The mental activity described here is a shortened version of what St. Francis de Sales says of the morning exercise in his Introduction to the Devout Life. While its five parts appear at first to be rather detailed, this exercise is not intended to be painstaking or time-consuming. Rather, it can and should be done briefly, yet fervently,
The Mass Is Adoration The Latin term adoratio originally meant a gesture of reverence made toward a worthy person or object, before whom one would bow slightly, touching the object of reverence with one’s right hand, while with one’s left hand wafting a kiss (ad os) toward the recipient of the adoration. We, however, must
God has created all things for good, all things for their greatest good, everything for its own good. What is the good of one is not the good of another; what makes one man happy would make another unhappy. God has determined, unless I interfere with his plan, that I should reach that which will
One of the most beloved and powerful of modern saints, St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, is a wonderfully attractive model of a Catholic fully engaged in the liturgy without having to be a liturgical minister. She tells us why her contribution, though different from the priest’s, is no less
Medieval writers did not diminish the importance of Joseph’s active life even as they praised his meditative nature. St. Bernard highlighted the humility of this descendant of kings who did not scorn manual work to support his family, and, even more poignantly, he invited his listeners to visualize Joseph permitted by God “to carry Him
His name will be Emmanuel: God with us (cf. Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23). If we understand the significance of this name Emmanuel, we will find it includes the notion of Savior. For what is a Savior unless one who takes away sin, just as the angel said? Yet with sins having been taken away and there no longer being any
The events that come to mind when we say “Christmas,” “Easter,” and “Pentecost” are so tremendous that their commemoration cannot be celebrated in a single day each. Weeks are needed: first, weeks of preparation, of becoming attuned in body and soul, and then weeks of celebration. This process goes back to an age when people
My impression is that the Rosary is of the greatest value not only according to the words of Our Lady of Fatima, but according to the effects of the Rosary one sees throughout history. My impression is that Our Lady wanted to give ordinary people, who might not know how to pray, this simple method
Prayer Is a Means Necessary to Salvation One of the errors of Pelagianism was the assertion that prayer is not necessary for salvation. Pelagius, the impious author of that heresy, said that man will only be damned for neglecting to know the truths necessary to be learned. How astonishing! St. Augustine said: “Pelagius discussed everything
Those who deny Purgatory speak against the justice of God. ?—?St. Thomas Aquinas, ST, Supplement, Appendix 2, 1 Does purgatory exist? Some who deny the existence of purgatory cite Revelation 14:13: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth. ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their
