This is one of my favorite Gospels.  It always comes in the fall before the difficulties of winter:


[24] No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. [25] Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the meat: and
[26] Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than they? [27] And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature by one cubit? [28] And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. [29] But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. [30] And if the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith?
[31] Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? [32] For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. [33] Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. [34] Be not therefore solicitous for tomorrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.

 

A SOURCE OF GRACE AND CONSOLATION FOR ALL CHRISTIANS

(from the booklet "Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother")

Devotion to the sorrows of Mary is a source of great graces because it is

so pleasing to our Divine Lord. Many holy writers say that through her

sufferings Mary placed an obligation, as it were upon her Son, which

constrains Him to grant her whatever she asks of Him. As soon as we

sympathize with the sorrows of His Mother, we draw our Saviour to

ourselves. "He is," says St. Bernard, "at the disposal of those who

devoutly meditate on the sufferings of His Mother." Our Lord once said to

Bl. Veronica of Binasco: "My daughter, the tears which you shed in

compassion for My sufferings are pleasing to Me, but bear in mind that on

account of My excessive love for My Mother, the tears you shed in

compassion for her sufferings are still more precious."

There are, indeed, few devotions for which our Saviour has made greater

promises that for this one, and there are few that are more pleasing to

Him.

THE COMFORTER OF THE AFFLICTED

Through her martyrdom, Mary has become in a special way the comforter of

the afflicted. It was by her own experience of sorrow that she was taught

the sympathy which enables her to comfort her children in all their

afflictions. God gave her a mighty and a sympathetic heart for this great

task.

For all God's children, the way to Heaven leads across the mount of Calvary

-- the way of trial and suffering. In the company of our Sorrowful Mother,

we walk more easily, fight more courageously, and suffer more patiently,

perseveringly and joyfully; for she holds up before us not only the example

of the sufferings and death of her Divine Son, but also the victory, the

joy and the glory which He has won through His sufferings.

How often do we grow impatient, fainthearted, despondent and inconstant in

suffering . . . how often without endurance, without resignation, full of

complaints and murmurings! Oh, let us deeply engrave in our hearts the

sorrows of Mary! May she, our Sorrowful Mother, ever be our model in

suffering, in the patient endurance of trials, and in the humble acceptance

of sorrows and afflictions. When the hand of God lays a heavy cross upon

our shoulders, let us turn to Mary Sorrowing, and we shall obtain

consolation and strength to carry the cross patiently and meritoriously.

The above is taken from Chapter 2 of the booklet "Devotion to the Sorrowful

Mother" published by TAN Books

 

Prayer reveals to souls the vanity of earthly goods and pleasures.  It fills them with light, strength and consolation; and gives them a foretaste of the calm bliss of our heavenly home.

 St. Rose of Viterbo 

Nobody's Friend

My name is Gossip.

I have no respect for justice.

I maim without killing.

I break hearts and ruin lives.

I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age.

The more I am quoted the more I am believed.

My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face.

To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become.

I am nobody's friend.

Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.

I topple governments and wreck marriages.

I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches and indigestion. I make innocent people cry in their pillows.

Even my name hisses. I am called Gossip.

I am make headlines and headaches.

Before you repeat a story, ask yourself:

Is it true?

Is it harmless?

Is it necessary?

If it isn't, don't repeat it.

-Author Unknown

“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.”
St. Augustine

 


"God has promised forgiveness to your repentance , but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination"

St. Augustine

SAINT LOUIS, King of France,

[Feast day August 25]

From "Lives of The Saints with Reflections for Every Day in the Year" by

Rev. Alban Butler.

The mother of Louis told him she would rather see him die than commit a

mortal sin, and he never forgot her words. King of France at the age of

twelve, he made the defense of God's honor the aim of his life. Before two

years, he had crushed the Albigensian heretics, and forced them by

stringent penalties to respect the Catholic faith. Amidst the cares of

government, he daily recited the Divine Office and heard two Masses, and

the most glorious churches in France are still monuments of his piety. When

his courtiers remonstrated with Louis for his law that blasphemers should

be branded on the lips, he replied, "I would willingly have my own lips

branded to root out blasphemy from my kingdom." The fearless protector of

the weak and the oppressed, he was chosen to arbitrate in all the great

feuds of his age, between the Pope and the Emperor, between Henry III and

the English barons. In 1248, to rescue the land which Christ had trod, he

gathered round him the chivalry of France, and embarked for the East.

There, before the infidel, in victory or defeat, on the bed of sickness or

a captive in chains, Louis showed himself ever the same, -- the first, the

best, and the bravest of Christian knights. When a captive at Damietta, an

Emir rushed into his tent brandishing a dagger red with the blood of the

Sultan, and threatened to stab him also unless he would make him a knight,

as the Emperor Frederick had Facardin. Louis calmly replied that no

unbeliever could perform the duties of a Christian knight. In the same

captivity he was offered his liberty on terms lawful in themselves, but

enforced by an oath which implied a blasphemy, and though the infidels held

their swords' points at his throat, and threatened a massacre of the

Christians, Louis inflexibly refused. The death of his mother recalled him

to France; but when order was reestablished he again set forth on a second

crusade. In August, 1270, his army landed at Tunis, and, though victorious

over the enemy, succumbed to a malignant fever. Louis was one of the

victims. He received the Viaticum kneeling by his camp-bed, and gave up his

life with the same joy that he had given all else for the honor of God.

Please read below a most inspiring letter sent to his son when St. Louis

was near death. This is taken from an account of his life as contained in

BUTLER'S LIVES OF THE SAINTS.

Finding his distemper increase, he called for his eldest son Philip and

gave him certain pious instructions which he had drawn up in writing before

he left Paris. Two copies hereof are still kept in the Chamber of Accounts

at Paris, under this title: "Instructions of King Lewis, the saint, to

Philip, his eldest son." The dying admonitions of this great king to him

are here inserted in abstract: "My son, before all things I recommend to

you that you love God. Be always ready rather to suffer all manner of

torments than to commit any mortal sin. When sickness or any other

affliction befalls you, return thanks to God for it and bear it

courageously, being persuaded that you deserve to suffer much more for

having served God ill, and that such tribulations will be your gain. In

prosperity give thanks to God with humility and fear lest by pride you

abuse God's benefits, and so offend Him

by those very means by which you ought particularly to improve yourself in

his service. Confess your sins frequently, and choose a wise and pious

ghostly father who will teach you what to follow and what to shun; let him

be one that will boldly reprehend you and make you understand the

grievousness of your faults. Hear the Divine Office devoutly - meditate

affectionately what you ask of God with your mouth; do this with more than

ordinary application during the holy sacrifice of the mass, especially

after the consecration. Be bountiful, compassionate, and courteous to the

poor, and relieve and favour them as much as you can. If anything trouble

your mind, reveal it to your ghostly father or to some other grave and

discreet person; for by the comfort you will receive you will bear it more

patiently. Love to converse with pious persons; never admit any among your

familiar friends but such as are virtuous and of good reputation; shun and

banish from you the vicious. Make it your delight to hear profitable

sermons and discourses of piety. Endeavor to gain the benefit of

indulgences and to get the prayers of others. Love all good and abhor all

evil. Wherever you are,

never suffer anyone to detract or say anything sinful in your presence.

Punish all who speak ill of God or his saints. Give often thanks to God for

all His benefits. In the administration of justice be upright and severe;

hear patiently the complaints of the poor, and in all controversies where

your interests are concerned stand for your adversary against yourself till

the truth be certainly found out. Whatever you find not to belong to you,

restore it without delay to the owner, if the case be clear; if doubtful,

appoint prudent men to examine diligently into it. Endeavor to procure

peace and justice to all your subjects. Protect the clergy and religious

who pray for you and your kingdom. Follow the maxim of my grandfather King

Philip, that it is sometimes better to dissemble certain things in

ecclesiastics than to repress them with too great violence and scandal.

Love and honour the queen your mother, and follow her counsels. Make no

war, especially against Christians, without great cause and good advice. If

necessity force you to it, let it be carried on without damage to those who

are not in fault, and spare the innocent subjects of your enemy as much as

possible. Use all your authority to hinder wars among your vassals. Be

scrupulous in the choice of good judges and magistrates. Have always a

great respect for the Roman Church and the pope, and honour him as your

spiritual father. Hinder, to the utmost of your power, all blasphemies,

rash oaths, games of chance, drunkenness, and impurity. Never make any

extravagant expenses, and never lay on your subjects any heavy or unjust

burdens. After my death take care to have a great many masses and prayers

said for me in all churches and religious communities in France; and give

me a share in all the good works which you shall do. I give you my blessing

with the most tender affection that any father can give to a son; and I

pray our Lord Jesus Christ to protect and strengthen you in His service,

and always to increase His grace in you that you never do anything against

His holy will, and that He may be ever faithfully honoured and served by

you. I beg this same grace for myself, that we may together see, laud and

honor Him for all eternity.

The feast of St. Louis, King of France is August 25th. Let us meditate, in

the person of St. Louis, upon one of the most beautiful masterpieces of

grace and see what religion made of this prince: 1st a great king; 2nd a

great Christian. We will than make the resolution: 1st to act, to speak,

and to think in a spirit of faith, with a view to God and His glory; 2nd,

always to treat our neighbor in a spirit of charity, forgetting ourselves

for the good of others. Our spiritual nosegay shall be the beautiful

eulogium pronounced upon St. Louis by one of his historians: "He endeavored

always to please Jesus Christ, as the sole King of all hearts."