Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

  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.   Father Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.   The primary purpose of the priestly grace is the worthy celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass…The secondary purpose of the grace which the priest receives at ordination is the sanctification of the faithful. If the priest has the care of souls, he has a special obligation to strive for holiness of life because of his duty toward the Mystical Body of Christ. In no other way will he be able to sanctify the souls committed to his charge or avoid the dangers of the world…   (From The Priest In Union With Christ )   Madeleine Delbrel, Servant of  God   From a sand dune, dressed in white, the missionary overlooks an expanse of lands filled with unbaptized peoples. From the top of a long subway staircase, dressed in an ordinary suit or overcoat, we over...

Thomas Aquinas was born to a noble family in Aquino ( Italy ) in 1225. They objected to his entering the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) but he did so in 1244. At the age of nineteen, he went on to study under Saint Albert the Great.   His life is succinctly but beautifully summarized in today’s “Supplement to the Liturgy of the Hours for the Order of Preachers”:  “He devoted all his energy to the service      of  truth,  eagerly searching it out, lovingly contemplating it, and imparting it to others through his writing, his teaching and his preaching. His life was marked by devotion to the Passion of the Lord, to the mystery of the Eucharist, and to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God.” Known as the Angelic Doctor, he is often described as one of the greatest philosophers, theologians and Catholic teachers of all time. This is the man who produced the Summa Theologiae , the theological master piece that has survived centuries of...