Quote for the Night

[Shin]

'Nothing but sin can separate us from God. You do not wish to sin; therefore preserve your heart in peace, and have it constantly turned towards heaven.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Therese]

'The Holy Scriptures do not know any distinctions. They enjoin that all lead the life of monks.'

St. John Chrysostom

Wow, how insightful!  Lately, I have been cutting out visits to my friend, as I have been very much occupied with spiritual things that need to get done.  I think it is better this way, in light of the quote above.  However, I think it is prudent that I allow myself breaks for friendly visits from time to time; after all, even monks have an hour of recreation daily.  Tomorrow I must visit my father in the hospital.  God bless you!

[Therese]

'Certain things stop the movement of the passions and do not allow them to grow; others subdue them and make them diminish. For instance, where desire is concerned, fasting, labor and vigils do not allow it to grow, while withdrawal, contemplation, prayer and intense longing for God subdue it and make it disappear. The same is true with regard to anger. Forbearance, freedom from rancor, gentleness, for example, all arrest it and prevent it from growing, while love, acts of charity, kindness and compassion make it diminish.'

St. Maximos the Confessor

Yes, with charity, the love of God and the love of neighbor for God, we will progress spiritually in leaps and bounds! 

[Therese]

'Nothing but sin can separate us from God. You do not wish to sin; therefore preserve your heart in peace, and have it constantly turned towards heaven.'

St. Paul of the Cross

I must keep my heart fixed on God and turned away from all that is not God, even when dealing with creatures.

[Therese]

'When elated by praise, be sure disgrace will follow; for it is said: "Whoever exalts himself will be abased" (Luke 14:11).'

St. Mark the Ascetic

That St. Charles quote reminds me of one of St. Bernardine's about straw beds being plenty warm enough. 

Pride goeth before destruction: and the spirit is lifted up before a fall.  (Prov. 16:18)

[Shin]

'The Holy Scriptures do not know any distinctions. They enjoin that all lead the life of monks.'

St. John Chrysostom

Wow, how insightful!  Lately, I have been cutting out visits to my friend, as I have been very much occupied with spiritual things that need to get done.  I think it is better this way, in light of the quote above.  However, I think it is prudent that I allow myself breaks for friendly visits from time to time; after all, even monks have an hour of recreation daily.  Tomorrow I must visit my father in the hospital.  God bless you!

I will pray for him particularly!

Yes such sounds like a good course!

[Shin]

'The Holy Scriptures do not know any distinctions. They enjoin that all lead the life of monks.'

St. John Chrysostom

Wow, how insightful!  Lately, I have been cutting out visits to my friend, as I have been very much occupied with spiritual things that need to get done.  I think it is better this way, in light of the quote above.  However, I think it is prudent that I allow myself breaks for friendly visits from time to time; after all, even monks have an hour of recreation daily.  Tomorrow I must visit my father in the hospital.  God bless you!

Yes that quote is one that especially helps point the way!

[Therese]

'The Holy Scriptures do not know any distinctions. They enjoin that all lead the life of monks.'

St. John Chrysostom

Wow, how insightful!  Lately, I have been cutting out visits to my friend, as I have been very much occupied with spiritual things that need to get done.  I think it is better this way, in light of the quote above.  However, I think it is prudent that I allow myself breaks for friendly visits from time to time; after all, even monks have an hour of recreation daily.  Tomorrow I must visit my father in the hospital.  God bless you!

Yes such sounds like a good course!

Thank you so much!  God bless you!

[Therese]

'The Holy Scriptures do not know any distinctions. They enjoin that all lead the life of monks.'

St. John Chrysostom

Wow, how insightful!  Lately, I have been cutting out visits to my friend, as I have been very much occupied with spiritual things that need to get done.  I think it is better this way, in light of the quote above.  However, I think it is prudent that I allow myself breaks for friendly visits from time to time; after all, even monks have an hour of recreation daily.  Tomorrow I must visit my father in the hospital.  God bless you!

Yes that quote is one that especially helps point the way!

Definitely!  Now I'm off to do some mental prayer! 

[Shin]

'St. Bernard says that poverty was not to be found in heaven, it existed only on earth; but that man, not knowing its value, did not seek after it. Therefore the Son of God came down from heaven to this earth, and chose it for his companion throughout his whole life, that by his example he might also render it precious and desirable to us: "Poverty was not found in heaven, but she was well known on earth, and men knew not her excellence. So the Son of God loved her, and came down from heaven to take her to himself, that we might learn to value her when we see how he regards her."'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

[Therese]

'St. Bernard says that poverty was not to be found in heaven, it existed only on earth; but that man, not knowing its value, did not seek after it. Therefore the Son of God came down from heaven to this earth, and chose it for his companion throughout his whole life, that by his example he might also render it precious and desirable to us: "Poverty was not found in heaven, but she was well known on earth, and men knew not her excellence. So the Son of God loved her, and came down from heaven to take her to himself, that we might learn to value her when we see how he regards her."'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Our Lord turns the Cross and Poverty into something most excellent.  I never look down on poverty because our Lord had chosen it for himself, and so had Blessed Mary and St. Joseph as husband and wife.  How blessed are the poor who are poor in spirit!

[Shin]

'It can happen that someone may in appearance be fulfilling a commandment but is in reality serving a passion, and through evil thoughts he destroys the goodness of the action.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

[Therese]

'It is almost certain that excess in eating is the cause of almost all the diseases of the body, but its effects on the soul are even more disastrous.'  

St. Alphonsus Liguori


'Never rise from the table without having given due thanks to the Lord. If we act in this way, we need have no fear of the wretched sin of gluttony.'
  
Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

[Shin]

'Our Apostolic Mandate requires from Us that We watch over the purity of the Faith and the integrity of Catholic discipline. It requires from Us that We protect the faithful from evil and error; especially so when evil and error are presented in dynamic language which, concealing vague notions and ambiguous expressions with emotional and high-sounding words, is likely to set ablaze the hearts of men in pursuit of ideals which, whilst attractive, are nonetheless nefarious.'

Pope St. Pius X

[Therese]

'Our Apostolic Mandate requires from Us that We watch over the purity of the Faith and the integrity of Catholic discipline. It requires from Us that We protect the faithful from evil and error; especially so when evil and error are presented in dynamic language which, concealing vague notions and ambiguous expressions with emotional and high-sounding words, is likely to set ablaze the hearts of men in pursuit of ideals which, whilst attractive, are nonetheless nefarious.'

Pope St. Pius X

The Holy Office had always been the same in this regard up until Vatican II, carefully protecting the flock from dangerous wolves, imposing excommunications for heresy as frequently as necessary.  Then with John XXIII and the other Conciliariasts occupying the Chair of Peter things changed a whole lot and things harmful to the faithful such as heretical and immoral books went unchecked, with few excommunications being imposed, and most of them to traditionalists who were merely trying to remain faithful to the true Faith of the Saints.  In the 1960's under Paul VI  the "Index of Forbidden Books" (established in 1559) was abolished and books harmful to the faithful were being read without censure, and disciplines harmful to the faithful (Holy Communion in the hand, etc.) were introduced, causing irreverence to the Blessed Sacrament, and a loss in belief in the Blessed Sacrament for not merely a few people. 

[Shin]

'It is your self love which makes you resent not being able to do what others can do or having so much dismay on finding that you have need of the help of others; if you were dead to self, you would not be so unhappy.'

The Lord, to St. Gemma Galgani