Posted on April 1st, 2012 by Dan Burke
Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th’encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!
So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!
Meantime, along the narrow rugged path,
Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith,
Home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life.
Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman
Posted on February 9th, 2012 by Dan Burke
“Let us remember that the devil labors hard to disturb us at the time of meditation, in order to make us abandon it. Let him, then, who omits mental prayer on account of distractions be persuaded that he gives delight to the devil… let us, then, never give up meditation however great our distractions may be. St. Francis de Sales says that if, in mental prayer, we should do nothing else than continually banish distractions and temptations, the meditation would be very well made. Before him, St. Thomas taught that involuntary distractions do not take away the fruit of mental prayer.”
St. Alphonsus, The Great Means of Salvation and Perfection
Tags: Difficulties in Prayer,
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Temptation in Prayer CATEGORIES: Aridity or Dryness,
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Posted on May 12th, 2011 by Dan Burke
God desires the smallest degree of purity of conscience in you more than all the works you can perform.
Saint John of the Cross
More ”Sayings of Light and Love”
Posted on March 21st, 2011 by Dan Burke
“…the soul of the just person is nothing else but a paradise where the Lord says he finds his delight. So then, what do you think that abode will be like where a King so powerful, so wise, so pure, so full of all good things takes his delight? I don’t find anything comparable to the magnificent beauty of a soul and its marvelous capacity. Indeed, our intellects, however keen, can hardly comprehend it, just as they cannot comprehend God; but he himself says that he created us in his own image and likeness… His Majesty in saying that the soul is made in his own image makes it almost impossible for us to understand the sublime dignity and beauty of the soul.”
An amazing thought isn’t it? I wonder what would happen to us if we understood how beautiful our souls are, or could be. Have you ever stepped into an immaculate home or better yet, stayed as a guest? A person of good-will in this situation will do everything they can to avoid making a mess. Why? First, because it doesn’t belong to them. Second, because they wouldn’t want to disturb the beauty, order, and cleanliness of the place.
When we see something and beautiful or pristine, our better instinct is to preserve it, to protect it. How would we treat our souls if we knew how truly beautiful they are or could be?
Seek Him – Find Him – Follow Him
Dan
For more this, read St. Teresa of Avila’s The Interior Castle. This passage can be found in the first chapter.
Posted on November 28th, 2010 by Dan Burke
O my God, Word of the Father, Word made flesh. For the love of us, You assumed a mortal body in order to suffer and be immolated for us. I wish to prepare for Your coming with the burning desires of the prophets and the just who in the Old Testament sighed after You, the one Savior and Redeemer… O Lord, send Him whom You are going to send… As you have promised, come and deliver us! I want to keep Advent in my soul, that is, a continual longing and waiting for this great Mystery wherein You, O Word, become flesh to show me the abyss of Your redeeming, sanctifying mercy.
O sweetest Jesus, You come to me with Your infinite love and the abundance of Your grace; You desire to engulf my soul in torrents of mercy and charity in order to draw it to You. Come, O Lord, come! I, too, wish to run to You with love, but alas! my love is so limited, weak, and imperfect! Make it strong and generous; enable me to overcome myself, so that I can give myself entirely to You.
St. Teresa of Avila
Divine Intimacy – First Sunday of Advent
