A Reflection from “The Handbook of Spiritual Perfection” by Fr. Philip E. Dion Too often a person looks at the past year and beholds only
“St. Teresa summons us to trust in the Lord’s answer to our prayers rather than insisting on our own preferred outcomes and worldly measures of success.” – Monsignor Charles Pope
“My strong suggestion is to pick one of his works and stick with it. You may find it challenging and frustrating. Be patient.” – Glenn Dickinson
“By going before us, Jesus our Head has given us the right to follow Him there some day, and we can even say with St. Leo, ‘In the person of Christ, we have penetrated the heights of heaven’ (Roman Breviary)” – Father Gabriel of Saint Mary Magdalen
“For most of my life, people would share private things and ask me what I thought. They didn’t ask what I knew. They asked what I thought.” – Debra Black
“The hope of a Christian confronts every trial, even death itself. Christian hope does not just raise our spirits; it raises a battle flag against all the troubles of this life.” – Glenn Dickinson
“This is a humbling realization for those of us often tempted by self-reliance, perfectionism, or productivity: we cannot manufacture consolation any more than we can manufacture authentic connection in any human relationship.” – Megan Hjelmstad
“Satan suggests that God has abandoned us or does not care enough help us, which seems to confirm our natural feelings of fear, isolation, or confusion.” – Megan Hjelmstad
“With heavenly matters, we must sometimes wait patiently, for years, until God chooses, in His own perfect timing, to act.” – Glenn Dickinson
“St. Ignatius tells us that when we’re committing sin, Satan will try to keep us enslaved to ongoing sin by making it look attractive or feel good.” – Megan Hjelmstad