SAINT JOSAPHAT OF POLOTSK

Here I am; I came to you as a shepherd. 

You know I would be happy 

to give my life for you.

1580 - 1623
Josaphat Kuntsevych, O.S.B.M., was a monk and archeparch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, who died at Vitebsk in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, on 12 November 1623, killed by a mob of Orthodox Christians.

In October 1623, Josaphat decided to return to Vitebsk to try to calm the troubles himself. He was completely aware of the danger but said, "If I am counted worthy of martyrdom, then I am not afraid to die."

The separatists saw their chance to get rid of Josaphat and discredit him if they could only stir Josaphat's party to strike the first blow. Then they would have an excuse to strike back. Their threats were so public that Josaphat preached on the gospel verse John 16:2, "Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God." He told the people, "You people want to kill me. You wait in ambush for me in the streets, on the bridges, on the highways, in the marketplace, everywhere. Here I am; I came to you as a shepherd. You know I would be happy to give my life for you. I am ready to die for union of the Church under St. Peter and his successor the Pope."

SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI

If I wish to please God, 

I must do His Will and not my own.

We must unite ourselves to God's will.Even those that we suffer from man...for example, contempt, injustice, loss of reputation, loss of temporal goods and all kinds of persecutions.On these occasions we must remember that whilst God doesn't will the sin, He does will our humiliation, our poverty, or our mortification, as the case may be. It is certain and of Faith, that whatever happens, happens by the will of God.Our conduct in such instances is the true measure of our love for God.

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." --Matthew 5:10

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (Romans 8:35)


Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated (Hebrews 10:33). It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil (1 Peter 3:17).Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right (1 Peter 4:19).


That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

"Remember the words I spoke to you:'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." --John 15:20

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering (2 Thessalonians 1:5).

Know this love that surpasses knowledge--

that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:19

Entries: 6/11/11-6:50AM

LIKENESS OF THE LORD

Now that we are reborn, as I have said, in the likeness of our Lord, and have indeed been adopted by God as his children, let us put on the complete image of our Creator so as to be wholly like him, not in the glory that he alone possesses, but in innocence, simplicity, gentleness, patience, humility, mercy, harmony, those qualities in which he chose to become, and to be, one with us.

-- St Peter Chrysologus

St. John of the Cross

Let my soul live as if separated from my body.

ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS

Today is the Feast day of St. John of the Cross. He is a Carmelite reformer of the 16th century who tried to simplify the life of the Carmelite Order that had become caught up in an aristocratic mentality. The life of the monks resembled more the life of aristocracy rather than being a simple and powerful witness to the Gospel through a radical expression of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.

St. John was a poet of the first degree, indeed the Patron of Spanish Poets, and he wrote many marvelous texts that have both puzzled and astounded the men and women who have studied them through the centuries. The depth of apprehension of the love of God and his mystery is probably very difficult for most of us to understand and comprehend as we have not known the difficulty and experiences that engendered such insight in the life of John. Yet his poetry and writings afford us a unique and compelling entry point to the mystical life. The degree to which we are able to avail of this opportunity will largely depend upon, of course, the grace of the Holy Spirit, but also our own willingness to enter into our own Calvary experience – coming to know personally that experience of suffering that unites us with Jesus in His passion and death.

We have to be willing to go anywhere and everywhere the Spirit leads us. This is part of the mystery of embracing a vocation to follow God’s will; it is the only path to union with Him.

The challenge we face in our world today is how to put aside the materialism and consumerism that command our every attention and replace it with a concern for the spiritual life that will eventually become everything to us. This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus today. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you willing to leave behind the cares of the world and focus your life upon the promises of the Spirit?

Holy Spirit, help me to overcome the cares of the world in my heart and mind so that I can better focus upon the truths of the Spirit that will endure forever.

Entries:12/6/12-6:46AM

SAINT AUGUSTINE

This very moment I may, if I desire, 

become the friend of God.

POWER OF WORDS
Be assured that abuses are done away with by teaching rather than by commanding. If we make threats, let it be done sorrowfully, in the words of Scripture, and in terms of the world to come. In this way it is not we who are feared because of our power, but God because of our words.

THE MIGHTY PHYSICIAN
So mighty is the physician who has come to us that he has healed all our sins! If we choose to be sick once again, we not only harm ourselves, but show ingratitude to the physician as well. Yes he gave us a path of humility. If we keep to it we shall confess our belief in the Lord and have good reason to sing: We shall praise you, God, we shall praise you and call upon your name.

Entries: 7/28/12-5:40 AM

SAINT EPRAEM THE SYRIAN

PRAYER
Virtues are formed by prayer.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.

TRANSGRESSIONS
What leper, when he has been healed, turns again and desires to have his leprosy back?
You have put off your transgressions in Baptism....forsake them! (October 1, 2010)

ST. DOROTHEOS OF GAZA

-- St. Dorotheos of Gaza

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dorotheus of Gaza (505-565 or 620,^[1] alternative spelling Dorotheos) or Abba Dorotheus, was a Christianmonk

and abbot.^[1] He joined the monasteryAbba Serid (or Abba Sveridus) near Gaza through the influence of elders Barsanuphius and John. Around 540 he founded his own monastery nearby and became abbot there. He wrote instructions for monks of which a considerable number have survived and have been compiled into Directions on Spiritual Training. Abba Dorotheus (St. Dorotheus the Hermit of Kemet) is recognized as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church^[2] with his Feast Day on June 5 in the Roman Catholic Church^[3] and June 18 (June 5 old style) in Churches of Eastern Orthodox tradition.^[4]

Feast
18 June (Orthodox); 5 June (Roman Catholic)




VIRTUE

No wickedness, no heresy, not even the Devil himself can deceive anyone without counterfeiting virtue.

PERFECT LOVE

Perfect love leads a man on to perfect fear. Such a man fears and keeps to God's will, not from fear of punishment, not to avoid condemnation, but because he has tasted the sweetness of being with God; he fears he may fall away from it.

Saint Bernard

LOVE GOD

God must be loved first, in order that one's neighbor, too, may be loved in God.

SHARE IN THE LORD'S PASSION

We read in the gospel that when the Lord was teaching his disciples and urged them to share in his passion by the ministry of eating his body, some said: This is a hard saying; and from that time they no longer followed him. When he asked the disciples whether they also wish to go away, they replied: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

I assure you my brothers that even to this day it is clear to some that the words which Jesus speaks are spirit and life, and for this reason they follow him. To others these words seem hard, and so they look elsewhere for some pathetic consolation. Yet wisdom cries out in the streets, in a broad and spacious way that leads to death, to call back those who take this path.

"PRAY, HOPE, AND DON'T WORRY"

Saint Pio (Pius) of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap., (25 May 1887 – 23 September 1968) was a Capuchin Catholic priest from Italy who is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. He was born Francesco Forgione, and given the name Pius (Italian: Pio) when he joined the Capuchins, thus he was popularly known as Padre Pio. He became famous for his bearing the stigmata. On 16 June 2002, he was canonized by Pope John Paul II.


STOP ENTERTAINING VAIN FEARS

Stop entertaining those vain fears. Remember it is not feeling which constitutes guilt but the consent to such feelings. Only the free will is capable of good or evil. But when the will sighs under the trial of the tempter and does not will what is presented to it, there is not only no fault but there is virtue. -- Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

FIX THE TIME AND LENGTH OF YOUR MEDITATION

The field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul. It is in the soul that the battle rages every moment of life. The soul must give free access to the Lord so that it may be fortified by Him in every repect and with all kinds of weapons; that His light may enlighten it to combat the darkness of error; that it may be clothed with Jesus Christ. To be clothed with Jesus Christ it is necessary to die to oneself. That which comes from Satan begins with calmness and ends in storm, indifference, and apathy. In the spiritual life he who does not advance goes backward. It happens as with a boat which always must go ahead. If it stands still the wind blows it back. Fix the time, the length of your meditation, and do not rise from your place until you have finished even at the cost of being crucified. -- Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES

SAY LESS
If we say less than we should, it is easy to add. But having said too much, it is hard to take it away.

CHARITY
God does not want each person to keep all the counsels, but only those appropriate to the diversity of persons, times, opportunities, and strengths, as charity requires; for it is charity, as queen of all virtues, all commandments, all counsels, and, in short, of all laws and all Christian actions that gives to all of them their rank, order, time, and value.