Pondering Tidbits of Truth - May 16, 2019

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.

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

"Every word that come to us about the uncomfortable, the homeless, the lepers, is the Son of God passing by. If we let Him pass by, He may never be recalled. Graces unused are not often repeated; whispers ignored do not become shouts. All through life, our hands will stretch forth empty of the richest blessings of wisdom and truth unless they are first used to clutch as the sleeve of the Divine 'who makes as if He would pass us by'."

(From Guide to Contentment)

Blessed Dina Bélanger

 "The Savior makes Himself heard only in hours of deep recollection, peace, and silence. His voice is soft, so soft that in the soul all must be hushed; it is a melodious voice, while that of the devil is noisy, abrupt, and discordant, and his words are uttered in the midst of agitation and tumult."

(From The Spiritual Formation of Blessed Dina by Dr. Robert Stackpole, STD)

Cardinal Robert Sarah

"The Church is not a proselyte, but She has a mandate from Jesus: 'All power has been give to Me in heaven and earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing then in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe what I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you until the end of time.' The Church cannot avoid this urgent task.

'Woe to me,' said Saint Paul, 'if I do not evangelize.' This is what missionaries did in Africa, and on other continents. In their first contact with people, they immediately presented the Gospel and its demands, without ever forcing anyone. I do not know of any missionary who has forced a people to become Christian. But evangelizing is a duty. Whether it is Muslim, Buddhists or animists, we must evangelize everyone by proclaiming Jesus Christ, because He is the only way to salvation, so it is not proselytism, because we do not force pagans or Muslims with weapons, but offer them the way to salvation. Our religion is based on love and banishes violence."

(From Evening Approaches and the Day Is Now Far Spent)