Church Fathers’ & Saints Reflections

St Ireaneus 

St Athanasius 

Dated on 17th Jan 2026 

Church Fathers & Saints Reflections 

Jesus is the Word 

We can meditate on how our Church Fathers acknowledge the importance of the Living Word, who is Jesus Christ himself. Our community founding fathers Br Victor and Br Shaji brought the charism of treasuring the Word and living the life grounded in Holy Scriptures. 

St Irenaeus. explain about Jesus the Word of God. ‘No one can know the Father apart from God’s Word, that is, unless the Son reveals him, and no one can know the Son unless the Father so wills. Now the Son fulfils the Father’s good pleasure: the Father sends, the Son is sent, and he comes.’ According to Scriptures for Gospel of Mathew Jesus says: “Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27, NJB)” God the Father has to reveal us about His Son, and the Son fulfill the Father’s will and He choose each one of us to reveal the Father, and this we know God the Father 

‘Knowledge of the Father consists in the self-revelation of the Son, for all is revealed through the Word.’ St Irenaeus

St Athanasius quote, in one of his treatise; Discourse Against Pagan wrote: ‘But if the world is founded on reason, wisdom and science, and is filled with orderly beauty, then it must owe its origin and order to none other than the Word of God.’ 

The Word is different from all created things: he is the unique Word belonging only to the good Father. ‘In the beginning was the Word: * the Word was with God and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things came into being, not one thing came into being except through him.’ (John 1:1–3, NJB) This is the Word that created this whole world and enlightens it by his loving wisdom. He who is the good Word of the good Father produced the order in all creation, joining opposites together, and forming from them one harmonious sound. He is God, one and only-begotten, who proceeds in goodness from the Father as from the fountain of goodness, and gives order, direction and unity to creation.’ St Athanasius 

Oh Little Francis Happy Feast of St Francis of Assisi

 

Happy  Feast of St Francis Assisi 

Oh Francis, you sacrificed many things of this world, you embraced the way of littleness to approach eternal life! 

St Francis was influenced me so much in my conversion. The book I read about him was named,The first life of St Francis of Assisi written by Thomas Celano. I don’t remember the name of the translator to Malayalam. From that book I got to know about the powerful intervention of Mother Mary to bring back a soul of a Friar to return of his vocation of priesthood. Our Lady gave a special Rosary of seven decades to the friar to make him embrace the love of Jesus. Later the Franciscans made this rosary [called Franciscan Seraphic Rosary] to recite in their Monasteries and Convents of Poor Clares and many other Franciscan Congregations. 

This inspired me a lot, thought how much St Francis also loved Mother Mary. Since I read this book I started knowing about Mother Mary, same my love towards St Francis also increased. I started reciting Rosary and love towards increased.  Then after many interventions of Mother Mary and St Francis I decided to become a Catholic. My spiritual life I started in the Gulf was associated with Franciscans as the Catholic Churches in the Middle East are run by Franciscans Capuchins. 

Oh, Little Francis

Oh! Little Francis 

The poorest of the poor 

You imitated Christ 

In everything you have done

You made an example 

To the young and old

You are the humblest servant 

Chosen by God, to serve the flocks of Christ

You left all the wealth of this world

To gain the wealth of Heaven

You poured out the charity 

On all the Creatures of God

Your love is inspiring 

Still in the hearts of millions

You were the channel of peace

Peace that the Lord has endeavoured 

Lord has given a key to you 

To open the hearts of the wearied souls

Help us to seek the life in holiness

The peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

You have loved the nature ardently

You praised God’s creations by giving Him thanks

You love peace among the nations

You never wants to be loved but to love all

A Poem on St Mary Magdalene

St Mary Magdalene Carrying the Oil of Nard to anoint the Feet of Jesus 

On 22nd July 2025

A Very Happy Feast of St Mary Magdalene 

I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise continually on my lips.

Mary Magdalene

Oh Mary Magdalene, Lord has  chosen you, to see Him first after the resurrection to tell the story to his brothers (Apostles) and to the whole world without the fear. 

She said: I sought but could not find him!
So I shall get up and go through the city;
In the streets and in the squares,
I shall seek my sweetheart.
I sought but could not find him!
I came upon the watchmen—those who go on their rounds in the city:
‘Have you seen my sweetheart?’
Barely had I passed them when I found my sweetheart.
I caught him, would not let him go

Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.
Come my bride, come to me, come closer to me,
Let my kiss enrich you with my Divine Mercy.
I’ll bring the light into your life,
Forget your own father’s house of your world.

Come to my Fathers’ house of eternal glory,
Where you can have milk and honey abundantly
The honey is sweeter than the honey of your world
No money no wealth can buy this

Come my bride, come to me and hold my hand
Come to my green pastures to give you rest
Come and drink the living water,
I give you, which flowing from my heart

I give this entire blessing; to those I loved so much,
And those who loves me with all her heart,
But you are my heart and soul,
Rest on my chest and hear my song of love

I have chosen you among all the lilies and roses
And from all that beauties of this world
But I ask you one thing, only one thing,
Will you give me your heart to make a home for me?


Mohny P.

Community of Grace

Note: Actually it was written while I was reading the Song of Songs many years ago, and today's reading also was from Song of Songs. Because of today is the feast of `Mary Magdalene, and thought this will be appropriate to honour her with this poem. Thank you Lord, for reminding us about your loving saint, St Mary Magdalene.

The Feast of St Thomas Aquinas

 

Happy Feast of St Thomas Aquinas 

On 28th Jan 2025 

St Thomas Aquinas Said: To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.’

Oh holy angelic Doctor, 

You were a wise and intellect of the Holy Spirit

A true teacher of the Church

When the Church were in turmoil 

Your teaching has enlightened the people, the Clergy and religious 

The youth, the children, the wise and the old, praised your wisdom

Your wisdom has been taught to the seminarians in many Schools of Wisdom

You wrote and sang the beautiful hymns for Our Church

Which we are singing in the Churches, all over the world

You said ‘To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.’

You sang this song of adoration with the angelic choirs

TANTUM ergo Sacramentum

Veneremur cernui:

Et antiquum documentum

Novo cedat ritui:

Praestet fides supplementum

Sensuum defectui.

Genitori, Genitoque

Laus et iubilatio,

Salus, honor, virtus quoque

Sit et benedictio:

Procedenti ab utroque

Compar sit laudatio.

What a beautiful composition you wrote again to sing along 

1. O salutáris Hóstia,

Quae caeli pandis óstium:

Bella premunt hostília,

Da robur fer auxílium.

2. Uni trinóque Dómino

Sit sempitérna glória,

Qui vitam sine término

Nobis donet in pátria

In the Holy Scripture says: He will display the instruction he has received,

Taking his pride in the Law of the Lord’s covenant. 

Many will praise his intelligence and it will never be forgotten. 

His memory will not disappear, 

Generation after generation his name will live.

Nations will proclaim his wisdom, the assembly will celebrate his praises.

If he lives long, his name will be more glorious than a thousand others, 

And if he dies, that will satisfy him just as well. 

Lord, we thank you, for such wonderful saints brought a great legacy for You

His name will be more glorious than a thousand others, and if he dies, that will satisfy him just as well. 

When he was looked back about his work

And so the vision of the Lord and His immense wisdom  

He said my wisdom is like straw, to be burned not worthy for anything 

At last he said: Never have I said anything against you [Jesus], and if I have done so, 

it is through ignorance, and I am not stubborn in my error. 

If I have taught wrongly concerning this sacrament or the others, 

I submit it to the judgment of the Holy Roman Church, in obedience to which I now leave this life.

But St Thomas Aquinas, your name will be remembered from generations to generations 

Oh Little Francis

 

Happy  Feast of St Francis Assisi 

Oh Francis, you sacrificed many things of this world, you embraced the way of littleness to approach eternal life! 

Oh, Little Francis

Oh! Little Francis 

The poorest of the poor 

You imitated Christ 

In everything you have done

You made an example 

To the young and old

You are the humblest servant 

Chosen by God, to serve the flocks of Christ

You left all the wealth of this world

To gain the wealth of Heaven

You poured out the charity 

On all the Creatures of God

Your love is inspiring 

Still in the hearts of millions

You were the channel of peace

Peace that the Lord has endeavoured 

Lord has given a key to you 

To open the hearts of the wearied souls

Help us to seek the life in holiness

The peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

You have loved the nature ardently

You praised God’s creations by giving Him thanks

You love peace among the nations

You never wants to be loved but to love all

MPI-CG