To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.

~St Thomas Aquinas

How kind is our sacramental Jesus! When you visit him, he forgets your sins and speaks only of his joy, his tenderness, and his love. By the reception he gives to you, one would think he has need of you to make him happy. ~ St. Peter Julian Eymard

"We will know God to the extent that we are set free from ourselves." ~Benedict XVI

“The exchange with God becomes real for us in prayer: by his Holy Spirit, God comes to dwell within us. By his word and by the sacraments, Christ gives himself to us. In return, we can surrender everything to him.” ~ Brother Alois of Taize'

Before you had a being, God loved you. Before your father or mother was born, God loved you: yes, even before the creation of the world, God loved you.... God loved you from eternity.

~St. Alphonsus Liguori

"Our faith has deepened as we've come to understand that when we suffer, Christ is fully able and willing to enter into even our innermost pain and walk that road with us. Furthermore, in trusting Christ and offering up our suffering to unite with His, we somehow become participants in God's unfathomably merciful plan of salvation. We are not simply recipients of God's grace; we are also invited to play a role in the working out of His grace in the world. And we are accompanied by a "cloud of witnesses", to quote St. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews – a community of saints to help us on our faith journey by the shining example of their lives on earth and their continued intercession for us in heaven." ~Laura Locke

“The true and solid peace of nations consists not in equality of arms, but in mutual trust alone.” ~Pope John XXIII

The beloved of the love of God came through the fountain of life to nourish us back to life and to help us in our dangerous state. The Word is the deepest and sweetest love preparing us for repentance. ~St. Hildegard of Bingen

Things Worthy of God

We should ask of God things worthy of God...not unholy gifts, but holy ones; not earthly, but heavenly ones---gifts compatible with virtues. ~St. Peter Chrysologus

One who wants to overcome vices should fight with the arms of love, not rage. ~St. Peter Chrysologus

All In The Family

I am the same family as Christ----what more could I want? ~Bl. Pope John XXIII

Sow God's word

Sow, sow God's word! Make good on the talents entrusted to you!... Be enterprising in your use of them. ~ St. Catherine of Siena

Christ gives meaning to the universe

This wisdom and prudence will guide your steps, nothing will make you fear and peace will reign in your hearts. Then you will be blessed and happy and your happiness will influence others. They will wonder what the secret of your life is and they will discover that the rock which underpins the entire building and upon which rests your whole existence in the very person of Christ, your friend, brother and Lord, the Son of God incarnate, who gives meaning to all the universe. ~Pope Benedict XVI

Commitment

Commitment is doing what you said you would do after the feeling you said it in has passed.

~St. Camillus De Lellis

The Seed of Salvation

Christ sowed the seed of salvation in humanity in order that it might grow especially in each individual soul. ~St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Let us be rooted and grounded in charity so that we may comprehend what is the length of eternity, the breadth of liberality, the height of majesty, and the depth of discerning wisdom. ~St. Bonaventure

Feast of the Assumption

Belonging to the communion of saints means being connected with all people transformed by the Spirit of Jesus. This connection is deep and intimate. Those who have lived as brothers and sisters of Jesus continue to live within us, even though they have died, just as Jesus continues to live within us, even though he has died.

We live our lives in memory of Jesus and the saints, and this memory is a real presence. Jesus and his saints are part of our most intimate and spiritual knowledge of God. They inspire us, guide us, encourage us, and give us hope. They are the source of our constant transformation. Yes, we carry them in our bodies and thus keep them alive for all with whom we live and work. ~ Fr. Henri J.M. Nouwen

O Word, your wisdom is like that bush you deigned to show to Moses; it burns but it doesn't burn out. ~St. Maria Magadalene De'Pazzi

O God, let me see the eternal good that lies in earthly adversity.

Feast of St. Clare of Assisi

Greetings!

The Lord give you peace.

Yesterday marked 10 years to the day that I made my first profession of vows as a diocesan hermit; today marks 4 years to the day since my profession of final vows.

I am writing to thank you for your support of my vocation as I try to be faithful to Christ in this little adventure in Gospel living to which He has invited me. Please continue to pray for me, a sinner, as I try, however falteringly at times, to "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14).

Be assured of my prayers that you, dear reader, may continue to grow into "the full stature of Christ" (Eph 4:13) which is our common baptismal call to holiness.

May you have a Christ-filled day.

To Love Solitude

To love solitude and to seek it does not mean constantly traveling from one geographical possibility to another. A man becomes a solitary at the moment when, no matter what may be his external surroundings, he is suddenly aware of his own inalienable solitude....From that moment, solitude is not potential---it is actual. ~Thomas Merton

In Greek, the root meaning of repentance is not the confession of a sin but a change of mind. ~Tertullian

Nothing seems tiresome or painful when you are working for a Master who pays well; who rewards even a cup of cold water given for love of him.

~St. Bernadine of Siena

The power of the Lord's word enters the soul and enlivens the heart and makes us rejoice in the Lord. ~ Dame Julian of Norwich

God, give me the courage to be revolutionary as your Son Jesus Christ was... Teach me to stand up free and to shun no criticism. God, it is for your kingdom. ~Henri J.M. Nouwen

Through the Holy Spirit hearts are raised up, the weak are led by the hand, and those who are making progress are perfected.

~St. Basil the Great

For the kingdom to come in this world, disciples must have the competence to see and the courage to act, which is a call to do as Jesus did, working for justice through loving service to the poor. ~Constitution of the Congregation of Holy Cross Brothers

True spiritual life consists in this: that one keep one's eye on God all the time, long for nothing but God, keep nothing in mind but God, begin every single action in the Lord's name, and direct it to the Lord." ~St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

If I am in need of light and prudence in order to discharge my burdensome duties, I draw nigh my Savior and seek counsel and light from him. ~St. Thomas More

The Sacred Heart of Christ is an inexhaustible fountain, and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble. ~St. Margaret Mary Alacoque