“The heart must be anchored within me, washed and purified by the blood of the Lamb, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Then it is safe under Mary’s protection.” (Inner Word)
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St. Bonaventure: the Seraphic Doctor
One of the luminaries in the ecclesiastical firmament—as we might call the saints—is St. Bonaventure. His feast day is celebrated on July 14 in the old rite, and one day later in the new rite.
The saint was a man who possessed rich gifts of intellect and spirit and devoted them entirely to the Kingdom of God. St. Bonaventure was born in Bagnoregio, Italy, around 1221 and died on 15 July 1274 in Lyon (France). This saint was a scribe who shone like the sun (cf. Mt 13:43). Because of his ardent love for the Lord, he was called the “Seraphic Doctor”.
God first
Mt 10:34-11:1
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set son against father, daughter against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law; a person’s enemies will be the members of his own household. ‘No one who prefers father or mother to me is worthy of me. No one who prefers son or daughter to me is worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes an upright person because he is upright will have the reward of an upright person. ‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not go without his reward.’ When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.
“OUR FATHER REJOICES IN US AS IN HIS SON”
“The joy I feel in being with you is no less great than that which I felt when I was with My Son Jesus during His mortal life” (Father’s Message to Sr. Eugenia Ravasio).
“ALL FAULTS ARE CAST INTO ETERNAL OBLIVION”
“When God looks upon a soul with eyes of mercy and bends down to forgive it, all its faults are cast into eternal oblivion” (St. Matilda of Hackeborn).
Saint John Gualbert: Founder of the Order of Vallombrosa
What wonderful flowers grow in God’s garden! We can never admire them enough, especially when we consider the lives of the saints handed down to us. In fact, the Church boasts a great wealth of saints, and each of their lives—as well as their deaths—tells us the story of God’s love for those of His children who decided to follow His ways. However, not all of them did so from the beginning.
Such was the case with Saint John Gualbert.
Born in Florence in 985, he came from a noble family. From a young age, he was destined for military service. His father, a warrior, educated the young John in the fine arts and instilled in him an awareness of the dignity and honor of a warrior. However, there is no mention of an education in religious devotion or Christian virtue.
Send your prophets
Isa 6:1-8
In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; his train filled the sanctuary. Above him stood seraphs, each one with six wings: two to cover its face, two to cover its feet and two for flying; and they were shouting these words to each other: Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh Sabaoth. His glory fills the whole earth. The door-posts shook at the sound of their shouting, and the Temple was full of smoke. Then I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh Sabaoth. ‘Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding in its hand a live coal which it had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. With this it touched my mouth and said: ‘Look, this has touched your lips, your guilt has been removed and your sin forgiven.’ I then heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I, send me.’ Read More
“MY CHILD, GIVE ME YOUR HEART”
“The Lord seeks a heart filled to overflowing with love for God and our neighbour; this is the throne on which He loves to sit and on which He appears in the fullness of His heavenly glory. ‘Son, give Me thy heart,’ He says, ‘and all the rest I Myself will add to thee (Prov. 23:26; Matt. 6:33),’ for in the human heart the Kingdom of God can be contained.” (Seraphim of Sarov).
“PLACING EVERY DAY IN GOD’S HANDS”
“It is important that you place each day in My hands, even when you are tired and worn out.” (Inner Word)
Cunning as Snakes and Yet Innocent as Doves
Mt 10:16-23
‘Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be cunning as snakes and yet innocent as doves. ‘Be prepared for people to hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as evidence to them and to the gentiles. But when you are handed over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes, because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you. ‘Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will come forward against their parents and have them put to death. You will be universally hated on account of my name; but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved. If they persecute you in one town, take refuge in the next; and if they persecute you in that, take refuge in another. In truth I tell you, you will not have gone the round of the towns of Israel before the Son of man comes’.