Behold the Cross of the Lord!

 Behold the Cross of the Lord!

"Behold the Cross of the Lord, fly ye powers of darkness, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David has conquered, Hallelujah, Hallelujah  Hallelujah!" 

That is a famous ejaculation of St. Anthony of Padua well known as 'founder of lost articles' and if you are an Anthonian you would have asked him on many occasions to help you find a lost material.

However, I've recently started asking myself why we don't ask for recovery of spiritual graces that have been lost over the years: e.g. lost of the first Love for God and his Commandments, lost of zeal to witness, to pray. to read the Bible etc. Now we tend to boast of the past, how we used to pray, was a prayer warrior, was a leader of that group etc........ Come to think about it, we have simply become lukewarm, we are neither hot nor cold and what has the Scripture got to say about those who have become lukewarm? they shall be spit out for being neither hot nor cold. Without realizing it we have miserably and slowly moved on away from our first love and have wretchedly become pitiable, poor,  blind, deaf and naked. Deaf to hear and blind to see the truth. There is only one Truth and that is Jesus but because we don't want to change, we remain adamant glorying in the past which will not take us anywhere for He said He makes all things New!

Let us therefore ask for restoration of eyes that we may see our nakedness and return to our first Love that that our shameful nakedness may not be exposed; for open ears to hear his gentle knock for He stands at the door knocking and if only we would hear his voice and open the door then it'll be a great feast......He will enter his house and dine with him and he with me... ...Amen!!!

Reflection

Reflection 

Listen to the words of the "Immitation of Christ", and let them sink into your heart: 

"He who would keep the grace of God, let him be grateful for grace when it is given, and patient when it  is taken away. Let him pray that it may be given back to him, and be careful and humble, lest he lose it."

Ingratitude is a vice that grieves the God of love. Every sin of ingratitude wounds the Sacred Heart of Jesus as well aas the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Sacred Heart of Jesus depicts an ocean of love and a burning fire that does not consume, wounded for the love of humanity. In return we should be asking: Sweetest Jesus what else is there You could have done for us, which You have not done? And pray without ceasing that the fruit of His suffering be renewed in our soul by the faithful remembrance of His sorrowful Passion, and that may His unending love increase in our heart each day, until we see Him in eternity, AMEN!!!!!!

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross - Memorial 9th August

Some Sayings of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.  

Whatever did not fit in with my plan did lie within the plan of God. 

I have an ever deeper and firmer belief that nothing is merely an accident when seen in the light of God, that my whole life down to  the smallest  details has been  marked out for me in  the plan of Divine Providence  and has a completely coherent meaning in God's all-seeing  eyes. 

And so I am  beginning to rejoice in the light of glory wherein this meaning will be unveiled to me.

O my God, fill my soul with holy  joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along t he next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived where the horizon now closes, a new prospect will open before me, and I shall meet it with peace -

 St Teresa's Benedicta of the Cross