The Church does not dispense the sacrament of baptism in order to acquire for herself an increase in membership but in order to consecrate a human being to God and to communicate to that person the divine gift of birth from God. ~ Hans Urs von Balthasar, Unless You Become Like This Child
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Striving for Better
When we cease wishing to become better, we cease to be good. ~ St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Letter 91
The World as a Theater
Both men departed to that place where everything is true. The stage sets were removed and the masks were taken off. In a theater of this world at mid-day the stage is set and many actors enter, playing parts, wearing masks on their faces, retelling some old story, narrating the events. One becomes a philosopher,Continue reading “The World as a Theater”
Church Fathers on Animals
Martin Luther, upon seeing a dog, whose tail had been mangled by a wagon wheel said: “Take comfort, small friend, in the Resurrection, you too shall have a little golden tail.” Martin Luther, Letter to J. Goritz, 1544 “I beg you to show kindness to animals. The very least you can do is to putContinue reading “Church Fathers on Animals”
Come Out, Lazar
Come out, Lazar!Come out, Lazaro, what so befall.Then might not the fiend of hellLonger make that soule to dwell.So dreadful was that ilke cryTo that feloun, our enemy.The kinges trumpet blew a blast;Come out! it said, be not aghast.With that voice the find gan quake,As doth the leaf when windes wake.‘Come out’ is now aContinue reading “Come Out, Lazar”
Leaf from Leaf
Leaf from leaf Christ knows;Himself the Lily and the Rose: Sheep from sheep Christ tells;Himself the Shepherd, no one else: Star and star He names,Himself outblazing all their flames: Dove by dove, He callsTo set each on the golden walls: Drop by drop, He countsThe flood of ocean as it mounts: Grain by grain, HisContinue reading “Leaf from Leaf”
“The whole earth is a living icon of the face of God.”~ John of Damascus
The Church Fathers on Racism
“We ought to understand that while the names of God may differ among the various nations, nevertheless, since we are all of the same origin, we ought to consider ourselves as of one family, and not despise the kinship of the human race.” (Gregory of Nyssa, Great Catechism, 32) “God has made all races ofContinue reading “The Church Fathers on Racism”
Maria Walks amid the Thorn
Maria walks amid the thorn,Kyrie eleison,Maria walks amid the thorn,Which seven years no leaf has born.Jesus and Maria. What ‘neath her heart doth Mary bear?Kyrie eleison,The little Child doth Mary bear,Beneath her heart He nestles there.Jesus and Maria. And as the two are passing near,Kyrie eleison,And as the two are passing near,Lo! roses on theContinue reading “Maria Walks amid the Thorn”
The most powerful movement of feeling with a liturgy is the prayer which seeks for nothing special, but is a yearning to escape from the limitations of our own weakness and an invocation of all good to enter and abide with us. George Eliot
Locus Communis 