Wake up the Universe!

'The whole world is asleep,
and God so full of goodness,
so great,
so worthy of all praise ...
no one is thinking of Him!
See, nature praises Him!
And man.. who
ought to praise Him, sleeps!
Let us go,
let us go and
wake up the universe..
and sing His praises!'

Blessed Mariam Baouardy

photo © Nancy Shuman

The Bridge

'Human pride and egoism
always create divisions,
build walls of indifference,
hate and violence. 
The Holy Spirit,
on the other hand,
makes hearts capable
of understanding
the languages of all,
as He re-establishes
the bridge
of authentic
communication
between earth and Heaven.'

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI









 









Painting:  John Henry Hill

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

I Run to the Fountain

'O Lord, I run to the spring; I desire the source of the water. 

In You is the fountain of life, an inexhaustible source; 

in Your light there is a light which will never be darkened... 

Seeing this light, my eye grows keener.  

Drinking from this fountain, 

my inner thirst becomes more acute. 

I run to the fountain, 

panting for its water..... 

I run like a deer...'

St. Augustine

Painting:  Walter Moras, in US public domain due to age (PD-US)

It Will Pass

'Let us not be turned from prayer because of dearth of feeling, 

or even because the mind is weighed down by discouragement 

and distressed by the thought of utter unworthiness.  

This mental gloom will pass.  

It is something over which we hold no control; 

the less attention we give it the better.'

(from In Love with the Divine Outcast, by a Religious, Pellegrini, Australia, 1934, p. 123)

Painting: Edmund Charles Tarbell, Across the Room, 1899, in US public domain due to age (PD-US)

My Eyes Are Dazzled

"O ever-present God within me....
How seldom do I remember
that at any time, in any place,
I can find You, commune with You,
by simply turning towards You
the eyes of my soul.
Forgive me, Holy Spirit,
for behaving as if I had never heard of You!

Now, as one just awakened, I say
'God is here,
and I have been unaware of Him.'

I confess it with shame:
Every moment of my day
is filled with other interests.

My eyes are dazzled
by the sight of things and people.
I have little time,
little attention,
little love
to give You, the indwelling God...

O God, the Father,
God, the Son,
God, the Holy Ghost,
forgive me!"


(from "Listening to the Indwelling Presence," compiled by a Religious, Pellegrini, Australia, 1940, pp. 55-56)


 Painting:  Nicolas Regnier Truaer

Gather a Devotional Bouquet

'After completing your prayer, go back over it for a moment 

and out of the considerations you have made,

gather a little devotional bouquet to refresh you during the rest of the day.'

St. Francis de Sales

Painting:  Frank Bramley

Things Held Me Far From You....

'Too late have I loved You,
O beauty so ancient
and so new!  Too late
have I loved You.
And behold,
You were within me
and I was away
outside, and there
I searched for you, deformed,
plunging,
absorbed in
those beautiful things
You had made.
You were with me,
but I was not with You.  Things held me
far from You,
things which would
not have existed at all
except for You.
You called,
You shouted,
and burst in
on my deafness.
You shone
and gleamed brightly
at me and
dispersed my blindness.  You breathed
forth fragrances,
and I drew in my breath, and still I pant for You.  I tasted much, and I hunger and thirst for more.  You touched me, and I burned for Your peace.'

St. Augustine

Painting:  Albert Anker 
 

Uprooting

'Ordinarily, most Christians simply snip at their defects, without uprooting them.'

St. Francis de Sales 

Painting:  Ernestine von Kirchsberg, in US public domain due to age (PD-US)

Shall I Spoil My Holiest Actions?

'Vain complacency,
the desire to be seen,
to be the main
topic of conversation,
to be praised
and told we are
doing well
and
performing wonders...
leads to the
forgetfulness of God
and the spoiling
of our holiest actions.'

St. Vincent de Paul



















Painting: George Spencer Watson

The Power of Duty

'Do not fear that the duties imposed upon us by obedience, though numerous and heavy, will distract us from our union with God.  In fact, when they are performed for His glory, they have the power to unite us closely to Him.  How could the very things that join our will to His draw us away from Him?'

St. Francis de Sales

Painting:  William McGregor Paxton, Girl Sweeping, 1912

A Sobering Promise

'I have promised with God's grace not to begin any action without remembering that He is witness of it.'  

St. Claude de la Columbiere

Painting:  John Singer Sargent, Fishing for Oysters at Cancale

How To Not Gossip

'Never utter in your neighbours' absence what you would not say in their presence.'

St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi

Painting:  Edward Henry Potthast, in US public domain due to age (PD-US)


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Feast of the Visitation

Needs No Further Reflection

'If you should happen to do or say 
something that is not well received 
by everyone, do not for this reason stop 
to reflect on and examine 
your every word and action, 
for undoubtedly it is self-love 
which makes us seek to know 
whether or not what we say 
or do is approved.  
Simplicity leaves the outcome of 
its actions to Providence, 
to which it completely entrusts itself, 
without looking to the right or to the left.'

St. Francis de Sales






Painting:  Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Narcissus

God is Still Breathing You

'You must live like 
warm wax to be 
molded by God,
having no desire, 
wish, or hope
other than 
the will of God...
You are 
a breath of God, 
and God is still 
breathing you.'

Sister Mary Elizabeth White VHM















Painting by Rembrandt; detail

Be Very Well What You Are

'Don't desire 
not to be what you are, 
but desire to be  
very well what you are.'

St. Francis de Sales













Painting:  Renoir; Gabrielle and Jean, in US public domain due to age

How to Pray in Pregnancy

'Since your pregnancy prevents you
from making your usual long mental prayer,
make your prayer short and fervent.
Make up for the loss by
frequently lifting your heart to God;
often read from some good spiritual book,
but only a little at a time;
when you go for a walk,
often turn your thoughts to God.
Pray often and briefly;
offer your listlessness and weariness
to our crucified Lord.'

St. Francis de Sales





Painting:  Samuel Luke Fildes; Jessica; in US public domain due to age

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A Duty Proper to the Angels

'Saying the Divine Office is one of the most 

excellent actions in which we can be engaged, 

for we thus celebrate the divine praises,

a duty proper to the angels.  

Hence it should not be recited out of habit,

 but with our complete attention and devotion.'

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

Divine Office.org is a marvelous way to pray daily, with the Church.  Click this line to link. 

Painting: Friedrich von Amerling

What Do I Worship?

'If you do not 
worship God, 

you worship
something, 

and nine times 
out of ten 

it will be 
yourself.'

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
















Waterhouse painting


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