Quote for the Day

[Shin]

'Help me, O just and merciful God, for I seek Thy light.'

St. Anselm of Canterbury

[Shin]

'What shall I do, Lord God, what shall I do?'

St. Anselm of Canterbury

[eschator83]

By a very curious coincidence, yesterday I retrieved from my library the translation by SN Deane of St Anselm's Basic Writings (Proslogium, Monologium, Cur Deua homo, and In Behalf of the Fool.  I spent several hours reviewing it, mostly wondering whether most Christians are drawn and held in faith primarily by their reason, or by the mystery of Revelation.  After reading this quote I spent another hour or more wondering in what context St Anselm asked this question, and trying (unsuccessfully) to find it in my book.
Thank you again for so many wonderful inspirations.  I will certainly keep reading and thinking.

[Shin]

I have been reading St. Anselm's works for inspiration these past few days.

The quote is from 'The Devotions of St. Anselm' near the end of the volume past the title 'A Prayer to Christ for my friends'. You can find the volume on Saints' Books. He asks similar questions in other parts of the volume as well.

[Benedict]

I spent several hours reviewing it, mostly wondering whether most Christians are drawn and held in faith primarily by their reason, or by the mystery of Revelation. 

John 6:65 Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.

[Shin]

'Let no worldly prosperity divert thee, nor any worldly adversity restrain thee from His praise. For thus thou wilt praise the Lord with thy whole heart and with love also; thou wilt seek from Him nothing else than Himself, that He may Himself be the goal of thy desire and the reward of thy labours, thy consolation in this life of shadows and thy possession in the blessed life to come.'

St. Anselm of Canterbury

Good to see you Benedict!

[Shin]

'But when thou shalt praise Him with all thy heart, and praise with the homage of thy love as well, then wilt thou desire nothing from Him but Himself, and thou wilt pray that the object of thy longing may be God; the reward of thy toil, God; thy solace in this life of shadows, God; thy possession in that blissful life to come, God.'

St. Anselm of Canterbury

[Shin]

'"I AM WHO AM," He says (Exod. iii. 14); and beautifully said it is, for He alone truly IS, whose Being is unchangeable. He, therefore, whose so unapproached Being is being so transcedent and unique a sense that He alone truly IS; in comparison of whom all being is no being; when He would create thee to so great excellency that thou couldest not even comprehend the luster of thy dignity, what did He set as the sphere of thy being, what place of abode did He furnish for thee? Hear Him Himself speaking to His own in the Gospel, "Abide in Me, and I in you" (St. John xv. 4).'

St. Anselm of Canterbury

[Shin]

'Let your heart be full of compassion for the poor, and lovingly assist them, because the name of Jesus is engraven on their countenance.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

'A good heart produces good thoughts: its thoughts correspond to what it stores up in itself.'

St. Thalassios the Libyan

[Shin]

'Be very careful to retain peace of heart, because Satan casts his lines in troubled waters.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

'The notion that you commit sin in everything you do is a wicked suggestion of the devil; it is not true.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

'Reveal yourself to the Lord in your mind. 'For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart' (1 Sam. 16:7).'

St. Mark the Ascetic

[Shin]

'Prayer is a pasturage, a field, wherein all the virtues find their nourishment, growth, and strength.'

St. Catherine of Siena

[Shin]

'Now this is the will of the Father who sent me: that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again in the last day.'

John 6:39

[Shin]

'Ecclesiasticus says, that the fear of the Lord brings not pain, but joy and gladness: The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give joy and gladness. Thus this very fear leads to the acquisition of a firm hope in God, which makes the soul happy: He that fears the Lord shall tremble at nothing, and shall not be afraid, for He is his hope. The soul of him that fears the Lord is blessed. Yes, blessed, because fear draws man away from sin. The fear of the Lord drives out sin and at the same time infuses into him a great desire of observing the commandments: Blessed is the man that fears the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori