Beautiful is God!

"Beautiful is God, the Word with God.... He is beautiful in heaven, beautiful on earth; beautiful in the womb, beautiful in his parents' arms, beautiful in his miracles, beautiful in his sufferings; beautiful in inviting to life, beautiful in not worrying about death, beautiful in giving up his life and beautiful in taking it up again; he is beautiful on the Cross, beautiful in the tomb, beautiful in heaven. Listen to the song with understanding, and let not the weakness of the flesh distract your eyes from the splendor of his beauty."

-St. Augustine

Rest in Him

LORD, my heart is not proud; nor are my eyes haughty. 

I do not busy myself with great matters, with things too sublime for me.
Rather, I have stilled my soul, hushed it like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap, so is my soul within me.

(Psalm 131:1-2)

Clothed in Glory

I rejoice heartily in the LORD,
in my God is the joy of my soul;
For he has clothed me with a robe of salvation,
and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
Like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
like a bride bedecked with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
So will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations.
(Is. 61:10-11)

Little Mountains

I have always wanted to become a saint. Unfortunately when I have compared myself with the saints, I have always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by. Instead of being discouraged, I told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to grow bigger, so I put up with myself as I am, with all my countless faults. But I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new.

(St. Therese of Lisieux)

Deep as the Sea, Eternal Trinity

Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light and causes me to know your truth. By this light, reflected as it were in a mirror, I recognise that you are the highest good, one we can neither comprehend nor fathom. And I know that you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to man in the fire of your love.
(St. Catherine of Siena)

The Greatness of God's Love

"'The Lord is good. His kindness endures forever, and His faithfulness is to all generations'
(Ps 100:4).
With these words from the Psalm, we proclaim our joy and faith
to the Lord for 'He is good', and great is His love.
By recognizing God's greatness,
we get a glimpse of our own greatness.
In this thought, we find the joy of living, and of expanding our hearts,
as we recognize our capability for the infinite,
because Infinite is the Eternal One who loves us."
(Giuliana Spigone, May 1, 1999)

May the Name of the Lord be Praised!

From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the Lord be praised.
(Psalm 113:3)

Dawn Shall Break

In the tender compassion of our God
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Canticle of Zechariah)