Jesus said to his disciples:“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejectedby the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,and be killed and on the third day be raised.” Then he said to all,“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himselfand take up his cross daily and follow me.For whoever …
“Then the shield of faith. Only a living faith can sustain us against attack. Without a living faith, our vocation is meaningless. Our faith is the source of all power. It is the faith which gives us our life’s purpose and direction. Half-faith can accomplish little. But a living faith is a creative and an …
Jesus said to his disciples:“Take care not to perform righteous deedsin order that people may see them;otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.When you give alms,do not blow a trumpet before you,as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streetsto win the praise of others.Amen, I say to you,they have …
“The second piece of spiritual armor, the breastplate, protects the most vital part of the combatant. Your breast must be protected with holy thoughts. They must fill your heart and strengthen it inwardly and defend it as with impenetrable armor. The cuirass of righteousness is the third piece we put on. It is difficult to …
Peter began to say to Jesus,“We have given up everything and followed you.”Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sistersor mother or father or children or landsfor my sake and for the sake of the Gospelwho will not receive a hundred times more now …
“Thirdly, let me remind you of a third chapter of the Rule, which recalls so vividly the crusading spirit. That particular chapter is full of the noise of battle. But it is no longer the battle against the Saracens, but against a more terrible enemy of the holy land, of our own souls. It bids …
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,knelt down before him, and asked him,“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?No one is good but God alone.You know the commandments: You shall not kill;you shall not commit adultery;you shall not steal;you …
“A second point emphasized by the Rule is silence and recollection as a necessary condition for a life of prayer. Active recollection, by which we put ourselves and keep ourselves in the presence of God, has always been regarded as the essential preparation for communion with God in the mystic life. Just as the Prophet …
Jesus told his disciples a parable,“Can a blind person guide a blind person?Will not both fall into a pit?No disciple is superior to the teacher;but when fully trained,every disciple will be like his teacher.Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?How can you say …
“In order to appreciate better in what this training consists, let us consider in brief three points emphasised by our Rule. The introduction reminds us that many of the things in the Rule are common to all who bind themselves by the three vows, to lead a life of perfection. But it brings the Vow …