Pondering Tidbits of Truth - January 28, 2016

Pondering Tidbits of Truth is my simple and inadequate way of providing nuggets of spiritual wisdom for you to chew on from time to time.

 

St. Josemaria Escriva

"Mortification does not usually consist of great renunciations, for situations requiring great self-denial seldom occur. Mortification is made up of small conquests, such as smiling at those who annoy us, denying the body some superfluous fancy, getting accustomed to listening to others, making full use of the time God allots us...and so many other details. We find it in the apparently trifling problems, difficulties and worries which arise without our looking for them in the course of each day."

(From Christ is Passing By)

Federico Suarez

" If there are so many Christians who today live aimlessly with little depth, and hemmed in on all sides by narrow horizons, it is due, above all, to their lack of any clear idea of why they, personally exist...What elevates a man and truly gives him a personality of his own is the consciousness of his vocation,. the consciousness of his own specific task in the universe."

(From Mary of Nazareth)

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"Lord Jesus, whoever refuses to live for you is clearly worthy of death, and is in fact dead already. Whoever does not know you is a fool. And whoever wants to become something without you, without doubt that man is considered nothing and is just that...You have made all things for yourself, O God, and whoever wants to live for himself and not for you, in all that he does, is nothing. 'Fear God and keep his commandments,' it is said, 'for this is the whole duty of man' (Eccl 12:13)." 

(From On the Songs of Songs)