Pope Benedict XVI on prayer, the Word of God, and their importance in spiritual growth

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20120425_en.html

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our catechesis on Christian prayer, we now consider the decision of the early Church to set aside seven men to provide for the practical demands of charity (cf. Acts 6:1-4). This decision, made after prayer and discernment, provided for the needs of the poor while freeing the Apostles to devote themselves primarily to the word of God. It is significant that the Apostles acknowledge the importance of both prayer and works of charity, yet clearly give priority to prayer and the proclamation of the Gospel. In every age the saints have stressed the deep vital unity between contemplation and activity. Prayer, nourished by faith and enlightened by God's word, enables us to see things in a new way and to respond to new situations with the wisdom and insight bestowed by the Holy Spirit. In our own daily lives and decisions, may we always draw fresh spiritual breath from the two lungs of prayer and the word of God; in this way, we will respond to every challenge and situation with wisdom, understanding and fidelity to God's will.

Pope Benedict XVI, April 25, 2012

Fr. Michael Dwyer to speak of near death experience at St. Clement of Rome Parish in St. Louis, MO on April 24, 2012

For a brief summary of Fr. Michael Dwyer's message, click here

Christian Quotes on Sex and Purity

"The free exchange of consent properly witnessed by the Church establishes the marriage bond. Sexual union consummates it – seals it, completes it, perfects it. Sexual union, then, is where the words of the wedding vows become flesh." 

- Christopher West

"Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation." 

- St. Augustine

Imitation of Christ

1.6 Unbridled Affections

WHEN a man desires a thing too much, he at once becomes ill at ease. A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives in a world of peace. An unmortified man is quickly tempted and overcome in small, trifling evils; his spirit is weak, in a measure carnal and inclined to sensual things; he can hardly abstain from earthly desires. Hence it makes him sad to forego them; he is quick to anger if reproved. Yet if he satisfies his desires, remorse of conscience overwhelms him because he followed his passions and they did not lead to the peace he sought.

True peace of heart, then, is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying them. There is no peace in the carnal man, in the man given to vain attractions, but there is peace in the fervent and spiritual man.

'In temptations of the flesh, a Christian ought to have immediate recourse to God, make the sign of the cross over his heart three times, and say, "Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me."'

St. Philip Neri

'How beautiful is a pure soul! Our Lord showed one to St. Catherine; she thought it so beautiful that she said, "O Lord, if I did not know that there is only one God, I should think it was one." The image of God is reflected in a pure soul, like the sun in the water. A pure soul is the admiration of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The Father contemplates His work: There is My creature! . . . The Son, the price of His Blood: the beauty of an object is shown by the price it has cost. . . The Holy Spirit dwells in it, as in a temple.'

--St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars

'St. Peter Damian says that the altar of God receives no other fire than that of divine love. Hence he that dares to ascend the altar inflamed by the fire of impurity is consumed by the fire of divine vengeance.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Only the chaste man and the chaste woman are capable of true love." 

- Pope John Paul II

"The Church's basic moral principle regarding reproductive technologies is this: if a given technology assists the marital embrace in achieving its natural end, it can be morally acceptable, even praiseworthy. However, if it replaces the marital embrace as the means by which the child is conceived, it's not in keeping with God's design." 

- Christopher West

'In the choice of a state of life, if we wish to secure our eternal salvation, we must embrace that state to which God calls us, in which only God prepares for us the efficacious means necessary to salvation.'

--St. Alphonsus Maria de 

'The spiritual masters point out many remedies for the vice of impurity; but the principal and the most necessary are the flight of occasions, and prayer. As to the first means, St. Philip Neri used to say that in this warfare cowards, that is, they that avoid dangerous occasions, gain the victory. Let a man use all other possible means, unless he flies away he is lost. He that loveth danger shall perish in it.

As to the second means, it is necessary to know that we have not strength to resist temptations of the flesh. This strength must be the gift of God. But God grants it to those only that pray and ask for it. The only defence against this temptation, says St. Gregory of Nyssa, is prayer.'

--St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

'If you have loved virginity, you will be favored by the Lord in all things.'

--St. Ephrem of Syria

"Marriage is a living sign that truly communicates the love of Christ and the Church." 

- Christopher West

'Possess purity in an eminent degree, and jealously preserve this fragrant flower. I earnestly desire to see you shine by the brilliancy of this virtue; be like to angels, and omit no precaution to retain this treasure, which is so easily lost by imprudence. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, says the Apostle. (2 Cor. x. 5.)'

--St. Paul of the Cross

How to Conquer Temptations:
1. Think of the presence of God.
2.  Fight without fear.
3.  Avoid occasions of sin.  (Don't go to places that make it easy to sin).
4.  Guard the senses.
5.  Avoid idleness.
6.  Remove temptation promptly.
7.  Remove oneself from all--especially particular friendships
8.  Practice the spirit of mortification
9.  Reveal all temptations to your confessor.

How to preserve virtue:
1.  Humility
2.  Spirit of Prayer
3.  Modesty
4. Fidelity to the Rule
5.  Sincere devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Christian Quotes on Presumption

""Presumptuous devotees are sinners who give full rein to their passions or their love of the world, and who, under the fair name of Christian and servant of our Lady, conceal pride, avarice, lust, drunkenness, anger, swearing, slandering, injustice and other vices. They sleep peacefully in their wicked habits, without making any great effort to correct them, believing that their devotion to our Lady gives them this sort of liberty. They convince themselves that God will forgive them, that they will not die without confession, that they will not be lost for all eternity"

--Saint Louis de Montfort

"What will you do then, my child? Look well whence the trial comes, for we are often ourselves the cause of our own dryness and barrenness. A mother refuses sugar to her sickly child, and so God deprives us of consolations when they do but feed self-complacency or presumption. "It is good for me that I have been in trouble, for before I was troubled I went wrong." So if we neglect to gather up and use the treasures of God's Love in due time, He withdraws them as a punishment of our sloth. The Israelite who neglected to gather his store of manna in the early morning, found none after sunrise, for it was all melted. Sometimes, too, we are like the Bride of the Canticles, slumbering on a bed of sensual satisfaction and perishable delight, so that when the Bridegroom knocks at the door of our heart, and calls us to our spiritual duties, we dally with Him, loath to quit otir idle and delusive pleasures, and then He "withdraws Himself, and is gone," and "when I sought Him, I could not find Him; I called Him, but He gave me no answer." Of a truth we deserved as much for having been so disloyal as to have rejected Him for the things of this world. If we are content with the fleshpots of Egypt we shall never receive heavenly manna. Bees abhor all artificial scents, and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit is incompatible with the world's artificial pleasures."

--Introduction to the Devout Life

Christian Quotes on Prayer

"He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands." 

- St. Benedict of Nursia

"Lack of prayer is the cause of lack of time." 

- Peter Kreeft

In the knowledge of God thou shalt find the fire of divine charity. Where shalt thou rejoice? Upon the Cross, with the Spotless Lamb, seeking His honour and the salvation of souls, through continual, humble prayer.

--Saint Catherine of Sienna

See if this grace of prayer, with which the Most High favors you, produces in you a better knowledge of your utter insufficiency.

--Saint Paul of the Cross

"We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone." 

- St. Frances Cabrini

"No one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the cross. No one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ." 

- St. Leo the Great

"Prayer is like a great love. When you start dating the silence can be awkward, but as you grow to know each other you can sit in silence for hours and just being with each other is a great comfort." 

- Matthew Kelly, The Rhythm of Life

"To make the sign of the cross is to pronounce a visible and public yes to him who died for us and who is risen, to the God who in the humility and weakness of his love is omnipotent, stronger than all the power and intelligence of the world.\" 

- Pope Benedict XVI

'But let our speech and petition when we pray be under discipline, observing quietness and modesty. Let us consider that we are standing in God's sight. We must please the divine eyes both with the habit of body and with the measure of voice.'

--St. Cyprian of Carthage

For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God. 

--Saint Teresa 

More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones. 

--Saint Teresa 

Christian Quotes on Obedience

I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible. 

--Saint Teresa 

"Whatever you do, think not of yourself, but of God." 

- St. Vincent Ferrer

'We are preparing ourselves for the time, which will come very soon, when we shall find ourselves at the end of our journey and shall be drinking of living water from the fountain I have described. Unless we make a total surrender of our will to the Lord, and put ourselves in His hands so that He may do in all things what is best for us in accordance with His will, He will never allow us to drink of it.'

--St. Teresa of Jesus

'We have learnt to recognize as freedom that which the Lord alone confers on us when he liberates us from lusts and desires and the other passions. "He who says, I know the Lord, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him," says John.'

--St. Clement of Alexandria

Woe to the rebellious children,

says the Lord,

Who carry out plans that are not mine,

who weave webs that are not inspired by me,

adding sin upon sin.

--Isaiah 31

"We should always be disposed to believe that that which appears white is really black, if the hierarchy of the Church so decides." 

- St. Ignatius of Loyola

This level of obedience flows from absolute trust in the Apostolic authority of the Catholic Church and a very humble heart and mind.  He knows his own mind and senses are less likely to have the truth than the Church.  Haven't we all at some point thought we were absolutely certain about something, only to find that we were mistaken in the end?  It takes humility and trust to have obedience.
Here is an example of a another viewpoint:

"If all Church power vests in the clergy, then the people are practically bound to passive obedience in all matters of faith and practice; for all right of private judgment is then denied."
--Charles Hodge, Presbyterian Theologian, Princeton

Although the whole man partakes of this grace, it is first and most appropriately in the soul and later progresses to the body, inasmuch as the body of the man is capable of the same obedience to the will of God as the soul.
--William Ames, Puritan

Christian Quotes on Peace

"Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you." 

- St. Augustine

"Peace begins with a smile." 

- Mother Teresa

"Do everything calmly and peacefully. Do as much as you can as well as you can. Strive to see God in all things without exception, and consent to His will joyously. Do everything for God, uniting yourself to him in word and deed. Walk very simply with the Cross of the Lord and be at peace with yourself." 

- St Francis de Sales

"The woman is at the heart of the home. Let us pray that we women realize the reason for our existence: to love and be loved and through this love become instruments of peace in the world." 

- Mother Teresa

"While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart." 

- St. Francis of Assisi

"Maintain a spirit of peace and you will save a thousand souls." 

- St. Seraphim of Sarov

"Peace is not just the absence of war. Like a cathedral, peace must be constructed patiently and with unshakable faith." 

- Pope John Paul II

"Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, not even if your whole world seems upset. If you find that you have wandered away from the shelter of God, lead your heart back to Him quietly and simply." 

- St. Francis de Sales

"Peace is defined as harmony among those who are divided. When, therefore, we end the civil war within our nature and cultivate peace within ourselves, we become at peace." 

- St. Gregory of Nyssa

"Peace is not just the absence of war. Like a cathedral, peace must be constructed patiently and with unshakable faith." 

- Pope John Paul II

"As soon as you willfully allow a dialogue with temptation to begin, the soul is robbed of peace, just as consent to impurity destroys grace." 

- St. Josemaria Escriva

Quotes on Socialism and Equality

"Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."

--Alexis de Tocqueville

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."

--Winston Churchill

"If you have been voting for politicians who promise to give you goodies at someone else's expense, then you have no right to complain when they take your money and give it to someone else, including themselves."

--Thomas Sowell

What the popes say about socialism

Christian Quotes on Joy

"The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything." 

- St. Catherine of Genoa

Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures.

--Saint Thomas Aquinas

"Take nothing seriously, except for God; and even then remember, He has a sense of humor too." 

- Deacon Kevin McGoldrick

"Keep the joy of loving God in your heart and share this joy with all you meet especially your family. Be holy - let us pray." 

- Mother Teresa

"There is one and only one possible road to joy: selfless love." 

- Peter Kreeft

Christian Quotes on Integrity

"Men do not differ much about what things they will call evils; they differ enormously about what evils they will call excusable." 

--G.K. Chesterton

"An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie, for an excuse is a lie guarded." 

- Pope John Paul II

"Any goal without salvation as its ultimate end is as pointless as trying to live forever on this earth." 

--Tarek Saab, Gut Check

"In the fulfillment of your duties, let your intentions be so pure that you reject from your actions any other motive than the glory of God and the salvation of souls." 

--St. Angela Merici

"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person." 

--Mother Teresa

"The tree that is beside the running water is fresher and gains more fruit."--Saint Teresa of Avila

"Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny."

--Peter Kreeft, Prayer for Beginners

"The soul will not attain sanctity if it does not keep watch over its tongue."

--Saint Faustina Kowalska

"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out."

--Jack Buck, sports announcer

"...teaching is food, even for the teacher."

--Saint Gregory Nazianzen, Bishop

"Charity begins today. Today somebody is suffering, today somebody is in the street, today somebody is hungry. Our work is for today, yesterday has gone, tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today to make Jesus known, loved, served, fed, clothed, sheltered. Do not wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow we will not have them if we do not feed them today."

--Mother Teresa

"The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the Sign of the Cross."

--St. Anthony of the Desert

Before reading these next two quotes, it is important to note that charity, in these quotes' original languages, means Love and is the same love that the gospel writer John uses to say about God when he says, "God is love." In English, we use love in many connotations but the ancients had different words for different types of love. Charity for us now seems to mean generosity but that is not its true full meaning. Generosity is a result of charity.

"Faith and charity are the beginning and end of life. The beginning is faith; the end is charity. Both, joined in unity, lead to God, and all the rest that attains perfection and holiness follows from them." --Saint Ignatius of Antioch

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your: Faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, Knowledge with self-control [temperance], self-control with steadfastness [endurance with patience], steadfastness with godliness [devotion/piety], and godliness with brotherly affection [fraternal love/mutual affection], and brotherly affection with charity."

--2 Peter, 1:5-8

"Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is doing it, and right is right, even if nobody is doing it."

--SaintAugustine

"The times are past when they closed our mouths with sausage."

--A Polish poet, a few months after the strike in August 1980, referring to their integrity not being for sale anymore.

"Managers that always promise to 'make the numbers' will at some point be tempted to make up the numbers." - Warren Buffett