Quote for the Day

[martin]

Those quotes provide plenty of food for thought.
The saints can say so much with so few words. 

[Shin]

'My dear brethren, I call that man bad company who is without religion, who does not concern himself with either the commandments of God or those of the Church, who does not recognize Lent or Easter, who seldom comes to church or, if he does come, then only to scandalize others by his irreligious ways. You ought to shun his company; otherwise you will not be long in becoming like him without your even noticing it.'

St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars

[odhiambo]

'My dear brethren, I call that man bad company who is without religion, who does not concern himself with either the commandments of God or those of the Church, who does not recognize Lent or Easter, who seldom comes to church or, if he does come, then only to scandalize others by his irreligious ways. You ought to shun his company; otherwise you will not be long in becoming like him without your even noticing it.'
St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars

He is so right.
There is always a risk even in just associating with those of other faiths. I know that this could be considered discrimination, but it is a fact that Catholics in the presence of Non-Catholics are reluctant to be"Catholics", if I can put it that way.
A poster over at CAF admitted to not making the Sign of the Cross before eating in school for fear of being ridiculed by other students.
The Desert Fathers and Mothers sure knew how to solve this problem.
Talking of the Desert Fathers and Mothers,what of Confession,  Holly Communion, Holy Mass and so on?
Did they sacrifice all that on the alter of constant prayer, solitude , sacrifices etc?

[Shin]

That reminds me of one of my favorite sermons.

In it was a story about a little girl going to kindergarten for the first time, and trying to say grace.

It's a reason why it's so necessary for there to be Christian society, and government, rather than a pluralistic society. Absolutely necessary. Only because of the profound ignorance today of what Christianity is, are people living their lives and raising their children as they are.

'Obviously the need of this Christian instruction is accentuated by the decline of our times and morals. It is even more demanded by the existence of those public schools, lacking all religion, where everything holy is ridiculed and scorned. There both teachers' lips and students' ears are inclined to godlessness. We are referring to those schools which are unjustly called neutral or lay. In reality, they are nothing more than the stronghold of the powers of darkness.'

Pope St. Pius X, 'Editae Saepe'

[martin]

'Obviously the need of this Christian instruction is accentuated by the decline of our times and morals. It is even more demanded by the existence of those public schools, lacking all religion, where everything holy is ridiculed and scorned. There both teachers' lips and students' ears are inclined to godlessness. We are referring to those schools which are unjustly called neutral or lay. In reality, they are nothing more than the stronghold of the powers of darkness.'

Pope St. Pius X, 'Editae Saepe'

Shin I was reading that quote thinking it was your own til I scrolled on down and saw it was from Pope St. Pius X. It certainly sounds like things you've written before on the subject. 

Getting involved with this school catechises I've discovered that things are actually worse than I first imagined.; I think it will take direct intervention from the Lord to put things right but we still must do our own little bit.

[Shin]

Yes, pray and work! Bring as much grace to the situation as the Lord wills.

I think of that quote often if I say anything about the subject! Thank God for Pope St. Pius X and his writing on education! I pray he intercedes for us in regards to the help you're trying to bring to education. If only people had listened enough to his words!

[Shin]

'Abba Paphnutius said, "When I was walking along the road, I happened to lose my way and found myself near a village adn I saw some people who were talking about evil things. So I stood still, praying or my sins. Then behold an angel came, holding a sword, and he said to me, "Paphnutius, all those who judge their brothers perish by his sword, but because you have not judged, but have humbled yourself before God, saying that you have sinned, your name is written in the book of the living!"

'Abba Poemen said that Abba Paphnutius used to say, 'During the whole lifetime of the old men, I used to go see them twice a month, although it was a distance of twelve miles. I told them  each of my thoughts and they never answered me anything  but this, "Wherever you go, do not judge yourself and you will have peace."

'Amma Sarah sent someone to say to Abba Paphnutius, "Have you really done the work of God by letting your brother be despised?" and Abba Paphnutius said, "Paphnutius is here with the intention of doing the work of God, and he has nothing to do with anyone else."

- the sayings of the Desert Fathers

[odhiambo]

'Obviously the need of this Christian instruction is accentuated by the decline of our times and morals. It is even more demanded by the existence of those public schools, lacking all religion, where everything holy is ridiculed and scorned. There both teachers' lips and students' ears are inclined to godlessness. We are referring to those schools which are unjustly called neutral or lay. In reality, they are nothing more than the stronghold of the powers of darkness.'

Pope St. Pius X, 'Editae Saepe'

Shin I was reading that quote thinking it was your own til I scrolled on down and saw it was from Pope St. Pius X. It certainly sounds like things you've written before on the subject.  

Same here martin. Shin, I honestly thought it was your say on the subject because it sounded so like you; until I realized it was a quote 
Imagine this problem we are facing now was a problem even then, some one hundred years ago, give or take.

[odhiambo]

"Be just and fair in all you do. Always put yourself in your neighbour's place, and put him into yours, and then you will judge fairly. Sell as you would buy, and buy as you would sell, and your buying and selling will alike be honest. These little dishonesties seem unimportant, because we are not obliged to make restitution, and we have, after all, only taken that which we might demand according to the strict letter of the law; but, nevertheless, they are sins against right and charity, and are mere trickery, greatly needing correction-nor does any one ever lose by being generous, noble-hearted and courteous. Be sure then often to examine your dealings with your neighbour, whether your heart is right towards him, as you would have his towards you, were things reversed-this is the true test of reason."

St. Francis de Sales

[odhiambo]

"Be just and fair in all you do. Always put yourself in your neighbour's place, and put him into yours, and then you will judge fairly. Sell as you would buy, and buy as you would sell, and your buying and selling will alike be honest. These little dishonesties seem unimportant, because we are not obliged to make restitution, and we have, after all, only taken that which we might demand according to the strict letter of the law; but, nevertheless, they are sins against right and charity, and are mere trickery, greatly needing correction-nor does any one ever lose by being generous, noble-hearted and courteous. Be sure then often to examine your dealings with your neighbour, whether your heart is right towards him, as you would have his towards you, were things reversed-this is the true test of reason."

St. Francis de Sales

Amen! Amen! Saint Francis and thank you!

[odhiambo]

'When the door of the steam baths is continually left open, the heat inside rapidly escapes through it; likewise the soul, in its desire to say many things, dissipates its remembrance of God through the door of speech, even though everything it says may be good. Thereafter the intellect, though lacking appropriate ideas, pours out a welter of confused thoughts to anyone it meets, as it no longer has the Holy Spirit to keep its understanding free from fantasy. Ideas of value always shun verbosity, being foreign to confusion and fantasy. Timely silence, then, is precious, for it is nothing less than the mother of the wisest thoughts.'

St. Diadochos of Photiki

[odhiambo]

'When the door of the steam baths is continually left open, the heat inside rapidly escapes through it; likewise the soul, in its desire to say many things, dissipates its remembrance of God through the door of speech, even though everything it says may be good. Thereafter the intellect, though lacking appropriate ideas, pours out a welter of confused thoughts to anyone it meets, as it no longer has the Holy Spirit to keep its understanding free from fantasy. Ideas of value always shun verbosity, being foreign to confusion and fantasy. Timely silence, then, is precious, for it is nothing less than the mother of the wisest thoughts.'

St. Diadochos of Photiki

In other words: " Silence is golden" 

[Shin]

 

[odhiambo]

'Put in practice these precious words: suffer, be silent. By doing so, you will become in a short time holy and perfect.'
St. Paul of the Cross

[Patricia]

Put in practice these precious words: suffer, be silent. By doing so, you will become in a short time holy and perfect.'
St. Paul of the Cross

Easier to suffer than to be silent! So much to learn from the Saints. 

[odhiambo]

Put in practice these precious words: suffer, be silent. By doing so, you will become in a short time holy and perfect.'
St. Paul of the Cross

Easier to suffer than to be silent! So much to learn from the Saints. 

I agree Patricia 
Silence is a virtue in certain conditions but in others, one is obliged to speak.
Listen to the prophet Isaiah in the next post.