"Prominent among the many aspects of the Eucharist is that of 'memorial'...this is not the mere commemoration of a past that is no more, but a zikkarôn, that is, a 'memorial'. It 'is not merely the recollection of past events, but the proclamation of the mighty works wrought by God for men. In the liturgical [...]
"I see that God never tries us beyond what we are able to suffer. Oh, I fear nothing; if God sends such great suffering to a soul. He upholds it with an even greater grace, although we are not aware of it. One act of trust at such moments gives greater glory to God than [...]
"The monk who observes others instead of attending to himself will begin before long to see some as his superiors and others as his inferiors; in some he will see things to envy, in others, things to despise. The eyes have wandered and the mind soon follows." Source: St. Bernard of Clairvaux, The Steps [...]
"Dear brothers and sisters, the Eucharist is at the root of every form of holiness, and each of us is called to the fullness of life in the Holy Spirit." Source: St. Alphonsus Liguori, Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament
"The Apostle, however, goes further: according to him, a sin against the body is also a 'profaning of the temple.' What is decisive for the dignity of the human body, in Paul’s eyes, is not only the human spirit, thanks to which man is constituted as a personal subject, but much more so the supernatural [...]
"The washing of the hands is done in the celebration of mass out of reverence for this sacrament; and this for two reasons: first, because we are not wont to handle precious objects except the hands be washed; hence it seems indecent for anyone to approach so great a sacrament with hands that are, even [...]
"Mary’s greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself. She is lowly: her only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord (cf. Lk 1:38, 48). She knows that she will only contribute to the salvation of the world if, rather than carrying out her own projects, she places [...]
"In espousing Jesus, you espouse His state of poverty. The bride assumes the rank of the bridegroom. Now, Jesus is poor in His clothing, in His nourishment, in His abode, in His labor. You will live, then, as He does, as His Blessed Mother, as dear Saint Joseph, His loving foster-father. They were happy in [...]
"What should be our sentiments when assisting at Holy Mass? In the presence of a God made man, Who offers Himself mystically for our salvation, in a manner very real. Faith, hope and love, contrition for our sins, and an ardent desire to communicate with the Victim of Sacrifice, ought to fill our hearts. We [...]
"The Lord often humbles the vainglorious by causing some dishonor to befall them. And indeed the first step in overcoming vainglory is to remain silent and to accept dishonor gladly. The middle stage is to check every act of vainglory while it is still in thought. The end – insofar as one may talk of [...]