Words of POPE Innocent to St. Francis " we are entrusted by riches and power, you and your poverty put us to shame.. Francisco..Francisco.. go in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ... preach the truth to all.. may your deciples increase a thousands folds and flourish like the palm tree.. our Lord be with you... in your hands and in your feet" - from the movie Brother Sun, Sister Moon...
Saint Francis of Assisi
the Story of Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi (1182 – 4 October 1226) founded the Franciscan Order or “Friars Minor”. He is the patron saint of animals, merchants, Catholic action and the environment. Born Giovanni Bernardone, commonly known as Francesco. He was either born in 1181 or 1182. His father, Pietro, was a wealthy cloth merchant. Of his mother, Pica, little is known. Francis was one of several children. Rebellious toward his father’s business and pursuit of wealth, Francis would spend most of his youth lost in books (ironically, his father’s wealth did afford his son an excellent education, and he became fluent in reading several languages including Latin). He was also known for drinking and enjoying the company of his many friends, who were usually the sons of nobles. His displays of disillusionment toward the world that surrounded him became evident fairly early, one of which is shown in the story of the beggar. In this account, he found himself out having fun with his friends one day when a beggar came along and asked for alms. While his friends ignored the beggar’s cries, Francis gave the man everything he had in his pockets. His friends quickly chided and mocked him for his stupidity, and when he got home, his father scolded him in a rage. In 1201 he joined a military expedition against Perugia, was taken prisoner, and spent a year as a captive. It is probable that his conversion to more serious thoughts was a gradual process relating to this experience. It is said that when he began to avoid the sports of his former companions, and they asked him laughingly if he was thinking of marrying, he answered “Yes, a fairer bride than any you have ever seen” - meaning his “lady poverty”, as he afterward used to say. He spent much time in lonely places, asking God for enlightenment. By degrees he took to nursing the most repulsive victims in the lazar houses near Assisi. After a pilgrimage to Rome, where he begged at the church doors for the poor, he had a vision in which he heard a voice calling upon him to restore the Church of Jesus which had fallen into decay. He thought this to mean the ruined church of St. Damian near Assisi and sold his horse together with some cloth from his father’s store, giving the proceeds to the priest for this purpose. Pietro, highly indignant, attempted to bring him to his senses, first with threats and then with corporal chastisement. After a final interview in the presence of the bishop, Francis renounced all expectations from his father, laying aside even the garments received from him, and for a while was a homeless wanderer in the hills around Assisi. Returning to the town where he spent two years this time, he restored several ruined churches, among them the little chapel of St Mary of the Angels, Assisi, just outside the town, which later became his favorite abode.
Saint Francis of Assisi
The Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.Where there is hatred, let me sow love;where there is injury, pardon;where there is doubt, faith:where there is despair, hope;where there is darkness, light;and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I maynot so much seekto be consoled, as to console;to be understood, as to understand:to be loved, as to love;for it is in giving that we receive,it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Sr. Mila Roco,FMM
my beloved spiritual mother. she always reminds of being " SINCERE, HONEST and AUTHENTIC " or SHA-SHA...
Saint Therese of the child Jesus
"It is that much harder to let what belongs to us be taken without asking for it back. But the moment we accept this, we feel how light [the burden] is."
Saint Teresa of Avila
"At the center of the castle is God's dwelling place. The gate is prayer, prayer is a door thats opens up into the mystery of God and at the same time a means of communing with HIM, it actuates the personal relationship with the LORD present in the very depths of the Spirit" - Interior Castle by st. teresa of avila
Saint John of the Cross
" The soul that desires God to surrender himself to it entirely, must surrender itself entirely to Him without keeping anything for itself."
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
"I even believe that the deeper one is drawn into God, the more one must 'go out of oneself'; that is, one must go to the world in order to carry the divine life into it."
Saint Padre Pio
I have often raised my hand in the silence of the night and in my solitary cell, blessing you all and presenting you to Jesus and to our father, St. Francis of Assisi. "Pray, pray to the Lord with me, because the whole world needs prayer. And every day, when your heart especially feels the loneliness of life, pray. Pray to the Lord, because even God needs our prayers."
Saint Faustina Kowalska
"I feel certain that my mission will not come to an end upon my death, but will begin. O doubting souls, I will draw aside for you the veils of heaven to convince you go God's goodness." (Diary entry 281)
Saint Martin de Porres
On the lighter side, often we see Martin pictured in his Dominican habit holding a broom, with a mouse and dog at his feet. There is an interesting anectdote about mice. One time there seemed to be a mouse "convention" in the wardrobe room of the monastery, where they feasted on the finest linen garments and sheets, leaving the old ones untouched. Some of the monks wanted to poison the rodents, but Martin would not hear of it. One day he caught a little mouse and held him gently, and said, "Little brother, why are you and your companions doing so much harm to the things belonging to the sick? Look; I shall not kill you, but you are to assemble all your friends and lead them to the far end of the garden. Everyday I will bring you food if you leave the wardrobe alone," After Martin let go of the mouse, there was scurrying from every nook and cranny and the procession started towards the monastery garden. Martin, tall and slender, with long strides, led the mice to their new home. Everyday he brought them a meal and no mouse ever set claw or tooth in the monastery wardrobe.
Prayer for the 75th Anniversay of Archdiocese of Cebu
Heavenly Father,we thank and praise you, through your son Jesus Christ, our beloved Santo Nino, the magnet of Love.Through Him you have made us your people and poured countless blessings upon us time and again. Now as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Archdiocese of Cebu send your Holy Spirit upon us so that we may grow together in Grace as the Body of Christ..Our Lady of Guadalupe of Cebu, Saint Vitalis, Blessed Pedro Calungsod, allow us to join our prayers to yours. Through our union with you in prayer, may our lives be filled with hope and renewed in God's love through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Mission ( Jaime Rivera)
here’s a call going out across the land in every nationa call to all who swear allegiance to the cross of Christa call to true humility,to live our lives responsibly.to deepen our devotion to the cross at any price. let us then be sober moving only in the spiritas aliens and strangers in a hostile foreign landthe message we’re proclaiming is repentance and forgiveness.the offer of salvation to the dying race of man. CHORUS:to love the lord our god,is the heartbeat of our mission.the spring from which our service overflows.across the street or around the world.the mission’s still the same.proclaim and live the truthin Jesus name! as a candle is consumedby the passion of the flamespilling light unsparinglythroughout the darkened room.let us burn to know him deeperthen our service flaming bright.will radiate his passions and blaze with holy light(CHORUS)
No comments:
Post a Comment