Spiritual Delight in the Company of the Saints Indeed, it is possible to enjoy the companionship and friendship of all the saints, even though they are not physically present or visible to the eyes of the body. For the spiritual person realizes that all are living and present to God, who dwells in eternity. And…
Repaying Evil with a Blessing As the universal shepherd is admonishing believers on the Christian way of life, he summarizes the virtues that are expected of believers and particularly calls us not to repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse. The willingness of Christians to forgive others is the hallmark of our faith in…
True and perfect confidence consists in that tranquil security of mind that arises from the conviction that God never abandons those who love Him. This type of holy confidence is reflected in the words of Scripture: “No one hoping in the Lord has ever been confounded. And has there ever been anyone who followed His…
There are two kinds of lukewarmness: one which can be avoided, and the other which cannot be avoided. Unavoidable tepidity is that which in the present life is endured even by fervent souls because, through natural weakness, they cannot avoid falling from time to time into some slight fault, but without full consent. From such…
Once the Emperor Henry besieged a certain city for a considerable time. The inhabitants were unwilling to surrender; so he notified them that he would give orders to his soldiers to take the city by assault, and massacre all its inhabitants to a man, even the little children. Alarmed at this proclamation, and seeing no…
AFTER ST. MECHTILDE’S holy death, Jesus made this revelation to another nun: “I have done great things in Mechtilde; but I will accomplish still greater things in Gertrude.” St. Gertrude the Great, the famous forerunner of St. Margaret Mary in devotion to the Sacred Heart, had entered the convent school as a five-year-old orphan. There…
The first step of humility is obedience without delay. This comes natural to those who, either on account of the holy servitude they have professed, through fear of hell, or for the glory of life everlasting, consider nothing more dear to them than Christ. As soon as their Superior commands them to do something, they…
“Some there are who have become faithful servants, serving Me with fidelity without servile fear of punishment, but rather with love. This very love, however, if they serve Me with a view to their own profit, or the delight and pleasure which they find in Me, is imperfect. Dost thou know what proves the imperfection…
We know that the Holy Rosary holds the first place among all the prayers which the Church recommends to the faithful. This excellent prayer, the source of so many graces for the living, is also singularly efficacious in relieving the dead. Of this we have a touching proof in the Life of Father Nieremberg, whom…
That one so united to God should have been specially favored with the gift of miracles, is but what we might expect in the ordinary course of spiritual life. Those who give themselves up without reserve to God receive His gifts also without reserve. They do His will, and He accomplishes theirs: for the will…
Imagine the anguish and tears of a mother who is present at a painful operation her child has to undergo. Can anyone doubt on seeing her that she consents to allow the child to suffer only because she expects it to get well and be spared further suffering by means of this violent remedy? Reason…
Today, more than ever, we must take pains in choosing true devotion to our Blessed Lady, because, more than ever before, there are false devotions to our Blessed Lady which are easily mistaken for true ones. The devil, like a false coiner and a subtle and experienced sharper, has already deceived and destroyed so many…
The privileges of virtue which we considered in the preceding chapters are the spiritual blessings accorded to the just in this life, independently of the eternal reward of Heaven. As, however, there may be some who, like the Jews of old, cling to the things of the flesh rather than to those of the spirit,…
Like it or not, you are at war. No matter who you are — whether or not you know it — you have a mortal enemy who wants to destroy you, not just in this life, but in the next. No matter where you live on this planet — whether or not you can see it…
If we are in earnest about our souls, with a quiet fidelity to those duties, practices and devotions, which obedience sanctions to us, our love of God increases without our knowing or feeling it. It is only now and then, in certain temptations, or on great feasts, or sometimes without apparent cause, that God allows…
The last moments of our dying Redeemer are at hand. His throat being parched, and His whole Body consumed with inward fever owing to the immense quantity of blood He has lost, and the innumerable tortures and sufferings He has endured, He exclaims in a mournful voice, “I thirst!” Long has He suffered this thirst,…
Aridity, which may be defined as the withdrawal of consolation and enthusiasm in loving Christ, is best combatted by attacking its causes. There are three principal sources of aridity: a lack of full development in the spiritual life; inculpable circumstances; the purifying action of God. The first main source of aridity—lack of full development in…
There is no doubt that Judas was sorry for his treason. Holy Writ tells us that he repented himself. However, let us examine both the occasion and the quality of this repentance. The occasion leading Judas to repentance was the sight of the terrible effects, entirely unforeseen, of his treason. ”Judas who betrayed Him, seeing…
“As you measure to others,” says our Blessed Saviour, “it shall be measured to you again.” Now, what would you wish to be done for you if in Purgatory? Surely you would not like to be forgotten—to have no longer a share in the prayers of the faithful. To escape so great a misery, which…
Blessed Helen was a member of the Valentini family of Udine, Italy, and was given in marriage at the age of fifteen to a knight named Antonio dei Cavalcanti. During twenty-five years of happy wedded life, Bl. Helen appears to have led a normal existence as the mother of a large family of children. The…
