Saints

"In him, the Fathers recognised a prefiguration of Jesus: not only does he bear the same salvific name, but his crossing of the Jordan, which introduces him into the promised land, is the type of Christian baptism that brings people into the community of God, and the conquest and division of the territory have become the image of the victories and expansion of the Church throughout the world."

"And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient."

"Samuel's importance lies in having established a monarchy that respected God's rights over the people. After the failure of Saul's reign, this would be implemented under David."

"Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses."

"I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in."

"1 Samuel 16,6-7 (NKJV)."

"1 Samuel 17,28 (NKJV)."

"(To David, who asked for information about Goliath) Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”"

"So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”"

"Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul."

"(To David) Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that."

"Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions."

"I say that, as you know, the Council forbids exposing the Scriptures contrary to the common consent of the Holy Fathers; and if Your Excellency wishes to read not only the Holy Fathers, but also the modern commentaries on Genesis, on the Psalms, on Ecclesiastes, on Joshua, you will find that they all agree in expounding ad literam that the sun is in the sky and revolves around the earth with great speed, and that the earth is very far from the sky and stands in the centre of the world, immobile. Consider now, with your prudence, whether the Church can tolerate that the Scriptures be given a meaning contrary to the Holy Fathers and to all Greek and Latin exegetes. Nor can it be answered that this is not a matter of faith, because if it is not a matter of faith ex parte obiecti, it is a matter of faith ex parte dicentis; and thus it would be heretical to say that Abraham did not have two sons and Jacob twelve, just as it would be heretical to say that Christ was not born of a virgin, because both are said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of the prophets and apostles."

"I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; You have been very pleasant to me; Your love to me was wonderful, Surpassing the love of women."

"And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”"

"There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots."

"[To his squire, who had joined him at the Philistines' ambush] Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few."

"[Having learned that Saul had ordered fasting until evening] But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”"

"On the sixth day, God, with a single command, produced all the species of land animals, wild and domestic, and commanded them to multiply; and so they have done, do, and will do until the end of the world. And although no one cares to preserve certain kinds of animals, such as wolves, snakes, foxes, and the like, and everyone strives to kill them and banish them from the earth, nevertheless they are always found in great abundance, and will always be found, because it is necessary that they obey the command of the almighty Creator. Finally, on the sixth day, God, wishing to summarise all his works, made man, in whom he placed the qualities of all the elements: the life of plants, the feelings of animals, and the intellect and free will of the angels."

"(To Saul) Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?"

"Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”"

"And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”"

"In the second conclave [8-16 May 1605. See Autobiography, note p. 72], he was very close to being elected Pope. And when a cardinal of great authority and seriousness promised him his influence [to get him elected], he urged him to desist without thanking him. He declared that, for his part, he would not pick up even a straw from the ground to be elected Pope. He bore no ill will towards those who opposed his election; indeed, he was not at all troubled by it. He said, in fact, that the papacy could be described as a ‘most dangerous job’ or a ‘most exhausting danger’. (p. 72)"

"N. was born in the year of our Lord 1542, on 4 October. He had pious parents, especially his mother, whose name was Cinzia, sister of Pope Marcellus II."

"(While he was Archbishop of Capua) Since it was customary for canons and parish priests to send the Archbishop rather ostentatious gifts during the Christmas season, he eradicated this custom, prohibiting it both because it was a burden on the canons and parish priests and because the rich could give, with greater merit, to the poor the gifts they would have offered to the Archbishop, who had no need of them. He often meditated on and inculcated in others the saying of Isaiah: ‘Blessed is he who has fulfilled his duty.’ (p. 69)"

"So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!""

"But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out."

"There are many saints who are protectors of this or that branch of the military, but Ronconi wanted St. Longinus be named patron saint of the entire Italian Army, believing that no one was more deserving of this title than he, a Roman soldier who became a Christian and was led to sainthood on Calvary, participating in the Divine Tragedy with a mission of which he was as unaware as he was significant: to open the Heart of the Man-God to all humanity!"

"The Church teaches that Saint Joseph, a model for both consecrated persons and fathers of families, has an unparalleled power of intercession with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Furthermore, he who died in the sweet company of the Blessed Virgin and Jesus is the patron of the dying, the hope of the sick, and is able to protect the dying from the attacks of Satan."

"Pope Leo XIII, from en cyclical w:Quamquam pluries (1889)"

"(About the genealogy of Jesus) Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah."

"Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli..."

"To thee, O blessed Joseph, we have recourse in our affliction, and having implored the help of thy thrice holy Spouse, we now, with hearts filled with confidence, earnestly beg thee also to take us under thy protection. By that charity wherewith thou wert united to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and by that fatherly love with which thou didst cherish the Child Jesus, we beseech thee and we humbly pray that thou wilt look down with gracious eye upon that inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased by His blood, and wilt succor us in our need by thy power and strength. Defend, O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen off-spring of Jesus Christ. Keep from us, O most loving Father, all blight of error and corruption. Aid us from on high, most valiant defender, in this conflict with the powers of darkness. And even as of old thou didst rescue the Child Jesus from the peril of His life, so now defend God's Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity. Shield us ever under thy patronage, that, following thine example and strengthened by thy help, we may live a holy life, die a happy death, and attain to everlasting bliss in Heaven. Amen"

"And they said,“Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?”"

"So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid."

"This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."

"When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”"

"But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”"

"And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”"

"[To the midwife of Mary after she had just given birth] As the Lord my God lives, unless I thrust in my finger, and search the parts, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth"

"Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”"

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. [...] The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”"

"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene."

"There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem."

"[Seeing Jesus and not recognising him, in response to his words] Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”"

"Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. [...] And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb."

"There is one case of death-bed repentance recorded — the penitent thief — that no one should despair; and only one, that no one should presume."

"Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said [b]to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”"

"And now that Thou has restored to me the knowledge of Thyself, O Lord, let thy pardon fall on me, since Thy infinite mercy is not better known in anything than in pardoning a Dismas (the traditional name of the good thief) on the Cross and a Dominicus Corea on the gallows. If in Hell there is room for sinners, in Heaven also there is room for penitents."

"[Seeing Jesus walking away, not yet recognising him] But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them."