St John of the Cross
Letter No. 20
some discomfort or pain when you reach, remember Christ crucified and be silent.
Live in faith and hope, although it is in the black in the darkness God protects the soul.
De moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae 1,25,46
Living well is another thing to love God with all his heart, his soul and his whole act. He retains a love one world (through temperance) No misfortune can shake (which is the force), that is loyal to Him alone (and this is justice), which oversees all things to discern fear of being surprised by the cunning and deceit (and this is prudence).
Georges Bernanos
relapse and St. Joan
Holiness is an adventure, it is solely adventure. Who has understood entered the heart of the Catholic Faith, felt his flesh quiver in another deadly terror than death, hope superhuman.
Ad Tanquerey
Handbook of Theology Ascetic and Mystic, No. 168 (Devotion to the Blessed Virgin: imitation)
Imitation is indeed the most delicate homage that we can pay him, is to proclaim, not only in words but in deeds, it is a perfect model that we are only too happy to emulate. We have already said (No. 159) how Mary, being a living copy of his Son, gives us the example of all virtues. We approach her is to get closer to Jesus, so we can not do better than to study its properties, to meditate often, we try to reproduce them.
To do better, we can not do better than to accomplish any and all of our actions by Mary, with Mary and Mary. For Mary, that is to say by asking her the graces we need to imitate, through her to go to Jesus, ad Jesum per Mariam .
With Mary, that is to say, considering it as a model and collaborator, we are often asked: What would Mary if she were in my shoes, and begging humbly help us conform our actions to his wishes. In
Marie, dependence of this good Mother, entering his views in his intentions, and by our actions, like her, to glorify God: Magnificat anima mea Dominum .
473 St. Gregory of Nyssa, Homily 15
When love comes to completely eliminate the fear, fear itself is transformed into love.
St. Teresa of Avila
The Way of Perfection, 69, 1
And follow this advice does not come from me but from your Lord: try to walk in love and fear. I love you that you will press the pace, and that fear will make you watch where you put your feet to avoid falling. With these two things, it is certain that you can not go wrong.
471 St Gregory the Great
Homilies on Ezekiel, 2, 5
Until our mind will be dissipated in pictures carnal it will never be able to contemplate that it will be blinded by (...), so many obstacles and thoughts that agitate on all sides. Therefore, the first step to climb - so that the soul can contemplate the invisible nature of God - is the interior recollection.
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
In "Edith Stein. The power of the Cross", New City, Montrouge 1999 (5th ed.) P. 56
I think in all cases is a very safe way of doing all it can to be emptied of everything and serve as a receptacle to divine grace.
Benedict
Speech, March 8 2008, on the occasion of the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Culture
formula Etsi Deus non daretur (as if God did not exist) has become a slogan of life that sits a certain arrogance of reason, which is nevertheless a work loved by God. This form of reason, which is considered sufficient to itself, closes the contemplation and the search for truth that transcends it.
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
In "Edith Stein. The power of the Cross", New City, Montrouge 1999 (5th ed.) P. 53
It seems much bigger to see accomplished something that was long sought in prayer, than to be fulfilled immediately.
St Augustine
Sermon 19, 5
What do I reserve you in heaven? What awaits me up there ? Eternal life, incorruptibility, royalty with Christ, the society of angels. There, more disorder, more ignorance, more danger, more temptations; the real, certain, immutable security! And far from you, what did I search on the earth? wealth fleeing, falling, fly, what have I sought? gold, this land reflects yellow, silver, pale reflection of this land, honor, smoke an instant, that's what I wanted from you on earth! And to think that seeing it in the hands of sinners, my feet staggered and was about to fall! Oh! God is good for those who have right heart.
St. Faustina Kowalska
The small journal, p. 142
O my Jesus, how easy it is to sanctify it just takes a little bit of goodwill. And if Jesus finds the minimum of good will in the soul, he hastens to give it. And nothing can stop it, or blame, nor falls, absolutely nothing. Jesus is eager to help the soul and the soul is so faithful to the grace of God, it could in a short time, achieve the highest sanctity that a creature can attain here below. God is very generous and not refuses to pardon anyone. He even gives more than we ask. The shortest route is fidelity to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.
Benedict XVI General Audience, 7 June 2006
To Jesus asked: "And you, what say you? Who do you
am I?" Peter answers: " You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God! " (Mt 16, 15-16). In response, Jesus pronounces the solemn declaration that defines, once and for all, the role of Peter in the Church: "And I say to you: You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church ... I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven "(Mt 16, 18-19).
The three metaphors that Jesus uses are themselves very clear: Peter is the foundation rock upon which the edifice of the Church, he will have the keys of the kingdom of heaven to open or close it as he sees fit and finally, it may bind or loose, in the sense that it can establish or prohibit what he considers necessary for the life of the Church, which is and remains to Christ. It is always the Church of Christ and not Peter. Thus was described by images, vivid reflection that successive call the "primacy of jurisdiction."
St Basil of Caesarea
Homily on St. Luke VI, XII, 18
The bread is useless to you, is the bread of the hungry, the coat hanging in your Wardrobe is the tunic of the naked, the shoe that is useless to you is the poor man who goes barefoot; the money you keep buried, is the money of the poor: you commit many injustices that you could spread benefit.
St John of the Cross Ascent of Mount Caramel
, 1.11
matter that the bird is held by a thin wire or a rope? The thread that holds a slight thought the bird as it remains attached to the rope, and while he will not have broken, he can fly ... And yet he only needs a good kick-wing to break the thread that bound.
Benedict
XVI Homily January 6, 2007
We have seen his star in the East and are come to worship the Lord (cf. Mt 2, 2). What convinced the Magi that the child was "King of the Jews" and the King of nations? They certainly have been persuaded by the sign of the star they had seen "rise" and who had stopped precisely on the whereabouts of the Child (cf. Mt 2, 9). But even the star would not have sufficed if the Magi were not people who are profoundly open to the truth. Unlike King Herod, absorbed by his interest power and wealth, the Magi were directed toward the goal of their research, and when they found it, although they were cultured men, they behaved like the shepherds of Bethlehem: they recognized the sign and adored the child, offering him the precious and symbolic gifts they had brought with them.
Bible - Old Testament
Isaiah 60, 1-6
Arise, Jerusalem, and shine! For your light appears, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Behold, darkness covers the earth, and a dark darkness the peoples; but Yahweh rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
nations to your light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up your eyes around you and see: All gather, they come to you, your son from afar, and thy daughters shall be carried on the arm.
You will see then, and you'll be radiant, your heart tremble and be enlarged, for the riches of the sea will head towards you, the wealth of the nations will come. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and ephah; all those from Sheba will come, they bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praises of Yahweh.
St Augustine
Treaty on the Gospel of John, 19, 19
I seek not my will but the will of Him who sent me ... I seek not my will, that is to say, my own will, the will of the Son of man, a will to resist the will of God. When men do what they want instead of ordered by the Lord, they act according to their will, not following the will of God, but when they do their will, so it remains subject than God, they act not according to their will own, though they do what they want. Voluntarily do what you order and will you even what you want, and instead of acting to your will, you will do that to your superior.
