Our daily duty of state requires a series of “little martyrdoms.” Although these duties differ from person to person, and circumstance to circumstance, none can be accomplished without renouncing ourselves and submitting to God’s will for us.
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If we are to define progress in the spiritual life, we often think of it in terms of avoiding sin. A better way to conceive of spiritual progress is the act of growing in virtue. But to grow in virtue, to become truly holy, we must open ourselves to God’s grace so that we may become partakers in divine reality.
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Although devotion to any particular saint is optional, devotion to Our Blessed Lady and St. Joseph is not. For St. Joseph presents to us a model for holiness and happiness. For as St. Joseph’s life demonstrates, perfect happiness comes from embracing the perfect good, which is God.
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Even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, not to mention the myriad of other elements and infrastructure that must be in place so that we may walk forward. What is true in the practical realm is true as well of the spiritual realm. This is why Our Lord, through the Church, supplies a supernatural infrastructure comprised of the sacraments and prayer to allow us to achieve our eternal end with God.
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In order to move closer to perfection, we must fast—not only from food, but from sin as well. By chastening the body, we elevate our spirit and instill charity in our soul.
Read MoreThe sin of presumption is especially dangerous. All of us fall into it at times, believing that we can place ourselves in danger of committing mortal sin or falling into temptation without worry. How many times do we tell ourselves that nothing is wrong, God will forgive, and continue on our wayward path? But in…
Read MoreAs Catholics, we are called to have a love for the sacrament of confession. Along with the Eucharist, confession is the primary means by which we may save our souls. Yet many of us find it difficult to confess our sins regularly and too often make excuses for not devoting ourselves fully to this great…
Read MoreHow should we perform our penance? That is, what should be our heart’s disposition? Two indispensable dispositions are, first, to love God and, second, to unite our penance with the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. For our acts penance will lack fruit unless they lead us back to God. 📺 View / Listen to…
Read MoreWe fast and abstain during the Lenten season in order, among other things, to control the concupiscence of the flesh while elevating our souls to God. Both practices also offer us an opportunity to make reparation for our past sins and imitate Our Lord, fasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. 📺…
Read MoreEvery apparition of Our Lady has one consistent message: prayer and penance. For while we may wish for our bodily or material maladies to be addressed when we appeal to the Blessed Virgin and Christ, these temporal cures mean nothing if we do not first heal our souls. And so in this time of Lent,…
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