In Holy Scripture…
In the Holy Scriptures we see God face to face, and ourselves as we are.
–Saint John of Kronstadt (1829-1908)
Body and Blood of Christ…
The effect of our sharing in the body and blood of Christ is to change us into what we receive.
–Saint Leo the Great (c. 400-461)
Children have an advantage…
Thus speaks the Lord and His word is holy and true. What kind of advantage do children have over adults? They have three advantages: in faith, in obedience and in forgiveness. The child asks the parent about everything and whatever the parent replies, the child believes its parent. The child is obedient to its parent and easily subordinates its will to the will of the parent. The child is forgiving even though he provokes easily, but the child forgives quickly… In addition to that, comes purity and joy. A child is not greedy; a child is not lustful; and a child is not vain glorious. The child has an eye unspoiled by vices and a joy unspoiled by worries.
— Saint Nicholas Velimirovic (1880-1956)
Silence is the…
Silence is the beginning of purifying the soul.
–Saint Basil the Great (330-379)
Being alone with God’s Word…
Being alone with God’s Word is a dangerous matter. Of course, you can always find ways to defend yourself against it: Take the Bible, lock your door – but then get out ten dictionaries and twenty-five commentaries. Then you can read it just as calmly and coolly as you read newspaper advertising. With this arsenal you can really begin to wonder, ‘Are there not several valid interpretations?’ And what about the prospect of new interpretations? Perhaps there are five interpreters with one opinion and seven with another and two with a strange opinion and three who are wavering or who have no opinion at all. So you calmly conclude, ‘I myself am not absolutely sure about the meaning of this passage. I need more time to form an opinion.’ Good Lord! What a tragic misuse of scholarship that it makes it so easy for people to deceive themselves!”
— Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Penance, penance…
Our Holy Mother Church calls this Season before Easter a ‘penitential season.’ One of the main messages of Our Lady of Lourdes was: ‘Penance, penance, penance.’ This means: we must try to make up for our sins. With every sin there is a punishment as part of justice (break a window, fix it; sin, do penance); and not everyone has fulfilled this (including possibly ourselves!). So: it is a heroic act of mercy; love and wisdom to help the world to help atone for its sins.
— Fr. John Lombardi (1960-
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