St Paul by El Greco How much is comprised in the little words agere contra! Therein is the real secret of sanctity, the hidden source from which the saints have drunk deep of the love of God and reached that height of glory they now enjoy. COMMENT: The phrase agere contra refers to the practice of going against oneself, of denying oneself in various ways in order to overcome our …
Saints
September 26, 2010
More flies are caught with a spoon of honey than a hundred barrels of vinegar “My yoke is sweet” (Matthew 11. 30). The service of God, the whole-hearted generous service of God, is full of a sweetness hidden from the world. Beneath the rough garb of the monk or the holy nun’s coarse garment there is hidden more real happiness, more true peace and contentment than poor wordlings have ever …
September 25, 2010
You may make the most complete and absolute offering of yourself to God to bear every pain He may wish to send. Renew this frequently and place yourself in His hands as His willing victim to be immolated on the altar of sacrifice. But it is better not to ask directly for great sufferings; few of the saints did so. COMMENT: Today’s quote from Fr Doyle may perhaps be difficult …
September 24, 2010
St Pio of Pietrelcina It is indeed easy to condemn oneself to death, to make a generous offering of self-immolation; but to carry out the execution daily is more than most can do. . . . Go on bravely, don’t expect too much from yourself, for God often leaves one powerless in acts of self-conquest in order to make one humble and to have more recourse to Him. Remember above …
September 23, 2010
The Call of St Matthew by Caravaggio September 21: Feast of St Matthew We must love God with our whole heart. Can He be loved otherwise? Is it too much that a finite heart should love infinite Beauty? I fail in this wholehearted love if I keep back anything from Him, if I am determined not to pass certain limits as proof of my love, if I absolutely refuse to …
September 21, 2010
St John Houghton A devotion which does not consist in any special form of prayer nor in doing anything in particular more than to listen to inspirations, is devotion to the Holy Spirit of God. And does it not commend itself very specially to religious? For, as the work of Creation belongs preeminently to the Father and that of Redemption to the Son, so the work of our Sanctification and …
September 20, 2010
Blessed John Henry Newman Today we will make an exception and have some quotes from someone other than Fr Doyle. Today was a special day for our Holy Father as he beatified John Henry Newman, a priest and scholar to whom he has had devotion for many years. He is also important for Dublin and indeed for Dalkey, Fr Doyle’s home parish. Blessed John Henry Newman lived in Dublin for …
September 19, 2010
Without constant union with our Lord there cannot be any real holiness, one reason being that without recollection the inspirations of the Holy Spirit are missed and with them a host of opportunities of little sacrifices and a shower of graces. As a means of gaining greater recollection, each morning at Holy Communion invite Jesus to dwell in your heart during the day as in a Tabernacle. Try all day …
September 18, 2010
St Robert Bellarmine, Doctor of the Church A deadly pitfall lies hidden in the desire of some to pour themselves out in works of zeal for God s glory, to which the evil spirit not uncommonly urges those whom he sees full of zeal. It is evident even to one little versed in the way of the spiritual life that a multiplicity of external occupations, even though good and meritorious …
September 17, 2010
Hammer this into your little head, try and convince yourself of it: Our Blessed Lord loves me, with all my faults and failings, and has marked me out for the special graces which will make me a saint, a big one if I like. With this ideal before you, which you must reach if God’s plans are not to be spoiled, try and remember that sanctification means daily, hourly, hard …
September 16, 2010