Our Lord tells us in many ways that we should be afraid of nothing except sin, which takes away our friendship with God.
Confronted with any difficulty, any situation, an uncertain future, we shouldn't feel afraid. We should be strong and courageous as befits children of God.
A Christian cannot live in terror, but should have in his heart a holy fear of God, whom nonetheless he loves madly.
~In Conversation With God, Vol 2:93.3
Showing posts with label In Conversation With God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label In Conversation With God. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
prayer
In prayer, our will is identified with the Will of our Father, who always wants the best for his children.
This trust in prayer makes us feel secure, unwavering, daring; it dissipates anxiety and the unease that comes from depending solely on our own strength, and it helps us to be serene in the face of difficulties.
~In Conversation With God, Vol 2:91.1
This trust in prayer makes us feel secure, unwavering, daring; it dissipates anxiety and the unease that comes from depending solely on our own strength, and it helps us to be serene in the face of difficulties.
~In Conversation With God, Vol 2:91.1
the gift of counsel
To allow ourselves to be advised and guided by the Paraclete, we should want to belong entirely to God, not placing any limitations on the action of grace.
The gift of counsel is a great help in keeping a true conscience, and not letting it be deformed. A person who ceases to apply moral norms to his behavior...does so because he places his own will before the will of God.
If we are humble, if we recognize our own limitations, we will feel the need to seek advice at particular times. Then we ought not simply go to the first person we meet, but to a person with the right qualities...someone who wants to love God sincerely...and tries to follow him faithfully.
~In Conversation With God, Vol 2:90
The gift of counsel is a great help in keeping a true conscience, and not letting it be deformed. A person who ceases to apply moral norms to his behavior...does so because he places his own will before the will of God.
If we are humble, if we recognize our own limitations, we will feel the need to seek advice at particular times. Then we ought not simply go to the first person we meet, but to a person with the right qualities...someone who wants to love God sincerely...and tries to follow him faithfully.
~In Conversation With God, Vol 2:90
Monday, June 18, 2012
time set aside
This loving action of the Holy Spirit [wisdom] in our lives will only be possible if we take good care of the times especially set aside for God: Mass, times of personal prayer, visits to the Blessed Sacrament.
These items must be given priority in our normal day, and even at times when we have far too much to do; when we are full of fervor and when we are spiritually dry; when journeying, or restng or suffering ill health....
~In Conversation With God; Vol 2 89.3
These items must be given priority in our normal day, and even at times when we have far too much to do; when we are full of fervor and when we are spiritually dry; when journeying, or restng or suffering ill health....
~In Conversation With God; Vol 2 89.3
Sunday, June 17, 2012
the fruits of difficulties
...Our Lord always has more complete plans....
These early Christians were fervent, firm, coherent in their faith, full of goodness.... If the world hates you, know that is hated me first of all (John 15:18)... they would be given grace to face their difficulties....
These trials and difficulties can differ considerably....In any case, we should understand...that God is very close to us. He helps us, with more graces, to mature in virtue.... God wants to purify us like gold in the furnace...leaving [our soul] more refined and valuable....
We must struggle against the current, relying on a life of personal prayer, strengthened by the presence of Jesus Christ in the Tabernacle... One of the greatest fruits we must draw from difficulties...is the need to be more aware of the Lord, to be more generous in prayer and sacrifice....
If...we were to give way in the face of difficulties, our soul would then retrogress....become full of sadness.... The devil usually makes good use...to intensify his attacks, and the soul can either draw nearer to God...or draw away from him.... The same difficulty...will have different effects according to the dispositions of the soul.... Fortitude is a key...virtue.
...we should be...serene and cheerful.... When we feel the weight of the Cross, our Lord invites us to go to him.... And then, by the side of Christ...everything that can be annoying and difficult becomes lovable....
Unity with God through adversity... is a grace that God is always willing to grant us...
We must not reject the means that God places within our reach. We must be prepared to open our hearts in spiritual guidance if...the Cross gets particularly heavy. "A gentle wind is not the same as a hurricane...."
Our Lord waits for us in the Tabernacle, to encourage us always....Alongside him we learn how to carry peacefully..."Everything may collapse and fail.... But nothing is gained by being perturbed."
~In Conversation With God, Volume 2
These early Christians were fervent, firm, coherent in their faith, full of goodness.... If the world hates you, know that is hated me first of all (John 15:18)... they would be given grace to face their difficulties....
These trials and difficulties can differ considerably....In any case, we should understand...that God is very close to us. He helps us, with more graces, to mature in virtue.... God wants to purify us like gold in the furnace...leaving [our soul] more refined and valuable....
We must struggle against the current, relying on a life of personal prayer, strengthened by the presence of Jesus Christ in the Tabernacle... One of the greatest fruits we must draw from difficulties...is the need to be more aware of the Lord, to be more generous in prayer and sacrifice....
If...we were to give way in the face of difficulties, our soul would then retrogress....become full of sadness.... The devil usually makes good use...to intensify his attacks, and the soul can either draw nearer to God...or draw away from him.... The same difficulty...will have different effects according to the dispositions of the soul.... Fortitude is a key...virtue.
...we should be...serene and cheerful.... When we feel the weight of the Cross, our Lord invites us to go to him.... And then, by the side of Christ...everything that can be annoying and difficult becomes lovable....
Unity with God through adversity... is a grace that God is always willing to grant us...
We must not reject the means that God places within our reach. We must be prepared to open our hearts in spiritual guidance if...the Cross gets particularly heavy. "A gentle wind is not the same as a hurricane...."
Our Lord waits for us in the Tabernacle, to encourage us always....Alongside him we learn how to carry peacefully..."Everything may collapse and fail.... But nothing is gained by being perturbed."
~In Conversation With God, Volume 2
without prayer
The fruits which Our Lord expects from us are of many kinds. But everything would be useless if we had no life of prayer....
~In Conversation With God, Volume 2
~In Conversation With God, Volume 2
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
joy - gotta have it...
...St. Thomas Aquinas says expressly that 'everyone who wants to make progress in the spiritual life needs to have joy.'
Sadness debilitates us...
This interior joy is also the state of mind necessary for perfectly complying with our obligations. And the greater these are the greater must be our joy.
The greater our responsibility (parents, teachers, priests, superiors...) the greater our obligation to have this peace and joy to give to others, and the greater the urgency of recovering it when its habitual possession has been interrupted or disturbed.
In Conversation With God: Vol 2 p. 304
Sadness debilitates us...
This interior joy is also the state of mind necessary for perfectly complying with our obligations. And the greater these are the greater must be our joy.
The greater our responsibility (parents, teachers, priests, superiors...) the greater our obligation to have this peace and joy to give to others, and the greater the urgency of recovering it when its habitual possession has been interrupted or disturbed.
In Conversation With God: Vol 2 p. 304
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