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.  A little different twist this week in that all three quotations are attributed to St.    Catherine of Siena  - someone you will want to know - saint, Lay Dominican and mystic! “When the Christian soul realizes that its fervor is diminishing because of some fault or temptation permitted by Providence, it should continue its spiritual exercises and even multiply them, rather than abandoning them or lessening their intensity.” (From  the Life of St. Catherine of Siena  by Blessed Raymond de Capua, O.P. de Capua, O.P.) "I've appointed the Devil to tempt and to trouble My creatures in this life [St. Catherine of Siena reports that Our Lord said to her]. I've  done this, not so that My creatures will be overcome, but so that they may overcome, proving their virtue and receiving from Me the glory of victory...

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 J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.   "A brother said to Father Poemen, ‘The Devil is attacking me, and I am very discouraged.’ The old man replied, ‘The Devil only attacks his enemies. Be discouraged when he stops'." ...

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. David G. Bonagura, Jr. "It has become fashionable in certain circles for parents to put off their child's baptism until he or she is older and can make a personal decision. This is a colossal mistake. To deprive a child of Baptism is akin to depriving him of an education or health care. Parents would never make teeth brushing handwashing or school optional for their children. Likewise, they should never make God and His grace optional. God is essential and Baptism is the means by which human beings begin to encounter God in His fullness.” (From 100 Tough Questions for Catholics -   Common Obstacles to Faith Today. )   St. Alphonsus Liguori "St. Augustine says, that to prevent the sheep from seeking assistance by her cries, the wolf seizes her by the neck, and thus securely carries her away and devours her. The Devil acts in...

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. Peter Kreeft, Ph.D.   "The object of faith is not feelings but truth, and the subject and agent of faith is will, not feelings. The will is like the ocean, and the feelings are like the waves. The ocean is always reliably there even though the waves are high one day and low the next."  (From his book Calvinist to Catholic )   St. Catherine of Siena   "I've appointed the Devil to tempt and to trouble My creatures in this life [St. Catherine of Siena reports that Our Lord said to her]. I've done this, not so that My creatures will be overcome, but so that they may overcome, proving their virtue and receiving from Me the glory of victory. And no one should fear any battle or temptation of the Devil tha...

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. Scott Hahn "There are many ways of looking at confession, and all of them are valid. You can look at it as a courtroom with a divine judge. You can look at it as an accounting of debts. I think it's most helpful to look at it as healing - as health care. Confession does for our souls what doctors, dieticians, physical therapists, and pharmacists do for our bodies. Think about all we do to keep our bodies in working order. We go for regular checkups with a primary-care physician, a dentist, an eye doctor. And no one has to remind us to brush our teeth, take a shower, and pop the pills for whatever ails us. All this is good for us, and it's good for everyone around us, too. No one wants to work beside us if we decide to stop showering. Well, if we spend so much effort on the care of our bodies, shouldn't we be spending more time on ou...

Thank you Allison Gingras at  Reconciled To You   and Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb   for  hosting Catholic bloggers at  Worth   Revisiting .    It is a privilege for us to share our work with you and your readers .  Stop by for a visit now .    Eucharistic Reflection - Battered Tents  (Originally posted on June 19, 2018) "Some years ago, on my annual retreat, I found myself under terrible temptations and discouragement. Every temptation you can think of, I had that night. On my way to Mass the next morning, I felt very battered and discouraged because of the attacks and temptations of the preceding night. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) As I walked up to Communion, I made an act of faith. I said, 'Jesus, I know I am receiving You, but I feel so discouraged, so downhearted, and so unworthy to receive You.' This was the way I felt as I received Communion. As I receive...

"Some years ago, on my annual retreat, I found myself under terrible temptations and discouragement. Every temptation you can think of, I had that night. On my way to Mass the next morning, I felt very battered and discouraged because of the attacks and temptations of the preceding night. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) As I walked up to Communion, I made an act of faith. I said, 'Jesus, I know I am receiving You, but I feel so discouraged, so downhearted, and so unworthy to receive You.' This was the way I felt as I received Communion. As I received the Sacred Host and turned to go back to my place, I received a clear image of a tent. I remember looking at the tent and thinking, 'Well, that poor tent is really battered.' I remember examining it and saying, 'It must have gone through a terrible storm.'