Saint Quote: Saint Justin Martyr

And I, being a man, think that what I can say is insignificant in comparison with His boundless divinity, acknowledging a certain prophetic power, since it was prophesied concerning Him of whom now I say that He is the Son of God. For I know that of old the prophets foretold His appearance among men.

-- Saint Justin Martyr from his trial

Saint Quote: The Blessed Virgin Mary, The Magnificat

"The Magnificat" -- by James Tissot

My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; 

for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed..

Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.

And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.

He hath shewed might in his arm:

he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat,

and hath exalted the humble.

He hath filled the hungry with good things;

and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:

As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

-- The Blessed Virgin Mary  as written in Luke 1: 46 - 55

Saint Quote: Saint Joan of Arc

About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know they're just one thing, and we shouldn't complicate the matter. 

-- Saint Joan of Arc as recorded at her trial

Saint Quote: Saint Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi

A little drop of simple obedience is worth a million times more than a whole vase of the choicest contemplation. 

-- Saint Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi

Saint Quote: Saint Nicholas of Tolentino

The heavens are not pure in the sight of Him Whom I serve; how then shall I, a sinful man, stand before Him? 

-- Saint Nicholas of Tolentino

Saint Quote: Saint Julius the Veteran

It was he who died for our sins to give us eternal life. This same man, Christ, is God and abides for ever and ever. Whoever believes in Him will have eternal life; whoever denies Him will have eternal punishment. 

-- Saint Julius the Veteran to his examiners at his trial

Saint Quote: Saint Gregory of Neocaesarea (On the Holy Trinity)

There is one God, the Father of the living Word, who is His subsistent Wisdom and Power and Eternal Image: perfect Begetter of the perfect Begotten, Father of the only-begotten Son. 

There is one Lord, Only of the Only, God of God, Image and Likeness of Deity, Efficient Word, Wisdom comprehensive of the constitution of all things, and Power formative of the whole creation, true Son of true Father, Invisible of Invisible, and Incorruptible of Incorruptible, and Immortal of Immortal and Eternal of Eternal. 

And there is One Holy Spirit, having His subsistence from God, and being made manifest by the Son, to wit to men: Image of the Son, Perfect Image of the Perfect; Life, the Cause of the living; Holy Fount; Sanctity, the Supplier, or Leader, of Sanctification; in whom is manifested God the Father, who is above all and in all, and God the Son, who is through all. 

There is a perfect Trinity, in glory and eternity and sovereignty, neither divided nor estranged. Wherefore there is nothing either created or in servitude in the Trinity; nor anything superinduced, as if at some former period it was non-existent, and at some later period it was introduced. And thus neither was the Son ever wanting to the Father, nor the Spirit to the Son; but without variation and without change, the same Trinity abideth ever. 

-- Saint Gregory of Neocaesarea

Saint Quote: Saint Bede the Venerable

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, any my spirit rejoices in God my savior." With these words Mary first acknowledges the special gifts she has been given. 

Above all other saints, she alone could truly rejoice in Jesus, her savior, for she knew that he who was the source of eternal salvation would be born in time in her body, in one person both her own son and her Lord. 

"For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." Mary attributes nothing to her own merits. She refers all her greatness to the gift of one whose essence is power and whose nature is greatness, for he fill with greatness and strength the small and the weak who believe in him. 

She did well to add: "and holy is his name," to warn those who heard, and indeed all who would receive his words, that they must believe and call upon his name. For they too could share in everlasting holiness and true salvation according to the words of the prophet: "and it will come to pass, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." This is the name she spoke of earlier when she said "and my spirit rejoices in God my savior." 

-- Saint Bede the Venerable from a homily

Saint Quote: Saint Maximus the Confessor

For from the coming down of the incarnate Word amongst us, all the Churches in every part of the world have held that greatest Church alone as their base and foundation, seeing that according to the promise of Christ our Saviour, the gates of hell do never prevail against it, that it has the keys of a right confession and faith in Him, that it opens the true and only religion to such as approach with piety, and shuts up and locks every heretical mouth that speaks injustice against the Most High. 

-- Saint Maximus the Confessor

Saint Quote: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives - that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him. 

-- Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

Saint Quote: Saint Jude Thaddeus the Apostle

To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished and exultant, in the presence of His Glory, to the only God, Our Savior, through Jesus Christ Our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen.

-- Saint Jude Thaddeus the Apostle from The Epistle of Jude 1:24-25

Saint Quote: Saint Eugene de Mazenod

If priests could be formed, afire with zeal for men’s salvation, solidly grounded in virtue – in a word, apostolic men deeply conscious of the need to reform themselves, who would labor with all the resources at their command to convert others – then there would be ample reason to believe that in a short while people who had gone astray might be brought back to the long neglected duties of religion. We pledge ourselves to all the works of zeal that priestly charity can inspire… We must spare no effort to extend the Savior’s Empire and destroy the dominion of hell. 

-- Saint Eugene de Mazenod

Saint Quote : Saint Bernardine of Siena

By word of mouth, by letters, by miracles, and by the example of his own life, Saint Paul bore the name of Jesus wherever he went. He praised the name of Jesus "at all times," but never more than when "bearing witness to his faith." 

-- Saint Bernardine of Siena from one of his sermons

Saint Quote: Saint Crispin of Viterbo

You are a wise doctor and the city of Rome acknowledges that fact. But the Holy Virgin is much wiser than you and all the physicians of the world.

-- Saint Crispin of Viterbo to the Vatican physician

Saint Quote: Saint John of the Cross

Would that men might come at last to see that it is quite impossible to reach the thicket of the riches and wisdom of God except by first entering the thicket of much suffering, in such a way that the soul finds there its consolation and desire. The soul that longs for divine wisdom chooses first, and in truth, to enter the thicket of the cross.

-- Saint John of the Cross

Saint Quote: Saint Louise de Marillac

Do not cease praying for your children; God's grace can touch a hardened heart. Commend your children to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. When parents pray the Rosary,at the end of each decade they should hold the Rosary aloft and say to her,"With these beads bind my children to your Immaculate Heart", she will attend to their souls.

-- Saint Louise de Marillac

Saint Quote: Saint Simon Stock

Carmel’s Flower,

Vine ever blossoming,

Heaven’s splendor!

Virgin who bore a child.

No one is like thee.

Mother gentle and kind.

Yet never touched by man!

To Carmelites give thou the privilege.

Help us Star of the Sea.

-- Saint Simon Stock

Saint Quote: Saint Vincent de Paul

We have never so much cause for consolation, as when we find ourselves oppressed by sufferings and trials; for these make us like Christ our Lord, and this resemblance is the true mark of our predestination. 

-- Saint Vincent de Paul

Saint Quote: Saint Andrew Avellino

One cannot separate the most Holy Eucharist from the Passion of Jesus. 

-- Saint Andrew Avellino

Saint Quote: Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman

We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe.

-- Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman

Saint Epiphanius of Salamis

We believe in one Catholic and Apostolic Church, and in one Baptism of repentance, and in the resurrection of the dead and the just judgement of souls and bodies, and in the kingdom of heaven, and in eternal life.

-- Saint Epiphanius of Salamis

Saint John of Avila

Dear brothers and sisters, I pray God may open your eyes and let you see what hidden treasures he bestows on us in the trials from which the world thinks only to flee. Shame turns into honor when we seek God's glory. Present affliction become the source of heavenly glory. To those who suffer wounds in fighting his battles God opens his arms in loving, tender friendship. 

That is why he (Christ) tells us that if we want to join him, we shall travel the way he took. It is surely not right that the Son of God should go his way on the path of shame while the sons of men walk the way of worldly honor: "The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the servant greater than his master." 

-- Saint John of Avila from a letter by him

Saint Quote: Saint Teresa of Avila

All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding his life we find that he is the best example. 

-- Saint Teresa of Avila

Thank You!

Thanks to all of my blog readers for your purchases of Mystic Monk Coffee. The commissions I have earned will help pay my power bill.

The good monks from Mystic Monk Coffee have not yet decided what flavored coffees they are going to add for this summer. So, for a limited time, they have samples of six flavors available, and will base their summer offerings on the flavor best liked by you, their customers.

Here is what they have to say:

• Strictly limited number available!  Available for the next 2 weeks only!
• This year, you can decide what flavors we will have this summer!  Once you place your order, you'll receive an email with a link to vote for your favorite flavor!  At the end of May, we will tally the results and showcase the most popular flavor!  
• We'll send you six 2 oz sampler bags of our summer flavor contenders.  You can choose your favorite from: Blueberry Muffin, French Silk,Vanilla Ice Cream, Banana Rum, Coconut Margarita, and Creme Brulee.

So hurry and go here to get your sampler pack, and then vote for your favorite. I can tell you that the two top contenders as of this post, are Blueberry Muffin and Banana Rum.

Once again, thanks for your purchases of Mystic Monk Coffee. Your purchase helps support The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming and this blogger, too!

If you'd still like to make a donation, then click the button below. Thank you, and may God Bless you all, and Our Lady keep you in her care!

Saint Quote: Saint Bridget of Sweden

Unending honor be to you, my Lord Jesus Christ. On the third day you rose from the dead and appeared to those you had chosen. And after forty days you ascended into heaven before the eyes of many witnesses, and there in heaven you gathered together in glory those you love, whom you had freed from hell. 

-- Saint Bridget of Sweden from a prayer attributed to her

Saint Therese of Lisieux

Let us not grow tired of prayer: confidence works miracles.

-- Saint Therese of Lisieux

Saint Quote: Saint Louis IX

In order to avoid discord, never contradict anyone except in case of sin or some danger to a neighbor; and when necessary to contradict others, do it with tact and not with temper. 

-- Saint Louis IX

Saint Quote: Saint Francis de Sales

It is to those who have the most need of us that we ought to show our love more especially.

-- Saint Francis de Sales

Saint Quote: Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Baptism gives us the grace of new birth in God the Father, through his Son, in the Holy Spirit. For those who bear God's Spirit are led to the Word, that is, to the Son, and the Son presents them to the Father, and the Father confers incorruptibility on them. And it is impossible to see God's Son without the Spirit, and no one can approach the Father without the Son, for the knowledge of the Father is the Son, and the knowledge of God's Son is obtained through the Holy Spirit. 

-- Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Saint Quote: Saint Ignatius of Antioch

Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church. 

-- Saint Ignatius of Antioch

Saint Catherine of Bologna

Sometimes the devil inspires souls with an inordinate zeal for a certain virtue or some special pious exercise, so that they will be motivated by their passion to practice it more and more. This temptation is more to pride rather than virtue....Sometimes, on the other hand, the devil coaches souls to do less than they can really do. This temptation is more to false humility...In both cases, the devil's goal is to make the soul discouraged when the virtue is found to be unattainable; and to be wearied and disgusted if his efforts are below his abilities. The soul ends up neglecting everything. It is as necessary to overcome the one snare as the other.

-- Saint Catherine of Bologna, from On the Seven Spiritual Weapons

Mother's Day Is Sunday May 12, 2013

Mom Knows Best Gift Set

May means Mother's Day (on Sunday, May 12), and it 's time to think of some gifts for dear old mom.

So, once again, the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming have some Mystic Monk Coffee gift ideas for your mom for this Mother's Day.

First, they have the Mom Knows Best (and she always does, at least mine did) gift set.  It has a $25 dollar gift card, along with nine sample packages of the monk's favorite coffees, two bag clips and a stainless coffee scoop. Once mom has sampled her favorite coffee, she can order more with the $25 gift card. You can order it here.

At Mystic Monk Coffee, they have a selection of other Mother's Day Gifts (both wrapped and unwrapped), which you can see and order here.

So let's tell mom she is the best by giving her a gift of the best coffee and tea available online from Mystic Monk Coffee.

And remember, your purchase of Mystic Monk Coffee helps to support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming!

Saint Quote: Blessed Pope John Paul II

If the agony on the Cross had not happened, the truth that God is Love would have been unfounded. Yes! God is Love and precisely for this he gave his Son, to reveal himself completely as Love. Christ is the One who “loved…to the end.” (John 13.1) “To the end” means to the last breath.

-- Blessed Pope John Paul II from "Crossing The Threshold of Hope"