When the devil meets with a too delicate conscience, he tries to make it much more delicate, and to reduce it to extreme distress, so that it may be so wretchedly disturbed as at last to fall out of the race for spiritual improvement.
St. Ignatius Loyola
When men advocate the rights of conscience, they in no sense mean the rights of the Creator, nor the duty to Him, in thought and deed, of the creature; but the right of thinking, speaking, writing, and acting, according to their judgment or their humour, without any thought of God at all. They do not even pretend to go by any moral rule, but they demand, what they think is an Englishman’s prerogative, to be his own master in all things, and to profess what he pleases, asking no one’s leave, and accounting priest or preacher, speaker or writer, unutterably impertinent, who dares to say a word against his going to perdition, if he like it, in his own way. Conscience has rights because it has duties; but in this age, with a large portion of the public, it is the very right and freedom of conscience to dispense with conscience, to ignore a Lawgiver and Judge, to be independent of unseen obligations. It becomes a license to take up any or no religion, to take up this or that and let it go again, to go to Church, to go to chapel, to boast of being above all religions and to be an impartial critic of each of them. Conscience is a stern monitor, but in this century it has been superseded by a counterfeit, which the eighteen centuries prior to it never heard of, and could not have mistaken for it, if they had. It is the right of self-will.
St John Henry Newman
Everywhere, wherever you may find yourself, you can set up an altar to God in your mind by means of prayer.
St. John Chrysostom
We are made exactly as God wants us to be. We only need to lift our minds above Earth’s empty sorrows so that we can rejoice in the Divine joy.
Julian of Norwich
Heavenly Father, as I begin this time of fasting, I pray that you will fill me with Your grace, and grant me strength and resolution to endure the hunger and discomforts that I may experience during this fast.
Keep me strong and alert, Lord. Deliver me from all unwanted thoughts and distractions that would jeopardize my fast. Protect me from temptation and from the Evil One. May this fast lead me to spiritual growth, renewal, and healing.
Grant me, Father, the assurance that You will strengthen me during the difficult and challenging times of this fast, and meet me for sweet moments of spiritual growth and surrender. Help me to focus not on what is being taken away, but what I will be gaining as I use this fast as a spiritual discipline. With you leading me, Holy Spirit, I am ready.
My God, I offer up this fast to You and to Your glory. May Your mercy be always upon me, a sinner.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Beautiful and helpful quotes today.
Thank you!
Good read 👏🏼