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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 16, 2019 14:28:31 GMT
JUNE 16 Awake Christ Sleeping in You
Face the world as you face a tumultuous and tempestuous sea. Sail across this world in the boat of our interior peacefulness, without losing sight of the harbor.
When the strong winds of its desires try to take hold of you, call for help and awake Christ sleeping in the cabin of your heart. - Sermon 76, 9
Prayer. I desire Thee, O justice and innocence, beautiful and comely with luminous clarity and unquenchable satisfaction. With Thee there is profound rest and untroubled life. All who enter into Thee enter into joy. - Confessions 2, 10
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 18, 2019 3:46:06 GMT
JUNE 17 The Sea Walker
Look at the acrobat. There you have a person who at great pains has learned to walk on a tightrope and by being suspended keeps you in suspense. But now turn your gaze toward Him Who does far more spectacular things. Did He learn to walk on a tightrope? No! He walked on the sea! Forget your theater, then, for a moment and fix your gaze on Him Who is our "Rock." No tightrope-walker is He, but a sea-walker. - Commentary on Psalm 55, 4
Prayer. Alas for me, O Lord, how high Thou are in the heights, and how deep in the depths! Nowhere do Thou withdraw, yet we scarcely return to Thee! - Confessions 8, 3
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 19, 2019 0:19:06 GMT
JUNE 18 Not on Your Own
There are some people who consider themselves able to refine themselves on their own, in order to contemplate and remain in God. Accordingly, they look down upon the mass of Christians who live on faith alone as not being yet able to do as they do.
- The Trinity 4, 15
Prayer. Give me strength to seek Thee, Lord, for Thou have already enabled me to find Thee and have given me hope of finding Thee ever more fully. - The Trinity 15, 51
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 19, 2019 21:10:28 GMT
JUNE 19 Truth through Sings
Presentation of truth through signs has great power to feed and fan that ardent love by which, as under some law of gravitation, we flicker upward, or inward, to our place of rest. The emotions are less easily set a light while the soul is wholly absorbed in material things. But when it is brought to material signs of spiritual realities, and moves from them to the things they represent, it gathers strength just by this very act of passing from the one to the other. - Letter 55, 11
Prayer. Lord, my knowledge and my ignorance lie before Thee. Where Thou have opened to me, let me enter. Where Thou have closed to me, open when I knock. - The Trinity 15, 51
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 21, 2019 1:21:56 GMT
JUNE 20 Everything Becomes Light with Love
Even those fasts and night watches that seem burdensome and are taken on so as not to disturb one's health are turned into spiritual pleasure-provided they are accepted with prayer, psalmody, and reading and meditation on the law of God. The labor of those who love is in no way burdensome; in fact, it even gives pleasure. What matters is what is loved. When we do what we love, either we do not notice the work or the work itself is loved. - Holy Widowhood, 21, 26
Prayer. Lord, all that I am I am with Thy mercy.
- Sermon 16A, 6
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 22, 2019 1:10:05 GMT
JUNE 21 Question Your Heart
My brothers ans sisters, question your heart, and if you cannot find love of neighbor there set your mind at ease. Such love cannot exist without the Spirit of God. Paul the Apostle bears witness to this: "The love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Ghost Who has been given to us." - Sermon 1 John 6, 10
Prayer. Lord, whatever Thou give me is too little for me. Be Thyself my inheritance! I love Thee without reserve: with all my heart, soul, and mind, of what value is anything Thou give me that is not Thyself! - Sermons 334, 3
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 22, 2019 17:43:09 GMT
JUNE 22 The Upright of Heart
Do you know who the upright of heart are? They are those who wish what God wishes. Therefore, do not try to twist God's will to your own but correct your will to that of God. The will of God is a rule of conduct. By it you have the means of being converted and of correcting your evil ways.
- Commentary on Psalm 93, 18
Prayer. Put to flight my foolishness, Lord, that I may know Thee. Show me the road I must travel that I may see Thee. Thus aided, I hope I shall do all Thou have commanded me. - Soliloquies 1, 1
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 23, 2019 18:07:00 GMT
JUNE 21 The Eucharist Forgives Sins
Accordingly, eat the bread of heaven in a spiritual way. Come to it freed from sin. Event though your sins occur daily, at least see to it that they be not mortal. Moreover, before you approach the altar note well what you say: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." If you forgive others, God will forgive you. - Sermon on John 26, 11
Prayer. Forgive us, Lord, all these things in which we have been led astray. Help us to resist being led away.
- Punishment and the Forgiveness of Sins 2, 4
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 24, 2019 17:09:54 GMT
JUNE 24 Humility of John the Baptist
John the Baptist was regarded by some people as the Messiah but he told them: "I am not the one whom you think." He refused to accept the error of someone in order to derive glory from it. John admitted what he was, declared what he was not, and humbled himself. He clearly recognized where his salvation came from, for he understood that he was the lamp, and he feared being extinguished by pride. - Sermon 293, 4
Prayer. Thanks and praise to Thee, my God, Who sound in my ears and Who illuminate my heart. Keep me away from every temptation. - Confessions 10, 31
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 26, 2019 2:17:27 GMT
JUNE 25 God the Father and Our Mother the Church
Unflagglingly, let us love the Lord our God and let us love His Church. Let us love Him as the Lord and the Church as His handmaid. No one can offend the one and still be pleasing to the other. What does it avail you if you do not directly offend the Father but do offend the mother? - Commentary on Psalm 88, 14
Prayer. Let my mouth speak the praise of the Lord by Whom all things were made and Who was made amidst all things. He is the witness of the Father and the creator of the mother. - Sermon 188, 3
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 27, 2019 2:56:12 GMT
JUNE 26 Live from God for God
Know that the Body of Christ can live from nothing else but the Spirit of Christ. Hence, when the Apostle Paul explains this bread to us, he says: "Because the bread is one, we though many are one Body." O Sacrament of love! Sign of our unity! Bond of our fraternity! All who long for life have here its very source. Let them come here and believe, unite with Thee and live. Let them cling to the Body and live for God. -Sermon on John 26, 11
Prayer. Thanks be to Him Who is desired before He is seen, whose presence is felt and Who is hoped for in the future.
- Sermon 24, 1
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 28, 2019 2:18:53 GMT
JUNE 27 Come and Be Filled
Let us come to this Supper and be filled to satiety. And who have come to this Supper except the beggars, the sick, the lame, and the blind? Let the beggars come, for He invites us Who became poor for our sakes. Let the sick come, for it is not the healthy who need a physician but the sick. Let the blind come and say to Him: "Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death."
- Sermon 112, 18
Prayer. O God, come to me in Thy kindness. For Thou are the good and the beautiful, in Whom, by Whom, and through Whom all things are good and beautiful. - Soliloquies 1, 1
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 29, 2019 0:37:01 GMT
JUNE 28 Prayer to Christ within Us
Remember, there is One Who listens to you, so do not hesitate to pray to Him. But He abides within you. You need only purify the inmost recesses of your heart. He is the Lord our God, the Word of God, the Word made human, Son of the Father, Son of God and Son of Man.
- Sermon on John 10, 1
Prayer. O Word before all time, by Whom time was made, born in time although Thou are eternal life, Thou call us who are bound by time and make us eternal. - Commentary on Psalm 101 (2), 10
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 29, 2019 20:09:53 GMT
JUNE 29 Peter, Figure of the Church
Now if the line of bishops who succeed one another is to be considered, with how much certainty and with real advantage do we begin with Saint Peter? He was the figure of the whole Church, and our Lord said to him: "Upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Thus, the certain hope of the faithful, which rests not on human beings but on God, will never be destroyed.
- Letter 53, 2-3
Prayer. Lord, teach me what I should teach, teach me what I should hold fast.
- Letter 166, 10
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 30, 2019 17:14:49 GMT
JUNE 30 Act in the Proper Way
If they are children of God, let them understand that they are moved by God so that they may do what is to be done. And when they have done it, let them give thanks to Him by Whom they do it. Hence, when they act in the proper way, that is, with love and the delight of justice, they should rejoice that they have received the sweetness the Lord has given them. When they do not act in the proper way, let them pray that they may receive what they do not yet have. - Correction and Grace 4
Prayer. Perfect me, O Lord. - Confessions 11, 2
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