-Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J.
Adversity, which easily discourages weak souls, strangely enough incites strong souls to greater perfection. They understand that troublesome times, even more than peaceful times, demand the complete gift of self. The thought is not new, but a deeper penetration of it may be helpful.
We need saints now more than ever before!
But how does one become a saint?
There are but two means, and both are essential: to be willing to consider self as nothing, to practice a life of complete generosity in which all is for God without any reservation or let-down; and to strive for intimate union with God, for recollection or the spirit of prayer – a life of prayer insofar as circumstances and the duties of one’s state permit.
There are only two mountains in the world, Thabor and Calvary. On Thabor we pray in secret, heart-to-heart with God, and unite ourselves with His infinite Majesty. Thabor’s prayer, however, is not necessarily one of ecstatic joy; for our sanctification is difficult, and often enough it is only the hard road of Calvary that brings us to Thabor.
On Calvary we suffer with Christ crucified, but our divine Savior, ever eager to reward those who follow Him that far, will often transform our Calvary for some days, or at least for a few hours, into Thabor.
When Our Lord has found enough generous souls to whom this program is not a hard saying, but rather an inspiring challenge impelling them to accept both its immediate difficulties and threatening hardships. you may be sure that through them, or at least because of them, He will complete the work of redemption.
Administrators, politicians, and those charged with governing our temporal welfare must do their best. Their effort alone, however, will not raise the world’s ruins and restore life to the world. If the work of reconstruction is to be fruitful and effective, we must have devout souls who are willing to consecrate themselves to a deeply spiritual life.
We face a challenge!
Christ awaits our answer!
Let it be understood: God has no place for triflers or merely curious onlookers. The redemption of the world is no trifling matter. The world is bought at a great price!
We do not all have the same talent to offer. God asks much of those who have much, but for the less gifted He is content with the widow’s mite; this meager offering is by no means less valuable or less effective.
Each one must give his all, and this all varies greatly in quantity and quality.
The duty to win back the world does not devolve upon religious alone, even though the demands made upon them are naturally greater.
The field is open in the world to the married or single, the youth, the mature, and the old.
Everyone is invited. No one is excluded.
Lord, You know my weakness.
Nevertheless, I dare to ask You
to enlist me among Your workers.
You can count on me.
But You must know
how much I count on You!
We two!
Happy Seventh Day of Christmas! Thank God for His many blessings. Make the most of each and every day. Enjoy the journey. The world will keep whizzing by but we must take time to smell the roses (or make a snowman). Each day is a gift, each person in your life is special. Take nothing for granted. 🎁❤️ –www.finerfem.com
Just in time for those New Year’s Resolutions!… The Catholic Boy’s and Girl’s Traditional 30-Day Journals! Let’s keep our youth engaged in the Faith! Let’s teach them how to be organized, how to prioritize, how to keep on top of, first, the Spiritual things in their lives, and then the other daily duties that God requires of them… Available here.
Excellent book! “He Leadeth Me is a deeply personal story of one man’s spiritual odyssey and the unflagging faith which enabled him to survive the ordeal that wrenched his body and spirit to near collapse. Captured by a Russian army during World War II and convicted of being a “Vatican spy,” Jesuit Father Walter J. Ciszek spent some 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia. Learning to accept even the inhuman work of toiling in the infamous Siberian salt mines as a labor pleasing to God, he was able to turn the adverse forces of circumstance into a source of positive value and a means of drawing closer to the compassionate and never-forsaking Divine Spirit. He Leadeth Me is a book to inspire all Christians to greater faith and trust in God—even in their darkest hour. For, as the author asks, “What can ultimately trouble the soul that accepts every moment of every day as a gift from the hands of God and strives always to do his will?” Available here.
For those who have received any of my books and are enjoying them, please consider leaving a review on Amazon! They are very helpful and I appreciate it! Thanks so much to those who have already left reviews on either Amazon or Meadows of Grace!
My page on Amazon is here.
On feasting & the difference on how saints feasted vs how we do today….
That is a powerful reading… I do not feel adequate to it right now. 🙁
A blest seventh day of Christmas to you!