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Mar202022

Chosen and accepted path

…rugged souls of determination are those who advance most securely along the contemplative path to God. These seem often to be the most simple people, those not held back by ambitions for the enjoyment of their pride in this passing world. Indeed, nothing of spiritual elitism is compatible with the grace of contemplation. It is not a feat of acquired skills or of learned proficiency in prayer but, rather, an interior path of humility and deep faith and intense love for God. Are we perhaps invited in God’s plan to this grace of contemplation? A consuming desire for God that will not release our soul is one sign that this grace may await us or is already present. But we must be ready, if that grace deepen its impact, to leave naked the depths of our soul for God. We must be willing to give to God an offering of love and sacrifice, seeking nothing more urgently in life than him. These are serious demands, certainly. For souls who may be attracted to such a life of deeper personal interiority with God, Saint John of the Cross is an incomparable mentor.  –“Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation” by Father Donald Haggerty

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Mar132022

Proper

Do not shirk your own responsibilities in order to take refuge in God. Do not seek refuge in God in order to flee from yourself. God wants you to offer yourself to him as you are in order to elevate and sanctify you. Do not let the world push you toward God. Allow God to attract you to him.

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Give up any word that is not constructive. Speak only when your speech proves to be more profound and more eloquent than your silence. Do not allow your talk about the deep sea to prevent you from sailing on it.i

Aim for the essence. Distinguish in your life between what is essential and what is superficial, between fundamentals and secondary matters, between the kernel and the shell.

Homily of St Charbel

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Mar122022

Lenten offering

Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?

And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!”
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Ezekiel

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Mar072022

A saint in the making

Gertrude did not acquire her great purity of heart and lowliness of spirit without effort. In the early days of her religious life she was almost carried away by her ardor for study, finding in it such delight that she sometimes shortened the time of prayer. But God, who was watching over her perfection, would not permit this state of things to continue. He allowed her mind to be overwhelmed with darkness, so that she knew not where to turn for comfort ; and even in her spiritual exercises, to which she was always faithful, she found no solace. When this spiritual desolation had lasted for about a month, our Lord deigned to come Himself to console her.

At the hour of Compline on the Tuesday before the feast of the Purification, in the dusk of the evening, Gertrude was on her way to the choir. Meeting a sister, she bent her head in the customary salute. On raising her eyes again she saw before her our Lord under the form of a youth of delicate beauty, who said to her, ” Your salvation is at hand ; why are you consumed with grief? Have you no counsellor that you are so changed by sadness?” –St Gertrude the Great, chapter 1 “The Herald of Divine Love”

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Mar062022

Psalm 25

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul,

My God, in you I trust; do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me.

No one is disgraced who waits for you, but only those who are treacherous without cause.

Make known to me your ways, LORD; teach me your paths.

Guide me by your fidelity and teach me, for you are God my savior, for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your compassion and your mercy, O LORD, for they are ages old.

Remember no more the sins of my youth; remember me according to your mercy, because of your goodness, LORD.

Good and upright is the LORD, therefore he shows sinners the way,

He guides the humble in righteousness, and teaches the humble his way.

All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth toward those who honor his covenant and decrees.

For the sake of your name, LORD, pardon my guilt, though it is great.

Who is the one who fears the LORD, God shows him the way he should choose.

He will abide in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.

The counsel of the LORD belongs to those who fear him; and his covenant instructs them.

My eyes are ever upon the LORD, who frees my feet from the snare.

Look upon me, have pity on me, for I am alone and afflicted.

Relieve the troubles of my heart; bring me out of my distress.

Look upon my affliction and suffering; take away all my sins.

See how many are my enemies, see how fiercely they hate me.

Preserve my soul and rescue me; do not let me be disgraced, for in you I seek refuge.

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me;

I wait for you, O LORD.

Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress!

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