FIRECRACKER THOUGHTS

In one of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations, I experienced a rapid succession of ideas all unrelated. I call them firecracker thoughts because they are explosive bursts of energy from the Holy Spirit.

“Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.” ~ Joseph Campbell

“There are something like 18 billion cells in the brain alone. There are no two brains alike; there are no two hands alike; there are no two human beings alike. You can take your instructions and your guidance from others, but you must find your own path.” ~ Joseph Campbell

“Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever, and take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow.” ~ Saint Augustine

“The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself.” ~ Saint Augustine

“Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” ~ Saint Augustine

“You don’t climb a mountain in leaps and bounds, but by taking it slowly.” ~ Pope Gregory I

“The Holy Bible is like a mirror before our mind’s eye. In it, we see our inner face. From the Scriptures, we can learn about our spiritual deformities and beauties. And there too we discover the progress we are making and how far we are from perfection.” ~ Pope Gregory I

“If the intention is unclean, the deed that follows from it will also be evil, even if it seems good.” ~ Pope Gregory I

“The Light of Christ illumines all.” ~ Gregory Palamas

“Given that we desire long life, should we not take eternal life into account? If we long for a kingdom which, however enduring, has an end, and glory and joy which, great as they are, will fade, and wealth that will perish with this present life, and we labour for the sake of such things; ought we not to seek the kingdom, glory, joy and riches which, as well as being all-surpassing, are unfading and endless, and ought we not to endure a little constraint in order to inherit it?” ~ Gregory Palamas

“Remove grace, and you have nothing whereby to be saved. Remove free will and you have nothing that could be saved.” ~ Anselm of Canterbury

“I believe in order that I may understand.” ~ Anselm of Canterbury

“A single Mass offered for oneself during life may be worth more than a thousand celebrated for the same intention after death.” ~ Anselm of Canterbury

“God was conceived of a most pure Virgin … it was fitting that the virgin should be radiant with a purity so great that a greater purity cannot be conceived.” ~ Anselm of Canterbury

“The best perfection of a religious man is to do common things in a perfect manner. A constant fidelity in small things is a great and heroic virtue.” ~ Bonaventure

“Any old woman can love God better than a doctor of theology can.” ~ Bonaventure

“It maketh God man, and man God; things temporal, eternal; mortal, immortal; it maketh an enemy a friend, a servant a son, vile things glorious, cold hearts fiery, and hard thing liquid.” ~ Bonaventure

“To know much and taste nothing-of what use is that?” ~ Bonaventure

“We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become.” ~ Clare of Assisi

“Our labor here is brief, but the reward is eternal. Do not be disturbed by the clamor of the world, which passes like a shadow. Do not let false delights of a deceptive world deceive you.” ~ Clare of Assisi

“Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! And transform your entire being into the image of the Godhead Itself through contemplation.” ~ Clare of Assisi

“I come, O Lord, unto Thy sanctuary to see the life and food of my soul. As I hope in Thee, O Lord, inspire me with that confidence which brings me to Thy holy mountain. Permit me, Divine Jesus, to come closer to Thee, that my whole soul may do homage to the greatness of Thy majesty; that my heart, with its tenderest affections, may acknowledge Thine infinite love; that my memory may dwell on the admirable mysteries here renewed every day, and that the sacrifice of my whole being may accompany Thine.” ~ Clare of Assisi

“It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for “God is Charity” (1John 4:8)” ~ Albertus Magnus

“In this way, if you continue all the time in the way we have described from the beginning, it will become as easy and clear for you to remain in contemplation in your inward and recollected state, as to live in the natural state.” ~ Albertus Magnus

“Nothing can be believed unless it is first understood; and that for anyone to preach to others that which either he has not understood nor they have understood is absurd.” ~ Peter Abelard

“Our redemption through the suffering of Christ is that deeper love within us which not only frees us from slavery to sin, but also secures for us the true liberty of the children of God, in order that we might do all things out of love rather than out of fear – love for him that has shown us such grace that no greater can be found.” ~ Peter Abelard

“What we love we shall grow to resemble.” ~ Bernard of Clairvaux

“The three most important virtues are humility, humility, and humility.” ~ Bernard of Clairvaux

“Ingratitude is the soul’s enemy… Ingratitude is a burning wind that dries up the source of love, the dew of mercy, the streams of grace.” ~ Bernard of Clairvaux

“Ingratitude is the soul’s enemy… Ingratitude is a burning wind that dries up the source of love, the dew of mercy, the streams of grace.” ~ Bernard of Clairvaux

“To love anyone is to hope in him for always. From the moment at which we begin to judge anyone, to limit our confidence in him, from the moment at which we identify him with what we know of him and so reduce him to that, we cease to love him and he ceases to be able to be better.” ~ Charles de Foucauld

“See the Face of God in everyone.” ~ Catherine Laboure

“We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.” ~ Elizabeth Ann Seton

“We are born to love, we live to love, and we will die to love still more.” ~ Saint Joseph