BB writes: “One thing that really puzzles me is that both the well-loved Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen were also known for their study and openness to some Eastern religion practices. How do you perceive their teachings?
Yearly Archives: 2020
God is wise
August 4
“Let us remember these great truths: (1) There is
nothing, however small or apparently indifferent, which has not been ordained or permitted by God – even to the fall of a leaf.
(2) God is sufficiently wise, good, powerful and merciful to turn those events which are apparently the most calamitous to the good and the advantage of those who know how to adore and accept with humility all that his divine and adorable will permits.”
~Jean-Pierre De Caussade, S.J.
For Reflection:
Meditating on the second truth that Jean-Pierre De Caussade offers, do I truly believe that God is wise, good, powerful and merciful? Do I truly believe that God can and will turn the calamity and suffering of my life to my good and advantage? Have I witnessed this in the past?
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Even to the fall of a leaf
August 3
“Let us remember these great truths: (1) There is
nothing, however small or apparently indifferent, which has not been ordained or permitted by God – even to the fall of a leaf.
(2) God is sufficiently wise, good, powerful and merciful to turn those events which are apparently the most calamitous to the good and the advantage of those who know how to adore and accept with humility all that his divine and adorable will permits.”
~Jean-Pierre De Caussade, S.J.
For Reflection:
The next three days will provide me with time to contemplate and consider the rich insight of this quote. For today, what do I think is the difference between God’s “ordained” will and His “permissive” will. What instances of each have I seen in my life?
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The measure of all things
August 2
“The will of God is the measure of all things.”
~St. Ambrose of Milan
For Reflection:
Is God’s will the yardstick of my decisions, choices, and behavior? Why or why not? To what extent does fear of God’s will enter in? (See tomorrow’s Grace Lines for some insight that may help.)
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The Portiuncula Indulgence: Gift of Jesus, Gift of Francis
Painting of the vision of St. Francis in the Portiuncula – Bartolome Esteban Murello (1617-1682)
Legends abound surrounding the life and times of Francis, the saintly little poor man of Assisi (1182 – 1226): his affinity for all of nature, preaching to the birds, taming the ravenous wolf, recreating the Christmas crèche, receiving the sacred stigmata. What is not so well known is the role Saint Francis played in the bestowal of an amazing gift from a gracious God to His creatures.
The sole end
August 1
“The accomplishment of the divine will is the sole end for which we are
in the world.”
-St. John Eudes
For Reflection:
What does the phrase “God’s will” mean to me? How does this definition shape my understanding of this quote by St. John Eudes? What do I think is the relationship between living in God’s will and true joy?
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Passion of Christ
July 31
“Jesus prayed, preached and gave us the example of how we should live.
But is that all He did to save the world? No, He saved it primarily
by His Passion and Death.”
-Emil Neubert, SM, STD
Today’s Reflection:
Are you ready to help conquer the world for Christ? Then be prepared to suffer in union with Him. Like Christ and our Blessed Mother, all true apostles have understood the redemptive value of suffering.
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Nine-Year-Old Girl Proves New Age Energy Fields Don’t Exist
Emily Rosa at age 11, the year she published the study in JAMA (photo courtesy of her mother, Linda Rosa RN and Wikicommons)
New Age energy workers insist that the cause of all of mankind’s ills are related to imbalances in an alleged universal life force energy known as chi, qi, prana, vital force, etc. Thanks to the sophistication of modern science, it was easy to prove that this energy doesn’t exist, so easy, in fact, that a nine-year-old girl thoroughly debunked the claims of these “energy workers” in a fourth-grade science fair project!
You are a witness
July 30
“As a Christian, you are a witness of Christ; therefore give testimony to Him!”
-Emil Neubert, SM, STD
Today’s Reflection:
No one can argue with your own testimony because it’s yours. In the Women of Grace Foundational Study we teach participants the short formula, “I was… Jesus did…I am.” Think about your life of conversion and compose your testimony so that you can share the reason for your hope, the next time the opportunity presents itself.
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Driven to Distraction? There’s a Saint for You!
“Now as they went on their way, [Jesus] entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her’” (Lk 10:38-42, NRSV).
