Scraps From A Spiritual Diary

In his suffering and death as in the whole of his life, John Paul II was an extraordinary fruitful witness and herald of Jesus Christ crucified and raised from the death. He was like the apostles Peter and Paul from whom he collected a great heredity both christian and human. For this reason, the... Sign in to see full entry.

Five Ploys of Satan Binding Satan is always a matter of faith and prayer, yet it also helps to be aware of the Devil's strategies -- writes Shannon McMorland Doubt Tempts us to question God's Word and his goodness, forgiveness, and love. Discouragement Tempts us to focus intently on our problems... Sign in to see full entry.

The four elements of the cosmos are in Christ raised to a sacramental height. The "earth" into which God breathed and turned into living flesh at the beginning of creation was redeemed when the second person of the Trinity took on flesh and became incarnate in human history. That same flesh was... Sign in to see full entry.

I have started reading a book entitled "The History and Devotion of the Rosary" by Richard Gribble. The book presents in synthesis studies that have been made in recent years about the historical development of the rosary and how it has been integrated into Catholic life and devotion. The author... Sign in to see full entry.

Ezekiel 37:12-14 comes at the climax of the magnificent vision that Ezekiel witnesses in the Valley of Dry Bones. The dried skeleton of the fallen are made to stand, take o­n flesh and receive the breath of life from the Spirit that God makes to pass among them. The vision is about the people of... Sign in to see full entry.

In this "Feel-Good" society, to forgive someone is said to be psychologically healthy. It helps heal memories and helps take out the toxic chemicals that anger inject into one's body. Great. But that is not the reason why Christians forgive. For Christians, forgiveness is based on something other... Sign in to see full entry.

Who are the Papabili? The following list comes from the CSM Monitor Picking who will be the next pope is a perilous undertaking: the cardinal electors sometimes – but not always – surprise even seasoned Vatican experts with their choice. In theory, any of the 122 cardinal electors could be chosen by... Sign in to see full entry.

Bonaventure's Journey of the Mind to God concludes with the chapter on the rest of the mind. Such a "rest" is not the rest that results from the mind's reaching a conclusion. The rest involved is the tranquility that is the fruit of the discipline of contemplation -- where the mind, having been... Sign in to see full entry.

The story of the people's complaints and Moses' action were paralleled in Numbers 20:1-13. The later account (when Moses' struck the rock twice) explained the forty years of wandering. In either account, the needy attitude of the people stood in stark contrast to the immanent and constant presence... Sign in to see full entry.

(J)oin with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed... Sign in to see full entry.