“Nothing is small that God commands. … That is why I most earnestly recommend to you the veneration of the Mother of God. Nothing is more powerful, nothing more lovely, nothing stronger than she!” (St. Stanislaus Kostka)
The saint speaks from the depths of his own experience and holds out to all of us the great treasure that God has given: the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, and the Bride of the Holy Spirit.
“Anthony (the Desert Father) used to say that it is a person’s duty to devote all their time to the soul rather than to the body, while allowing the body only a brief moment for its needs. But all the rest, he should entrust all the more eagerly to the soul and seek its well-being, so that it might not be dragged down by the pleasures of the body, but rather, on the contrary, the body might be subject to the soul.” (Saint Athanasius)
“Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Ps 121:4)
That is true, dear Father: You are always watching over us. This watchfulness springs from Your love for us and is free from any mistrust, which we humans, unfortunately, all too often harbor within ourselves.
“It is not the beginning that is rewarded, but perseverance alone.” (St. Catherine of Siena)
It is good that the words of Saint Catherine remind us that a brief uplifting of the heart—sometimes accompanied by the tangible grace of God and corresponding resolutions—must prove itself over the long journey. This requires spiritual training, so that we consciously work at bearing the hardships necessary to bring a good beginning to fulfillment.
“Just as young nightingales learn to sing from the older ones, so we too, through our association with the saints, will learn to pray and sing God’s praises more beautifully: ‘I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels,’ says David (Ps 138:1).” (St. Francis de Sales)
“Consider how I love thy precepts! Preserve my life according to thy steadfast love.” (Ps 119:159)
God’s holy commandments are life. To move within them means to live in the favor of our Father. They are instructions that God, in His goodness, has given so that we may not perish in the turmoil of this world or fall prey to evil. We need only look at them individually to recognize that they were given to us with great wisdom. When our Father gives us as the first commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mt 22:37), then the most essential thing has already been said to us.
“No one in the whole world can change the truth. We can do only one thing: seek it, find it, and serve it.” (St. Maximilian Kolbe)
This profoundly true statement by St. Maximilian Kolbe is meant to lead us into an attitude of humble simplicity. It shows us the path on which we can live our lives fruitfully and in union with God. For this we were created, and for this our Father has placed the longing for truth within our hearts.
“I, I am he that comforts you” (Isaiah 51:12a)
How deeply our Father longs for us to understand this. Who else could give us comfort that reaches into that depth which neither we nor any other human being can fathom?
“The more you live in My heart and I in yours, the greater the fruit will be.” (Inner Word)
Do we desire to live our earthly lives in such a way that they bear abundant fruit—fruit that will follow us into eternity? Here we are shown a path, for the Heavenly Father offers us His heart for this very purpose. It is not a difficult path that demands endless effort from us. No, it is a simple path of love, an intimate communion with our Father and He with us. The fruit of this will grow and ripen almost of itself, for God Himself will bring it forth.
“To depart from You is to die. To return to You is to rise again. To dwell with You is to live.” (St. Augustine)
With these few words, dear Father, St. Augustine expresses it perfectly. For if we were to go away from You—which may You always prevent—we would no longer be able to receive the grace, Your living love for us. Everything within us would begin to wither, everything that truly reveals to us the real value of existence.
