Monday, January 19, 2009

Art

“Culture is the last refuge, the sanctuary, the human place in the midst of the surrounding dehumanization.  Through the arts man is able to know himself, even if only on the intuitive level.  He senses his own worth, even when he cannot articulate it.”

“Can a poem or a song defeat a tyrant?”

“Yes.  Yes it can, given enough time.  When a work of art is both beautiful and true, man’s freedom is strengthened by it…”

Michael D. O’Brien  Island of the World

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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Confession

“In a sacramental confession, the penitent names his offenses because it is a way of taking responsibility for them before God and before man. He says, I am a sinner. This is what I have done. I blame no one but myself. I ask to be pardoned and healed. I need a Savior.”

“Hmmmm. I have always suspected that it was intended more to shame the penitent into never repeating his folly.”

Elijah shook his head. “That is what so many misunderstand. A priest of Christ knows that he is a man like other men. He too could commit the sins told to him through that screen. He stands there as a sign of contradiction set down in creation. A sign of mercy and truth. The truth sets us free, and mercy heals us. He stands as a living presence of Christ before men, and in the place of men before Christ.”

- Father Elijah by Michael O’Brian

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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Saintliness

“You want to be a saint [insert your own name here, or better yet insert my own name], but you want to be a saint on your own terms. You want glorious victories with your sword, most of all, you want victories over your personal weaknesses and faults.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“It is a good desire, but it can also be a kind of idealism masking pride… Who is the saint? The one who obeys God in his weakness, or the one who demands to have every admirable quality before he sets forth on his quest?”

                                           -Father Elijah  by Michael O’Brian

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Thursday, March 6, 2008

Defeating Satan


” The Cross isn’t right.  But our Lord took it and turned it into the great sign that the devil hates above all other signs.  Each time we accept to bear that cross nad be nailed to it, believing against all believing - when it’s impossible any longer to believe because of our pain - that’s when we defeat him [Satan].  By the blood of the Lamb.”
                                       
                       - Father Elijah by Michael O’Brian
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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Deception and Comfort

I’m currently very fascinated with Mother Theresa.  I think it has to do with the fact that I dismissed her so easily when I was a prot.  Another reason, which I refuse to discuss, is because of something that happened to me that I described in a previous post.  I have kept myself from posting every quote from her that I find profound because, well because I would have to post every day nothing but Mother Theresa quotes!!!  But I couldn’t resist this one (and I’m sure there will be plenty of others). 

“Give me light - Send me Thy own Spirit - which will teach me Thy own Will - which will give me strength to do the things that are pleasing to Thee.  Jesus, My Jesus, don’t let me be deceived - if it is you who want this, give proof of it, if not let it leave my soul - I trust you blindly - will you let my soul be lost?  I am so afraid Jesus - I am so terribly afraid - let me not be deceived - I am so afraid.  This fear shows me how much I love myself - I am afraid of the suffering that will come…. never having anything my way.  How much comfort has taken possession of my heart.”

 

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