St James the Greater by El Greco, 1606 July 25: Feast of St James You ask how to pray well. The answer is, Pray often, in season and out of season, against yourself, in spite of yourself. There is no other way. What a man of prayer St. James, the Apostle must have been since his knees became like those of a camel! When shall we religious realize the power …
Saints
July 23, 2010
St Thomas More. "We cannot go to Heaven in feather beds" I do not want, in fact I forbid you, to be imprudent in the matter of corporal penances. But, my dear child, if you let a whole fortnight go by without any self-inflicted pain, can you honestly look Jesus in the face and say, “I am like to Him”? COMMENT: Self-inflicted pain?? It sounds so…medieval, so exaggerated! It’s 2010, …
July 23, 2010
Mary Magdalene meditating on the Crucifixion. (Pedro de Mena,1664) July 22 – Feast of St Mary Magdalen Jesus allowed her to wash His feet but knew well what those eyes had looked on. He allowed her lips to kiss His feet knowing what sinful words had fallen from them. He did not shrink from the touch of hands which had served Satan so long. He even welcomed the love …
July 22, 2010
St Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor of the Church Feast of St Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619), Doctor of the Church “I will give thee hidden treasures.” Isaiah 45. 3. Jesus has treasures which He hides from those who love Him not and do not seek Him. To His favoured ones, His faithful servants, He opens wide the storehouse where they lie and pours His graces forth unmeasured. He is a hidden …
July 20, 2010
St Ignatius Loyola I was greatly struck and helped yesterday by these words of the Imitation: “My child, let Me do with you what I will; I know what is good for you”. They gave me courage to place myself without reserve in God’s hands. How happy I feel now that I have done so and made my sacrifice. COMMENT:Fr Doyle is of course referring here to the famous “Imitation …
July 18, 2010
I have come back from the missions with feelings of joy and gratitude, for these last three missions have been blessed in a wonderful way. God seems to take a special delight in seconding my efforts, just because I have hurt Him so much in the past and have been so really ungrateful. It is one of the big humiliations of my life and makes me thoroughly ashamed of …
July 15, 2010
Do not give up prayer on any account, no matter how dry or rotten you feel; every moment, especially before Him in the Tabernacle, is a certain, positive gain; the effect will be there though you may not feel it. COMMENT: We live in a very sentimental world. So much of the modern psyche is driven by feelings and by emotion. It is so pervasive that we can end up …
July 14, 2010
St Camillus de Lellis July 14: The feast of St Camillus de Lellis The object of my life to be close union with and intense love of God. To acquire this I will (a) fly from the shadow of sin, never deliberately break a rule, custom or regulation; (b) do each little action purely for the love of Jesus, with exquisite exactness, fervour and devotedness; (c) beg constantly and earnestly …
July 13, 2010
Saint Francis in Meditation Francisco de ZURBARÁN c.1635-39 Copyright The National Gallery 2010 The soft chimes of the angelus bell mark the fall of evening. Another day is gone. Another precious day, our measurement of God’s most precious gift, time, has passed away and is swallowed up in the vast gulf of the irrevocable past. Another day has passed! Another stage of our journey towards our final end is traversed. …
July 12, 2010
Blesseds Louis and Zelie Martin, parents of St Therese of Lisieux July 12: Feast of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, parents of St Therese of Lisieux But remember the devil will spoil the work if he can and by every means in his power turn you from your life of immolation. COMMENT: In today’s snippet, Fr Doyle reminds us that we are contending not only against our own weakness in …
July 11, 2010