Toward Holy Thoughts and Good Desires

'As the reading of bad books fills the mind with worldly and poisonous sentiments; 

so, on the other hand, 

the reading of pious works fills the soul with holy thoughts and good desires.'

St. Alphonsus Liguori

Painting: Marie Bashkirtseff

A Silent Shout

 

'God does not hear us as man hears. 

Unless you shout with your 

lungs and chest and lips,

a mere man does not hear.  

Whereas to God, 

your very thoughts shout.' 

St. Augustine


Painting: Albert Ritzberger, Junge Frau am Sofa, 1898 

A Plan of Action

"Now, if you want to drive away a wicked thought or desire, just grasp this little piece of advice I am going to give you, and stick to it.  

"Do not argue with perverse thoughts or evil desires, but when they attack you, occupy your mind vigorously with some profitable plan or meditation until they vanish away.  

"No thought or intention is ever expelled from the heart except by some other thought or intention incompatible with it....

"Nor must you be afraid that impulses or thoughts of this kind will be imputed to you as sin, so long as your will in no way entangles itself with them..."
                          (from a letter of St. Anselm, 1095)