Pondering Tidbits of Truth - December 19, 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.

 

 

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

 “The Christian soul knows it needs Divine Help and therefore turns to Him Who loved us even while we were yet sinners. Examination of conscience, instead of inducing morbidity, thereby becomes an occasion of joy. 

There are two ways of knowing how good and loving God is. One is by never losing Him, through the preservation of innocence, and the other is by finding Him after one has lost Him. Repentance is not self-regarding, but God-regarding. It is not self-loathing, but God-loving. Christianity bids us accept ourselves as we really are, with all our faults and our failings and our sins. In all other religions, one has to be good to come to God—in Christianity one does not.

Christianity might be described as a 'come as you are' party. It bids us stop worrying about ourselves, stop concentrating on our faults and our failings, and thrust them upon the Savior with a firm resolve of amendment. The examination of conscience never induces despair, always hope…Because examination of conscience is done in the light of God’s love, it begins with a prayer to the Holy Spirit to illumine our minds. A soul then acts toward the Spirit of God as toward a watchmaker who will fix our watch. We put a watch in his hands because we know he will not force it, and we put our souls in God’s hands because we know that if he inspects them regularly they will work as they should…it is true that, the closer we get to God, the more we see our defects. A painting reveals few defects under candlelight, but the sunlight may reveal it as daub. The very good never believe themselves very good, because they are judging themselves by the Ideal. In perfect innocence each soul, like the Apostles at the Last Supper, cries out, 'Is it I, Lord' (Matt. 26:22).”

(An excerpt from Peace of Soul)

 

 Gerard J.M. van den Aardweg 

“Many are heading straight on for purgatory. They live until their last hour, even though they are seriously ill, even on their deathbed, as if everything is all right. Exclusively directed to the earthly, they don’t think at all about calling upon the mercy of God. Although by doing so they would be spared at least a severe purgatory. For God is infinitely merciful for all who call upon Him and trust Him."

 (An excerpt from Hungry Souls)

 

 St. Teresa of Avila

 "We must beg God constantly in our prayers to uphold us by His hand; we should keep ever in our minds the truth that if He leaves us, most certainly we shall fall at once into the abyss, for we must never be so foolish as to trust in ourselves. After this I think the greatest safeguard is to be very careful and to watch how we advance in virtue; we must notice whether we are making progress or falling back in it, especially as regards the love of our neighbor, the desire to be thought the least of all and how we perform our ordinary, everyday duties. If we attend to this and beg Our Lord to enlighten us, we shall at once perceive our gain or loss." 

(An excerpt from The Interior Castle)

 

 

 

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - May 4, 2017

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.

 



Brother Lawrence

"It is not necessary for being with God to always at church. We make an oratory of our heart wherein to retire from time to time to converse with Him in meekness, humility, and love. Everyone is capable of such familiar conversation with God, some more, some less. He knows what we can do.Let us begin, then."

(From The Practice of the Presence of God)

A Sampling of St. Teresa of Avila's Spiritual Wisdom

Today we remember St. Teresa of Avila, a 16^th century Carmelite nun, mystic, reformer and spiritual teacher par excellence. She and St. Catherine of Siena were the first two women named as Doctors of the Catholic Church.

 

One way of honoring this great saint this day would to be spend a few minutes reading and meditating on the great wisdom she has offered the Church and its members. The following gems, which are among the 1200 quotations included in my book, Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire! Words to Challenge, Inspire and Instruct, should provide much nourishment for fruitful meditation and reflection.

 

 

I am consoled to hear the clock strike, for at the passing away of that hour of life it seems to me I am drawing a little closer to the vision of God.

 

The Lord knows what he is doing better than [the soul] knows what it is desiring.
 

The person who knows God better does God’s work more easily.  
 

Love increases in the measure the soul discovers how much this great God and Lord deserves to be loved. 
 

The smallest thing when done for the love of God is priceless.  
 

Doing our own will is usually what harms us. 
 

Since He doesn’t force our will, He takes what we give Him; but He doesn’t give Himself completely until we give ourselves completely.
 

Look at these wounds my daughter; your pains will never be as great as Mine.
 

Consider seriously how quickly people change, and how little trust is to be had in them; and hold fast to God, Who does not change.
 

He always gives us more than we ask Him for.

His Majesty knows best what is suitable for us; it is not for us to advise Him what to give us for He can rightly reply that we know not what we ask.
 

The devil does a great deal to incapacitate us when he sees a little fear.
 

To suppose that He would admit to His close friendship pleasure-loving people who want to be free from all trials is ridiculous. 

 

Want more then this “baker’s dozen” sampling? Consider reading  Story of a Soul, The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection.