And the Swallow a Nest

Rather by Prayer

In God Alone

N Shuman photo

Always in Season

In My Mother's Womb

The Time Is Now

Though the Grass Withers

Painting used is 'An Italian Garden' by William Merritt Chase

So That...

'Do not conform yourselves to this age 

but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, 

so that you may judge what is God's will, 

His good, pleasing and perfect will.'  

Romans 12:2

Painting: Paul Gauguin

The Very Air I Breathe

'One glance 
at the holy Gospel, 
and the life of Jesus 
becomes a perfume that 
fills the very air I breathe.'

St. Therese of Lisieux























Painting: Léon Frédéric, Fragrance, in US public domain due to age

Hope and a Future

A Standard Not Of Our Own Making

'There is an organ in my home. As I look at the notes on that organ, I could ask which note is good and which note is bad? Which note is right and which note is wrong? One cannot say that any particular note is right or any particular note is wrong. What makes any note right or wrong? Its correspondence to a standard. Once I have a piece of music before me, I know what I ought to do, what note I should hit, what note I ought not to hit. So too, we have a moral standard within us which is our conscience. What is good and bad is in relationship to that standard which is not of our own making.' (Venerable Fulton Sheen)

'Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened....the education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings. The education of the conscience is a lifelong task...In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path...'(Catholicism of the Catholic Church 1783-1785)

Painting: Michael Ancher, in US public domain due to age

Mirror Mirror

'It seems to me that the 
words of the Psalms become 
like a mirror to 
the person singing them, 
so that he might 
see himself and 
the emotions of his soul.'

St. Athanasius of Alexandria








Detail of a Painting by Georges de La Tour

One of the Glories

'One of the glories 
of Scripture 
is that it can embrace many
meanings in a single passage.'

St. Thomas Aquinas












Painting: Georges de la tour

When my Heart is Parched

'Sometimes, 
when I read spiritual treatises.. 
my poor little mind 
soon grows weary, 
I close the learned book 
that leaves my head splitting 
and my heart parched, 
and I take up
the Holy Scriptures. 
Then all seems luminous. 
A single word 
opens up 
horizons to my soul.' 

St. Therese of Lisieux



Albert Anker painting, 1904

Troubled by Anxious Imaginings?

'Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same loving Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.' (St. Francis de Sales)

'Even though I walk through a dark valley, I fear no evil, for You are at my side.' (Psalm 23:4)

'God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength, but with the trial He will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.' (1 Corinthians 10:12-13)

 'I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.'  (Psalm 32:8)

'Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear; though war be waged against me, even then shall I trust.' (Psalm 27:3)

'Be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.' (Joshua 1:9)

'Cast all your worries on Him, because He cares for you.' (1 Peter 5:7)

'We are afflicted in every way possible, but we are not crushed; full of doubts, we never despair.  We are persecuted but never abandoned; we are struck down but never destroyed.' (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

'God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.' (Romans 8:28)

'The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid?' (Psalm 27:1)

'You are my shelter; from distress you keep me.  With safety, You ring me around.' (Psalm 32:7)

'God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Thus we do not fear, though the earth be shaken and the mountains quake to the depths of the sea; though its waters rage and foam and mountains totter at its surging. The Lord of hosts is with us.  Our stronghold is the God of Jacob.' (Psalm 46:2-4)

'Though my flesh and heart fail, God is the rock of my heart; my portion forever.' (Psalm 73:26)

'The Lord is with me; I am not afraid. What can man do against me?' (Psalm 118:6)

'Our help is in the Name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.' (Psalm 124:8)

'God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.' (2 Peter 1:5)

'The light shines on in darkness; a darkness that did not overcome it.' (John 1:5)



Painting at top: Charles West Cope, The Night Alarm, The Advance

Painting of Jesus:Carl Heinrich Bloch, Consolator


 

This Mustard Seed

"I have a 
mustard seed, 
and I am 
not afraid 
to use it."

Pope Benedict XVI








"If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you would be able to say to this mountain. 'move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be imposible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

Painting: Helen Allingham, Harvest Moon 

The Path to Unbelief

'This is the path which leads to death: 
Men first leave off private prayer;
then they neglect 
the due observance of the Lord's day;
then they gradually let slip 
from their minds the very idea 
of obedience to a fixed law;
then they actually allow 
themselves things which 
their conscience condemns; 
then they lose the direction 
of their conscience, which, 
being ill used, 
at length refuses to direct them.
And thus, being left by 
their true inward guide, 
they are obliged to take 
another guide, their reason, 
which by itself knows little 
or nothing about religion;
then their blind reason 
forms a system of right or wrong 
for them, as well as it can,
flattering to their own desires,
and presumptuous 
where it is not actually corrupt.
No wonder 
such a scheme contradicts Scripture, 
which it is soon found to do; 
not that they are certain to perceive this themselves;
they often do not know it, 
and think themselves still believers in the Gospel,
while they maintain doctrines which the Gospel condemns.
But sometimes they perceive that their system is contrary to Scripture; 
and then, instead of giving it up, they give up Scripture, and profess themselves unbelievers.  
Such is the course of disobedience, beginning in slight omissions, and ending in open unbelief.'

John Henry Cardinal Newman

Painting by Blonskaya, in US public domain due to age (PD-US)

Loving Absurdity

"Let worldly wisdom go on constituting what it considers excellency in worldly glory if it wants to. The true Christian, who is tending toward perfection, should, contrary to all the reasonings of human prudence, place all his perfection in the folly of the Cross." (St. Francis de Sales)

"The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God.  Scripture says, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and thwart the cleverness of the clever.'" (1 Corinthians 1:18-19) 





Painting by Giovanni Gioseffo dal Sole

Ice and Snow, Bless the Lord

'Frost and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever.
Nights and days, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever.
Let the earth bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever.'

Daniel 3:69-74, 
from Azariah's hymn of
praise in the fiery furnace 
  




Painting:  Endogurov Zimniy 

The Rest of the Story

I love how God works.

Today I read back over yesterday's post here and thought "it's like there needs to be something else in this.  I feel like I'm missing something."

Lo and behold.  

I went to the comments screen and found the following, from Gloria Laudes.  I will copy it here just as she wrote it (its original Author being, of course, God Himself!). 

This provides, as Gloria recognized, the encouragement we need at this time.  

And here, my friends, is the rest of the story....  

"'If it were possible to live without God, it would not be worth living at all.' And so we must live in Christ: in peace, love, and hope - ' proper and real hope' which is expressed beautifully in Romans 5:1-10 (sorry for the long quote but it is the encouragement I think we need at this time):
[1] Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
[2] Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
[3] More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
[4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
[5] and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.
[6] While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
[7] Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die.
[8] But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
[9] Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
[10] For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."

Lo and behold.  Thank you, Gloria.

I love how God works.

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