Seal All Your Doings

'Seal all your doings,
my child,
with the sign
of the living cross.
Do not go out
the door of your house
till you have
signed the cross.
Whether in eating
or in drinking,
whether in sleeping
or in waking,
whether in your house
or on the road,
or again
in the season of leisure,
do not neglect this sign;
for there is
no guardian like it.
It shall be to you
as a wall,
in the forefront
of all your doings.' 

 St. Ephrem the Syrian








Painting: Helen Allingham,
in US public domain due to age

A Perfect Temple

'Blessed is He 
Who dwelt in the womb,
and wrought within it 
a perfect Temple
so that He might dwell in it,
a Throne 
so that He might be seated in it, 
a Garment 
so that He might be arrayed in it, 
and a Weapon 
so that He might conquer through it!'

St. Ephraem the Syrian









A hat tip to Melanie at the Association of Catholic Women Bloggers, where I found this painting.  Original source unknown.

This Blessed Christmas

A treasure of helpful graces is this day, because on it, Light gleamed forth on our blindness.

St. Ephraem

That the Grace of Christ May Come

This morning as I read through a few blogs, I rediscovered a quote I'd first seen years ago... from no less than Blessed John Paul II.  It's the sort of thing that could make a person quake in her boots.  Yet, amazingly, it did no such thing to me when I first encountered it.  Now, years later, I find its assurance of divine providence, well - somehow comforting.  Intrigued?  Click here to visit Nunblog and read Pope John Paul II's words for yourself.   


"You victorious martyrs
who endured torments gladly
for the sake of our God and Savior,
you who have boldness of speech
towards the Lord Himself, 
you saints, 
intercede for us
who are timid and sinful men,
full of sloth, 
that the grace 
of Christ
may come upon us."
                      
                         St. Ephraim