Saturday, February 28, 2009
winter shadows
Friday, February 27, 2009
Meeting With Him
Everything in our lives, that is of God, is from God. Our very desire for Him comes from Him. Any spiritual life inside of us comes from the life of His Spirit dwelling within us. Any good fruit in our lives is really the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The more our hearts seek Him, the more He will reveal Himself to us.
read the rest here
Thursday, February 26, 2009
our work
An elder said: "The reason why we do not get anywhere is that we do not know our limits, and we are not patient in carrying on the work we have begun. But without any labor at all we want to gain possession of virtue."
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
why stability?
The reason for stability?
God is not elsewhere.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
stability
A certain brother went to Abbot Moses in Scete, and asked him for a good word.
And the elder said to him:
"Go sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything."
Sunday, February 22, 2009
prayer for a word from God
Lord God,
patient and steadfast you wait for us until we open to you.
We wait for your word,
help us to hear your voice.
Speak and bring your Son to us,
Jesus the word of your peace.
We wait for your word, Lord God,
patient and steadfast.
Amen
Saturday, February 21, 2009
true freedom
I will run the way of thy commandments:
when thou hast set my heart at liberty.
-- Psalm 119:32
Friday, February 20, 2009
Rule of Benedict
To those who are pure of heart, to those who come to see God where God is, to those who persevere in the presence of God, to those who, as the Rule of Benedict says, "have used the spiritual craft without ceasing day and night" is promised the reward of a loving God: peace of heart and eternal life at the end of whatever daily deaths crowd our lives.
-- Joan Chittister, OSB Wisdom Distilled From the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today
-- Joan Chittister, OSB Wisdom Distilled From the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today
Thursday, February 19, 2009
warfare
Abba John prayed to God to take his passions away from him so that he might become free from care. In fact, Abba John went and told one of the elders this: "I find myself in peace, without an enemy," he said.
And the elder said to him "Then go and beseech God to stir up warfare within you so that you may regain the affliction and humility that you used to have, for it is by warfare that the soul makes progress."
So he besought God and when warfare came, he no longer prayed that it might be taken away, but said, "Lord, give me the strength for the fight."
And the elder said to him "Then go and beseech God to stir up warfare within you so that you may regain the affliction and humility that you used to have, for it is by warfare that the soul makes progress."
So he besought God and when warfare came, he no longer prayed that it might be taken away, but said, "Lord, give me the strength for the fight."
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
the meaning of life
Once upon a time a visitor came to the monastery looking for the purpose and meaning of life.
The Teacher said to the visitor, "If what you seek is Truth, there is one thing you must have above all else."
"I know," the visitor said. "To find Truth I must have an overwhelming passion for it."
"No," the Teacher said. "In order to find Truth, you must have an unremitting readiness to admit you may be wrong."
The Teacher said to the visitor, "If what you seek is Truth, there is one thing you must have above all else."
"I know," the visitor said. "To find Truth I must have an overwhelming passion for it."
"No," the Teacher said. "In order to find Truth, you must have an unremitting readiness to admit you may be wrong."
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentine's Day prayer
Take from me, O Lord, my heart of stone. Take away my hardened heart. Take away my uncircumcised heart. Give me a new heart, a heart of flesh, a pure heart (Ez 36:26)! You who purify the heart, you who love the pure heart, possess my heart and dwell within it, enclosing it and filling it, higher than what in me is highest, more inward than my most inward part. O form of beauty and seal of sanctity, seal my heart in your image, seal my heart under your mercy, "O God of my heart, O God my portion for ever" (Ps 73[72]:26).
-- Baldwin of Ford (? – 1190), Cistercian abbot
-- Baldwin of Ford (? – 1190), Cistercian abbot
Friday, February 13, 2009
reality
One day the Teacher said, "It is so much easier to travel than to stop."
"Why?" the disciples demanded to know.
"Because," the Teacher said, "as long as you travel to a goal you can hold on to a dream. When you stop, you must face reality."
"But how shall we ever change if we have no goals or dreams?" the disciples asked.
"Change that is real is change that is not willed. Face reality and unwilled change will happen."
Thursday, February 12, 2009
finding God
"Help us to find God," the disciples asked the elder.
"No one can help you do that," the elder said.
"Why not?" the disciples asked amazed.
"For the same reason that no one can help fish to find the ocean."
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
morning prayer
Praise to you gracious and loving God.
In your Son, Jesus Christ, risen and with us,
you fill every moment with your goodness.
Through the power of his Spirit,
open my heart, my mind, and my lips this day
and all my days in praise of you.
Alleluia!
Amen.
-- Katherine Howard Praying With Benedict
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
prayer
Prayer is a heart to heart with God... Prayer that has been carried out well touches God's heart and prompts him to answer us. When we pray, let it be our whole being that turns towards God: our thoughts, our heart... The Lord will be moved to incline towards us and come to our help...
Pray and hope. Do not get upset; worrying doesn't help. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. Prayer is our best weapon; it is the key that opens God's heart. You need to speak to Jesus less with your lips than with your heart.
-- Saint [Padre] Pio de Pietrelcina (1887-1968), Capuchin friar
Pray and hope. Do not get upset; worrying doesn't help. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. Prayer is our best weapon; it is the key that opens God's heart. You need to speak to Jesus less with your lips than with your heart.
-- Saint [Padre] Pio de Pietrelcina (1887-1968), Capuchin friar
Sunday, February 08, 2009
listening
Holy God, I believe there are masters of vision, masters of peace, masters of wisdom and joy and love for me to hear. But my inward ear has been dulled by all the nonsense it hears and the cacophony of my world. I don't know where or how to start, but teach me to listen and help me believe I can actually hear you. Amen.
-- Lonnie Collins Pratt
-- Lonnie Collins Pratt
Saturday, February 07, 2009
message from God
ALL of Scripture, both the Hebrew and the Christian Testaments, can be
summed up as this message from God: I am with you. I love you. Trust me!
-- Abbot Jerome of Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas
Thursday, February 05, 2009
following God
Whatever you find in your heart to do in following God,
that do, and remain within yourself in Him.
-- Abba Anthony
Monday, February 02, 2009
our deeds
A midrash on Genesis points out: "God prefers your deeds to your ancestors' virtues."
We are not here simply to follow someone else. Being part of something good does not automatically make us good. What we do with our own lives is the measure of their value. We are here to learn to take ourselves in hand.
-- Joan Chittister, O.S.B. The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages
We are not here simply to follow someone else. Being part of something good does not automatically make us good. What we do with our own lives is the measure of their value. We are here to learn to take ourselves in hand.
-- Joan Chittister, O.S.B. The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages
Sunday, February 01, 2009
St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN
