Quotations of the day

[Idolater]

"The confessing church needs to join Magdalene and Peter in witnessing that Christianity is not primarily a moral code but a grace-laden mystery; it is not essentially a philosophy of love but a love affair; it is not keeping rules with clenched fists, but receiving a gift with open hands." -Brennan Manning-

Close. It is receiving the gift of the Eucharist with open hands, but in order to do so licitly does require living according to 'a moral code', which involves avoiding serious sin, and when or if you do stumble into serious sin, it requires reconciling with the Church, so that you can again receive the Eucharist 'worthily'.

Come, to Mass.

 

[FineLinen]

"Spiritual maturity is bound to obedience. Maturity is the ability to think, speak and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity. The measure of your maturity is how spiritual you become during the midst of your frustrations." -Oswald Chambers

 

[FineLinen]

"Sheer scholarship alone cannot reveal to us the gospel of grace. We must never allow the authority of books, institutions, or leaders to replace the authority of knowing Jesus Christ personally and directly. When the religious views of others interpose between us and the primary experience of Jesus as the Christ, we become unconvicted and unpersuasive travel agents handing out brochures to places we have never visited." -Brennan Manning-

"God has given us nothing less than himself and his name is Jesus Christ...don't come with a thimble when God has nothing less to give you than an ocean of himself."

 

[Idolater]

"Sheer scholarship alone cannot reveal to us the gospel of grace. We must never allow the authority of books, institutions, or leaders to replace the authority of knowing Jesus Christ personally and directly. When the religious views of others interpose between us and the primary experience of Jesus as the Christ, we become unconvicted and unpersuasive travel agents handing out brochures to places we have never visited." -Brennan Manning-

"God has given us nothing less than himself and his name is Jesus Christ...don't come with a thimble when God has nothing less to give you than an ocean of himself."

"Knowing Jesus Christ personally and directly" is never more satisfied than when receiving His body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist. And it is "an ocean" of His Real Presence.

Come, to Mass.

 

[FineLinen]

“We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior.” - John Stott

 

[Idolater]

“We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior.” - John Stott

This is accomplished in coming to Mass.

Come, to Mass.

 

[FineLinen]

"Each hour comes with some little something of God's will fastened upon its back." -F.W. Faber

"Holiness is the unselfing of ourselves." -Frederick William Faber

 

[FineLinen]

 

[Idolater]

"Each hour comes with some little something of God's will fastened upon its back." -F.W. Faber

"Holiness is the unselfing of ourselves." -Frederick William Faber

'Unself' yourself by coming to Mass.

Come, to Mass.

 

[FineLinen]

“Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering.... The love of God did not protect His own Son.... He will not necessarily protect us - not from anything it takes to make us like His Son. A lot of hammering and chiseling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot

 

[FineLinen]

“Suffering often draws us closer to God. Instead of being a sign of God's punishment or distance, suffering can purify us, lead us into the heart of God, and transform our souls.” ~ Allen R. Hunt

 

[FineLinen]

“He is refining us. He is teaching us to trust him. He is drawing us away from our strength to his. He knows exactly how much heat to allow in our lives. He will never scorch us, but if we jump out of one cauldron because it's too hot, he has others waiting. The dross must be removed." ~ Jim Cymbala

 

[FineLinen]

 

[FineLinen]

Do you know how the ancient refiner knew when he was finished, and the heat could finally be turned down? It was when he looked into the cauldron and saw his own reflection in the shining silver. As long as the image was muddy and rippled with flecks of slag, he knew he had to keep working. When his face finally showed clearly, the silver had been purified.

Our Father sees when His refinement is complete.

 

[FineLinen]

“The will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It may seem to be much worse, but in the end it’s going to be a lot better and a lot bigger.” -Elisabeth Elliot

 

[FineLinen]

Praise God, His Spirit will not only direct your going, but also your not going. Usually we think of being led by the Spirit as a going, but it is equally a being led by the Spirit not to go, when this is His directive. Perhaps it requires even more alertness to His voice, if we are prone to be a 'goer.' Our heart’s desire can be devoted to going only by His direction, and yet be so oriented to always be going, so it rewires discipline and training to hear His voice when "the Spirit suffered them not.” ~Ray Prinzing

 

[Idolater]

“The will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It may seem to be much worse, but in the end it’s going to be a lot better and a lot bigger.” -Elisabeth Elliot

It seems "much worse" that we are to come to Mass every week, but in the end, it is a lot better and a lot bigger!

Come, to Mass.

 

[FineLinen]

"If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back as though it were in peril in His hand but will be safer in mine." ~Elisabeth Elliot

 

[FineLinen]

"It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply." ~A.W. Tozer

 

[FineLinen]