14 September 2019

Do It Anyway

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.


                                                                                                   St Teresa of Calcutta

6 September 2019

Beata Viscera

Beata viscera Marie virginis cuius ad ubera rex magni nominis;
veste sub altera vim celans numinis dictavit federa Dei et hominis

O mira novitas et novum gaudium, matris integrita post puerperium.

Blessed flesh of the Virgin Mary, at whose breasts the king of eminent name,

concealing, under altered guise, the force of divine nature, has sealed a pact of God and Man

O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy of a mother still pure after childbirth.

5 September 2019

Live in Hope

“I have consciousness of my sinfulness, but I live with hope.
It is bad to despair, because someone who despairs becomes
embittered and loses his willingness and strength. Someone
who has hope, on the contrary, advances forward”


                                                                                St. Porphyrios

16 August 2019

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

15 August 2019

On Prayer

Do not rush one prayer after another but say them with orderly
deliberation, as one addressing a great person for a favor. Do not
just pay attention to the words, but rather let the mind be in the
heart, standing before the Lord in full awareness of His presence,
in full consciousness of His greatness and grace and justice.
 

                                      St. Theophan the Recluse, Bishop of Tambov

11 August 2019

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
From the wicked enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me.
And bid me come unto Thee,
That with all Thy saints,
I may praise Thee
Forever and ever.
Amen.

                                 - St. Ignatius of Loyola

6 August 2019

On Unspeakable Joy

Though you do not see Him, you believe, and in believing,
there is unspeakable joy.

                         St Polycarp of Smyrna – 2^nd Century Bishop