On Charity

Without Love Everything  is in Vain

By Saint Maximus the Confessor, abbot

Charity is a right attitude of mind which prefers nothing to the knowledge of God.  If a man possesses any strong attachment to the things of this earth, he cannot possess true charity.  For anyone who really loves God prefers to know and experience God rather than his creatures.  The whole set and longing of his mind is ever directed toward him.

For God is far superior to all his creation, since everything which exists has been made by God and for him.  And so, in deserting God, who is beyond compare, for the interior works of creation, a man shows that he values God, the author of creation, less than creation itself.

The Lord himself reminds us: Whoever loves me will keep my commandments.  And this is my commandment that you love one another.  So the man who does not love his neighbor does not obey God’s command.  But one who does not obey his command cannot love God.  A man is blessed if he can love all men equally.  Moreover, if he truly loves God, he must love his neighbour absolutely.  Such a man cannot hoard his wealth.  Rather, like God himself, he generously gives from his own resources to each man according to his needs.

Since he imitates God’s generosity, the only distinction he draws is the person’s need.  He does not distinguish between a good man and a bad one, a just man and one who is unjust.  Yet his own goodness of will makes him prefer the man who strives after virtue to the one who is depraved.

A charitable mind is not displayed simply in giving money; it is manifested still more by person service as well as the communication of God’s word to others.  In fact, in a man’s service toward his brothers is genuine and if he really renounces worldly concerns, he is freed from selfish desires.  For he now shares in God’s own knowledge and love.  For he now shares in God’s own knowledge and love.  Since he does possess God’s love, he does not experience weariness as he follows the Lord his God.  Rather, following the prophet Jeremiah, he withstands every type of reproach and hardship without even harboring an evil thought toward any man.

For Jeremiah warns us:  Do not say: “We are the Lord’s temple.” Neither should you say: “Faith alone in our Lord Jesus Christ can save me.”  

By itself faith accomplishes nothing.  For even the devils believe and shudder.  No, faith must be joined to an active love of God which is expressed in good works.  

The charitable man is distinguished by sincere and long-suffering service to his fellow man: it also means using things aright.

Saint Maximus the Confessor, abbot

Saint Maximus the Confessor, abbot

Feastday: August 13

Birth: 580

Death: 662

Abbot, mystic, and Doctor of the Church, called "the Theologian," who suffered persecution from Emperor Constans II and the Monothelitist heretics. He was born to a noble family in Constantinople, modern Istanbul, about 580 and served for a time as secretary to Emperor Heraclius before becoming a monk and abbot at Chrysopolis, modern Skutori, Turkey. When Emperor Constans II favored Monothelitism, Maximus defended Pope Honorius and debated and converted Pyrrhus in 645. 

He then attended the Lateran Council in 649, convened by Pope St. Martin I, and he was taken prisoner and brought to Constantinople, where he was charged with treason. Exiled from the Empire, he spent six years at Perberis and was brought back to Constantinople with two companions - both named Anastasius - to be tortured and mutilated. Their tongues and right hands were cut off and they were sent to Skhemaris on the Black Sea, where Maximus died. 

He is venerated for his mysticism and is ranked as one of the foremost theologians of his era, being especially noted for his contributions to the theology of the Incarnation. The author of some ninety works on theology, mysticism, and dogma, he is especially known for his Opuscula Theologica et Poleinica; the Ambigua on Gregory of Nazianzus, and the Mvstagogia, an examination of symbolism.

Divine Love

Baldwin Bishop of Canterbury

Love is as Strong as Death

from a treatise by Baldwin, Bishop of Canterbury

Death is strong, for it can rob us of the gift of life.  Love too is strong, for it can restore us to a better life. 

Death is strong, for it can strip us of this robe of flesh.  Love too is strong, for it an take death's spoils away and give them back o us.

Death is strong, for no man can withstand it.  Love too is strong, for it can conquer death itself, soothe its sting, calm its violence, and bring its victory to naught.  The time will come when death is reviled and taunted.  O death, where is your sting?  O death, where is your victory?

Love is as strong as death because Christ's love is the very death of death.  Hence it is said: I will be your death, O death! I will be your sting, O hell! Our love for Christ is also as strong as death, because it is itself a kind of death: destroying the old life, rooting out vice, and laying aside dead works.

Our love for Christ is a return, though very unequal for His love for us, and it is a likeness modeled on His.  For He loved us and, through the example of love He gave us, He became a seal upon us by which we are made like Him.  We lay aside the likeness of the earthly man and put on the likeness of the heavenly man; we love him as he has loved us.  For in this matter he has left us as an example so that we might follow in His steps.

That is why He says: Set me as a seal upon your heart.  It is as if He were saying: 

"Love Me as I love you.  

Keep Me in your mind and memory, 

in your desires and yearnings, 

in your groans and sobs.  

Remember, man, the kind of being I made you; how far I set you above other creatures; the dignity I conferred upon you; how I made you only a little less than the angels and set all things under your feet.  Remember not only how much I have done for you.  Yet look and see: Do you not wrong Me?  Do you not fail to love Me?  Who loves you as I do?  Who created and redeemed you but I?"

Lord, take away my heart of stone, a heart so bitter and uncircumcised, and give me a new heart, a heart of flesh, a pure heart.  You cleanse the heart and love the clean heart.  Take possession of my heart and dwell in it, contain it and fill it, you who are higher than the heights of my spirit and closer to me than my innermost self!  

You are the pattern of all beauty and the seal of all holiness.  Set the seal of your likeness upon my heart!  In Your Mercy set Your seal upon my heart, God of my heart and the God who is my portion for ever! Amen.

God's Love letter for you...(worth watching)

Christmas quote by Christina G. Rossetti

Love came down at Christmas; 

love all lovely, love divine;

 love was born at Christmas, 

stars and angels gave the sign. 

Christina G. Rossetti

ADVENT VIRUS

 The  

Advent Virus 

 by Anonymous via email

WARNING……WARNING: 
ADVENT VIRUS

Be on the alert for symptoms of inner Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to this virus and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

Some signs and symptoms of The Advent Virus:

• A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
• An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
• A loss of interest in judging other people.
• A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
• A loss of interest in conflict.
• A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)
• Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
• Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
• Frequent attacks of smiling.
• An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
• An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

Please send this warning out to all your friends. This virus can and has affected many systems. Some systems have been completely cleaned out because of it.

 

St. Francis de Sales

Satan calls you by your sin, God calls you by your name

Words from Mother Teresa

                                                

“Let no one ever come to you

without leaving better and happier.

Be the living expression of God's kindness:

kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes,

kindness in your smile.”

 

Mother Teresa

The Spiritual & Corporal Works of Mercy

Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37

"Be merciful even as your Father is merciful."  

 Luke 6:36

"Jesus Christ taught that man not only receives and experiences the mercy of God, but that he is also called to "to practice mercy" towards others.  

'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.' 

Matthew 5:7 

The Church sees in these words a call to action and she tries to practice mercy... Man attains to the merciful love of God, His Mercy, to the extent that he himself is interiorly transformed in the spirit of that love towards his neighbor."

John Paul II, Rich in Mercy, 14

 The Parable of the Good Samaritan

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26  Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”27He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28  He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”

29But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”30 Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.31 A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.32  Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.   33  But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.34  He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him.35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’36  Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”37He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:25-37

Treat others the way YOU would like to be treated... 

 

That's basically what the Works of Mercy are... 

showing your neighbor 

love, concern, compassion, forgiveness

as Christ has shown the same to you.

People are without enough groceries to feed their kids, sending them to school without breakfast... Give to the Food Bank... Feeding the hungry. Someone from your office is sick in the hospital, you go to visit...Visit the Sick. These are Corporal Works of Mercy...

You talked to a co-worker sharing your faith; a friend just lost his wife and you comfort him -- these are Spiritual Works of Mercy... Instructing the uninformed, Comfort the sorrowful.

 "Scripture tells us that mercy is the condition for salvation. This is made clear in the Last Judgment (in Matthew 25), where those saved are saved simply if they performed what we later called the corporal works of mercy—feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned and bury the dead....It means entering into the entire “problem” or “chaos” of that person’s particular situation. In fact, that’s how I would define mercy: the willingness to enter into the chaos of others."
Excerpt from  The Works of Mercy: Heart of Catholic Identity
By: James F. Keenan, S.J.
http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/preview.aspx?id=237

"Too often works of mercy become a humanistic endeavor where one feels obligated to help out of peer pressure or because it's the thing to do and one will gain some temporal reward either financially or in praise and so they become philanthropic without realizing it doesn't amount to a hill of beans when push comes to shove except that the recipient may have gained temporal relief of some kind. Too many fail to realize for something to truly be a work of mercy and gain merit in Heaven it must be done out of love for our neighbor because of our love for God first and foremost. 

Without God as the Keystone of all we do, all is futile. That is why the corporal works of mercy cannot stand on their own without the spiritual works of mercy. Yet, both are vital in our cooperation with salvation for ourselves and our neighbor."

Taken from http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/11Feb/feb24cms.htm

THE CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY

 

Feed the hungry.

Give drink to the thirsty.

Clothe the naked.

Shelter the homeless.

Comfort the imprisoned.

 






Visit the sick.

 






 





Bury the dead.

 Matthew 25:34-46 When Christ Returns...

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, 32 and all the nations will be assembled before him.

 And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  

Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,36naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’

 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’40  And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’  

41  Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  42  For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,43a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’44 Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’45  He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’46  And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”                     

                                                                              Matthew 25:34-46

THE SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY

Admonish sinners

Instruct the uninformed.

 
Counsel the doubtful.

 
 

Comfort the sorrowful.

 Be patient with those in error.

 

 Forgive offenses.

 
Pray for the living and the dead.

Early Divine Mercy Image

 

taken from The Divine Mercy Message and Devotion, revised edition. Marian Press Stockbridge MA 01263

 http://thedivinemercy.org/

You are Beautiful song and lyrics by Mercy Me -- About Abuse

Physical or Verbal it's ALL ABUSE

Beautiful

by Mercy Me

http://youtu.be/8WnAq0o2Xl8

The days will come when you don't have the strength

When all you hear is you're not worth anything

Wondering if you ever could be loved

And if they truly saw your heart they'd see too much

 You're beautiful -- You're beautiful

You are made so much more than all of this

 You're beautiful -- You're beautiful

 You are treasured,

You are sacred,

You are His 

You're beautiful

I'm praying that you have the heart to find

Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight

 For all the lies you've held inside so long

And they are nothing in the shadow of the cross

 You're beautiful -- You're beautiful

You are made so much more than all of this

You're beautiful -- You're beautiful

You are treasured,

You are sacred,

You are His

Before you ever took a breath

Long before the world began

Of all the wonders He possessed

There was one more precious

Of all the earth and skies above

You're the one He madly loves

Enough to die

 You're beautiful -- You're beautiful

In His eyes

You're beautiful

You were meant for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful

You are treasured, You are sacred,

You are His

You're beautiful -- You're beautiful

You're meant for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful -- You're beautiful

You are treasured, You are sacred,

You are His

STOP DOMESTIC ABUSE

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO--- 

 http://www.ncadv.org/protectyourself/GettingHelp.php

 http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/content/action_center/detail/754?gclid=CJzl0t-l17ECFUkbQgodDgIAPA

http://kidpower.org/library/article/stop-domestic-violence/?gclid=CIbO4O2l17ECFUcbQgodUyUAqA

http://dannimoss.wordpress.com/articles/abuse-in-the-christian-home/does-god-want-me-to-stay-in-an-abusive-marriage/

 

St. Faustina's Visions of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven

St. Faustina Kowalska, Messenger of Divine Mercy

Visions of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven according to St. Faustina

The following passages are taken from the Diary of St. Faustina and they refer to her visions of Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. Very interesting.

"...I saw two roads. One was broad, covered with sand and flowers, full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures. People walked along it, dancing and enjoying themselves. They reached the end without realizing it. And at the end of the road there was a horrible precipice; that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell blindly into it; as they walked, so they fell. And their number was so great that it was impossible to count them. And I saw the other road, or rather, a path, for it was narrow and strewn with thorns and rocks; and the people who walked along it had tears in their eyes, and all kinds of suffering befell them. Some fell down upon the rocks, but stood up immediately and went on. At the end of the road there was a magnificent garden filled with all sorts of happiness and all these souls entered there. At the very first instant they forgot all their sufferings" (Diary 153).

" Today, I was led by an Angel to the chasms of hell. It is a place of great torture; how awesomely large and extensive it is! The kinds of tortures I saw: the first torture that constitutes hell is the loss of God; the second is perpetual remorse of conscience; the third is that one’s condition will never change; the fourth is the fire that will penetrate the soul without destroying it, a terrible suffering, since it is a purely spiritual fire, lit by God’s anger; the fifth torture is conditional darkness and a terrible suffocating smell, and despite the darkness, the devils and the souls of the damned see each other and all the evil, both of others and their own; the sixth torture is the constant company of satan, the seventh torture is horrible despair, hatred of God, vile words, curses and blasphemies. These are the tortures suffered by all the damned together, but that is not the end of the sufferings. There are special tortures destined for particular souls. These are the torments of the senses. Each soul undergoes terrible and indescribable sufferings, related to the manner in which it has sinned. There are caverns and pits of torture where one form of agony differs from another. I would have died at the very sight of these tortures if the omnipotence of God had not supported me. Let the sinner know that he will be tortured throughout all eternity, in those senses which he made use of to sin. I am writing this at the command of God, so that no soul may find an excuse by saying there is no hell, or that nobody has ever been there, and so no one can say what it is like. I, sister Faustina, by the order of God, have visited the abysses of hell so that I might tell souls about it and testify to its existence. I cannot speak about it now; but I have received a command from God to leave it in writing. The devils were full of hatred for me, but they had to obey me at the command of God. What I have written is but a pale shadow of the things I saw. But I noticed one thing: that most of the souls there are those who disbelieved that there is a hell. When I came to, I could hardly recover from the fright. How terribly souls suffer there! Consequently, I pray even more fervently for the conversion of sinners. I incessantly plead God’s mercy upon them. O my Jesus, I would rather be in agony until the end of the world, amidst the greatest sufferings, then offend You by the least sin. (Diary 741).

" ...I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames, which were burning them, did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in Purgatory. The souls call Her “The Star of the Sea”. She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of suffering. [I heard an interior voice which said] ‘My mercy does not want this, but justice demands it. Since that time, I am in closer communion with the suffering souls.’” (Diary, 20)

" November 27, 1936. Today I was in heaven, in spirit, and I saw its unconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death. I saw how all creatures give ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God, which spreads to all creatures, making them happy; and then all the glory and praise which springs from this happiness returns to its source; and they enter into the depths of God, contemplating the inner life of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whom they will never comprehend or fathom. This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said, “Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, not has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him.” And God has given me to understand that there is but one thing that is of infinite value in His eyes, and that is love of God; love, love and once again, love; and nothing can compare with a single act of pure love of God. Oh, with what inconceivable favors God gifts a soul that loves Him sincerely! Oh, how happy is the soul who already here on earth enjoys His special favors! And of such are the little and humble souls. The sight of this great majesty of God, which I came to understand more profoundly and which is worshipped by the heavenly spirits according to their degree of grace and the hierarchies into which they are divided, did not cause my soul to be stricken with terror or fear; no, no, not at all! My soul was filled with peace and love, and the more I come to know the greatness of God, the more joyful I become that He is as He is. And I rejoice immensely in His greatness and am delighted that I am so little because, since I am little, He carries me in His arms and holds me close to His Heart. O my God, how I pity those people who do not believe in eternal life; how I pray for them that a ray of mercy would envelop them too, and that God would clasp them to His fatherly bosom... "

(Diary 777).

http://cloudoffire.blogspot.ca/2009/03/visions-of-hell-purgatory-and-heaven.html