"Silence is not a privation of stillness, nor a muteness, nor an emptiness; it is a communion by which one attains truth above creation and action."
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
For Reflection:
What does it mean to attain "truth above creation and action?" In what practical ways can I begin to lead a more silent life - exteriorly and interiorly? I will make up a practical plan to implement this during Lent.
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"Speak little to creatures but speak much to God. He will make you truly wise."
Mary Mazarello
For Reflection:
Of the words I speak each day, what percentage do I speak to God and what percentage do I speak to creatures? Am I happy with these totals especially in light of the gift of wisdom?
(See tomorrow's Grace Line to discover why much chatter is counterproductive to the spiritual life.)
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"The love of talk distracts all the powers of our soul from God, and fills them with earthly objects and impressions like a vessel of water which cannot be clear and settled while you are continually stirring the earthly particles from the bottom."
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
For Reflection:
The powers of the soul are will, reason, and emotion. How can the "love of talk" draw these away from God? To what extent have I seen this to be true in myself? What practical strategies can I use to mortify myself of this tendency?
(See tomorrow's Grace Line to see how silence leads to wisdom.)
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"It is good when a soul loves solitude; it's a sign that it takes delight in God and enjoys speaking with Him."
St. Jane Frances de Chantal
For Reflection:
On a scale of one to ten - one being complete unrest and ten being utter solitude, where does my soul rank? What does this tell me about the level of my "delight in God?"
(See tomorrow's Grace Line to see the gift that comes with quiet.)
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"Very well, I will be saint. I will provide a patron for those who bear my name."
Blessed Dina Belanger
For Reflection:
At age eight, Dina Belanger stated the quote above in response to a teacher who told her the Church had no St. Dina. Am I willing to "provide a patron" for those who bear my name? What positive step can I take today to make that happen?
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Feast of St. Polycarp,
Bishop and Martyr
(D. 155)
"Leave me as I am. The one who gives me strength to endure the fire will also give me strength to stay quite still on the pyre, even without the precaution of your nails."
St. Polycarp at his Martyrdom
For Reflection:
How is God giving me strength today?
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Chair of St. Peter
"And upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Matthew 16:18
For Reflection:
How have I seen the truth of this statement in light of the history of the Church? How does this speak to the fact that the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus founded?
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Feast of St. Peter Damien,
Bishop and Doctor
(1007 - 1072)
"In serenity, look forward to the joy that follows sadness. Hope leads you to that joy and love enkindles your zeal."
St. Peter Damien
For Reflection:
"Faith is confident assurance of what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). How does this help me live out the advice of St. Peter Damien?
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"The longer you stay away from Communion, the more your soul will become weak, and in the end you will become dangerously indifferent."
St. John Bosco
For Reflection:
How have I seen the truth of this statement in my life or in the life of others? How does this increase my zeal to receive Holy Communion properly prepared and with greater fervency?
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"The Eucharist is necessary to preserve the soul in the spiritual life of grace; for the soul, like the body, becomes gradually exhausted, if care is not taken to repair its strength."
St. John Baptist de la Salle
For Reflection:
What perfect sense this makes! In what instances have I experienced exhaustion of the soul? Why do I think reception of the Eucharist repairs its strength?
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