Quote for the Afternoon

[Shin]

'The signs that accompany those who wish to submit to the Logos of God and who bring forth good fruit are: sighing, weeping, sorrow, stillness, shaking of the head, prayer, silence, persistence, bitter grief, tribulation of heart arising from religious devotion. In addition, their actions manifest vigilance, fasting, self-control, gentleness, forbearance, unceasing prayer, study of the divine Scriptures, faith, humility, brotherly affection, submission, rigorous toil, hardship, love, kindliness, courtesy and-the sum of all-light, which is the Lord. The signs that accompany those who are not producing the fruit of life are listlessness, day-dreaming, curiosity, lack of attention, grumbling, instability; and in their actions they manifest gluttony, anger, wrath, back-biting, conceit, untimely talk, unbelief, disorderliness, forgetfulness, unrest, sordid greed, avarice, envy, fractiousness, contempt, garrulity, senseless laughter, willfulness and - the sum of all - darkness, which is Satan.'

St. Symeon Metaphrastis

[Shin]

curiosity

Ever since I saw this listed in an examination of conscience as a vice, I remember it again and again.

[odhiambo]

"If you invoke the Blessed Virgin when you are tempted, she will come at once to your help, and Satan will leave you."
St. John Vianney

[odhiambo]

"Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation"
Saint Augustine

[Shin]

"Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation"
Saint Augustine

Very true!!!

[Shin]

'Woe to the body when it stands upon its own nature, because then it wastes and dies ; and woe to the soul if it takes its stand upon nothing but its own nature, and puts its trust in nothing but its own works, not having the fellowship of the Spirit of God, because it dies, not having the eternal life of the Godhead vouchsafed to it.

When men are sick, as soon as the body is no longer able to receive nourishment, all hopes of them are given over, and all true friends and kinsfolk and lovers are in tears. In the same way, God and the holy angels are in tears over souls that are not nourished with the heavenly nourishment of the Spirit, and have not come to life in incorruption.'

St. Macarius the Egyptian

[odhiambo]

"If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all"
 St Peter Canisius

[Shin]

"Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation"
Saint Augustine

Worth remembering more than once!

'There are three principal reasons why we find ourselves desolate. The first is, because of our being tepid, lazy or negligent in our spiritual exercises; and so through our faults, spiritual consolation withdraws from us. The second, to try us and see how much we are and how much we let ourselves out in His service and praise without such great pay of consolation and great graces. The third, to give us true acquaintance and knowledge, that we may interiorly feel that it is not ours to get or keep great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other spiritual consolation, but that all is the gift and grace of God our Lord, and that we may not build a nest in a thing not ours, raising our intellect into some pride or vainglory, attributing to us devotion or the other things of the spiritual consolation.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola, 'Spiritual Exercises'

[odhiambo]

"The Christian law commands that we forgive our enemies and those who have wronged us.
I must therefore say here that I forgive Taikosama.
 I would rather have all the Japanese become Christians."

Saint Paul Miki one of the Martyrs of Nagasaki

[odhiambo]

"The Devil is like a mad dog tied by a chain. Beyond the length of the chain he cannot catch hold of anyone. And you, therefore, keep your distance. If you get too close you will be caught. Remember, the Devil has only one door with which to enter into our soul: our will. There are no secret or hidden doors. No sin is a true sin if we have not willfully consented."

Padre Pio

[odhiambo]

All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life work may be.
Saint Francis de Sales

[Shin]

'If you purify your soul of attachment to and desire for things, you will understand them spiritually. If you deny your appetite for them, you will enjoy their truth, understanding what is certain in them.'

St. John of the Cross

[Shin]

'If man remembered that it is written: "By your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned," (Matt 12:37) he would choose to remain silent.'

St. Poemen

[James - a humble servant]

It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man, and man to God.  But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell.  If, then, we possess charity, we posses God, for "God is Charity."

~ St. Albert the Great

[Shin]

It is great to hear from you James!

Compliments of this holy season to you!


St. Albert the Great, pray for us!

'If you wish to pray well, be faithful in the practice of mortification, avoid dissipation of mind during the day, and never commit any willful faults.'

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

[odhiambo]

"Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly"
Saint Francis de Sales