St. John of Egypt, Hermit, A.D. 394.
by VP
Posted on Thursday March 27, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
"At twenty-five years of age he forsook the world, and put himself under the direction of an ancient holy anchoret with such humility and simplicity as struck the venerable old man with admiration. By him he was inured to obedience and other virtues during about twelve years, when the venerable old man died. When St. John was about forty years of age, he retired to the top of a rock, where he walled up his cell, leaving only a little window, through which he received what was brought him for his support, and spoke to those who visited him for their spiritual comfort and edification. He was reverenced by all of his time, and particularly by the Emperor Theodosius the Great, to whom he foretold his victory over Eugenius. He never eat bread, or any thing prepared by fire. His only food was the fruits of the earth; he never eat till sunset, and then very sparingly. During five days in the week he conversed with God alone: but on Saturdays and Sundays all but women had free access to him for his instructions and spiritual advice. In this manner did he live from about the fortieth to the ninetieth year of his age. He was illustrious for miracles, and a wonderful spirit of prophecy, with the power of discovering to those that came to see him their most secret thoughts and hidden sins. And such was the fame of his predictions, and the lustre of his miracles, which he wrought on the sick, by sending them some oil which he had blessed, that they drew the admiration of the whole world upon him. Having been favoured with a foresight of his death, he would see nobody for the last three days. At the end of this term he sweetly expired, being on his knees at prayer, towards the close of the year 394, or the beginning of 395.
You can more easily admire the saints
than imitate them; but ought not this example to be some direction for
this time as to recollection and fasting? Can you cut off nothing of your usual dissipations, so to apply your mind to a serious examination of your state, and to the means necessary for your amendment? Can you practice nothing of his solitude and recollection? Solitude is the dwelling of a seraph upon earth, whose sole employment is to correct the disorders of his soul, to forget the world, and converse, as far as possible, with God alone." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother
#9 Acts of Adoration Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in reparation for all the offenses committed against Him by mankind
by VP
Posted on Thursday March 27, 2025 at 12:00AM in Thursday Reparation
9. We adore Thee, Savior of the world, to Whom all fidelity and glory is due! And to repair the sacrilegious communions and treacheries of so many false consciences, we offer up to Thee the fervent and faithful zeal of the Archangels. Eternal praise and thanksgiving be to the Most Holy and Most Divine Sacrament.
O Queen of heaven and earth, hope of mankind, who adores thy Divine
Son incessantly! We entreat thee, that, since we have the honor to be of
the number of thy children, thou would interest thyself in our behalf
and make satisfaction for us, and in our name, to our Eternal Judge, by
rendering to Him the duties which we ourselves are incapable of
performing. Amen.
Day 23. Lent with the Cure d'Ars: Bad Company
by VP
Posted on Thursday March 27, 2025 at 12:00AM in Lenten Sermons
"My dear brethren, I call that man bad company who is without religion, who does not concern himself with either the commandments of God or those of the Church, who does not recognize Lent or Easter, who seldom comes to church or, if he does come, then only to scandalize others by his irreligious ways.
You ought to shun his company; otherwise you will not be long in becoming like him without your even noticing it. He will teach you, with his bad talk as much as by his bad example, to despise the holiest things and to neglect your own most sacred duties. He will begin to turn your devotion into ridicule, to make some jokes about religion and its ministers. He will speak to you at length, in scandalous terms, about the priests or about Confession to such effect that he will cause you to lose entirely your taste for the frequent reception of the Sacraments. He will discuss the instructions of your pastors only in order to turn them into ridicule, and you can be quite certain that if you keep company with him for any length of time, you will see that, without even realizing it, you will begin to loose all taste for anything which is profitable towards the salvation of your soul.
I call bad company, my dear brethren, this young or this old slanderer who has nothing but bad and foul words in his mouth.
Take good care, my children, for this type of person has a poison of his own! If you frequent his company, you may be quite certain that you will imbibe it and that, without a miracle of grace, you will die spiritually.
The Devil will make good use of this wretch to sully your imagination and to corrupt your heart.
I would call that person bad company, my dear brethren, who is curious or restless or backbiting, who wants to know all that goes on in other people's houses, and who is always ready to form judgments about what he does not see at all.
The Holy Ghost tells us that these people are not only hateful to the whole world but are also accursed of God.
Fly from them, my dear brethren; otherwise you will become like them. You yourselves will perish with them."
Source: The Sermons of the Cure d'Ars, 1960
Prayer for Lent: O Lord who, for our sake, didst fast forty days and forty nights; give us grace to use such abstinence that, our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we may worthily lament and acknowledge our wretchedness, and may obtain perfect remission and forgiveness of Thee, the God of all mercy, who livest and reignest with the Father and Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen
Source: Lent with the Cure d'Ars Compiled by the CAPG