Tag: hope
What lies beneath
“You are worried about the passage from this life to the next? But since it is the greatest proof of love that you can give Me, be glad. Offer your death to Me now with complete detachment, ready even for heroism. Say, ‘Even if I didn’t have to suffer death, I would choose it in… Read More ›
5 Steps to fight the wickedness: Remind yourself (and Satan) that you are not helpless
Perform a simple act of defiance against discouragement, self-pity, and resentment. Who said this? “Any idiot can survive a crisis—it’s the little things that will make you crazy.” I remember reading it on a greeting card more than 30 years ago. The card attributed the quote to philosopher Albert Camus, but I have never been… Read More ›
3 Steps to praying the Psalms, and finding hope in our darkness
Let’s try just Psalm 73 — summarized by “It’s not fair” — and allow God to restore us. Do you want proof that the human soul is rational and immortal, that God exists, created a moral universe and is a just judge? Do you want proof that our choices matter? Do you want (additional) proof… Read More ›
Advent: Trust is essential in our waiting
“One of the essential paradoxes of Advent: that while we wait for God, we are with God all along, that while we need to be reassured of God’s arrival, or the arrival of our homecoming, we are already at home. While we wait, we have to trust, to have faith, but it is God’s grace… Read More ›
Being thankful for the dark times
A thanksgiving retreat We had a retreat on thankfulness this Mon-Wed of this week (2016). This time of the year the number is usually small; we had five participants. Usually we have larger groups. I do like the smaller ones however. When I started off the discussion, I reminded the group that when thinking about… Read More ›
The in-between
The place is very crowded, People here for many different reasons, Some seem happy talking laughing, over their lunches and coffee. Some pretending everything is ok, Yet underneath knowing that soon, Well just soon………. Best not to speak of it, Just enjoy this day. Though it is strange Being in the in-between, Neither here nor… Read More ›
Hope, wishful thinking and presumption — what’s the difference?
Learning to live with true Christian hope “‘Hope!’ What a waste of energy!” No easy “greeting-cards cheerfulness” for that bitter old man. I admired that part of him. But his hopelessness? Not so much. Granted, he had earned his claim to bitterness. Life had been hard on him. His hopelessness frightened me, because I suspected… Read More ›
Advent and hope
“The season of Advent restores … a hope which does not disappoint for it is founded on God’s Word. A hope which does not disappoint, simply because the Lord never disappoints! … Let us think about and feel this beauty.” —Pope Francis There is a lot of glitter during the Advent and Christmas season. In… Read More ›
Self Fusion and Human Personality
The root of personality is to be sought in the “true Self” which is manifested in the basic unification of consciousness in which subject and object are one. Hence the highest good is “the self’s fusion with the highest reality.”* Human personality is regarded as the force which effects this fusion. The hopes and desires… Read More ›
Nations are subject to God and His Law
It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, and to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in Holy Scripture, and… Read More ›