From the Heart of Our Will

Painting: Lawrence Alma Tadema, The Blind Beggar

One Day of Absolute Generosity

Painting: Felicyn Oldman

Mark the Season

A Quality of Soul

Hungry for Love

Not Counting

Painting: Rudolf Koller, in US public domain due to age

But You Have Given An Alms

'Do not think of the poor as only those with no money. 

Look at each person's needs. 

Perhaps you are well off in something when 

someone else is in need of just that. 

Perhaps you give someone a helping hand - 

and this is far more important than money. 

You may give advice without toil or loss, 

but you have given an alms.'

St. Augustine


Painting: Albert Chevallier Tayler 

If We Are Truly Friends

'Eating and drinking don't make friendships - such friendships even robbers and murderers have. But if we are friends, if we truly care for one another, let's help one another spiritually... Let's hinder those things that lead our friends away to hell.'

St. John Chrysostom










Painting: Mabel Frances Layng, The Cafe

All The Kindly Waterfalls

Let all the waterfalls of Your
 kindly Fatherhood
run down upon me.
Let all the fountains of the great abyss
of Your infinite mercy burst open over my head.
Let the depths of Your charity engulf me....
Let me be lost in the flood of Your living love,
as a drop of the sea is lost in
its immensity... 
as a burning spark dies in the
rushing current of the river... 

St. Gertrude 



Painting: August Lucas

Those With Whom We Live

'Among all those who come under the heading of neighbor, there is no one who deserves this name more than those with whom we live. These are the closest to us, living under the same roof and eating the same bread. Hence they must be among the main recipients of our love. Toward them we must show true charity, which is not to be based on flesh and blood, nor on their personal qualities, but solely on God.'

St. Francis de Sales





Painting: Carl Thomsen, A Sunday Afternoon

Word Watching

'At times one word is enough to placate an angry person.

'Similarly, one word is enough to dishearten a soul and cause a bitterness which might prove very harmful.'

St. Francis de Sales

Revisiting Honey

Most people don't realize who they're quoting when they speak of catching more flies with honey than with vinegar.  I was well into adulthood when I learned that this bit of wisdom had come from one of my favorite saints. 

'You can catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with ten barrels of vinegar.' (St. Francis de Sales)

I often think of this in connection with another quote from this Doctor of the Church.   

'It is an act of of charity to cry out against the wolf when he is among the sheep"  (St. Francis de Sales)  

These two thoughts may not appear to have much to do with one another.  But in my mind, they work together.  In fact, I often strive to "navigate between them," as one might drive between two lines painted on a highway to keep vehicles moving safely. 

As one of Our Lord's sheep, I have seen wolves come amongst us, oh - so many times.  In saying this, I'm not thinking of people, but of ideas and ungodly "values" that creep in, usually in sheeps' clothing.  They enter in the name (very often) of freedom, tolerance, rights, prosperity, pleasure, modernization, fairness, justice for all.  Not wanting to be unkind, we can let them prowl freely among our families and groups without our uttering so much as a whisper of protest.  We don't want to rock boats, ruffle feathers, stir waters, or cause anyone to be uncomfortable.  Besides, we don't want to appear, well... you know.  Uncool.  Behind the times.  Uncharitable. 

It can take a lot to not go along with the popular, trendy wolves.  But if we know the truth and refuse to share it, are we acting in genuine charity toward the sheep?  Francis would say no.

However, there are a couple of ways of sharing.  We can lash out in anger, in sharp words that can sting and personally wound our "opponents"... in other words, we can dish out the vinegar.  Or...

we can speak in honeyed tones.  Not in fake ones, but in words and actions that carry a genuine kindness that enables our fellow sheep to hear.  After all, ears tend to turn off at the sound of vinegar.  The truth we're trying to communicate can pass by totally unheard if we allow frustration and anger to "vinegar-ize" what we say.  

We all know there are wolves of ungodly values running rampant.  I don't have to name them; we see them everywhere. They rob children of innocence, families of stability, societies of integrity, preborn babies of life, and individuals of eternity spent with God.  The cost of silence could be staggering.

But we dare not speak without honey.

We dare not speak without love.

'I take in my hands the two rays that spring from Your merciful Heart; that is, the blood and the water; and I scatter them all over the globe so that each soul may receive Your mercy...'  (St. Faustina)

This was first posted here in 2012. I share this slightly edited version as part of "It's Worth Revisiting Wednesday." Click this line to find gems from other Catholic bloggers.







© 2015 Nancy Shuman
thebreadboxletters.blogspot.com

In the Home Where....

'Happiness is to be found only in the home where God is loved 

and honored, where each one loves, and helps, and cares for the others.'

St. Theophane Venard

Painting:  Helen Allingham

The Jewels You Do Not See

 

'Do not think that, because the particular virtues 

you have in mind don't shine in your neighbor, 

he will not be precious in God's sight for something
you are not thinking about.'  

St. John of the Cross

Painting:  Lauritis Andersen Ring

With the Greatest Respect and Esteem

'On certain occasions it is necessary to speak to people whom you heartily dislike.  Then you must do so with the greatest respect and esteem.  This point is of such great importance for the perfection of your souls that I would willingly write these words with my blood.  Should we not show our love for God?  Jesus suffered so much for us amid repugnance and aversions!'  (St. Francis de Sales)

Painting:  Edmund Charles Tarbell

What To Do When Envy Bites

                           'In this land of exile, when our path is often steep and rugged,
                           a word of encouragement... is an untold treasure.
                           Let us then be quick to see the good done
                           by those with whom we live,
                           especially in the case of those whose talents and attractions
                           are superior to our own.
                           Maybe we have basked in the sunshine of approval and appreciation
                           till another comes along and puts us in the shade.
                           Let us beware, then, of envy with its killing power,
                           its positive fury, the sharpness of its tooth, the depth of its bite....
                           When we feel we are put on one side,
                           and another who takes our place is much more loved and appreciated,
                           let us not only love and thank God for it all,
                           but pray fervently that God will bless that other,
                           and make her work a great success for His glory.'

(from Fervorinos From Galilee's Hills, compiled by a Religious, Pelligrini, Australia, 1936, pp. 110-111)

Painting: Degas, danseuses

But it is the Master's Way

'Instead of complaining, rather let us conceal the fatigue, give a kind answer instead of the quick retort that springs to our lips, and instead of half expecting someone to coddle us and smooth things out for our comfort, forget ourselves, and lend a willing hand.... No, it is not easy, but it is the Master's way.'

(from Fervorinos From the Lips of the Master, compiled by a Religious, Pelligrini, Australia, 1940, p. 123)

Painting:  William Adolphe Bouguereau, At the Fountain, 1897

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Watchword

'Jesus longs
for generous souls
whose watchword is
self-sacrifice,
not self-comfort.'



(from Fervorinos From the Lips of the Master, compiled by a Religious, Pelligrini, Australia, 1940, p. 65)


Painting: Anker Die Andacht
des Grossvaters 1893

Evangelization 101

'Who has ever seen people persuaded to love God by harshness?'

St. John of the Cross

Painting of Elisabeth of Hungary 

Rich Enough

'Give me, O Jesus, a most ardent love of neighbor.  If I have You and it, I am rich enough.'

Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt

Painting: William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Not Too Much To Carry, 1895
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