinity, the same happiness that nourishes the saints. This same happiness streams from the Most Holy Trinity, makes all creation happy, from it springs that life which verifies and restores all life which takes its beginning from time.
20. You came into this land of exile, willing to suffer and to die, in order to carry away every single soul and plunge it into the very heart of the Trinity – Love’s eternal home.
22. Then they are brought by us where there is water and are reborn by the same manner of rebirth by which we ourselves were reborn; for they are then washed in the water, ‘in the name of God the Father, and master of all, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. ‘
St. Justin Marty by Theophanes the Cretan Public Domain Image
23. I understand nothing else than the Holy Trinity to be meant; for the third is the Holy Spirit, and the Son is the second, by whom all things were made according to the Father.
St. Clement of Alexandria
St. Clement of Alexandria
24. Those holy angels come to the knowledge of God not by audible word, but by the presence to their souls of immutable truth, …of the only begotten Word of God, and they know this Word Himself, and the Father, and their Holy Spirit, and that this Trinity is indivisible, and that the three persons of it are one substance, and that there are not three Gods but one God, and this they so know that it is better understood by them than we are by ourselves.
25. The whole Trinity has marked mankind with its likeness. With the memory it resembles the Father, with the understanding it resembles the Son; by love it resembles the Holy Ghost.
We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday…fifty days after the crucifixion of Jesus. The Holy Spirit descended on the confused and frightened apostles. They were filled with courage and conviction.
Today, we receive the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation. We are sealed with the seal of the Holy Spirit who guides us and fills us with joy.
The 7 gifts of the Spirit are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of God.
The 12 fruits of the spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, Self-control, and chastity.
The following quotes from the saints inspire us with the joy and faith they received.
1. Those whose hearts are pure are temples of the Holy Spirit.
2. He pours light into our minds, arouses our desire and gives us strength. As the soul is to the life of the body, so the Holy Spirit is the life of our souls.
St. Peter Damien
3. The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector … to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console.
4. Just as two rushing rivers intermingle in such a way that the smaller loses its name and is absorbed into the larger, so the Divine Spirit acts upon the soul and absorbes it.
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
5. Happy the man whose words come from the Holy Spirit and not from himself.
9. Breathe into me, Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Move in me, Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Attract my heart, Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy. Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy. Protect me, Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.
14. Stretch every fiber of my being, dear Lord, that I may more easily fly towards you. May Your Spirit, which once breathed over the chaos of the earth, give life to all the powers of my soul.
17. Think of the Father as a spring of life begetting the Son like a river, and the Holy Ghost like a sea, for the spring and the river and the sea are all one nature. Think of the Father as a root, and the Son as a branch. and the Spirit as a fruit, for substance in these three is one. The Father is a sun with the Son as rays and the Holy Ghost as heat.
19. Enrich your soul in the great goodness of God. The Father is your table. The Son is your food, and the Holy Spirit waits on you and then makes Hos dwelling in you.
21. Remember, then, that you received a spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear. Keep safe what you have received. God the Father sealed you. Christ the Lord strengthened you and sent the Spirit into your hearts as the pledge of what is to come.
24. Spirit of truth. You are the reward of the saints, the comforter of souls, light in the darkness, riches to the poor, treasure to lovers, food for the hungry, comfort to those who are wandering; to sum up, you are the one in whom all treasures are contained.
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
25. Jesus to the Apostles on Pentecost: Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins their sins are forgiven, if you don’t forgive them they are not forgiven. ” JOHN 20: 21-23
Faith, Hope and Love are three virtues which St. Paul in Corinthians tells us we must live by. We have three traditional prayers which we call Acts to help us. Whenever we need guidance and direction, praying one of these short Acts will help us.
We are also encouraged to praywithout ceasing. Beginning your day with an Act oh faith, hope and love is one way to grow spiritually.
On Halloween, we see many representations of good and evil: angels, witches, devils, monsters, princesses, gangsters, rock stars, politicians, super heroes.
While we are made in the image of God, each of us has a temptation to do evil. Society glamorizes evil.
If we take the Bible seriously, we should not doubt the existence of Satan and evil spirits. Jesus refers to Satan and angels multiple times.
Satan is actually an angel. He fell from grace when he turned from God. He has been at war with God ever since.
It is only in modern times, that people have denied the existence of evil spirits. Halloween is a time when we should reflect on the good and evil evident around us.
Halloween (All Hallows Eve) comes on the night before All Saint’s Day. Halloween is a display of both good and evil. All Saint’s Day (November 1st) is a display of people who have overcome evil for the glory of God.
Angels have existed since the beginning of creation. They are servants and messengers of God. Unlike human beings they are pure spirits. During the life of Jesus they are always present. Archangel Gabriel announces his birth, they protect Jesus in his infancy, (Mat 4) serve him in the desert, and they strengthen him in his agony in the garden,
The Church teaches that Satan, in the beginning, was a good angel, but became evil by choice. We learn in the bible that Jesus came to conquer evil.
“Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.“ 1 John 8
When Jesus is praying in the Garden before his crucifixion, he prayed for unity among Christians. He also prayed for protection against satan.
“I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)
The fallen angels have never repented for their fall from grace. Their hatred of God leads them to seduce men into choosing their evil ways.
We have free will. God did not create evil. On Halloween, we should reflect on which path we wish to follow…the path of God…or the path of evil.
Being neutral is not an option, it is evil; the sin of omission, laziness, and being lukewarm.
The devil is always trying to tempt us to do evil. We need to turn to God with the Lord’s prayer when we need to be strengthened.
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:13)
We need to be aware of the evil around us and the temptations which may cause us to go astray. How else can we choose to do good rather than evil? Pray! Pray! Pray!
Easter is just around the corner! Students of Catholicism are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation. At the Easter vigil adults coming into the Catholic faith will be baptized, receive their first communion and be confirmed.
The list below is twenty five male patron saints which men might be interested in as they choose their patron saint for confirmation.
Young Catholics will receive the sacrament during the Easter season, when the Bishop of their diocese visits their parish. The sacrament of confirmation is one of the three sacraments of initiation. First is baptism which is often received shortly after birth. Second is Communion or Eucharist, which received at age of reason, usually seven or eight years of age. The third is confirmation. The age for confirmation is decided upon by the Bishop of the Diocese and can range from age of reason to high school.
When confirmed, the person is “sealed with the Holy Spirit”. The sacrament makes the person a full member of the Catholic Church. It’s history goes back to Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. On Pentecost the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and their confusion was lifted. The Apostles received gifts from the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spiritare the following: 1.Wisdom, 2.Understanding, 3. Counsel, 4. Courage 5.Knowledge 6. Reverence, 7. Wonder and awe. Not everyone receives the same gifts.
The fruits of the Holy Spirit come when we make use of the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the following: 1. Charity 2. Joy 3. Peace 4. Patience 5. Kindness 6. Goodness 7. Generosity 8. Gentleness 9. Faithfulness 10. Modesty 11. Self-control 12 Chastity
The person being confirmed chooses a patron saint. The name of the saint is the name the bishop will use when he anoints him/her and lays hands in prayeron them. The saint is to be a role model and guide for the person throughout their life. In good times and bad, we ask our patron saint to pray with us and for us.
Are you searching for a patron saint?
The following twenty five saints should be considered as you choose your patron saint.
St. Andrew the Apostle
1. St. Andrew the Apostle
Feast day: Nov. 30
Patron of fishermen
Apostle and martyr
St. Andrew was the brother to Simon Peter. They were both fishermen. Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist and the first apostle to be called by Jesus. When Andrew asked Jesus where he lived Jesus responded “Come and See.” Andrew then told Simon Peter about Jesus saying “We have found the Messiah!”
After the resurrection, St. Andrew preached in Greece.
St. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion.
St. Anthony of Padua
2. St. Anthony of Padua
Feast day: June 13
Patron of lost items and missing persons
Doctor of the Church
St. Anthony was born in Portugal in 1195. He joined the Augustinian Order. Later he joined the Franciscan Order at age 26. He is called “The hammer of the Heretics.” His preaching was simple and easy to understand. The Infant child Jesus miraculously appeared to him.
St. Anthony was canonized less than one year after his death in 1231.
3. St. Augustine of Hippo
Feastday: Aug. 2. Patron of Brewers Father of the Church
St. Augustine was the patron of brewers because of his lifestyle which included loose living and parties. His mother was St. Monica, who prayed for him for many years. He finally converted after reading a passage of scripture which said, “put away all impurity and live in imitation of Jesus.” This passage helped him to decide to return to the faith.
He was baptized by St. Ambrose. Eventually, he became the Bishop of Hippo. He is know for the poem “Too late have I loved You.”
In the year 430, he fell ill. He spent his last days in prayer, dying on Aug. 28.
4. St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Feast day: Aug. 22. Doctor of the Church
Patron saint of mountaineers an The Alps
St. Bernard was born in Burgundy, France. After his mother’s death he entered th Cistercian Order. He founded a monastery known as the Abbey of Clairvaux. He was the Abbot. He refused offers to become a bishop. In 1128, he participated in the Council of Troyes. He was known for fighting against heresies.
In 1139, he assisted in the Second Council of the Lateran. He encouraged Lectio Divina and contemplation on scripture.
St. Dominic
5. St. Dominic
Feast day: Aug 8
Patron of Astronomers
Founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans)
St. Dominic was born in 1170 into a wealthy family at Calaruega, Spain. As a priest he preached against the Albigensianism heresy. He also helped to reform the Cistercians.
He organized the Order of Preachers, known as the Dominican Order. They were traveling preachers who practiced a life of prayer and penance.
St. Dominic spread the Marian devotion of praying the Rosary.
St. Dominic died on Aug. 6
St. Francis of Assisi
6. St. Francis of Assisi
Feast day: Oct. 4
Patron of environment and animals
Founder of The Franciscan Order
St. Franciswas born in Assisi, Italy in 1181 into a wealthy family. He lived a wild life when young, becoming a soldier. However, God appeared to him in a dream telling him to go home.
Later, in prayer, God said “Francis, repair my church.” Francis took this literally, and began to repair the church buildings which were falling down. Eventually, it led Francis to leave his family, founding the Franciscan Order. Franciscans took a vow of poverty and served the sick and poor.
St. Francis loved animals and nature. Birds and wild animals had no fear of him. He also composed music.
St. Francis died in 1226.
St. Gregory the Great
7. St. Gregory the Great
Feast day: Sept. 3
Patron saint of students, teachers, musicians
Doctor of the Church
St. Gregorybecame a prefect of Rome before the age of 30. The pope chose him to be one of his seven deacons. At age 50 he was elected pope. He is know for reforming the liturgy. The Gregorian chant is attributed to St. Gregory.
Pope Gregory became a Benedictine monk living in his own home. He founded six monasteries after five years in office. He also re-energized the missionary work of the church.
Pope Gregory died in 604. He was declared a saint by popular acclamation.
& St. Jerome and the Angel by Simon Vouet Public Domain Ima. e. L
8. St. Jerome
Feast day: Sept. 30
Patron of librarians, students, and orphans
Doctor of the Church
St. Jerome was born in 342 in Aquileia. He is the most educated of the Church Fathers. He was baptized by Pope Liberius in 360.
Wanting a religious library, he copied St. Hilary’s books. He is most famous for his translation of the Bible from Hebrew into Latin (the vulgate). He also wrote many commentaries on scripture. He was a priest, confessor, theologian and historian.
St. Jerome died near Bethlehem on Sept. 30, 420.
In art he is shown as one of the four church fathers (Augustine of Hippo, Ambrose, Pope Gregory the Great and Jerome).
St. John the Baptist
9. St. John the Baptist
Feast day: June 24
Patron of prosperity, baptism and conversion
Cousin to Jesus
John the Baptist was the cousin to Jesus. He was the son of Elizabeth, who miraculously conceived in her old age. Zechariah was his father.
At age 30 John began to preach in Jordan against evil behavior. He called everyone to penance and baptism, saying the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand. He baptized large crowds of people. Eventually, he baptized Jesus, saying. “It is I who need baptism from You.”
It is John who identified Jesus as “The Lamb of God”.
John the Baptist is considered the last of the Old Testament prophets.
John was beheaded at the request of the daughter of the king on June 24th.
St. John the Evangelist
10. St. John the Evangelist
Feast day: Dec. 27
Patron of Book sellers, printers, art dealers
Apostle
St. Johnwas a Galilean, born to Zebedee. His mother was Salome. He was the Brother to St. James the Greater. John and James were known as “the sons of thunder.” St. John is also known as “The beloved disciple” and “The Apostle of Charity”.
John was with Jesus at the marriage feast of Cana. He was given the honor of sitting next to Jesus at the Last Supper. He was also with Jesus during all of his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and at the crucifixion. He was the only Apostle who stood with the holy women at the foot of the cross.
Jesus spoke about him from the cross, saying “Woman, behold thy son”. John took Mary the mother of Jesus into his home after Jesus’ death and cared for her.
St. John was the first Apostle to recognize Jesus when he appeared to them on the shore.
St. John worked in Jerusalem and at Ephesus after the death of Jesus, living in Asia Minor. He wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and possibly the Book of Revelation.
St. Johe of the Cross
11. St. John of the Cross
Feast day: Dec. 14
Patron saint of poets, mystics, and contemplatives
Doctor of the Church
John of the Cross was born in Spain in 1542. After the death of his father he attended a school for orphans. His mother kept the family together inspite of being homeless. At the age of 14 he took a job caring for hospital patients who suffered mental and terminal illnesses. From poverty and suffering John found beauty and happiness not in the world but in God.
St. John joined the Carmelite Order. He met and became a friend to St. Teresa of Avila. She asked him to help him reform the order. Threatened by the change John envisioned, he was captured and imprisoned by members of his own order, being locked in a small room and beaten regularly. After nine months he escaped, taking only his mystical poetry with him. This poetry includes The Dark Night of the Soul.
St. John of the Cross died in 1591.
St. Joseph
St. Joseph
Feast day March 19, May 1
Patron of fathers, a happy death, workers, foster children
Foster father of Jesus
Husband to the Blessed Virgin
Joseph was engaged to be married to Mary, when she was found with child. He was going to divorce her quietly to avoid scandal, however an angel appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do no be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Mat: 1: 20-21
Joseph immediately took Mary as his wife.
The angel appeared to Joseph a second time. This time he was told his family was in danger. They fled to Egypt where they stayed until the angel told him it was safe to return.
Joseph worked as a carpenter. He was the foster father of Jesus, loving him and providing for him and Mary. Jesus, Mary and Joseph are referred to as “The Holy Family”.
We celebrate two feast days for St. Joseph. The first is on March 19; Feast day of St. Joseph, husband of Mary. The second feast day is May 1; Feast day of St. Joseph the worker.
St. Josephis the patron for a happy death because tradition tells us that he died with Jesus and Mary at his side.
13. St. Jude Thaddaeus Feast Day: Oct. 28 Patron of desperate causes Apostle and martyr
St. Jude was an apostle of Jesus. He was brother to St. James the Less. He is not the same person as Judas who betrayed our Lord.
St. Jude is the author of an epistle in the Bible. Because he stressed the need to persevere during difficult times, he is considered the patron of desperate causes.
Tradition tells us that he suffered martyrdom along with the apostle Simon the Zealot in Beirut, a province of Syria. In art he is shown with an ax which was used in his execution.
St. Justin Martyr
. St. Justin Martyr
Feast day: June 1
Patron of philosophers
Martyr
Father of the Church
St. Justin Martyr lived from 100-165. He was born a Gentile at Flavia, Neapolis. He converted to Christianity and defended the faith in Asia Minor and Rome. He wrote two “Apologies”. These were attempts to explain the faith. His first Apology is one of the earliest records teaching the meaning of the Eucharist.
St. Justin was a student of philosophy. After his conversion, he continued to debate philosophy publicly with his fellow students. A rival philosopher turned Justin in to authorities because of his faith. He was put on trial and then executed. He was beheaded in the year 165.
St. Justin Martyr is considered a Father of the Church.
St. Luke
Feast Day Oct. 18
Patron of physicians and surgeons
Author of the Gospel of Luke and The Acts of the Apostles. St. Luke was a gentile who spoke Greek. He followed Paul after the Resurrection of Jesus. He accompanied Paul to Macedonia. When Paul was imprisoned, St. Luke stayed near him.
St. Luke was born at Antioch in Spain. He is referred to as a physician by St. Paul, St. Jerome and St. Irenaeus. He is referred to as “the beloved physician” by Paul in Col. 4:14.
The Gospel of Luke focuses on God’s mercy and forgiveness of sinners. Only in the Gospel of Luke does the story of the Prodigal Son appear.
St. Mark the Evangelist
16. St. Mark the Evangelist
Feast day: April 25
Patron of attorneys, prisoners, notaries
Martyr
St. Mark was a disciple of Jesus who traveled with St. Paul. He accompanied Paul and Barnabus on their missionary journey.
St. Mark wrote the second gospel when Romans requested that he write down the teachings of St. Peter. Tradition says that he was present at the Miracle of Cana when Jesus turned the water into wine.
Tradition also tells us he was martyred in the year 68 by being dragged through the street with a rope around his neck.
He is portrayed as a lion because his Gospel begins with John the Baptist crying “Make ready the way of the Lord”.
The relics of St. Mark are in Venice.
St. Matthew and the Angel
St. Matthew
Feast day: Sept. 21
Apostle
Patron saint of bankers and accountants
Martyr
St. Matthewwas one of the twelve called to be an Apostle. He was a tax collector before Jesus called him to follow him. He is also known as ‘Levi”.
The Gospel of Mathew was written in Aramaic which the Hebrew tongue. The Gospel of Mathew has the most parables of the Gospels. It also has the Beatitudes which are in the Sermon on the Mount. Tradition tells us that he worked in Ethiopia.
Tradition tells us that St. Matthew died a martyrs death, being killed with an ax.
St. Michael the Archangel
18. St. Michael the Archangel
Feast day: Sept. 29
Archangel
Patron of police, paratroopers, mariners, sickness
The name Michael means “Who is like God.” St. Michael is the leader of the good angels. He is considered a warrior angel. In the Book of Revelations it is St. Michael who is the leader during the final battle between good and evil at the end of time.
St. Michael the Archangel is the patron of police because of his battle against evil. St. Michael defend me in battle is a popular Catholic prayer.
St. Michael has appeared in three places: the cave of St. Michael in Italy, Mont St. Michel in France and The Grotto of St. Michael in Mexico.
St. Patrick
9. St. Patrick
Feast day: March 17
Patron of Ireland, slaves
St. Patrick was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland, in 387. At age 14 he was captured by a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave. As a slave, he tended to the sheep. He turned to God in prayer. His prayer “The Breastplate of St. Patrick” is well known.
Patrick was a slave until the age of 20. He received guidance in a dream. He was led to sailors who took him to Britain. In another dream, the people of Ireland asked him to return.
He became a priest, then a Bishop. As Bishop he was sent back to Ireland. Many people converted under his guidance. He is known for using the shamrock to explain the Trinity.
He died in Saul, where he built his first church, on March 17, 461.
St. Paul the Apostle
20. St. Paul
Feast day: June 29
Apostle
Martyr
Author of 14 Epistles
Patron of converts, authors, writers, publishers
St. Paul is known as the Apostle of the Gentiles. He is also known as Saul of Tarsus. Before his conversion, he was persecuting Christians. In the Book of Acts his conversion story is told. Paul hears a voice saying “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Paul replies, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up enter the city and you will be told what to do.” Acts 9: 4-6
After this experience Paul was baptized, and he began preaching that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He fled Damascus returning to see Peter. Paul traveled on several missionary journeys, accompanied by Barnabus.
He was imprisoned in Caesarea and then in Rome, being kept in chains. After his release he went to Spain. He was imprisoned again and beheaded in the year 67.
St. Paul wrote 14 Epistles which have greatly influenced the Christian faith.
St. Peregrine
21. St. Peregrine Laziosi
Feast day: May 1
Patron of cancer victims
St. Peregrine was born to wealthy parents in Forli, Italy in 1260. He was active in politics when he was young, being a member of the anti-papal party. After striking St. Philip Benizi in the face at an uprising he repented and converted to Catholicism.
St. Peregrine received a vision of the Virgin Mary, after which he followed her instructions to join the Servites, observing silence and solitude.
He was afflicted with a tumor on his leg which the doctors wanted to amputate. He spent the night before the operation in prayer. The following morning he was completely cured and the tumor was gone. The miracle became well known.
Peter’s name at birth was Simon. He was from Bethsaida and the brother to St. Andrew. Both Simon and Peter were fishermen. It was Andrew who told Simon that he had found the Messiah. Jesus then called Simon to follow him.
Jesus gave Simon the name of Peter which means “rock”. When Peter acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah, the son of the living God, Jesus said to him, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
St. Peteris always listed as the first of the Apostles in all of the New Testament accounts. Peter, along with James and John were present at the transfiguration, the raising of Jairus’ daughhter and the Agony in the Garden.
At the crucifixion Peter denied Jesus three times.
When Jesus appeared to Peter after the Resurrection, he told Peter three times “feed my sheep”.
After the Resurrection, Peter appointed the replacement of Judas. He preached to the Gentiles.
Peter died in Rome during the reign of Nero. He was crucified upside down because he declared himself unworthy to die in the same manner as. the Lord.
23. St. Sebastion Patron of archers, athletes and soldiers. Feastday January 20
St. Sebastian was born in Gaul. He became a soldier in the Roman army. Sebastian converted many people to the christian faith. He is also known for curing a deaf mute.
St. Sebastian was named captain of the guards. When they learned he was Christian, he was ordered executed. He was shot with arrows and left to die. The widow of St. Castulas found him still alive and nursed him back to health. Soon after, he was beaten to death on the Emperors orders.
St. Sebastian is considered the patron saint of athletes because of his physical endurance and energetic way of defending the faith.
24. St. Thomas the Apostle
Feast day: July 3
Patron of architects
Apostle and Martyr
St. Thomas was born into a Jewish family. Jesus called him to be one of the twelve disciples.
He is most remembered for not believing that Jesus had risen from the dead, saying “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in his side I will not believe. John 20: 25
Jesus appeared to Thomas a week later saying “Peace be with you. Put your finger here and see my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered “My Lord and my God!”
St. Thomas is remembered as Doubting Thomas.
After Pentecost, Thomas was sent to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, Persians, and India.
St. Thomas was speared to death at Calamine.
25. St. Vincent de Paul
Feast day: Sept. 27
Patron of Charitable Societies
St. Vincent was born in 1581 to poor parents in Gascony, France. His first school was led by Franciscans. He was ordained a priest in 1600 after studying at the University of Toulouse.
St. Vincent was captured by pirates while he was at sea. They held him prisoner for two years. He escaped, going to Rome and then returning to France.
St. Vincent founded the Sister of Charity who served the poor through corporal and spiritual works of mercy. He then founded the Vincentians. Their mission was to serve the poor in smaller towns and villages. He also conducted retreats for clergy and established seminaries.
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