Three Minutes for Abba

“Death holds no terror for a sincere servant of Christ who works to lead souls to the knowledge of the truth.” (St. Ramon Llull) As we move toward the great goal of meeting the Lord in death, it is a great comfort to know that we have sincerely tried to serve in the Lord’s vineyard. […]

“Therefore let not thy heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Believe in Me, and put thy trust in My mercy.” —The Imitation of Christ, III, 30 There are many circumstances that seek to take hold of our hearts. Fear and dread are among them and have the power to captivate a person completely or,

“Nothing is impossible for me, and when I find an open heart, I want to give everything and, through it, bestow gifts upon others as well.” (Inner Word) How deeply our Father longs to find open hearts! Perhaps we cannot even imagine this because God is self-sufficient. It is true: God is perfect and does

“Turn back before it is too late. Do not spurn my love, for it restrains my wrath” (Inner Word) Even though we can recognize our Father’s mercy so deeply when we contemplate His love that we can hardly imagine how people could fail to be caught in the net of love that the Son of

“Come, my son, come! Go, my son, go, but do not hesitate!” (Inner Word) We are always called to come to God and to look for our Father with our hearts. Even though God has already taken up residence in our hearts, He still desires to deepen our union with Him each day through the

“Don’t focus so much on your weaknesses and limitations, but on Me, who has called you and holds on to you, come what may.” (Inner Word) On our journey of discipleship, this word serves as an important guide. Sometimes, when we become aware of our weaknesses and limitations, our courage may waver. It is not

“I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:18) In Madre Eugenia’s little book on the Father, the sacred words of the New Testament come to life: “I have endowed you with the true Spirit of the new law.” This refers to

“Don’t pay attention to their whispers! They are unimportant and harmful, and their only purpose is to rob you of your peace and confidence.” (Inner Word) Here we focus on false and erroneous thoughts that may arise from our hearts or be “whispered” to us by the powers of evil. Even rumors or negative thoughts

“He who minds neither praise nor blame possesses great peace of heart and, if his conscience is good, he will easily be contented and at peace.” (Thomas a Kempis) In the passage above, Thomas a Kempis addresses what can confuse us and how we can easily lose our peace of mind. We must learn to

“I have nothing to give but what you yourself have given me!” (St Catherine of Siena). How true and liberating these simple words are! They lift the veil under which we humans often find ourselves, striving to be or appear to be something. Society certainly places such demands on us, and we feel we must