Complete freedom from fear is one of those things we owe wholly to Our Lord. To be afraid is to do him a double injury. First, it is to forget him, to forget that that he is with us, that he loves us and is himself almighty, and second it is to fail to bend to his will. If we shape our will to his, as everything that happens is either willed or allowed by him, we shall find joy in whatever happens, and shall never be disturbed or afraid.

– Charles de Foucauld

Usually it is those who know Him (God) that bring Him to others. That is why the Church, the whole body of Christians showing Him to one another, is so important. . .At first it is natural for a baby to take its mother’s milk without knowing its mother. It is equally natural for us to see the man who helps us without seeing Christ behind him. But we must not remain babies. We must go on to recognize the real Giver. It is madness not to. Because, if we do not, we shall be relying on human beings. And that is going to let us down. The best of them will make mistakes; all of them will die. We must be thankful to all the people who have helped us; we must honor them and love them. But never, never pin your whole faith on any human being, not if he is the best and wisest in the whole world. There are lots of nice things you can do with sand, but do not try building a house on it.

C.S. Lewis

Blessed are those who do one thing at a time, but do it well; blessed are those who do well that which they do, be it something of great importance or not; blessed are those who do little things with diligence, because they will do even great things well. What are we looking for when we try to do great things? This is the greatest thing that we can do: to do little things well, and with the greatest diligence. What else, if not this does perfection consist?

Father James Alberione

Remember that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that you have only one life, which is short and has to be lived by you alone; and that there is only one glory, which is eternal. If you remember this, there will be many things about which you care nothing.

-St. Teresa of Avila

We must take refuge from this world. You can do this in spirit, even if you’re kept here in the body. You can at the same time be here and present to the Lord. Your soul must hold fast to God. You must follow after him in your thoughts. You must walk his ways by faith, not in outward show. . .Since God is our refuge, God who is in heaven and above the heavens, we must take refuge from this world in that place where there’s peace, where there’s rest from toil. . .We must take refuge like deer beside the fountain of waters.
-St Ambrose of Milan

We are happy to announce that “Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry: True Stories of Padre Pio Book I” is now available as an Audible audiobook.More information at this link: “Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry: True Stories of Padre Pio Book I”

It’s true Lord that you are always thinking of us. From the beginning of time, before we existed, even before the world existed, you have been dreaming of me, thinking of me, loving me. And it is true that your love created me. It’s true Lord, that you have conceived for my life a unique destiny. It’s true that you have an eternal plan for me, a wonderful plan that you have always cherished in your heart, as a father thinks over the smallest detail of the life of his little one, still unborn. It’s true that, always bending over me, you guide me to bring your plan about, light on my path and strength for my soul. . .You the divine Attentive One, you, the divine Patient One, you the divine Present One, see that at no time I forget your presence. I don’t ask you to bless what I myself have decided to do, but give me the grace to discover and to live what you have dreamed for me.
– Father Michel Quoist

We must be ready to carry the burden of anyone whom we meet on our way, and who clearly needs help – not only those who deserve or seem to deserve help. Everyone is our ‘business’ and Christ in everyone, potentially or actually, has a first claim on us, a claim that comes before all else. We are here on earth to help carry the cross of Christ, the Christ hidden in other men, and to help in whatever way we can. We may, like Simon, have literally a strong arm to give; we may help to do hard work, we may have material goods to give; we may have time, which we desperately want for our self, but which we must sacrifice for Christ in man; we may have only suffering . . . We do not look for Christ only in saints; we look for him, perceive him by faith, and try to help him, most of all in sinners. It is in sinners that Christ suffers most today, in them that his need is most urgent.

– Caryll Houselander

Father – with this word I express my certainty that someone is there who hears me, who never leaves me alone, who is always present. I express my certainty that God, despite the infinite difference between us, is such that I can speak to him, may even address him familiarly as ‘Thou.’ His greatness does not overwhelm me. . .I am so important to him, I belong so closely to him, that I can rightly address him as Father. My being born is not a mistake, then, but a grace. . .I am wanted; not a child of chance or necessity, but of choice and freedom. Therefore I shall always have a purpose in life; there will always be a meaning for me, a task designed just for me, there is a conception of me that I can seek and find and fulfill.

– Pope Benedict XVI

Today it is the same Christ, the same Jesus, the same today in our poor people, who are unwanted, unemployed, uncared for, hungry and naked and homeless. They are considered to be useless to the state or to society, and nobody has time for them. And it is you and I as Christians who, worthy of that love of Christ, if our love is true, must find them. We must help them; they are there for the finding. Every day is a preparation for death. By realizing this, it helps somehow, because what the dying go through today, I will go through tomorrow. Death is nothing except going back to God, where he is and where we belong. Mother Teresa was a champion of the unwanted, from the outcast of Calcutta to the unwanted unborn of America. She was the genius of the little way of doing great things.

– Archbishop Charles Chaput

Oh God, infinite holiness, goodness and perfection, lead me to sanctity. Increase and refine my love. Turn it into a burning flame, a fiery furnace of love. Raise me above my mundane self. Do for me what I am unable to do for myself. Drown my pride, my selfishness and attachments in the abyss of the love and humility of thy Sacred Heart.

– Louis Kaczmarek