Ordinarily, history has made nonsense of promises of peace achieved by war, but the history of God's kingdom shows that the peace of God is indeed achieved by waging war in Christ against all the powers of evil that disguise themselves as unimportant temptations to sin. ~ Magnificat 10/26/06

So wide is God's mercy that no sin is too great or too small for forgiveness. So much narrower is our charity that we often find the small annoyances the hardest to forgive. The more often we turn in prayer to the all-forgiving God, the more we will become like him in extending the hand of pardon to others in every daily circumstance. ~ Magnificat 10-27-06

Let not the cross be a joy to you merely in the time of peace, but keep the same faith during persecution. ~ St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Sin is a subtle prison. So accustomed can we become to its walls that we cease to recognize that we are dying in slow and unseen ways. Yet God gave his very Son to break its stranglehold. Let us call out to Him for help. ~ Magnificat 11/3-6

Quotes

Without humility we can not be pleasing to God. ~ St. Faustina Kowalska

It is necessary for you to fight against the devil every day under the leadership of Christ ~ St. Caesarius of Arles

All who do the Gospel work of love belong to Christ and serve Christ. Let us seek to recognize his invitation to join together in doing good in his name in all the ordinary circumstances of life. Let us be willing to accept that invitation even when it requires of us hard and selfless choices, that our lives may reveal God's love rather than give scandal to the vulnerable. ~ Magnificat, 10-01-06

God calls His people to live at a standard higher than the unbelievers who surround them so we can be a light and a standard for the rest of the world. ~ John Maxwell, Leadership Promises, 10-01

Today, Lord, I thank you for being so good...and so good to me. Thank you for what you've done and for what you're doing in me. Be praised, and let me live to glorify your name. ~ Lose it for Life, 11-18

It is not on the authority of the Church that we accept Jesus, but on the authority of Jesus that we accept and love the Church. So the first thing the Church has to do is not present herself to the worlds, but present Jesus. ~ Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa

Sometimes God gives us tasks that seem overwhelming because He wants us to get the rest of our lives in order so there is time for those tasks. ~ Unknown

Greatness is verified in being a servant to others. ~ Unknown

You can reach your potentials tomorrow if you dedicate yourself to growth today. Remember, to change your world, you must first change yourself. ~ John Maxwell, Leadership Devotional, 8/26

Whether we fight against the ambition of the world, against the desires of the flesh, or against the darts of heretics, we are always armed with the Lord's cross. ~ St. Leo the Great

Sacrifices made for God have a sweetness and a joy unknown to the world. ~ St. Pierre Henri Dorie

The notion that one gains freedom by rebelling against God has been a popular illusion since Eden. The paradox of the gospel is that we are set free from the cains of our own making by choosing to yoke ourselves to Christ, who bursts our bonds by his own death and resurrection. ~ Magnifiat 9-26-06

Quotes

I do not regret leaving this world; my soul thirsts for the waters of eternal life. My exile is over. I touch the soil of my real country; earth vanishes, heaven opens, I go to God. ~ St. Theophane Venard

All creation sings praise to God by being fully what the creator intended. Obedience to God's designs is in itself an act of worship. Worship without obedience is merely hollow flattery. Yet both worship and obedience are less than Christian if they do not spring from one root, love of God. ~ From the Magnificat 8-17-06

Oh God, Creator and Redeemer, you are the author of being and life. Inspire in us a spirit of praise and desire for obedience, that we may give you glory in everything we think and say and do, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ From the Magnificat 8-17-06

See, the medicine is prepared for you; the wound of sin must first be healed, and it is alleviated in this way: put wine and oil in it, the oil of trust in the Lord's passion, the wine of remorse in your grief, and mix well. ~ St. Thomas of Villanova

Sin is a subtle prison. So accustomed can we become to its walls that we cease to recognize that w are dying in slow and unseen ways. ~ From the Magnificat 8-25-06

We hear the voice of Christ from the tomb, praying in the name of all of those who are as if dead in the crushing grip of evil, so often disguised as unbreakable habits that may have a certain social acceptability but are nonetheless deadly. ~ Unknown

The purpose of our trials is not only to test our worthiness but also to increase it, just as the mighty oak is tested by the stormed as well as strengthened by them. ~ Streams in the Desert, 8/2

I do not expect high place in heaven; I shall be thankful for a little corner where I may love God for all eternity. ~ Blessed Marianne Cope

I do not regret leaving this world; my soul thirsts for the waters of eternal life. My exile is over. I touch the soil of my real country; earth vanished, heaven opens, I go to God. ~ St. Theophane Venard

Those who share in the sufferings Jesus endured for our sake win more treasure for their family than do others who become millionaires. ~ Blessed John XXIII

The only one who has a right to shape our lives is Jesus Christ. We must determine to allow nothing and no one to shape us, not even our own personal experiences, unless they are consistent with the promises of God. In truth, who is ruling out lives, God or our experiences? ~ Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlefields

The faithful Christian must not allow any day to pass without devoting some time to reading, meditation, and prayer...for holy reading shows the way to heaven, meditation travels it, and prayer attains the goal. ~ St. Thomas of Villanova

Our sins can weigh us down with discouragement. St. Ignatius of Loyola tells us that discouragement is never from God because it clouds faith and hope. God's love does not deal in punishment as human vengeance does. God's love disciplines us in order to free and purify us - sometimes a painful process - so that we may not die but live in Christ. ~ Magnificat, 7-28-6

God is all mercy and stands with open arms to admit us to his glory. ~ St. Catherine of Genoa

God is true: He has a long memory for his own promises and a short memory for our failures to keep ours. ~ Magnificat, 8-2-6

O God, our Healer and our Good, you sent your Son to cure the world's sickness by taking upon himself the burden of its guilt. Heal the diseased vision which causes us to mistake evil for good; heal the sickened mind which causes us to mistake selfishness for love; heal the unhealthy habits which we have made our own, that we may stand before you, whole in body, soul, and spirit, to sing your praises for ever with all the saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ Magnificat 7-21-06

Human need of every kind cries out to God for healing. The sharpest cry is the plea of the human heart betrayed and wounded by the sin of self and others. The Lord hears every call for help and heals by taking upon himself the suffering of all who are impoverished and weakened by failure, sin, and death. ~ Magnificat 7-21-06

Jesus Christ is the only friend who never abandons anyone. He it is who in our last moments comes to visit us on our bed of pain. Let us, therefore, remain united with him by prayer and Holy Communion. ~ St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier

I adore you, O my God, and render you homage, with all my heart by loving you , with all my soul by praising you, and with all my mind by submitting it to faith. ~ Magnificat 7-21-6

Today it is Quotes from my Hand-Written Journal

Just as a soldier never ceases to train for battle and prepares in sham warfare for the real wounds that are to come, every Christian must exercise self-restraint at all times, but especially when the enemy is near at hand with his well-trained hosts marshaled against us. ~ St. Jerome

God wants you to live for today. Worrying about yesterday or tomorrow steals today. But the great I AM has given you just enough grace for today. Grace for yesterday is all used up and grace for tomorrow will not come until tomorrow. So use the favor and power of the Holy Spirit to do His will right now.

God in His power is refuge and strength; God in His mercy is the river that refreshes the soul; God in His beauty stills all our useless struggles and gathers us into His peace.

Pride sets subtle snares. Whenever we imagine we are in control of life - our own or someone else's - we have fallen prey to the ancient whisper in the Garden: "You shall be like gods." Mortality is the enduring reminder that we become like God not by our own power but by the power of the cross.

True gentleness is so considerate, so tactful, and so active that, when we meet it, we are always astonished that it can do us so much good, while at the same time apparently giving us nothing. ~ Louis Lavelle

Purity comes from heaven; we must ask for it from God. If we ask for it, we shall obtain it. We must take great care not to lose it. ~ St. John Vianney

Anxiety

Whenever we spin anxious scenarios about the future, we waste precious emotional energy. This kind of worrying represents a negative use of the power of our imagination. As such, it can be a misguided attempt to control the future. But instead of controlling the future, we soon discover that anxiety controls us. Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matt. 6:34. Begin to form habits that will help you break the power of worry in your life. Start by thanking God each morning for some small sign of His goodness: a loving friend, a beautiful garden, a child's smile. Gratitude will increase your sense of God's presence in your life. Then, set aside some time to think about ways God has taken care of you in the past. Write them down and make them part of your faith arsenal, so that when you are tempted by anxious thoughts you can remind yourself of concrete examples of how God has already provided for you. ~ From "Women of The Bible."

Random Things Collected in my Hand-Written Journal around July 2006

The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go. ~ Psalm 16:7-8 (The Message)

Yes, Lord! Not just a good thing, but the BEST thing. Always keep me close to you and protect my heart and soul from the dangers and temptations of the world. Please protect my husband, my family, my friends - everyone -- also! You are our mighty God and able to do it!

Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not punish you as much as my burning anger tells me to. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. ~ Hosea 11:18-19 (NLT)

Thank you for being a merciful God, for not treating us according to our sins and what we deserve, but instead treating us according to your nature - a loving Father!

Saint Sara of Skete - 4th Century
Sarah guarded and preserved with particular zeal the purity of her heart. Her solitude was regularly disturbed by a demon intent on tormenting her with impure temptations. On these occasions, she would pray, "Lord, give me strength." After thirty years of afflicting her thus, the demon conceded defeat, telling her, "Sarah, you have conquered me. " She replied, "It is not I who have conquered you, but rather Christ, my Lord."

Lord, please grant me the fortitude of Sarah. That when I am facing temptations that I will also ask Christ for strength that He will destroy the demons in my life.

Living in God's Love

When a believer enters into a profound relationship with God, he cannot be content with a mediocre life under the banner of a minimalistic ethic and a superficial religiousity. In this light one can understand better the expression that Benedict borrowed from Saint Cyprian - "Prefer nothing to the love of Christ." ~ Pope Benedict XVI (from the Magnificat on July 11, 2006)

That's right. Filled with the love of God and the knowledge of His saving power, how could we be content with the greyness the world offers. God offers us a full life! Filled with color! It's hard to explain to someone still living on the other side, but for those living in God's love words aren't necessary.

For a while last year, I kept some what of a hand-written journal. I was not consistent with it and it mainly just includes interesting quotes that I read. I have decided I will slowly go through it and post things here. I think the comment about the quote was something I wrote because I did not reference where it came from.