Oblate Program at Belmont Abbey, NC

Tag: thoughts

Spiritual tips for the new (and any) year

VAIN is the man who puts his trust in men, in created things. Do not be ashamed to serve others for the love of Jesus Christ and to seem poor in this world. Do not be self-sufficient but place your trust in God. Do what lies in your power and God will aid your good… Read More ›

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St. Benedict for Beginners – The Fifth Step to Humility

The fifth step of humility is that a man should in humble confession reveal to his Abbot all the evil thoughts that come into his mind, and any wrongful actions that he had done in secret.’ Nothing helps us make a quantum leap forward in the quest for humility than a good and complete confession…. Read More ›

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Become a merchant of the kingdom of God

Once more Paphnutius prayed to the Lord to show him someone like himself. And again a voice from heaven replied: “You are like a certain merchant whom you will see approaching. Get up quickly and run to meet him. He is a man who I judge to be like you.” Paphnutius went out without delay… Read More ›

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If today you hear his voice….

Saint Benedict takes his cue from Psalm 95(94), which he prescribed to be sung at the beginning of the first liturgical office of the day. Its message is clear: “Today if you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.” As we have seen, God’s light shines upon us every day and God’s call invites us… Read More ›

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God’s attitude to my sin is pity, not blame

Unfortunately we do not learn about sinfulness from a heavenly messenger. Nor is it like the result of a personality test. We learn of our sinfulness when we are tempted. Temptation is more than awareness of alternative options: I am not tempted to genocide if I lack the means; I am not tempted to computer… Read More ›

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Come, Lord Jesus

Heaven at present is out of sight, but in due time, as snow melts and discovers what it lay upon, so will this visible creation fade away before those greater splendours which are behind it, and on which at present it depends. In that day shadows will retire, and the substance show itself. The sun… Read More ›

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Of Silence

Let us act in conformity with that saying of the Prophet: “I said I will guard my ways lest I sin with my tongue; I have put a bridle on my mouth; I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things.” Here the prophet shows that if we ought at times for… Read More ›

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Thoughts on true Self

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 ›

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If you do not strive, you will not find

Look what good things occur to someone as a result of divine care! Sometimes, when a person is on his knees at the time of prayer, with his hands outspread or extended heavenwards, his eyes gazing on the Cross, and with the whole movement of his mind, as it were, stretched towards God in entreaty,… Read More ›

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On thoughts of the mind

Be attentive to the thoughts of the mind. If some evil thought passes through you, do not get upset, for it is not the transient thoughts of your mind that the knowledge of the Lord of all observes, rather He looks at the depths of the mind to see if you take pleasure in that… Read More ›

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