Monday Musings - Jesus' Invitation

Ouch!

 

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - February 1, 2024

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. Augustine

We cannot keep ourselves on the road to perfection and prevent ourselves from failing except by efforts to climb higher. As soon as we begin to stop, we regress, with the result that, if we do not wish to fall back, we have to run ahead always, without slowing down."

(From Instructions for Novices by Blessed Hyacinthe-Marie Cormier, O.P.)

St. Catherine of Siena

"If sensual affection wants to love sensual things, the eye of understanding is moved in that direction. It takes for its object only passing things with selfish love, contempt for virtue, and love of vice, drawing from these pride and impatience. And the memory is filled only with what affection holds out to it. This love so dazzles the eye that it neither discerns nor sees anything but the glitter of these things. Such is the glitter that understanding sees and affection loves them all as if their brightness came from goodness and liveliness. Were it not for this glitter, people would never sin, for the soul by her very nature cannot desire anything but good. But vice is disguised as something good for her, and so the soul sins. Her eyes, though, cannot tell the difference because of her blindness, and she does not know the truth. So she wanders about searching for what is good and lovely where it is not to be found."

(From Mary's Mantle Consecration- A Spiritual Retreat For Heaven's Help by Christine Watkins)

St. Augustine

"Remember this: When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God.

(From Instructions for Novices by Blessed Hyacinthe-Marie Cormier, O.P.)

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - September 1, 2022

 

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.

 

 

 

Pope Benedict XVI

"A first essential setting for learning hope is prayer. When no one listens to me anymore, God still listens to me. When I can no longer talk to anyone or call upon anyone, I can always talk to God. When there is no longer anyone to help me deal with a need or  expectation that goes beyond the human capacity for hope, He can help.”

 (From On Christian Hope)

 

St. Augustine

“Whenever we suffer some affliction, we should regard it both as a punishment and as a correction. Our holy Scriptures themselves, do not promise us peace, security and rest.  On the contrary, the Gospel makes no secret of the troubles and temptations that await us, but it also says that he who perseveres in the end will be saved… So we must not grumble, my brothers, for as the Apostle says: Some of them murmured and were destroyed by serpents. Is there any affliction now endured by mankind that was not endured by our fathers before us? What sufferings of ours even bear comparison with what we know of their sufferings? And yet you hear people complaining about this present day and age because things are so much better in former times. I wonder what would happen if they could be taken back to the days of their ancestors - would we not still hear them complaining? You may think the past ages were good but it is only because you' are not living in them.”

(Second Reading from Office of Readings, for Wednesday in 20th week in Ordinary Time)

 

 

Christine Watkins

"You were placed on this Earth in this time and place for a reason. God did not blindly lead you to where you are now; and if you have taken a wrong turn and deviated from the path He chose, He will show you how to turn back. Nothing He has led you to, or through, has been done without divine purpose. The Lord has a plan for you."

(From Mary’s Mantle - Consecration Prayer Book)