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Showing posts with the label Angels

Saint Francis de Sales on the Angels

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Saint Francis de Sales, the 17th century French bishop and Doctor of the Church, yearned to save souls. His gentleness of spirit, pastoral aptitude and compassion made him a great teacher of the Faith. The following illustrates his deep insight: Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you. Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs. — St. Francis de Sales __________________________________________ Prayer for the Intercession of St. Francis de Sales Almighty God, who for the salvation of souls willed that the Bishop Saint Francis de Sales become all things to all, graciously grant that, following his example and holy intercession, we may always display the gentleness of your charity in the service of our neighbor. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

The Incarnation is a Celestial Blessing for Mankind

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Father Pius Parsch God became Man . Utterly incomprehensible is this truth to our puny human minds! That the eternal God whom heaven and earth cannot contain, who bears the world in His hand as a nutshell, before whom a thousand years are as one day, that this eternal, omnipotent God should become Man! Would it not have been a tremendous condescension if for the redemption of mankind He had simply sent an angel? Would it not have proven His loving mercy had He appeared for a mere moment in the splendor of His majesty, amid thunder and lightning, as once on Sinai? No, such would have shown far too little of His love and kindness. He wanted to be like us, to become a child of man, a poor child of poorest people; He wished to be born, in a cave...in hostile surroundings. Cold wind, hard straw, dumb animals — these were there to greet Him. The scene fills us with amazement; what other can we do than fall down in silence and adore! In heaven only will we comprehend the profound imp

Waiting for the Messiah, Then and Now

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Father Michael J. Woolley (From a homily delivered in December 2005) Late in the afternoon that first Christmas eve, a man could be seen walking in front of a donkey, coming from the north on the road leading into the city. Passing by a field of shepherds with their sheep, this man, whose name was Joseph, led his donkey through the gates of the city of Bethlehem, to look for a place to stay the night. Riding atop the donkey was Joseph’s young wife, whom he had married a little less than a year ago, whose name was Miryam, a name meaning “the perfect and beautiful one”. Also riding on that donkey behind Joseph, in the virgin womb of His mother, was Joseph’s unborn Son by adoption, who He was to name Jesus. Jesus came riding into Bethlehem on a donkey, just as he was to go riding into Jerusalem on a donkey 33 years later. But what was Joseph, and his nine-month’s pregnant wife and child, and his donkey, doing there? Why did Joseph saddle up his donkey and journey 75 mile

Pope St. Gregory the Great on the Birth of Christ

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[On the night of Our Savior's Birth] The Angel announces that a king is born, and the choirs of angels join their voices, and rejoicing together they cry, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those of good will.' Before our redeemer was born in the flesh there was a discord between us and the angels, from whose brightness and purity we stood afar, not only as the result of original sin but also because of our daily offenses. Because through sin we had become strangers to God, the angels as God's subjects had cut us off from their fellowship. But because we have now acknowledged our King, the angels have received us as fellow citizens. ― St. Gregory the Great  _______________________________________ Collect Prayer for the Nativity of the Lord Almighty ever-living God, who gladdens us year by year as we wait in hope for our redemption grant that, just as we joyfully welcome your Only Begotten Son our Redeemer, we may also merit to face him c

Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

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Memorial - November 22nd  When Saint Augustine famously said, "One who sings prays twice," he may have been thinking of the early Church martyr most often associated with music. Saint Cecilia has often been depicted in art with either an organ or a viola since at least the time of the Renaissance. She is the patron saint of music and musicians, and especially those engaged in the composition and performance of sacred hymns. Much of her story is actually legend, and authentic material related to her life is scarce. We know that she was a Christian woman of high rank who was martyred in either the 2nd or 3rd century. The daughter of patrician Roman Christians, she was given in marriage to a rich young nobleman, Valerian of Trastevere, despite desiring to remain a virgin. By the designs of Providence, her innocence was preserved. There was a feast in her honor celebrated in the Church as early as 545, and at least one church was dedicated in her name in the late 4th cen

Saint Francis and the Six-Winged Seraph

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In early August 1224, Saint Francis of Assisi, accompanied by three fellow friars, ascended Mount La Verna where the later would pray an extended vigil ending on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. In the morning light of September 17th, Francis beheld a six-winged Seraph, [angel] whose wings were aflame, imprint him with the Holy Stigmata and assume the likeness of Christ Crucified. Here are excerpts from a reflection by Br. Vincent Mary Carrasco via Catholic Chowder . ______________________________________ Saint Francis Receives the Stigmata of Christ Br. Vincent Mary Carrasco, O.F.M.Cap. "According to the writings of Saint Bonaventure, Saint Francis was 'led by divine providence to a high place apart called Mount La Verna.' (FAED II, Ch. 12) Two years before his death, in what was his usual custom of fasting for 40 days in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Francis would 'experience more abundantly than usual an overflow of the sweetness

Feast of the Guardian Angels

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Memorial - October 2nd Each person on earth has a guardian angel who watches over and guides us to attain salvation. It has been a common theological opinion that this angelical guardianship begins at the moment of birth; prior to this, the child would be protected by the mother's guardian angel. But this is not certain, and since we now know that the soul is infused at the moment of conception, it may be that the angelic guardianship also begins at that moment. In any case, this protection continues throughout our whole life and ceases only when our probation on earth ends, namely, at the moment of death. Our guardian angel accompanies our soul to purgatory or heaven, and will become our coheir in the Kingdom of Heaven. Angels appear as early as the Book of Genesis and continuously carry out God’s will throughout the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Mary is visited by an angel (Archangel Gabriel) at the Annunciation, and Jesus Himself talks about them in the Gospel of

Saint Augustine on the Most Holy Trinity [As Seen by the Angels in Heaven]

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Those holy angels come to the knowledge of God not by audible words, but by the presence to their souls of immutable truth, i.e., 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. — St. Augustine of Hippo, The City of God , Book 2 Chapter 29. _____________________________________________________ Holy Spirit Prayer of St. Augustine 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. Amen.

Do Not Be Afraid!

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Once when Zechariah was serving as priest he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw and fear came over him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid Zechariah for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. (Luke 1:8-15) The angel tells Zechariah that his prayer has been heard. We aren't told what Zechariah has been praying for, but now we know. He was praying for Isreal, of course, as a Jewish priest would do. But he was also praying for a son. Sometimes we're afraid to pray for things that seem unrealistic. Three times in the birth story of Jesus we'll hear angels say, &quo