#oneminutereflectionaugust30

[anastpaul]

One Minute Reflection – 31 August – Friday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 25:1–13 and the memorial of St Aidan of Lindisfarne

But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ … Matthew 25:6

REFLECTION – “The souls’ husband is the Holy Spirit, by His grace.   When His interior inspiration calls the soul to repentance, then every enticement of vice is in vain.  The pride that wants command, the greed and lust that consumes everything:  this was the master that used to control and ravage the soul.   Their very names have been removed from the repentant sinner’s mouth…   When grace is poured into the soul and gives it light, God makes a covenant with sinners.   He is reconciled with them…   Then is celebrated the wedding of the bridegroom with His bride in the peace of a pure conscience.”…St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – My Lord and my God, help me eternal Father, to stay awake! Teach me to be constantly on guard against my own weakness, to constantly keep watch for temptation and to live constantly in prayer, that Your Son will lead me to safety.   Grant that by the prayers of your holy servant, St Aidan of Lindisfarne, who always remained prayerful and awake, waiting for the Lord, we may be ready to meet the bridegroom.    Through Jesus our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever,amen.

(via One Minute Reflection - 31 August - Today's Gospel: Matthew 25:1–13)

[anastpaul]

One Minute Reflection – 30 August

“Do to no-one what you would not want done to you. Give your bread to those who are hungry and your clothes to those who are naked.”… Tobit 4:16-17

REFLECTION – “The bread that is in your box belongs to the hungry; the coat in your closet belongs to the naked; the shoes you do not wear belong to the barefoot; the money in your vault belongs to the destitute.”…..St Basil the Great (329-379) – Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – God our Saviour, through the grace of Baptism you made us children of light. Hear our prayer, that we may always walk in that light and work for truth, love and charity, as Your witnesses before men. St Pammachius, you lived a life of total charity to those most in need, please pray for us, amen.

(via AnaStpaul – Breathing Catholic)

[anastpaul]

One Minute Reflection – 30 August – Thursday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel:  Matthew 24:42–51

Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming...Matthew 24:42

REFLECTION – “We must sleep in such a way as to be easily awakened.   For Scripture says, “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.” (Lk 12:35-36).   For a sleeping man is of no more use than a dead man.   Therefore we ought often to get up at night and bless God. Blessed are those who watch for Him and so make themselves like the angels, whom we call “watchers”.   A man asleep is worth nothing, no more than if he were dead.   But whoever has the light keeps watch and “darkness does not overcome him” (Jn 1:5) neither sleep.   Whoever has been illumined is therefore wakened to God and such a person is alive, “for what came to be in him was life.” (Jn 1:4)   “Happy the man,” says Wisdom,”who obeys me and happy those who keep my ways, happy the man watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts” (Pr 8:34)…St Clement of Alexandria (150-215) Father of the Church

PRAYER – God our Saviour, through the grace of Baptism you made us children of light. Hear our prayer, that we may always walk in that light and work for truth, love and charity, as Your witnesses before men.   Dispel from our hearts the darkness of sin and keep us ever watchful for the true light, Christ Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever.   St Jeanne Jugan, you lived a life of total charity ever watchful to the needs of your neighbour, please pray for us, amen.

(via One Minute Reflection - 30 August - Today's Gospel:  Matthew 24:42–51)