30 April 2021

On Prayer

It seems as if we were created for prayer. Prayer is the only bond that links us to God. It stands before our hearts as the eternal life, which is our hope. Prayer is the condition in which we discover our own divine image, on which the stamp of the Holy Trinity is impressed. When we lose prayer, we actually lose the glory of our image, and we no longer resemble God in any way. God draws us to himself through prayer, and through prayer we mysteriously travel toward him in a manner too deep to understand. In fact, through prayer we draw God to ourselves, and he comes to us and makes his home with us.

       Matthew the Poor (1919-2006)

28 April 2021

Our Heavenly Father

When he calls himself our Father, he shows that he is not lacking in devoted concern for us; when he bids us to seek the kingdom of heaven, he is making clear that all things will have to be made subject to us, and indicates that we shall possess whatever we need to enjoy the magnificence.

        St. Peter Chrysologus

27 April 2021

Prayer and Holy Scripture

If you don’t have time to pray and read the scriptures, you are busier than God ever intended you to be.

       Matthew Kelly (1973 -

26 April 2021

On Devotion

You must seek earnestly the grace of devotion, ask for it fervently, await it patiently and hopefully, receive it gratefully, guard it humbly, cooperate with it carefully and leave to God, when it comes, the length and manner of the heavenly visitation.

        Thomas à Kempis

25 April 2021

Preserving Until Death

Above all, as sanctity does not consist in being faithful for a day or a year but in persevering until death, we must use God as a shield which covers us completely because we are attacked from all sides. God must do everything. All the better; there will be no fear of failure. As for ourselves, we have only to acknowledge our powerlessness and to be fervent and constant in asking for help through the intercession of Mary, to whom God refuses nothing.

    Saint Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)

24 April 2021

On Giving an Account

Beloved Christians, you and your children shall appear at the judgment of Christ, and you shall give account for them to the just Judge. He will not ask you whether you taught your children the arts or whether you taught them to speak French, or German, or Italian, but whether you have taught them to live as Christians.

        St Tikhon of Zadonsk

23 April 2021

On Humility

Humility, that is lowliness or self-abasement, is an inward bowing down or prostrating of the heart and of the conscience before God’s transcendent worth… For to pay homage to God by every outward and inward act, this is the first and dearest work of humility, the most savory among those of charity, and most meet among those of righteousness.

      Blessed John Ruysbroeck (1293-1381)

22 April 2021

God’s Generosity

Someone filled with resentment and unhappiness, bitter that life is not as it should be, will be deeply disillusioned. On the other hand, people who are glad for what they have received, and thank God for what befalls them will receive still more, until finally being overwhelmed by God’s generosity.

        Jacques Philippe (1947-

21 April 2021

Curbing Our Passions

It is the part of a reasonable man not only to curb his passions to prevent them from coming to light either in word or deed, but also to rule them in such a way that everything is done by reason, nothing on impulse.

        Saint Ignatius of Loyola

20 April 2021

On Prayer

Prayer can truly change your life. For it turns your attention away from yourself and directs your mind and your heart toward the Lord.

       Saint John Paul (1920-2005) 

19 April 2021

Christ the Good Shepherd

Let our hearts grow warm; let our faith be rekindled; let our desire for the things of heaven increase; for to love in this way is indeed to be on the way. We should allow no misfortune to distract us from this happiness and deep joy; for if you are determined to reach the destination of your spiritual journey the roughness of the road will not deter you. Nor should the delights of material prosperity in this life ever entice you astray; only the foolish traveler, spotting a pleasant field on the way, forgets that he is en route to a greater destination.

        Saint Gregory the Great

18 April 2021

See With the Eyes of Faith

All of you, then, who have deserved to he enrolled in this heavenly book,” bring forward a generous faith and a strong reason. What takes place here requires faith and the eyes of the soul, so that you pay heed not only to what is seen, but that you make the unseen visible from the seen. This is what the eyes of faith can do. The eyes of the body can see only those things which come under their perception, but the eyes of faith are quite the opposite. For they see nothing of visible things, but the invisible things they see as if they were lying before their eyes. This is faith: to see the invisible as if it were visible. St. Paul says: Now faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that are not seen.

      Saint John Chrysostom
      Baptismal Instructions, p46

17 April 2021

On Prayer

Some people think that in prayer, you are the one giving to God. You give him words, you give him time, you give him emotions. But in reality, prayer in its true depth is a process of taking from God. He is the Giver, not the taker. The person who prays and feels that he has taken from God, is the one who succeeds in their prayer. The person who prays and feels that he has received power from God, is the one who succeeds in their prayer. The person who prays and receives blessings from God, is the one who succeeds in their prayer. The person who prays and receives repentance from God, is the one who succeeds in their prayer. The person who prays and receives holiness in their life from God, is the one who succeeds in their prayer. The person who prays and receives a spiritual connection between themselves and God, is the one who succeeds in their prayer.

Pope Shenouda III (1923-2012)
[Coptic Orthodox Church]

16 April 2021

A Pearl Soul

A pure soul is like a fine pearl. As long as it is hidden in the shell, at the bottom of the sea, no one thinks of admiring it. But if you bring it into the sunshine, this pearl will shine and attract all eyes. Thus the pure soul, which is hidden from the eyes of the world, will one day shine before the Angels in the sunshine of eternity.

      Saint John Vianney (1786-1859) 

15 April 2021

On Temptation

What I recommend most earnestly is not to lose heart when you are tempted. Do you wish to succeed? The best way is to reveal the temptations to your spiritual director immediately. The devil loves darkness. He always operates in the dark because he knows that if he is discovered he is beaten.

      Saint John Bosco (1815-1888)

14 April 2021

Speaking with Composure

Genuine good taste consists in saying much in few words, in choosing among our thoughts, in having order and arrangement in what we say, and in speaking with composure.

     François Fénèlon (1651-1715)

13 April 2021

On Patience

It is patience that both commends us to God, and saves us for God. It is that same patience which tempers anger, bridles the tongue, governs the mind, guards peace, rules discipline, breaks the onslaught of lust, suppresses the violence of pride, extinguishes the fire of dissension, restrains the power of the wealthy, renews the endurance of the poor in bearing their lot, guards the blessed integrity of virgins, the difficult chastity of widows, and the indivisible love of husbands and wives. It makes men humble in prosperity, brave in adversity, meek in the face of injuries and insults. It teaches us to pardon our offenders quickly; if you yourself should offend, it teaches you to ask pardon often and with perseverance. It vanquishes temptations, sustains persecutions, endures sufferings and martyrdoms to the end. It is this patience which strongly fortifies the foundations of our faith. It is this patience which sublimely promotes the growth of hope. It directs our action, so that we can keep to the way of Christ while we make progress o because of his forbearance. It ensures our perseverance as sons of God while we imitate the patience of the Father.

      Saint Cyprian of Carthage (c. 200-258)

12 April 2021

On Holy Communion

No one has been 'worthy' to receive communion, no one has been prepared for it. At this point all merits, all righteousness, all devotions disappear and dissolve. Life comes again to us as a Gift, a free and divine gift...Everything is free, nothing is due and yet all is given. And, therefore, the greatest humility and obedience is to accept the gift, to say yes - in joy and gratitude.

        Alexander Schmemann

11 April 2021

Hidden Treasures

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 becomes the source of heavenly glory. To those who suffer wounds in fighting his battles God opens his arms in loving, tender friendship, which is more delightful by far than anything our earthly efforts might produce. If we have any sense, we shall yearn for these open arms of God.

      Saint John of Ávila (1500-1569)

10 April 2021

Thoughts of Impurity

In temptations against chastity, the spiritual masters advise us, not so much to contend with the bad thought, as to turn the mind to some spiritual, or, at least, indifferent object. It is useful to combat other bad thoughts face to face, but not thoughts of impurity.

      Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

9 April 2021

A Life of Gratitude

A life of faith is a life of gratitude – it means a life in which I am willing to experience my complete dependence upon God and to praise and thank him unceasingly for the gift of being. A truly Eucharistic life means always saying thanks to God, always praising God, and always being more surprised by the abundance of God’s goodness and love. How can such a life not also be a joyful life? It is the truly converted life in which God has become the center of all. Their gratitude is joy and joy is gratitude and everything becomes a surprising sign of God’s presence.

            Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) 

8 April 2021

On Silence

One of our main problems is that in this chatty society, silence has become a very fearful thing. For most people, silence creates itchiness and nervousness. Many experience silence not as full and rich, but as empty and hollow. For them silence is like a gaping abyss which can swallow them up.

      Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)

 7 April 2021

Mother of God

Why is it hard to believe that Mary gave birth in a way contrary to the law of natural birth and remained a virgin, when contrary to the law of nature the sea looked at Him and fled, and the waters of the Jordan returned to their source (Ps. 113:3). Is it past belief that a virgin gave birth when we read that a rock issued water (Ex. 17:6), and the waves of the sea were made solid as a wall (Ex. 14:22)? Is it past belief that a Man came from a virgin when a rock bubbled forth a flowing stream (Ex. 20:11), iron floated on water (4 Kings 6:6), a Man walked upon the waters (Mt. 14:26)? If the waters bore a Man, could not a virgin give birth to a man? What Man? Him of Whom we read: ‘…the Lord shall be known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day; and they shall offer sacrifices, and shall vow vows to the Lord, and pay them’ (Is. 19:20).

In the Old Testament a Hebrew virgin (Miriam) led an army through the sea (Ex. 15:21); in the New testament a king’s daughter (the Virgin Mary) was chosen to be the heavenly entrance to salvation.”

             St. Ambrose