Thy
Holy Will
Lord Jesus, without
reserve, without an if, without a but, without exception, without limitation,
may thy holy will be done in all things, at all times.
25 February 2021
Opportunities
to Serve God
Practice those
little, humble virtues which grow like flowers at the foot of the cross:
helping the poor, visiting the sick, and taking care of your family with all
the tasks that go with such things and with all the useful diligence which will
not let you stand idly by, for great opportunities to serve God rarely present
themselves while little ones are frequent.
Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
24 February 2021
Glorify
and Exalt God
Let all of us,
wherever we are, in every place, at every hour, at every time of day, everyday
and continually, believe truly and humbly, and keep in [our] heart, and love,
honor, adore, service, praise and bless, glorify and exalt, magnify and give
thanks to, the most high and supreme eternal God, Trinity and Unity, the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Creator of all, Savior of all who believe in
Him and hope in Him and love Him, Who is without beginning and without end,
unchangeable, invisible, indescribable, ineffable, incomprehensible,
unfathomable, blessed, worthy of praise, glorious, exalted on high, sublime,
most high, gentle, loveable, delectable and totally desirable above all else
forever. Amen.
23 February 2021
The
Sacrament of Penance
In the life of the
body a man is sometimes sick, and unless he takes medicine, he will die. Even
so in the spiritual life a man is sick on account of sin. For that reason he
needs medicine so that he may be restored to health; and this grace is bestowed
in the Sacrament of Penance.
22 February 2021
Within the Will of God
How can you find out if you are living within the will of God? Here is the sign: If you are troubled about any thing, this means that you have not completely given yourself over to the will of God. A person who lives in the will of God is not concerned over anything. And if he needs anything, he gives both it and himself over to God. And if he does not receive the necessary thing, he remains calm nevertheless, as if he had it. The soul which has been given over to the will of God is afraid of nothing, not of thunder nor of thieves – nothing. But whatever happens, she says, “Thus it pleases God.”
Within the Will of God
How can you find out if you are living within the will of God? Here is the sign: If you are troubled about any thing, this means that you have not completely given yourself over to the will of God. A person who lives in the will of God is not concerned over anything. And if he needs anything, he gives both it and himself over to God. And if he does not receive the necessary thing, he remains calm nevertheless, as if he had it. The soul which has been given over to the will of God is afraid of nothing, not of thunder nor of thieves – nothing. But whatever happens, she says, “Thus it pleases God.”
Saint Silouan the
Athonite (1866-1938)
20 February 2021
Holding On to God’s
Promise
I have his promise; I
am surely not going to rely on my own strength! I have what he has written;
that is my staff, my security, my peaceful harbor. Let the world be in
upheaval. I hold to his promise and read his message; that is my protecting
wall and garrison. What message? ‘Know that I am with you always, until the end
of the world!‘ If Christ is with me, whom shall I fear? Though the waves and
the sea and the anger of princes are roused against me, they are less to me
than a spider’s web.
18 February 2021
Acts
of Kindness
What I did try to do
was to thwart my self-will, which always seemed determined to get its own way;
to repress the rejoinder which sometimes came to my lips; to do little acts of
kindness without attaching any importance to them.
17 February 2021
My Heart Has Suffered
If I look at things from an earthly standpoint I see loneliness and even emptiness, for I cannot say that my heart has not suffered; but if I keep my eyes fixed upon Him, my shining Star, then all the rest vanishes and I lose myself as a drop of water in the ocean. All is calm, all is soothed and all is so good; it is the peace of God of which St Paul speaks, the peace that ‘surpasseth all understanding.’ (Phil. 4:7)
My Heart Has Suffered
If I look at things from an earthly standpoint I see loneliness and even emptiness, for I cannot say that my heart has not suffered; but if I keep my eyes fixed upon Him, my shining Star, then all the rest vanishes and I lose myself as a drop of water in the ocean. All is calm, all is soothed and all is so good; it is the peace of God of which St Paul speaks, the peace that ‘surpasseth all understanding.’ (Phil. 4:7)
Saint Elizabeth of the
Trinity (1880-1906)
16 February 2021
The Beauty of God
I wonder if I really have listened carefully enough to the God of history, the God of my history, and have recognized the Divine when God called me by my name, broke the bread, or asked me to cast out my nets after a fruitless day? Maybe I have been living much too fast, too restlessly, too feverishly, forgetting to pay attention to what is happening here and now, right under my nose. Just as a whole world of beauty can be discovered and one flower, so the great grace of God can be tasted in one small moment. Just as no great travels are necessary to see the beauty of creation, so no great ecstasies are needed to discover the love of God. But you have to be still and wait so that you can realize that God is not in the earthquake, the storm, or the lightning, but in the gentle breeze with which God touches your back.
Henri Nouwen
The Beauty of God
I wonder if I really have listened carefully enough to the God of history, the God of my history, and have recognized the Divine when God called me by my name, broke the bread, or asked me to cast out my nets after a fruitless day? Maybe I have been living much too fast, too restlessly, too feverishly, forgetting to pay attention to what is happening here and now, right under my nose. Just as a whole world of beauty can be discovered and one flower, so the great grace of God can be tasted in one small moment. Just as no great travels are necessary to see the beauty of creation, so no great ecstasies are needed to discover the love of God. But you have to be still and wait so that you can realize that God is not in the earthquake, the storm, or the lightning, but in the gentle breeze with which God touches your back.
Henri Nouwen
15 February 2021
Make the Ordinary Come Alive
Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.
William Martin,
The Parent's Tao Te Ching:
Ancient Advice for Modern Parents
Make the Ordinary Come Alive
Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.
William Martin,
The Parent's Tao Te Ching:
Ancient Advice for Modern Parents
13 February 2021
Distractions
Mental prayer is no less useful to us or less pleasing to God when we suffer many distractions. As a matter of fact, it could be more useful than if we had many consolations, because it means harder work for us. It suffices that we faithfully try to drive away the distractions, not allowing our spirit to dwell on them willingly.
Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Distractions
Mental prayer is no less useful to us or less pleasing to God when we suffer many distractions. As a matter of fact, it could be more useful than if we had many consolations, because it means harder work for us. It suffices that we faithfully try to drive away the distractions, not allowing our spirit to dwell on them willingly.
Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
12 February 2021
Amidst
Temptations
Even here amidst
trials and temptations let us, let all men, sing alleluia. God is faithful,
says holy Scripture, and he will not allow you to be tried beyond your
strength. So let us sing alleluia, even here on earth. Man is still a debtor,
but God is faithful. Scripture does not say that he will not allow you to be
tried, but that he will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength.
Whatever the trial, he will see your through it safely, and so enable you to
endure. You have entered upon a time of trial but you will come to no harm –
God’s help will bring you through it safely. You are like a piece of pottery,
shaped by instruction, fired by tribulation. When you are put into the oven
therefore, keep your thoughts on the time when you will be taken out again; for
God is faithful, and he will guard both your going in and your coming out.
11 February 2021
Returning to God
But behold, even after one turns his back, God follows and advises in that even after sin, he invites the sinner to return. He calls him to return; he is not mindful of the transgression but expands the bosom of mercy to the one who returns. And so we 'hear the words of the one behind us encouraging us' if, after our sins we at least return to the Lord who welcomes us. Therefore, we ought to be embarrassed by the pity of the One calling us if we do not fear his justice, because our contempt, he does not desist from calling us.
Gregory the Great
Returning to God
But behold, even after one turns his back, God follows and advises in that even after sin, he invites the sinner to return. He calls him to return; he is not mindful of the transgression but expands the bosom of mercy to the one who returns. And so we 'hear the words of the one behind us encouraging us' if, after our sins we at least return to the Lord who welcomes us. Therefore, we ought to be embarrassed by the pity of the One calling us if we do not fear his justice, because our contempt, he does not desist from calling us.
Gregory the Great
10 February 2021
On the Gospel
The Gospel is harsh…
The Gospel is a harsh document; the Gospel is ruthless and specific in what it says; the Gospel is not meant to be re-worded, watered down and brought to the level of either our understanding or our taste. The Gospel is proclaiming something which is beyond us and which is there to stretch our mind, to widen our heart beyond the bearable at times, to recondition all our life, to give us a world view which is simply the world upside-down and this we are not keen to accept.
Anthony Bloom (1914-2003)
On the Gospel
The Gospel is harsh…
The Gospel is a harsh document; the Gospel is ruthless and specific in what it says; the Gospel is not meant to be re-worded, watered down and brought to the level of either our understanding or our taste. The Gospel is proclaiming something which is beyond us and which is there to stretch our mind, to widen our heart beyond the bearable at times, to recondition all our life, to give us a world view which is simply the world upside-down and this we are not keen to accept.
Anthony Bloom (1914-2003)
9 February 2021
A Prayer During Anxious Times
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road in front of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you always. Though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude, 79.
A Prayer During Anxious Times
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road in front of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you always. Though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude, 79.
8 February 2021
Struggle Against Sin
Our effort and
struggle against sin is powerless without the help of God. For this reason we
must make an effort and pray, that the Lord help us in this so important an
endeavor. The Lord helps those that take care and labor. He strengthens those
that struggle and crowns the victorious.
Saint Tikhon (1724-1783)
7 February 2021
Continuous Peace
Do not think yourself better than others lest, perhaps, you be accounted worse before God Who knows what is in man. Do not take pride in your good deeds, for God’s judgments differ from those of men and what pleases them often displeases Him. If there is good in you, see more good in others, so that you may remain humble. It does no harm to esteem yourself less than anyone else, but it is very harmful to think yourself better than even one. The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger.
Thomas à Kempis
Continuous Peace
Do not think yourself better than others lest, perhaps, you be accounted worse before God Who knows what is in man. Do not take pride in your good deeds, for God’s judgments differ from those of men and what pleases them often displeases Him. If there is good in you, see more good in others, so that you may remain humble. It does no harm to esteem yourself less than anyone else, but it is very harmful to think yourself better than even one. The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger.
Thomas à Kempis
5 February 2021
Be
Attentive to God
Be careful and
attentive to all the matters God has committed to your care: since God has
entrusted them to you, God wishes that you have great care for them. Do not be
worried, that is, don’t exert yourself over them with uneasiness, anxiety and
forwardness. Don’t be worried about them, for worry disturbs reason and good
judgment and prevents us from doing well the very things about which we are
worried in the first place.
Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
4 February 2021
On
Salvation
If you have any hope
of salvation; if you have the least thought of God, or any desire for good
things to come; if you have any fear of the chastisements reserved for the
impenitent, awake without delay, lift up your eyes to heaven, come to your
senses, cease from your wickedness, shake off the stupor that enwraps you, make
a stand against the foe who has struck you down. Make an effort to rise from
the ground. Remember the good Shepherd who will follow and rescue you.
3 February 2021
Mindful Undertakings
Before each important action, I will stop to consider for a moment what relationship it has to eternal life and what may be the main reason for my undertaking it: is it for the glory of God, or for the good of my own soul, or for the good of the souls of others? If my heart says yes, then I will not swerve from carrying out the given action, unmindful of either obstacles or sacrifices.
Saint Faustina (1905-1938)
Mindful Undertakings
Before each important action, I will stop to consider for a moment what relationship it has to eternal life and what may be the main reason for my undertaking it: is it for the glory of God, or for the good of my own soul, or for the good of the souls of others? If my heart says yes, then I will not swerve from carrying out the given action, unmindful of either obstacles or sacrifices.
Saint Faustina (1905-1938)
2 February 2021
Our Help
is in the Lord
God's grace always
assists those who struggle, but this does not mean that a struggler is always
in the position of a victor. Sometimes in the arena the wild animals did not
touch the righteous ones, but by no means were they all preserved untouched.
Though a man may be found in a weak state, that does not at all mean that he has been abandoned by God. On the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ was in trouble, as the world sees things. But when the sinful world considered Him to be completely destroyed, in fact He was victorious over death and hades. The Lord did not promise us positions as victors as a reward for righteousness, but told us, "In the world you will have tribulation - but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33).
The power of God is effective when a person asks for the help from God, acknowledging his own weakness and sinfulness. This is why humility and the striving toward God are the fundamental virtues of a Christian.
St. John the
Wonderworker (1896 - 1966)
1 February 2021
On
Prayer
Has it ever occurred
to you that Jesus, the master in the art of prayer, would take the trouble to
walk up a hill in order to pray? Like all great contemplatives he was aware
that the place in which we pray has an influence on the quality of our prayer.
Anthony de Mello (1931-1987)
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