17 December 2018

Meditation on the Incarnation

Then come to him, lying in the lap of the fairest and sweetest maid. You
will see how great is the divine goodness, which seeks above all else that
you should not despair. Trust him! Trust him! Here is the Child in whom
is salvation. To me there is no greater consolation given to mankind than
this, that Christ became man, a child, a babe, playing in the lap and at the
breasts of his most gracious mother. Who is there whom this sight would
not comfort? Now is overcome the power of sin, death, hell, conscience,
and guilt, if you come to judge this gurgling Babe and believe that he is
come, not to judge you, but to save.


                                                                        Martin Luther’s Christmas Book

29 November 2018

Romance, Adventure and Achievement

To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek
him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest
human achievement.

                                                      ― St. Augustine of Hippo

25 November 2018
Battle in the Quiet

He who sit alone and is quite has escaped from three wars:
hearing, speaking, seeing: but there is one thing against which
he must continually fight: that is his own heart.

                — St. Antony the Great, Sayings of the Desert Fathers

10 November 2018

On Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to God continually. For, it is outrageous that when we enjoy His
benefaction to us in deed every single day, we do not acknowledge the favor with so
much as a word; and this, when the acknowledgment confers great benefit on us.
He does not need anything of ours, but we stand in need of all things from Him.


                — St. John Chrysostom, Homily 25, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew

3 October 2018

On Anger and Courage

Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage;
anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain
the way they are.


                                                                                      St. Augustine of Hippo

26 September 2018

On the Mother of God

Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much.
You can never love her more than Jesus did


                                                  --Saint Maximilian Kolbe

14 September 2018

A reading from the Book of Sirach 26:1-4, 13-16

Blessed the husband of a good wife, twice-lengthened are his days; A
worthy wife brings joy to her husband, peaceful and full is his life. A good
wife is a generous gift bestowed upon him who fears the Lord; Be he rich
or poor, his heart is content, and a smile is ever on his face.

A gracious wife delights her husband, her thoughtfulness puts flesh on his
bones; A gift from the Lord is her governed speech, and her firm virtue is
of surpassing worth. Choicest of blessings is a modest wife, priceless her
chaste soul. A holy and decent woman adds grace upon grace; indeed, no
price is worthy of her temperate soul. Like the sun rising in the Lord’s
heavens, the beauty of a virtuous wife is the radiance of her home.


                                                                                         The Word of the Lord

9 September 2018

On Christian Humility

Behold, this is the true and the Christian humility. In this you
will be able to achieve victory over every vice, by attributing to
God rather than to yourself the fact that you have won.


                                                                            St. Martin of Braga

16 August 2018

On Our Heart's Desire

Whatever you may be seeking, seek it with all your strength, but do not
expect your own search and efforts to bear fruit of themselves. Put
your trust in the Lord, ascribing nothing to yourself, and He will give
you your heart’s desire.

                                                                               Saint Theophan the Recluse

15 August 2018

Sermon on the Nativity of Jesus Christ

And the Word became flesh!…in order to make us earthly beings into
heavenly ones, in order to make sinners into saints; in order to raise
us up from corruption into incorruption, from earth to heaven; from
enslavement to sin and the devil – into the glorious freedom of children
of God; from death – into immortality, in order to make us sons of God
and to seat us together with Him upon the Throne as His royal children.
O, boundless compassion of God! O, inexpressible wisdom of God! O,
great wonder, astounding not only the human mind, but the angelic
[mind] as well!”

                                                                                  St. John of Kronstadt

9 August 2018

On Examining Our Own Weaknesses

You will never be an inwardly religious and devout man unless you
pass over in silence the shortcomings of your fellow men, and diligently
examine your own weaknesses.


                                                                              — Thomas à Kempis

4 August 2018
 
Companions on the Journey

If a man and a woman marry in order to be companions on the
journey to heaven, then their union will bring them great joy.


                                                                           St. John Chrysostom

15 July 2018

Prayer of Saint Teresa of Ávila

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

                                       -- St. Teresa of Avila

24 June 2018

Collect for the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

O Lord God, heavenly Father, who through Your servant Saint John the
Baptist did bear witness that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world, and that all who believe in Him shall inherit
eternal life, we humbly implore You to enlighten us by Your Holy Spirit
that we may at all times find comfort and joy in this witness, continue
steadfast in the true faith, and at last with all believers attain unto eternal
life; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and
reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

24 June 2018

On Prayer

When we are praying, don't rack your brain to find words. On many
occasions, the simple, monotonous stammering of children has satisfied
their father who is in heaven.


                                  ST. JOHN CLIMACUS, The Ladder of Divine Ascent

10 June 2018
 

On Beauty and Love

To reveal someone’s beauty is to reveal their value by giving them time,

attention, and tenderness. To love is not just to do something for them

but to reveal to them their own uniqueness, to tell them that they are

special and worthy of attention.

          JEAN VANIER, Becoming Human, P 22.

27 May 2018
 

On the Sacraments

He that is wounded requires medicine; we are wounded,

because we are under sin; and the medicine is the sacred

and heavenly sacrament.

                                ST. AMBROSE, On the Sacraments, PAR 25