30 September 2023
The more you devote yourself to study of the sacred utterances, the
richer will be your understanding of them, just as the more the soil is tilled,
the richer the harvest.
Saint Isidore of Seville
The Look of Love
29 September 2023
What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.
Saint Augustine
What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.
Saint Augustine
On Solitude
28 September 2023
Souls that love God feel a strong attraction for solitude, for they know that God converses familiarly with those who shun the noise and distractions of the world… God speaks to the soul in solitude, and by his words the soul is inflamed with divine love: “My soul melted when my beloved spoke.” (Sgs 5:6).
Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Souls that love God feel a strong attraction for solitude, for they know that God converses familiarly with those who shun the noise and distractions of the world… God speaks to the soul in solitude, and by his words the soul is inflamed with divine love: “My soul melted when my beloved spoke.” (Sgs 5:6).
Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Repentance
27 September 2023
Are you a sinner? Do not despair; rather, enter, presenting repentance. Have you sinned? Tell God, “I have sinned.” What is the labor, what the period of time, what the expense? What kind of hardship is it to say, “I have sinned”? You have an advocate with the Father who said, “Be the first to confess your sins so you may be justified.” Say the sin to obliterate it. For this, there is no toil, no expense, no need of deep arguments, no need of philosophical reasoning, say, “I have sinned.”
St. John Chrysostom
Are you a sinner? Do not despair; rather, enter, presenting repentance. Have you sinned? Tell God, “I have sinned.” What is the labor, what the period of time, what the expense? What kind of hardship is it to say, “I have sinned”? You have an advocate with the Father who said, “Be the first to confess your sins so you may be justified.” Say the sin to obliterate it. For this, there is no toil, no expense, no need of deep arguments, no need of philosophical reasoning, say, “I have sinned.”
St. John Chrysostom
Wisdom
25 September 2023
Wisdom. The first point of wisdom is to discern that which is false; the second to know that which is true.
Lactantius
Wisdom. The first point of wisdom is to discern that which is false; the second to know that which is true.
Lactantius
Lament and Grieve
24 September 2023
Lament and grieve because you are still so worldly, so carnal, so passionate and unmortified, so full of roving lust, so careless in guarding the external senses, so often occupied in many vain fancies, so inclined to exterior things and so heedless of what lies within, so prone to laughter and dissipation and so indisposed to sorrow and tears, so inclined to ease and the pleasures of the flesh and so cool to austerity and zeal, so curious to hear what is new and to see the beautiful and so slow to embrace humiliation and dejection, so covetous of abundance, so niggardly in giving and so tenacious in keeping, so inconsiderate in speech, so reluctant in silence, so undisciplined in character, so disordered in action, so greedy at meals, so deaf to the Word of God, so prompt to rest and so slow to labor, so awake to empty conversation, so sleepy in keeping sacred vigils and so eager to end them, so wandering in your attention, so careless in saying the office, so lukewarm in celebrating, so heartless in receiving, so quickly distracted, so seldom fully recollected, so quickly moved to anger, so apt to take offense at others, so prone to judge, so severe in condemning, so happy in prosperity and so weak in adversity, so often making good resolutions and carrying so few of them into action.
Thomas à Kempis
Lament and grieve because you are still so worldly, so carnal, so passionate and unmortified, so full of roving lust, so careless in guarding the external senses, so often occupied in many vain fancies, so inclined to exterior things and so heedless of what lies within, so prone to laughter and dissipation and so indisposed to sorrow and tears, so inclined to ease and the pleasures of the flesh and so cool to austerity and zeal, so curious to hear what is new and to see the beautiful and so slow to embrace humiliation and dejection, so covetous of abundance, so niggardly in giving and so tenacious in keeping, so inconsiderate in speech, so reluctant in silence, so undisciplined in character, so disordered in action, so greedy at meals, so deaf to the Word of God, so prompt to rest and so slow to labor, so awake to empty conversation, so sleepy in keeping sacred vigils and so eager to end them, so wandering in your attention, so careless in saying the office, so lukewarm in celebrating, so heartless in receiving, so quickly distracted, so seldom fully recollected, so quickly moved to anger, so apt to take offense at others, so prone to judge, so severe in condemning, so happy in prosperity and so weak in adversity, so often making good resolutions and carrying so few of them into action.
Thomas à Kempis
On Prayer
23 September 2023
Length of prayer consists, not in praying for many things, but in the
affections persisting in the desire of one thing.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Holy Scripture
22 September 2023
Of all the afflictions that burden the human race, there is not one,
whether spiritual or bodily, that cannot be healed by the Holy Scriptures.
Saint John Chrysostom
The Holy Spirit
21 September 2023
But the Holy Spirit does not speak His own things, but those of Christ, and that not from himself, but from the Lord; even as the Lord also announced to us the things that He received from the Father. For, says He, “the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s, who sent Me.” And says He of the Holy Spirit, “He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever things He shall hear from Me.” And He says of Himself to the Father, “I have,” says He, “glorified Thee upon the earth; I have finished the work which, Thou gavest Me; I have manifested Thy name to men.” And of the Holy Ghost, “He shall glorify Me, for He receives of Mine.”
Saint Ignatius of Antioch
But the Holy Spirit does not speak His own things, but those of Christ, and that not from himself, but from the Lord; even as the Lord also announced to us the things that He received from the Father. For, says He, “the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s, who sent Me.” And says He of the Holy Spirit, “He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever things He shall hear from Me.” And He says of Himself to the Father, “I have,” says He, “glorified Thee upon the earth; I have finished the work which, Thou gavest Me; I have manifested Thy name to men.” And of the Holy Ghost, “He shall glorify Me, for He receives of Mine.”
Saint Ignatius of Antioch
On Humble Souls
20 September 2023
It is on humble souls that God pours down His fullest light and grace. He teaches what scholars cannot learn, and mysteries that the wisest cannot solve He can make plain to them.
Saint Vincent de Paul
It is on humble souls that God pours down His fullest light and grace. He teaches what scholars cannot learn, and mysteries that the wisest cannot solve He can make plain to them.
Saint Vincent de Paul
Despising All Earthly Vanities
19 September 2023
This is the greatest wisdom—to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. It is vanity, therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honor and to be puffed up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come. It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.
Thomas à Kempis
This is the greatest wisdom—to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. It is vanity, therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honor and to be puffed up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come. It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.
Thomas à Kempis
The Body and Blood of Christ
18 September 2023
Therefore with the fullest assurance let us partake as of the Body and Blood of Christ: for in the figure of Bread is given to you His Body, and in the Figure of Wine His Blood; that you, by partaking of the body and blood of Christ, might be made of the same body and the same blood with Him. For thus we come to bear Christ in us, because His Body and Blood are diffused through our members; thus it is that, according to the blessed Peter, “we become partakers of the divine nature.” [2 Peter 1:4].
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Therefore with the fullest assurance let us partake as of the Body and Blood of Christ: for in the figure of Bread is given to you His Body, and in the Figure of Wine His Blood; that you, by partaking of the body and blood of Christ, might be made of the same body and the same blood with Him. For thus we come to bear Christ in us, because His Body and Blood are diffused through our members; thus it is that, according to the blessed Peter, “we become partakers of the divine nature.” [2 Peter 1:4].
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
The Soul Immortal Self
17 September 2023
A soul can’t live in this world without a body for it is considered as a unity of body and self. It is an important element of man which governs and defines himself. We all know that we are created in the image and likeness of God for we are geared towards the good. For example, as we are living in this world, we should take good care of our body not just physically as well as mentally for it is the house of our soul and when the right time comes, we won’t regret anything for it has been useful.
Saint Augustine
A soul can’t live in this world without a body for it is considered as a unity of body and self. It is an important element of man which governs and defines himself. We all know that we are created in the image and likeness of God for we are geared towards the good. For example, as we are living in this world, we should take good care of our body not just physically as well as mentally for it is the house of our soul and when the right time comes, we won’t regret anything for it has been useful.
Saint Augustine
Faith, Hope, Love
16 September 2023
Faith is what gets you started. Hope is what keeps you going. Love is what brings you to the end.
Mother Angelica
Faith is what gets you started. Hope is what keeps you going. Love is what brings you to the end.
Mother Angelica
Walk By the Spirit
15 September 2023
As long as a man lives in sin, having no power to hate it and to fight against it, the Spirit is not in him and he walks according to the flesh on the way to hell. Whoever walks by the Spirit still has fleshly desires within him, but he is also empowered to hate sin and fight against it so that it does not gain dominion over him. If someone sins because he wants to, he walks according to the flesh. If someone walks in the Spirit, he, too, commits sin, but this is not what he wants to do and he abhors what he has done.
C. F. W. Walther
As long as a man lives in sin, having no power to hate it and to fight against it, the Spirit is not in him and he walks according to the flesh on the way to hell. Whoever walks by the Spirit still has fleshly desires within him, but he is also empowered to hate sin and fight against it so that it does not gain dominion over him. If someone sins because he wants to, he walks according to the flesh. If someone walks in the Spirit, he, too, commits sin, but this is not what he wants to do and he abhors what he has done.
C. F. W. Walther
Mary Mother of God
9 September 2023
In her manner she showed that she was not so much presented into the Temple, but that she herself entered into the service of God of her own accord, as if she had wings, striving towards this sacred and divine love. She considered it desirable and fitting that she should enter into the Temple and dwell in the Holy of Holies. Therefore, the High Priest, seeing that this child, more than anyone else, had divine grace within her, wished to set her within the Holy of Holies. He convinced everyone present to welcome this, since God had advanced it and approved it. Through His angel, God assisted the Virgin and sent her mystical food, with which she was strengthened in nature, while in body she was brought to maturity and was made purer and more exalted than the angels, having the Heavenly spirits as servants. She was led into the Holy of Holies not just once, but was accepted by God to dwell there with Him during her youth, so that through her, the Heavenly Abodes might be opened and given for an eternal habitation to those who believe in her miraculous birthgiving.
St. Gregory Palamas
In her manner she showed that she was not so much presented into the Temple, but that she herself entered into the service of God of her own accord, as if she had wings, striving towards this sacred and divine love. She considered it desirable and fitting that she should enter into the Temple and dwell in the Holy of Holies. Therefore, the High Priest, seeing that this child, more than anyone else, had divine grace within her, wished to set her within the Holy of Holies. He convinced everyone present to welcome this, since God had advanced it and approved it. Through His angel, God assisted the Virgin and sent her mystical food, with which she was strengthened in nature, while in body she was brought to maturity and was made purer and more exalted than the angels, having the Heavenly spirits as servants. She was led into the Holy of Holies not just once, but was accepted by God to dwell there with Him during her youth, so that through her, the Heavenly Abodes might be opened and given for an eternal habitation to those who believe in her miraculous birthgiving.
St. Gregory Palamas
God's Mercy
8 September 2023
Do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God.
Saint Isidore of Seville
Do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God.
Saint Isidore of Seville
The Bread of Life
7 September 2023
He is The Bread sown in the virgin, leavened in the Flesh, molded in His Passion, baked in the furnace of the Sepulchre, placed in the Churches, and set upon the Altars, which daily supplies Heavenly Food to the faithful.
St. Peter Chysologus
He is The Bread sown in the virgin, leavened in the Flesh, molded in His Passion, baked in the furnace of the Sepulchre, placed in the Churches, and set upon the Altars, which daily supplies Heavenly Food to the faithful.
St. Peter Chysologus
Desiring God
6 September 2023
O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire Thee with our whole heart; that, so desiring, we may seek, and seeking find Thee; and so finding Thee may love Thee; and in loving Thee, may hate those sins from which Thou hast redeemed us.
St. Anselm
O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire Thee with our whole heart; that, so desiring, we may seek, and seeking find Thee; and so finding Thee may love Thee; and in loving Thee, may hate those sins from which Thou hast redeemed us.
St. Anselm
Sinners
5 September 2023
Sinner one may indeed be, but no one must despair of pardon on this day which is so highly privileged. For if a thief could receive the grace of Paradise, how could a Christian be refused forgiveness?
Saint Maximus of Turin
Sinner one may indeed be, but no one must despair of pardon on this day which is so highly privileged. For if a thief could receive the grace of Paradise, how could a Christian be refused forgiveness?
Saint Maximus of Turin
Repent
3 September 2023
To Repent means both to lament the sins we have committed and to refrain from the sins we lament.
St. Gregory the Great
To Repent means both to lament the sins we have committed and to refrain from the sins we lament.
St. Gregory the Great
Repentance
2 September 2023
When the profligate returned after going to a foreign country and finding out by experience what a great sin it is to leave the father’s house, the father did not remember past injuries but welcomed him with open arms. Why? Because he was a father and not a judge. And there were dances and festivities and banquets and the whole house was full of joy and gladness. Are you asking: “Is this what he gets for his wickedness?” Not for his wickedness, but for his return home; not for sin, but for repentance; not for evil, but for being converted.
Saint John Chrysostom
When the profligate returned after going to a foreign country and finding out by experience what a great sin it is to leave the father’s house, the father did not remember past injuries but welcomed him with open arms. Why? Because he was a father and not a judge. And there were dances and festivities and banquets and the whole house was full of joy and gladness. Are you asking: “Is this what he gets for his wickedness?” Not for his wickedness, but for his return home; not for sin, but for repentance; not for evil, but for being converted.
Saint John Chrysostom
Distractions and Desires
1 September 2023
The dark powers are sick with envy against us when we pray, and they will use every conceivable trick to frustrate us spiritually. They endlessly stir up our inner memories to distract us into thoughts and will try to stir our flesh to all kinds of desires, for in this way they think they can hinder the soul’s glorious ascent and its journey to God.
Evagrius Ponticus
The dark powers are sick with envy against us when we pray, and they will use every conceivable trick to frustrate us spiritually. They endlessly stir up our inner memories to distract us into thoughts and will try to stir our flesh to all kinds of desires, for in this way they think they can hinder the soul’s glorious ascent and its journey to God.
Evagrius Ponticus
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