St. Augustine of Hippo

Trust the past to the Mercy of God, 

the present to His Love, 

and the future to His Providence.

~ St. Augustine ~

Saint Augustine became a Christian at 33, a priest at 36 and a full bishop of Hippo at 41.

Augustine was born on 13 November, 354 in the town of Thagaste, North Africa (region known as Algeria today). His mother, Monica (St. Monica, whose feast is celebrated on 27 August), was a Christian, and his father Patritius, a pagan for many years ( became a Christian before his death). At one level he always found something attractive about Christ, but in the short run he was more interested in the attractions of sex, fame, and pride in his own cleverness. After his conversion to Christianity and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to philosophy and theology. 

In 391 Augustine was ordained a priest in Hippo Regius (now Annaba), Algeria and 395 he was made coadjutor Bishop of Hippo, and became full Bishop "Augustine of Hippo" shortly thereafter; and he gave his property to the church of Thagaste. Augustine, bishop of Hippo died 28 August 430 in Hippo Regius, Numidia at the age of 75. Augustine was canonized, and later recognized as a Doctor of the Church in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII. St. Augustine of Hippo feast day is celebrated on 28 August, the day he died. He is the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, and sore eyes.

Prayer

O Lord God, the light of the minds that know you, the Life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you: Help us, following the example of your servant Augustine of Hippo, so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Faith is to believe what you do not see; 

the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.

Saint Augustine

It was pride that changed angels into devils; 

it is humility that makes men as angels.

Saint Augustine

If you believe what you like in the gospels, 

and reject what you don't like, 

it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.

Saint Augustine

Pray as though everything depended on God. 

Work as though everything depended on you.

Saint Augustine

Do you wish to rise? 

Begin by descending. 

You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? 

Lay first the foundation of humility.

Saint Augustine

If two friends ask you to judge a dispute, 

don't accept, because you will lose one friend; 

on the other hand, 

if two strangers come with the same request, 

accept because you will gain one friend.

Saint Augustine

Psalm 98:1-2, 7-9 ; The Lord has done marvelous things

1 Sing to the Lord a new song,

for he has done marvellous things;

his right hand and his holy arm

have worked salvation for him.

2 The Lord has made his salvation known

and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it.

8 Let the rivers clap their hands,

let the mountains sing together for joy;

9 let them sing before the Lord,

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

and the peoples with equity.

Neglect of prayer

You have not because you ask not.

James 4:2-3

2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change; 

courage to change the things I can; 

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; 

enjoying one moment at a time; 

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 

taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it; 

trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will; 

that I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

forever in the next. 

Amen.

Let us pray for the poor, the needy, the sick, and those who mourn. Help if we Can.

Do what we can to lift those arms that hang down. 

The desire to help others comes, not just as a duty, but also through our love of others. 

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Proverbs 14:31

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,

but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Proverbs 21:13

Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor

will also cry out and not be answered.

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And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

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Because I have been given much, I too must give; 

Because of thy great bounty, Lord, each day I live 

I shall divide my gifts from thee 

With ev’ry brother that I see 

Who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been blessed 

by thy great love, dear Lord, 

I’ll share thy love again, according to thy word. 

I shall give love to those in need; 

I’ll show that love by word and deed: 

Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

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Matthew 25:35-40

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

1 John 3:17-18

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

'You are not excluded!' - Pope Francis

Full text of Vatican Radio’s translation of Pope Francis’ Angelus address on 25 August, 2013 (Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning. 

Today's Gospel invites us to reflect on the theme of salvation. Jesus is going up from Galilee to the city of Jerusalem, and along the way, says St. Luke the Evangelist, someone asked him,

“Lord, will only a few people be saved?” (13:23). Jesus did not answer the question directly: it is not important to know how many are saved, but rather, it is important to know what is the path of salvation. And so Jesus responds to the question by saying, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough” (v. 24). What does Jesus mean? What is the gate by which we enter? And why does Jesus speak about a narrow gate?

The image of the gate recurs several times in the Gospel and is reminiscent of home and hearth, where we find safety, love and warmth. Jesus tells us that there is a gate that allows us to enter into God's family, into the warmth of the house of God, of communion with Him. This gate is Jesus himself (cf. Jn 10:9). He is the gate. He is the gateway to salvation. He leads us to the Father. And the gate that is Jesus is never closed, this gate is never closed, it is always open and open to everyone, without distinction, without exclusions, without privileges. Because, you know, Jesus does not exclude anyone. Some of you might say to me, “But Father, surely I am excluded, because I am a great sinner. I have done so many things in my life.” No, you are not excluded! Precisely for that reason you are preferred, because Jesus prefers the sinner, always, in order to pardon him, to love him. Jesus is waiting for you, to embrace you, to pardon you. Don’t be afraid: He’s waiting for you. Be lively, have the courage to enter through His gate. All are invited to pass through this gate, to pass through the gate of faith, to enter into His life, and to allow Him to enter into our life, because He transforms it, renews it, the gifts of full and lasting joy.

Nowadays we pass many doors that invite us to enter, that promise a happiness that then we realise lasts but a moment, which is an end in itself and has no future. But I ask you: which gate do we want to enter? And who we want to through the gate of our lives? I want to say emphatically: don’t be afraid to pass through the gate of faith in Jesus, to let Him enter more and more into our lives, to go out of our selfishness, our being closed in, our indifference toward others. Because Jesus illuminates our life with a light that never goes out. It is not a firework, not a “flash”! No, it is a soft light that always endures and that gives us peace. That is the light that we meet if we enter through the gate of Jesus. 

Certainly, it is a narrow gate, the gate of Jesus, not because it is a torture chamber. No, not because of that! But because it asks us to open our hearts to Him, to recognize ourselves as sinners, in need of His salvation, His forgiveness, His love, needing the humility to accept His mercy and to be renewed by Him. Jesus in the Gospel tells us that being a Christian is not having a “label”! I ask you, are you Christians because of a label, or in truth? And for each one the answer is within. Not Christians, never Christians because of a label! Christians in truth, in the heart. To be Christian is to live and witness to the faith in prayer, in works of charity, in promoting justice, in doing good. For the narrow gate which is Christ must pass into our whole life.

We ask the Virgin Mary, the Gate of Heaven, to help us to pass through the gate of faith, to allow her Son to transform our existence as He transformed hers, in order to bring everyone the joy of the Gospel.

[After the Angelus, the Holy Father appealed for peace in Syria (see below) and went on to greet pilgrims in attendance in Saint Peter's Square.]

I affectionately greet all the pilgrims present: families, the numerous groups and the Associazione Albergoni. In particular I greet the Sisters of Santa Dorotea, the youth of Verona, Syracuse, Nave, Modica and Trento, the candidates for Confirmation of the Unità Pastorale of Angarano and Val Liona, seminarians and priests of the Pontifical North American College, the workers of Cuneo and the pilgrims Verrua Po, San Zeno Naviglio, Urago d'Oglio, Varano Borghi and Sao Paulo. For many people, these days mark the end of the summer vacation period. I wish you all a peaceful and committed return to normal daily life looking to the future with hope.

I wish you all a good Sunday and a good week! Buon pranzo, and arrivederci!

Pope Francis renews call for peace in Syria 

after the Angelus

With great suffering and concern I continue to follow the situation in Syria. The increase in violence in a war between brothers, with the proliferation of massacres and atrocities, that we all have been able to see in the terrible images of these days, leads me once again raise my voice that the clatter of arms may cease. It is not confrontation that offers hope to resolve problems, but rather the ability to meet and dialogue.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to express my closeness in prayer and solidarity with all the victims of this conflict, with all those who suffer, especially children, and I invite you to keep alive the hope of peace. I appeal to the international community that itself more sensible to this tragic situation and make every effort to help the beloved Syrian nation find a solution to a war that sows destruction and death. All together let us pray. . . All together let us pray to Our Lady, Queen of Peace: Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us! Everyone: Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!...

Gospel @ 25 August, 2013 

(Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Luke 13: 22 - 30
22	He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23	And some one said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them,
24	"Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
25	When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, `Lord, open to us.' He will answer you, `I do not know where you come from.'
26	Then you will begin to say, `We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.'
27	But he will say, `I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!'
28	There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out.
29	And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.
30	And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

Pope Francis on Twitter

@Pontifex

Official Twitter page of His Holiness Pope Francis

A new global communications report calls Pope Francis the most influential world leader on Twitter, who has the second-largest following among world leaders on the fast-paced social media network. Pope Francis now has over 7.2 million followers on Twitter across eight accounts. Besides the English-language “Pontifex” account and the Spanish-language “Pontifex_es” account, he tweets in six other languages: Arabic, French, German, Italian, Latin and Portuguese. His Latin-language account alone has over 130,000 followers.

Geneva, Switzerland, Jul 26, 2013 / 11:50 am (CNA/EWTN News)

12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary

The 12 promises given to St. Margaret Mary to encourage all Catholics to know and understand the benefit of practising the Devotion and to encourage all to take up its immediate practice.

1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
2. I will give peace in their families and will unite families that are divided.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. I will be their refuge during life and above all in death.
5. I will bestow the blessings of Heaven on all their enterprises.
6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall rise quickly to great perfection.
9. I will bless those places wherein the image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored and will imprint My love on the hearts of those who would wear this image on their person. I will also destroy in them all disordered movements.
10. I will give to priests who are animated by a tender devotion to my Divine Heart the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart, never to be effaced.
12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence: they will not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their Sacraments. My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

(The Nine Fridays must be made in honour of His Sacred Heart, meaning, practising the devotion and having a great love of His Sacred Heart. They must be on the first Friday of the month for nine consecutive months, and Communion must be received.)

Only by Your miraculous wonder, Lord

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I pray for Your mercy and favour 

that you come to touch and heal me 

from all my difficulties, troubles and worries caused by my financial situation 

and my health too has taken 

a downturn effects of these. 

I know Lord, 

even at this very moment 

while I am typing this request, 

You have already started working 

on healing me. 

I TRUST and BELIEVE in you Lord, 

my Healer and Provider, 

and there is no other mightier than You. 

In JESUS name, 

I Your servant Lord, 

surrender this prayer to You
as ONLY by Your miraculous wonder
CAN make the change 
and bring my life back in order. 

Amen.

Praise and Glory to God 

in the Highest Heaven.

Lord give us this day our Daily Bread,

as it is Your will in Heaven

let it be Done on earth.

John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you, 

My peace I give to you,” 

Jesus says. 

“Let not your heart be troubled, 

neither let it be afraid’

Strength and Love of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Lord GOD,

give us the strength

and love of the heart

of your only begotten Son, 

JESUS CHRIST

that, by becoming one

with him,

we may have

eternal salvation.

Amen.

~~~~~~

~~~~~~

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, 

to you I consecrate 

and offer up my person and my life, 

my actions, trials, and sufferings, 

that my entire being may henceforth 

only be employed in loving, 

honoring and glorifying you. 

This is my irrevocable will, 

to belong entirely to you, 

and to do all for your love, 

renouncing with my whole heart 

all that can displease you.

I take you, O Sacred Heart, 

for the sole object of my love, 

the protection of my life, 

the pledge of my salvation, 

the remedy of my frailty 

and inconstancy, 

the reparation for all 

the defects of my life, 

and my secure refuge 

at the hour of my death. 

Be, O Most Merciful Heart, 

my justification 

before God your Father, 

and screen me from His anger 

which I have so justly merited. 

I fear all from my own weakness 

and malice, 

but placing my entire confidence 

in you, O Heart of Love, 

I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness. 

Annihilate in me all that can displease 

or resist you. 

Imprint your pure love 

so deeply in my heart 

that I may never forget you 

or be separated from you.

I beseech you, 

through your infinite Goodness, 

grant that my name be engraved 

upon your Heart, 

for in this I place all my happiness 

and all my glory, 

to live and to die 

as one of Thy devoted servants.

Amen.

St. Gregory the Great, Pope, Doctor of the Church

St. Gregory the Great

Born: 540 in Rome

Died: 12 March, 604 (his body lies at St. Peter's Rome.)

Memorial : 3 September

Gregory abandoned his position in the Roman government to become a monk and used his wealth to form six monasteries while serving as a papal legate to Constantinople. He was elected pope 3 September, 590, the first Benedictine monk to hold this office where he instituted liturgical reforms and organized missions, and missionaries were first sent to England. He was known as Pope Gregory I as he first pope of the name "Gregory". He was given the moniker “Great” seven hundred years later by Pope Boniface VIII and was proclaim the last of the four doctors of the Latin Church after St. Ambrose, St. Augustine and St. Jerome. 

Gregory reformed the liturgy, and it still contains several of his most beautiful prayers. The name "Gregorian chant" recalls this great Pope's work in the development of the Church's music. His commentaries on Holy Scripture exercised a considerable influence on Christian thought in the Middle Ages. Gregory lived at a time of great political and social upheaval and unrest. He was always a practical Pope interested in the social and material needs of the People of God but also concerned self aware of his own weaknesses and shortcomings. He loved and respected the Benedictine monastic life and was a great promoter of the monastic lifestyle and virtues. 

He is the patron saint for choir boys, educators, music, musicians, choirs, singers, teachers, popes, student, scholars, against plague, against gout, against fever, England and West Indies.

Father, you guide your people with kindness and govern us with love. By the prayers of Saint Gregory give the spirit of wisdom to those you have called to lead your Church. May the growth of your people in holiness be the eternal joy of our shepherds. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Tuesday,  3 September, 2013
St. Gregory the Great, Pope, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

Reading

1 Thessalonians 5: 1 - 6, 9 - 11
1	But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you.
2	For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3	When people say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape.
4	But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
5	For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.
6	So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
9	For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10	who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep we might live with him.
11	Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Psalm

Psalms 27: 1, 4, 13 - 14
1	The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
4	One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
13	I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!
14	Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the LORD!

Gospel

Luke 4: 31 - 37
31	And he went down to Caper'na-um, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath;
32	and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.
33	And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,
34	"Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."
35	But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
36	And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."
37	And reports of him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

The Passion of St. John the Baptist (Memorial ~ 29 August)

In this memorial we recall the passion and martyrdom death of St. John the Baptist. He was Christ forerunner and the one who said he was only paving the the way for Christ by proclaiming the truth with great courage in calling people to a true change of heart, and to embrace the ways of God. The Gospel of Mark 6 is a sad and gruesome account of John the Baptist dead. Herod imprisoned John because he spoke out about Herod divorcing his wife, and unlawfully taking the wife of his brother. John was martyred by beheading and his head was placed on a platter and given to Herodias’s daughter in fulfilment to her request.

Besides our Lord Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist is the only one whose birth and death is celebrated by the Catholic church. There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for Jesus Christ in fulfil the mission of being God's prophet.

O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist should go ahead of your Son both in his birth and in his death, grant that, as he died a Martyr for truth and justice, we, too, may fight hard for the confession of what you teach. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessed are you who fear the LORD,

who walk in his ways!

For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;

blessed shall you be, and favoured.

Thursday, 29 August, 2013
The Passion of St. John the Baptist (Memorial)

Reading

Jeremiah 1: 17 - 19
17	But you, gird up your loins; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.
18	And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land.
19	They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you."

Psalm

Psalms 71: 1 - 6, 15, 17
1	In thee, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!
2	In thy righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline thy ear to me, and save me!
3	Be thou to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for thou art my rock and my fortress.
4	Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5	For thou, O Lord, art my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
6	Upon thee I have leaned from my birth; thou art he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of thee.
15	My mouth will tell of thy righteous acts, of thy deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.
17	O God, from my youth thou hast taught me, and I still proclaim thy wondrous deeds.

Gospel

Mark 6: 17 - 29
17	For Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.
18	For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
19	And Hero'di-as had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not,
20	for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly.
21	But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee.
22	For when Hero'di-as' daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it."
23	And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom."
24	And she went out, and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer."
25	And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
26	And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.
27	And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,
28	and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
29	When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.