From the Pope

It has been a long time not coming to this blog.
And it has been a long time also for me not to notice a few words that I put on my notice board. So, I just came across this

"And only where God is seen, does life truly begin.
Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is.
We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution.
Each of us is the result of a thought of God.
Each of us is willed,each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.
There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised bu the Gospel,
by the encounter with Christ.
There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him" (Pope Benedict XVI)

(....wow!)

And that is dying.

I am standing upon that foreshore, a ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength and I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, "there! she's gone!"
"Gone where?" "Gone from my sight, that's all", she is just as large in mast and spar and hull as ever she was when she left my side; just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of her destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at that moment when someone at my side says, "there! she's gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "here she comes!"
And that is dying.

Victor Hugo

by Thriol

Remember the Holy Souls


P. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
P. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

More from St Bernadette

"O my soul, be the faithful imitator of Jesus meek and humble of heart. He who has been meek and humble of heart deserves to be glorified. O Mary, my dear Mother, here is your poor child, unable to carry on any longer. You know my needs and above all my spiritual distress. Have pity on me. Grant that one day I may be with you in heaven.

O Mary, most loving Mother, grant that following your example, I may be generous in all the sacrifices that Our Lord may ask of me during my life."

- Bernadette Soubirous, Personal Notes

From Philip Johnson

St Bernadette on suffering

"My own concerns no longer concern me. From now on I must belong entirely to God, and God alone. Never to myself. Why have I come [to the convent], if not to love Our Lord with all my heart. O Jesus and Mary, grant that all my consolation in this world may be to love you, serve you and suffer for sinners.

O Jesus, teach me to understand how exclusive is heavenly Love. Continually dying to myself, peacefully supporting trials, I work, I suffer, and I wish to have no other witness but His Heart. He who is not prepared to suffer all for the Beloved and to do His Holy Will in all things is not worthy of the beautiful name of Friend.

From here on earth, Love cannot live without suffering. It is through loving the cross that we discover His Heart, for divine Love never lives without suffering. I want my whole life to be inspired by love. He who loves, does all things easily, or, if he suffers, he suffers bravely. Why is suffering necessary? Because on earth, pure love cannot exist without suffering. O Jesus, Jesus, I no longer feel my cross when I think of yours!"

- Saint Bernadette Soubirous

October 1873

From Philip Johnson

Limping, running--it's all about where you're heading.

“It is better to limp along the way than stride along off the way. For a man who limps along the way, even if he only makes slow progress, comes to the end of the way; but one who is off the way, the more quickly he runs, the farther away he is from his goal.”

St. Thomas Aquinas

"To those who do not march with Mary, we apply the words of St. Augustine: 'Bene curris sed extra viam': 'you run well, but you are out of the path.' Where will you arrive in the end ?" (Petitalot)

Legion handbook

"From the moment...."

"From the moment I was given the charge of souls, I saw at a glance that the task was beyond my strength, and quickly taking refuge in our Lord's arms, I imitated those babes who when frightened hide their faces on their father's shoulder: 'thou seest, Lord,' I cried, 'that I am too small to feed thy little ones, but if through me thou wilt give to each what is suitable, then fill my hands; and without quitting the shelter of thy arms, or even turning my head, I will distribute thy treasures to the souls who come to me asking for food. When they find it to their liking, I shall know that it is not to me they owe it, but to thee; while if on the contrary they complain, finding fault with its bitterness, I shall not be at all disturbed, but shall try to persuade them it comes from thee, and I will take care to give them none other'." (St. Therese of Lisieux) - Handbook p.216

Conversion

The Greek word for converting means: to rethink—to question one's own and common way of living; to allow God to enter into the criteria of one's life; to not merely judge according to the current opinions. Thereby, to convert means: not to live as all the others live, not do what all do, not feel justified in dubious, ambiguous, evil actions just because others do the same; begin to see one's life through the eyes of God; thereby looking for the good, even if uncomfortable; not aiming at the judgment of the majority, of men, but on the justice of God—in other words: to look for a new style of life, a new life.

-Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

Via St John's Valdosta Blog

On Christianity and love

I'm reading a book by Henry Sienkiewicz called Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero. It's an excellent book - a very gripping tale indeed, especially since I enjoy reading about the ancients.

It revolves around a soldier and noble called Marcus Vincicus and his love for a Christian girl called Lygia.

Here's Vincicus speaking to Lygia about his change of heart regarding her faith.

"Paul has convinced me, has converted me; and could it be otherwise? How was I not to believe that Christ came into the world, since he, who was His disciple, says so, and Paul, to who He appeared? How was I not to believe that He was God, since He rose from the dead? Others saw Him in the city and on the lake and on the mountain; people saw Him whose lips have not known a lie. I began to believe this the first time I heard Peter in Ostrianum, for I said to myself even then: In the whole world any other man might lie rather than this one who says, 'I saw.' But I feared thy religion. It seemed to me that thy religion would take thee from me. I thought that there was neither wisdom nor beauty nor happiness in it. But to-day, when I know it, what kind of man should I be were I not to wish truth to rule the world instead of falsehood, love instead of hatred, virtue instead of crime, faithfulness instead of unfaithfulness, mercy instead of vengeance? What sort of man would he be who would not choose and wish the same? But your religion teaches this. Others desire justice also; but thy religion is the only one which makes man's heart just, and besides makes it pure, like thine and Pomponia's, makes it faithful, like thine and Pomponia's. I should be blind were I not to see this. But if in addition Christ God has promised eternal life, and promised happiness as immeasurable as the all-might of God can give, what more can one wish? Were I to ask Seneca why he enjoins virtue, if wickedness brings more happiness, he would not be able to say anything sensible. But I know now that I ought to be virtuous, because virtue and love flow from Christ, and because, when death closes my eyes, I shall find life and happiness, I shall find myself and thee. Why not love and accept a religion which both speaks the truth and destroys death? Who would not prefer good to evil? I tough thy religion opposed happiness; meanwhile Paul has convinced me that not only does it not take away, but that it gives. All this hardly finds a place in my head; but I feel that it is true, for I have never been so happy....O Lygia! Reason declares this religion divine, and the best; the heart feels it, and who can resist two such forces?"

...After a while he said with a lowered and quivering voice: "Thou wilt be the soul of my soul, and the dearest in the world to me. Our hearts will beat together, we shall have one prayer of and one gratitude to Christ. O my dear! To live together, to honour together the sweet God, and to know that when death comes our eyes will be open again, as after a pleasant sleep, to a new light, - what better could be imagined? I only marvel that I did not understand this at first. And knowest thou what occurs to me now? That no one can resist this religion. In two hundred or three hundred years the whole world will accept it. People will forget Jupiter, and there will be no God except Christ, and no temples but Christian. Who would not wish his own happiness?"

Very beautiful! There are many other such sublime bits of prose in the this book. Do read it! It's available in the Central Library.

Dogmas

"Dogmas--someone has said--are not walls that prevent us from seeing. On the contrary, they are windows that open upon the infinite."

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

I can do all things in Him who strengthen me

For us Legionaries in NUS, many times we encountered problems with our time management. We must struggled with many many things at the same times. Test, projects, assignments, CCAs, contact work, etc. It's true that things sometimes can be very tiring, very demanding.. And at that point of time, sometimes we are thinking to run away from some of our responsibilities because we feel that we cannot cope with it anymore.

And then, at times, we feel disappointed with ourselves. I failed to do this, and I failed to do that. Specific example for legionaries.. I failed to invite my friend for Mass, for a talk, or for Legion meeting.

In fact, a few days/weeks ago, I did experience that. However, that time, when I was praying using St Josemaria’s book, The Way, I bump into these 2 quotes and they strike me a lot,

When you want to do things well, really well, it's then you do them worse. Humble yourself before Jesus, saying to him: Don't you see how I do everything wrong? Well, if you don't help me very much, I'll do it all even worse! Take pity on your child: You see, I want to write a big page each day in the book of my life. But I'm so clumsy, that if the Master doesn't guide my hand, instead of graceful strokes my pen leaves behind blots and scratches, that can't be shown to anyone. From now on, Jesus, the writing will always be done by both of us together.

You are full of weaknesses. Every day you see them more clearly. But don't let them frighten you. He well knows you can't yield more fruit. Your involuntary falls-those of a child-show your Father God that he must take more care, and your Mother Mary that she must never let you go from her loving hand. Each day, as our Lord picks you up from the ground, take advantage of it, embrace him with all your strength and lay your wearied head on his open breast so that you'll be carried away by the beating of his most loving heart.

Now that I think about it again, these two quotes are quite related to basic duties of legionaries which is listed in chapter 33 of our handbook. To tell you the truth, I’m quite surprised to see the basic duties listed there when I was preparing this allo since I never opened that chapter before. But anyway, there are two things that are listed there that I think quite important for us legionaries to fulfilled, “The Legionary must pray as well as work”, and “The interior life of Legionaries”, which consist of prayer, mortification and sacraments.

From these duties, I can see that our founder has realized how important it is for us to really abandon ourselves to our Father God and to Our Mother Mary; that we, in doing apostolate, must really depend on the divine power, not just on mere human power. This apostolic work, this contact work, is not our work. Through our prayer and interior life, through constant discernment, we should keep asking again and again, what is the Lord’s will in my life? Day by day asking our Lord, “What apostolic work do You want me to do today Lord?” So that we can always be very much united with His Holy will. And then, of course we can always turn to Our Lady, to ask for her intercession for our work.

However, even though we might have practiced that prayer, mortification and sacraments, we might still encountered failings in our apostolate. It’s very normal for us to encountered failings; when we encountered that, keep in mind again, that this work we did, is not our work, it’s God’s work. None of us can change our contact’s hearts. It is only God who can change the heart of a person. Don’t worry and don’t get discouraged when we encounter failings. Like what St Josemaria said, if we really humble ourselves and admit our failings as a child.. And just humbly ask for His help to begin again, again and again. Because He never asked us to success; He just wants us to be faithful and to persevere.

This is what I love when I love my God.

But what is it that I love in loving thee? Not physical beauty, nor the splendour of time, nor the radiance of the light -- so pleasant to our eyes -- nor the sweet melodies of the various kinds of songs, nor the fragrant smell of flowers and ointments and spices; not manna and honey, not the limbs embraced in physical love -- it is not these I love when I love my God.

Yet it is true that I love a certain kind of light and sound and fragrance and food and embrace in loving my God, who is the light and sound and fragrance and food and embracement of my inner man -- where that light shines into my soul which no place can contain, where time does not snatch away the lovely sound, where no breeze disperses the sweet fragrance, where no eating diminishes the food there provided, and where there is an embrace that no satiety comes to sunder. This is what I love when I love my God.

St Augustine, Confessions, Book X:VI

From St Augustine

Here's a beautiful message from St Augustine. When you go to meet God, bring along with you as many souls as you can!

If physical objects please you, praise God for them, but turn back your love to their Creator, lest, in those things which please you, you displease him. If souls please you, let them be loved in God; for in themselves they are mutable, but in him firmly established--without him they would simply cease to exist. In him, then, let them be loved; and bring along to him with yourself as many souls as you can, and say to them: “Let us love him, for he himself created all these, and he is not far away from them. For he did not create them, and then go away. They are of him and in him. Behold, there he is, wherever truth is known. He is within the inmost heart, yet the heart has wandered away from him. Return to your heart, O you transgressors, and hold fast to him who made you. Stand with him and you shall stand fast. Rest in him and you shall be at rest. Where do you go along these rugged paths? Where are you going? The good that you love is from him, and insofar as it is also for him, it is both good and pleasant. But it will rightly be turned to bitterness if whatever comes from him is not rightly loved and if he is deserted for the love of the creature. Why then will you wander farther and farther in these difficult and toilsome ways? There is no rest where you seek it. Seek what you seek; but remember that it is not where you seek it. You seek for a blessed life in the land of death. It is not there. For how can there be a blessed life where life itself is not?”
Confessions, Book IV, Chapter 12

Quote

Perfect love means putting up with other peoples shortcomings, feeling no surprise at their weakness, finding encouragement even in the slightest evidence of good qualities in them.

-- St. Therese of Lisieux

The Holy Father on lay evangelizers

"Through the testimony of their Christian life, they can carry to all sectors of society the light of Christ's message, attracting to the ecclesial community those whose faith has been weakened....Therefore, the lay faithful need to intensify their relationship with God and acquire a solid formation, especially in regard to the social doctrine of the Church....Thus, as leaven in the dough, they will be able to fulfill their mission to transform society according to the will of God."

~Pope Benedict to the bishops of Honduras

There's glory in the commonest task

"Father, light up the small duties of this day's life; may they shine with the beauty of Thy countenance. May I believe that glory may dwell in the commonest task of every day."

~ St Augustine

Victorian window of St Augustine of Hippo, whose feast day falls today, 28 August. This window is in the former Dominican priory church of Hawkesyard.

The arrow, piercing the heart, stands for divine love and illustrates St. Augustine's creed that "Our hearts are restless until they rest in God."

Uploaded on August 28, 2007
by Lawrence OP

There is nothing more beautiful................

Come across to this quote by Holy Father..Pope Benedict XVI

And only where God is seen does life truly begin.
Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is.
We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution.
Each of us is the result of a thought of God.
Each of us is willed,
each of us is loved,
each of us is necessary.
There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel,
by the encounter with Christ.
There is nothing more beautiful
than to know Him
and to speak to others of our friendship with Him.

Quote

"the greatest movement which has been established for the good of souls since the era of the great religious orders"

~Pope Paul VI on the Legion of Mary