Be like children

"Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother.
They know nothing of covetousness, ill- will, bad temper, arrogance
and lying. This state of mind opens the road to heaven. To imitate our
Lord's own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God's little
one's." --Saint Hilary of Poitiers

Grace

"The nuns taught us there were two ways through life—the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you’ll follow… Grace doesn’t try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries… Nature only wants to please itself. Get others to please it too. Likes to lord it over them. To have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it. And love is smiling through all things… The nuns taught us that no one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end." - The Tree of Life.

The Eucharist, the Real Presence

Jesus is really present in the Eucharist.   His physical presence among us, as close to us as He is to our hearts.  What an amazing and powerful blessing He has given to us.  We love you, Jesus.

The month of Mary

The beautiful statue at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.  The faithful St. Anthony kneeling before the Christ held in His mother's arms.  The queen of heaven, the vessel by which God chose to enter the world, our heavenly mother.

Free will and temptation

"Your free will that God gave you is always stronger than temptation, with God's grace.  When you realize this, your life can be set on a beautiful course." - a priest's words to me at reconciliation.