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Seeking for a Higher Power
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Rich
Jan 7, 2023, 4:51:47 AM1/7/23
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Seeking for a Higher Power
We are all seeking something, but many do not know what they want
in life. They are seeking something because they are restless and
dissatisfied, without realizing that faith in God can give an
objective and a purpose to their lives. Many of us are at least
subconsciously seeking for a Power greater than ourselves because that
would give a meaning to our existence. If you have found that Higher
Power, you can be the means of leading others aright, by showing them
that their search for a meaning to life will end when they find faith
and trust in God as the answer
-- Twenty-Four Hours a Day
<<>><<>><<>>
7 January – Blessed Matthew of Agrigento OFM
Also known as Matthew Guimerà
Memorials
7 January
8 February
(c 1377-1450)
“Apostle of the Holy Name of Jesus” Bishop, Priest and Friar of the
Friars Minor, Missionary Preacher often with St Bernardine of Siena,
Provincial Vicar and General Commissioner of the Order, founder of
many Convents. The Etymology of the name Matthew is “man of God,” from
Hebrew. Born in 1377 as Matteo Guimerà on the Via Arco di San
Francesco di Paola in Rabbato, Agrigento, Italy and died on 7 January
1450 in the Franciscan Monastery (which he had founded) of Santa Maria
di Gesù, Palermo, Sicily, Italy of natural causes. Also known as –
Matteo/Matthew Guimerà.
The Roman Martyrology states: “In Palermo, transit of Blessed Matteo
Guimerá, Bishop of Agrigento, of the Order of Minors, lover and
advocate of the Most Holy Name of Jesus”
Matthew was born on the southern coast of Sicily in c 1377. His
parents were pious Catholics and they educated and instilled in him, a
fervent love of the Faith.
He entered the Seraphic Order in 1391-92 at the Convent of St Frances
of Assisi in Agrigento where he made his religious profession in 1394.
He studied theology in Bologna, Italy and Barcelona, Spain, where he
earned his doctorate and was Ordained a Priest in 1400.
Matthew became a traveling missionary preacher in the region of
Tarragona, Spain from 1400 to 1405 and was then appointed Novie
Master. In 1417, Matthew returned to Italy, desiring to work with St
Bernardine of Siena, who was leading the observant reform movement of
the Franciscan Order which gave rise to the Observant Franciscans.
They met in 1418, perhaps at the General Chapter of the Order held at
Mantua and Matthew, soon afterwards, asked his superiors for
permission to transfer to the Observing branch of the Order.
Matthew’s friendship with St Bernardine had a profound effect on his
life. The two were fellow preachers and shared a desire for reform.
Both preached tirelessly and led an austere life, in keeping with the
spirit of Franciscan rule. Likewise, both encouraged devotion to the
Holy Name of Jesus – in the case of Matthew, joined to the name of
Mary, the Mother of God – for this reason, many of the Convents he
founded in Italy and Spanish lands bear the name of Santa Maria de
Jesús.
Matthew had the support of King Alfonso the Magnanimous and Pope
Eugene IV, for the expansion of the reform movement. In 1425, Pope
Martin V granted him the power to found observant convents, in
addition to those he had already reformed: Messina , Palermo,
Agrigento, Syracuse, Barcelona , Valencia, etc. In addition, he was
Provincial Vicar of the Order in Sicily between 1425 and 1430 and
General Commissioner from 1432 to 1440.
Invited by the King of Spain, in 1427-1428, he preached in Valencia,
Barcelona, Vic and other places. Invited again, he returned in 1430 to
preach and perform peacekeeping missions, spreading devotion to the
Holy Name of Jesus and founding new observant convents. He was chosen
Bishop of his native City, Agrigento which he wanted to refuse but at
the insistence of King Alfonso, he was appointed Bishop on 17
September 1442 and Consecrated the following year.
He was a reformist and a zealous Bishop of the ecclesiastical
discipline of the clergy, which pitted him against a section of the
clergy and the nobility, who slandered him (accused him of squandering
Church property by exercising charity to the poor) and having illicit
relations with a woman) and asked the Holy See to investigate.
Prosecuted by the Papal Curia, he was found innocent and acquitted,
regaining the Pope’s confidence. Again, however, his enemies provoked
new conflicts and Matthew, realising that he was unable to maintain
order, presented his resignation from the Bishopric. When this was
accepted in 1445, he retired to the Convent of Palermo, where he lived
as a Friar until his death on 7 January 1450. He was buried in the
same Convent.
The people soon considered him a saint and began to venerate him. In
1759 the Diocesan process of Beatification began, which led to the
confirmation of the immemorial cult, equivalent to the Beatification
by Pope Clement XIII on 22 February 1767.
Around a 100 of Blessed Matthew’s sermons are preserved, which were
found during the 20th century and only from 1960 began to be published
by Agostino Amore. Written in Latin and the vernacular, they comment
on biblical texts with great theological depth.
https://anastpaul.com/2022/01/07/
The Problem of Suffering
God did not create suffering.
It was man who brought it into being by his sins and excesses.
God, Who always draws good from evil, knows how to draw great good,
even from suffering, in the way of expiation, redemption and
propitiation for our sins.
Precisely because He loves us, God permits our sufferings.
He knows well, that they purify and refine us, as the fire purifies
and refines gold.
They raise our thoughts to Heaven.
God permits suffering for our spiritual welfare.
But because it has this elevating and propitiatory power, we ought to
receive it with an act of resignation and love, as Jesus did in
Gethsamane.
We should unite our sufferings with those of our Redeemer, which have
an infinite value before our Heavenly Father.”
--Antonio Cardinal Bacci
Saint Quote:
Remember that he who will always walk faithfully in God's presence,
always ready to give Him an account of all his actions, will never be
separated from Him by consenting to sin.
-- St. Thomas Aquinas
Bible Quote:
Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and
speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and
rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they
persecuted the prophets that were before you. (Matt. 5:11-12) DRB
<><><><>
The prayer of Saint Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there be
hatred, let me sow love; Where there be injury, pardon;
Where there be discord, unity; Where there be doubt, faith;
Where there be despair, hope; Where there be darkness, light;
Where there be sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek to 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 be pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal
life. Amen.
We are all seeking something, but many do not know what they want
in life. They are seeking something because they are restless and
dissatisfied, without realizing that faith in God can give an
objective and a purpose to their lives. Many of us are at least
subconsciously seeking for a Power greater than ourselves because that
would give a meaning to our existence. If you have found that Higher
Power, you can be the means of leading others aright, by showing them
that their search for a meaning to life will end when they find faith
and trust in God as the answer
-- Twenty-Four Hours a Day
<<>><<>><<>>
7 January – Blessed Matthew of Agrigento OFM
Also known as Matthew Guimerà
Memorials
7 January
8 February
(c 1377-1450)
“Apostle of the Holy Name of Jesus” Bishop, Priest and Friar of the
Friars Minor, Missionary Preacher often with St Bernardine of Siena,
Provincial Vicar and General Commissioner of the Order, founder of
many Convents. The Etymology of the name Matthew is “man of God,” from
Hebrew. Born in 1377 as Matteo Guimerà on the Via Arco di San
Francesco di Paola in Rabbato, Agrigento, Italy and died on 7 January
1450 in the Franciscan Monastery (which he had founded) of Santa Maria
di Gesù, Palermo, Sicily, Italy of natural causes. Also known as –
Matteo/Matthew Guimerà.
The Roman Martyrology states: “In Palermo, transit of Blessed Matteo
Guimerá, Bishop of Agrigento, of the Order of Minors, lover and
advocate of the Most Holy Name of Jesus”
Matthew was born on the southern coast of Sicily in c 1377. His
parents were pious Catholics and they educated and instilled in him, a
fervent love of the Faith.
He entered the Seraphic Order in 1391-92 at the Convent of St Frances
of Assisi in Agrigento where he made his religious profession in 1394.
He studied theology in Bologna, Italy and Barcelona, Spain, where he
earned his doctorate and was Ordained a Priest in 1400.
Matthew became a traveling missionary preacher in the region of
Tarragona, Spain from 1400 to 1405 and was then appointed Novie
Master. In 1417, Matthew returned to Italy, desiring to work with St
Bernardine of Siena, who was leading the observant reform movement of
the Franciscan Order which gave rise to the Observant Franciscans.
They met in 1418, perhaps at the General Chapter of the Order held at
Mantua and Matthew, soon afterwards, asked his superiors for
permission to transfer to the Observing branch of the Order.
Matthew’s friendship with St Bernardine had a profound effect on his
life. The two were fellow preachers and shared a desire for reform.
Both preached tirelessly and led an austere life, in keeping with the
spirit of Franciscan rule. Likewise, both encouraged devotion to the
Holy Name of Jesus – in the case of Matthew, joined to the name of
Mary, the Mother of God – for this reason, many of the Convents he
founded in Italy and Spanish lands bear the name of Santa Maria de
Jesús.
Matthew had the support of King Alfonso the Magnanimous and Pope
Eugene IV, for the expansion of the reform movement. In 1425, Pope
Martin V granted him the power to found observant convents, in
addition to those he had already reformed: Messina , Palermo,
Agrigento, Syracuse, Barcelona , Valencia, etc. In addition, he was
Provincial Vicar of the Order in Sicily between 1425 and 1430 and
General Commissioner from 1432 to 1440.
Invited by the King of Spain, in 1427-1428, he preached in Valencia,
Barcelona, Vic and other places. Invited again, he returned in 1430 to
preach and perform peacekeeping missions, spreading devotion to the
Holy Name of Jesus and founding new observant convents. He was chosen
Bishop of his native City, Agrigento which he wanted to refuse but at
the insistence of King Alfonso, he was appointed Bishop on 17
September 1442 and Consecrated the following year.
He was a reformist and a zealous Bishop of the ecclesiastical
discipline of the clergy, which pitted him against a section of the
clergy and the nobility, who slandered him (accused him of squandering
Church property by exercising charity to the poor) and having illicit
relations with a woman) and asked the Holy See to investigate.
Prosecuted by the Papal Curia, he was found innocent and acquitted,
regaining the Pope’s confidence. Again, however, his enemies provoked
new conflicts and Matthew, realising that he was unable to maintain
order, presented his resignation from the Bishopric. When this was
accepted in 1445, he retired to the Convent of Palermo, where he lived
as a Friar until his death on 7 January 1450. He was buried in the
same Convent.
The people soon considered him a saint and began to venerate him. In
1759 the Diocesan process of Beatification began, which led to the
confirmation of the immemorial cult, equivalent to the Beatification
by Pope Clement XIII on 22 February 1767.
Around a 100 of Blessed Matthew’s sermons are preserved, which were
found during the 20th century and only from 1960 began to be published
by Agostino Amore. Written in Latin and the vernacular, they comment
on biblical texts with great theological depth.
https://anastpaul.com/2022/01/07/
The Problem of Suffering
God did not create suffering.
It was man who brought it into being by his sins and excesses.
God, Who always draws good from evil, knows how to draw great good,
even from suffering, in the way of expiation, redemption and
propitiation for our sins.
Precisely because He loves us, God permits our sufferings.
He knows well, that they purify and refine us, as the fire purifies
and refines gold.
They raise our thoughts to Heaven.
God permits suffering for our spiritual welfare.
But because it has this elevating and propitiatory power, we ought to
receive it with an act of resignation and love, as Jesus did in
Gethsamane.
We should unite our sufferings with those of our Redeemer, which have
an infinite value before our Heavenly Father.”
--Antonio Cardinal Bacci
Saint Quote:
Remember that he who will always walk faithfully in God's presence,
always ready to give Him an account of all his actions, will never be
separated from Him by consenting to sin.
-- St. Thomas Aquinas
Bible Quote:
Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and
speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and
rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they
persecuted the prophets that were before you. (Matt. 5:11-12) DRB
<><><><>
The prayer of Saint Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there be
hatred, let me sow love; Where there be injury, pardon;
Where there be discord, unity; Where there be doubt, faith;
Where there be despair, hope; Where there be darkness, light;
Where there be sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek to 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 be pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal
life. Amen.
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