Be the Church – that is, be an evangelical movement that tells the world of God’s passionate love for humanity. That, not institutional maintenance, is what the Church is for. When the Church is that, and does that, it flourishes…
–George Weigel (1951-
Everything is given and everything comes from the mercy of God, not from our merit but from the free love of God. Mary is the richest of all creatures, the holiest and the most beautiful, but also the humblest and poorest because she knows that she has received everything from God.
–Jacques Philippe (1947-
There is a little secret in the spiritual life: The more the heart gives thanks, the more God gives, even when life isn’t perfect, even when we don’t have everything we need or want. The more we thank God, the more our heart is open to receive even more of his mercy and his gifts.
–Jacques Philippe (1947-
God gathered a people to himself in the Old Testament and in the fullness of time sent his Son to establish the Church as the sacrament of unity for all humanity. God calls each of us to belong to this great family. None of us become Christians on our own; we owe our relationship with God to so many others who passed on the faith, who brought us for Baptism, who taught us to pray and showed us the beauty of the Christian life: our parents and grandparents, our priests, religious and teachers. But we are Christians not only because of others, but together with others. Our relationship with Christ is personal, but not private; it is born of, and enriched by, the communion of the Church. Our shared pilgrimage is not always easy: at times, we encounter human weakness, limitations, and even scandal in the life of the Church. Yet God has called us to know him and to love him precisely by loving our brothers and sisters, by persevering in the fellowship of the Church and by seeking in all things to grow in faith and holiness as members of the one body of Christ.
–Pope Francis (1936- June 25, 2014
Anyone who is attracted merely by glittering censors, incense and beautiful vestments, he, first of all, will fall down before Antichrist.
–Blessed Seraphim (Rose) of Platina (1934-1982)
At all times God caresses the hearts of all the people with His love, but we are not aware of it because our hearts have gathered a crust. When man has cleansed his heart, he is deeply moved and madly excited, because he can then see the benefactions, the blessings of God, Who loves all people in the same way. For those who are suffering, God is pained; for those who are living a spiritual life, He rejoices.
–Saint Paisos the Athonite (1924-1994)
