St. John Vianney, the humble and simple Cure of Ars, on the glorious duty of man to pray. He sees prayer, as intimate union with God in love, as producing serenity and sweetness. And such experience is available to all, including simple lay people. [dropcaps type='normal'...
Luke's story of Mary and Martha of Bethany, sisters of Lazarus, teaches us about hospitality, service, action and contemplation, and distraction in pursuit of the Catholic Fullness....
St. Teresa of Avila on friendship with Jesus as the key to contemplation and the spiritual life and how all blessings, particularly contemplative prayer, come through the humanity of Christ. This selection is read on the Feast or liturgical memorial of Saint Teresa of Avila...
The story of the visit of Jesus to the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany raises questions about hospitality, service, prayer, action and contemplation. First of all, does Jesus love some people, like Mary, Mary, and Lazarus, more than others? If so,...
Here Augustine reflects on hishat famous incident, recorded in Luke 10, when the Lord comes to the home of Martha and Mary. Martha busies herself with the details of hospitality, anxious and troubled about many things. Martha represents the battle we all face against the...
St. Bonaventure, known as the Seraphic Doctor, teaches us about mystical or contemplative prayer in the Holy Spirit who enkindles within us a raging fire and carries the soul to God with intense fervor and glowing love....
Ambrose here speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Wisdom of God upon whom we must meditate day and night, whether we are at work or rest, at home or abroad (see Deuteronomy 6:4-9)....
All Christians, even the busiest among us, are called to contemplative, even mystical, prayer. Here are a few tips on how to experience contemplation even in the midst of action....
St. Romuald was born in Ravenna, Italy in the middle of the tenth century. He was a mystic who led the life of a hermit, traveling through various regions seeking solitude and establishing small monasteries. Here St. Peter Damian gives us some insight into the...
Augustine explains that constant prayer does not mean non-stop church services or recitation of prayers, but a ceaseless desire of the heart for union with God in heaven. This constant desire for God, actually, is one of the three theological virtues, namely the virtue...