Tag: humility
St. Benedict for Beginners – The Third Step to Humility
‘The third step of humility is that for the love of God a man should be obedient to his superior in all things.’ Obedience? What a sign of scandal in an individualistic age! The whole self revolts against the idea of obedience. Or if we even entertain the idea of obedience we think we should… Read More ›
The Secret of the Spiritual Life: Humility
The secret of the spiritual life, and the whole secret of the heights of mysticism, is in humility. Saint Benedict knew it. There was no need for him to write a treatise on the mystical life. Rather, he wrote his rule to regulate the life of the monastery in order to lead monks to humility…. Read More ›
St. Benedict for Beginners – The Second Step to Humility
‘The second step of humility is that a man should not love his own will nor take pleasure in carrying out his own desires.’ St Benedict cuts right to the heart of the matter in his instruction on the development of humility. Are you able, right from the moment of waking to begin serving others?… Read More ›
Yes (God is faithful)
The myth of the spiritual life is that we will one day reach perfection. If this is not believed consciously, then it is often operating on an unconscious level. For after all did not Jesus say: “Be you perfect as your Father is perfect”? So willpower (the will-to-power), can become the central operative in this… Read More ›
How important are the things we save?
We all take care of the important things of life. We build our careers, care for our families and we hold on to items that we will need in the future. Recently my father-in-law passed away and I was helping my wife and sister-in-law in clean up the house. It is amazing how much we… Read More ›
St. Benedict for Beginners – The First Step to Humility
‘The first step of humility is for a man to set the fear of God always before his eyes.’ We live today with a Jesus who is our friend and a God who is more of a congenial uncle than a true Father. It is not a bad thing to balance these sentimental images of… Read More ›
In Pursuit of Perfection
After Paphnutius had given up to the Lord this musician who had been blessed with the practice of every virtue, he himself worked even harder at his disciplines. And again he asked the Lord if there was anyone else like him upon the earth. And again the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:… Read More ›
Benedict XVI recalls humility of John Paul I on the 30th anniversary of his death
Vatican City, Sep 28, 2008 / 08:38 am (CNA).- On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the death of John Paul I, Pope Benedict I dedicated his Sunday Angelus to the Pontiff whose reign lasted 33 days. Speaking from a balcony in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict recalled… Read More ›
The mob (The dark desire to scapegoat)
I am not sure that there is anyone who could not be caught up in the mob mentality, or perhaps mass mind would be a better phrase. You get a group together, fire them up and the momentum can take its individual members to places that they may have thought impossible. Hangings, beatings and burnings… Read More ›
September Meeting for Oblates
Oblates will meet in September on the 16th, the third Sunday of the month, and will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the Gallagher Room. First and second year novices will meet at 2:30 p.m. in the Gallagher Room to discuss the coming year’s reading material. First year novices need to obtain a copy of Finding… Read More ›