“If man knew how much he could gain in a single day, his heart would be filled with joy as soon as he woke up, knowing that a new day had dawned in which he could praise God and multiply his reward to His glory, and he would be encouraged and strengthened throughout the day for whatever he had to do or endure” (St. Mechthild of Hackeborn).
Showing all posts in July 2025
The consequence of truth
Mt 11:20-24
‘Then he began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked, because they refused to repent. ‘Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Still, I tell you that it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on Judgement Day than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be raised as high as heaven? You shall be flung down to hell. For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing yet. Still, I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on Judgement Day than for you.’ Read More
UNSPEAKABLE JOY
“No one can look so deeply into the heart of his friend, and see the affection he feels for him, as my chosen ones can look into the innermost depths of my heart to discover there, with inexpressible joy, my affection for them.” (Jesus to St. Mechthild of Hackeborn)
Darkness and its influence on men
Ex 1:8-14:22
‘Then there came to power in Egypt a new king who had never heard of Joseph. ‘Look,’ he said to his people, ‘the Israelites are now more numerous and stronger than we are. We must take precautions to stop them from increasing any further, or if war should break out, they might join the ranks of our enemies. They might take arms against us and then escape from the country.’ Accordingly they put taskmasters over the Israelites to wear them down by forced labour. In this way they built the store-cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. But the harder their lives were made, the more they increased and spread, until people came to fear the Israelites. So the Egyptians gave them no mercy in the demands they made, making their lives miserable with hard labour: with digging clay, making bricks, doing various kinds of field – work – all sorts of labour that they imposed on them without mercy. Pharaoh then gave all his people this command: ‘Throw every new-born boy into the river, but let all the girls live.’
Love of God and love of neighbour
Lk 10:25-37
And now a lawyer stood up and, to test him, asked, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What is your reading of it?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have answered right, do this and life is yours.’ But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ In answer Jesus said, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of bandits; they stripped him, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead.
ONE NEVER LOVES ENOUGH
“One finds that one never loves enough. Yes, it’s true: one never loves enough!” (Charles de Foucauld).
This is true because love is infinite and can only be found in its perfection in God.
Proclaiming the gospel with boldness
Mt 10: 24-33
‘Disciple is not superior to teacher, nor slave to master. It is enough for disciple to grow to be like teacher, and slave like master. If they have called the master of the house “Beelzebul”, how much more the members of his household? ‘So do not be afraid of them. Everything now covered up will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops. ‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell .Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of human beings, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’
CHRIST LIVES IN ME
“Bring everything to me so that I may take possession of it and proclaim myself through you” (Inner word).
In following the Lord, everything in us must be transformed. As the Apostle of the Gentiles teaches us, we are to become “new men,” “spiritual persons” (cf. 1 Cor 3:1). This means the Holy Spirit takes the reins, and we follow His instructions docilely, allowing our thoughts and actions to be transformed by His influence. Then, rather than being primarily determined by natural impulses, we learn to understand and be governed by God’s perspective with the grace of our Heavenly Father.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE HEART
“Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti (Thou desirest truth in the inward being)” (Ps 51:6).
We know the words of the prophet Jeremiah about the twisted heart: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it? ‘I the Lord search the mind and try the heart, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings’” (Jer 17:9).
Attaining wisdom
Pr 2:1-9
Reading for the memorial of Saint Benedict the Abbot
My child, if you take my words to heart, if you set store by my commandments, tuning your ear to wisdom, tuning your heart to understanding, yes, if your plea is for clear perception, if you cry out for understanding, if you look for it as though for silver, search for it as though for buried treasure, then you will understand what the fear of Yahweh is, and discover the knowledge of God. For Yahweh himself is giver of wisdom, from his mouth issue knowledge and understanding. He reserves his advice for the honest, a shield to those whose ways are sound; he stands guard over the paths of equity, he keeps watch over the way of those faithful to him. Then you will understand uprightness, equity and fair dealing, the paths that lead to happiness. Read More