Evil triumphs when good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Sow Integrity By Works of Mercy - St. Basil the Great

O man, be like the earth. Bear fruit like her and do not fall short of what mere inanimate matter can achieve. The earth bears crops not for her own benefit but for yours. You, on the other hand, when you give to the poor, are bearing fruit which you will gather in for yourself, since the reward for good deeds goes to those who perform them. Give to a hungry man, and what you give becomes yours, and indeed it returns to you with interest. Just as the wheat that falls on the ground falls there to the great profit of the one who sowed it, so the bread given to a hungry man will bring you great profit in the world to come. Let your husbandry be aimed at sowing this heavenly seed: as scripture says, Sow integrity for yourselves.
You are going to leave your money behind you here whether you want to or not. As for whatever share of glory you have received through your good works, that you can take with you to the Lord. All the people will stand round you in the presence of him who judges you all: they will acclaim you as one who feeds the hungry and gives to the poor, they will name you as a merciful benefactor.
Do you not see how people throw away their wealth for a moment’s glory, for the shouts and praise of the crowds in the theatre, at sporting events, at fights with wild beasts in the arena? Where can you get that sort of glory for yourself if you hold on to your money or spend it meanly? God will give his approbation; the angels will praise you; all people who have existed since the beginning of the world will call you blessed. You will receive eternal glory and the crown of righteousness as a prize for rightly disposing of your wealth – wealth that in any case cannot last and must decay.
Why do you think nothing of the future hopes that are stored up by those who despise the cares of the present time? Come, spread your wealth around, be generous, give splendidly to those who are in need. Then it will be said of you as it is in the psalms: He gave alms and helped the poor: his righteousness will endure for ever.
How grateful you should be to your own benefactor; how cheerful you should be at the honour he has conferred on you, that you do not have to make a nuisance of yourself at other people’s doors, but other people come and bother you at your own! But at the moment you are grumpy and no-one can get to you. You avoid meeting people in case you might be obliged be part with even a little of what you have. You can say only one thing: “I have nothing to give you. I am only a poor man.” Indeed you are poor and utterly destitute. Poor in love, poor in humanity, poor in faith in God, and destitute of any hope of eternal happiness.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year to you all. What a lovely day for New Year, a First Friday. This blog has been up for about 2 years now so we have covered a lot of saints and their lives. This year, I will try to cover the sermons and teachings of the saints as well as Catholic Church History.
To read Church History is to see the hand of God working through time, this is exactly like reading the Old Testament: the hand of God working through time for the people of Israel.

I wish you all a very happy new year. May you all be filled with the Peace of Christ, despite the desperate times we live in. May the Joy of our Lord envelope you all so that this vale of tears is not so bitter. May Our Lady cover you in Her Mantle that as her little Children we will one day se and live forever with Our Elder Brother.

Love and regards
Smiley

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Baby Jesus and Baby St John the Baptist

When I was in Brazil last Chirstmas some of the best paintings I saw was Baby Jesus with his cousin and extended family (St Elizabeth )

(Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist By Piero di Cosimo)


(The Holy Family with the Infant St. John the BaptistBy a follower of Raffaello Sanzio)

(Adoration of the Christ Child by Francesco Granacci)