Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar

The flesh is precious in God’s sight; of all his works it is the one he prefers and so it is natural that he would save it…Don’t you think it would be ridiculous if something that was created with so much care, that which the Creator considers to be more precious than anything else, were to fall back into nothingness? When a sculptor or painter wants the images they have fashioned to remain to testify to their glory, they restore them once they have deteriorated. And would God see his property, his work, fall back into nothingness and exist no more? We would call a “laborer of uselessness” anyone who built a house to destroy it or who allowed it to fall into ruins when he might have kept it standing. In the same way, would we not be accusing God of creating the flesh without purpose? But no, the Immortal one is not like that; he who is by nature the Spirit of the universe cannot be a fool!… The truth is that God has called the flesh to be born again and has promised it eternal life. Because wherever the good news of man’s salvation is proclaimed, it is proclaimed also for the flesh. For what, indeed, is man if not a living being endowed with intelligence, formed of soul and body? Does the soul alone make a man? No, for it is the soul of a man. Are we to call “man” the body? No, we say that it is the body of a man. So if neither of these two elements makes up man by itself alone, it is the union of the two that we call “man”. However, it is man that God has called to life and resurrection: not part of him but the whole man, namely soul and body. So wouldn’t it be absurd if, while both exist according to and within the same reality, one of them should be saved and the other not?

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God. For in your benevolence you are pleased to dwell in this house of prayer in order to perfect us as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 3:16), supported by the perpetual help of your grace and resplendent with the glory of a life acceptable to you. Year by year you sanctify the Church, the Bride of Christ, foreshadowed in visible buildings, so that, rejoicing as the mother of countless children, she may be given her place in your heavenly glory. And so, with all the Angels and Saints, we praise you as without end we acclaim: Holy! Holy! Holy!…

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team

“A dreadful sound is alway in his ears, and when there is peace, he suspecteth plots….” (Job 15 Ver. 21.) But there is nothing more happy than simplicity of heart, in that in proportion as it shews forth innocency towards others, there is nothing it dreads to meet with from others. For it has its simplicity as a kind of citadel of strength, nor is it suspicious of undergoing what it has no remembrance of having itself done. Whence it is well said by Solomon, In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. Who also says again, A secure mind is like a perpetual feast. For the mere repose of security is like the continuance of refreshment. Whereas, on the other hand, the evil mind is always set in pains and labours, since it is either contriving mischiefs that it may bring down, or fearing lest these be brought down upon it by others; and whatever plot it hatches against neighbours, it is afraid of being hatched by neighbours against itself. It is on every side full of suspicions, on every side full of alarms. Everyone that occurs to mind is supposed to be making out things hostile to him, and so he, to whom the repose of security is wanting, has surely ‘a dreadful sound in his ears’ always. And it often happens that his neighbour, whoever he be, speaks to him with a single intention, and designs nothing hostile, but ‘when there is peace, he suspecteth plots;’ in that he, who is always dealing craftily, calculates that there is not single dealing towards himself.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team