For Love To Be Real - It Must Hurt, It Must Empty Us Of Self.

Love, to be real, it must cost - it must hurt - it must empty us of self. - Blessed Mother Teresa

Suffering? You Are God's Prized And Valued Stone.

Don’t complain if you suffer. It is the prized and valued stone that is polished. Does it hurt? - Allow yourself to be cut, gratefully, because God has taken you in His hands as if you were a diamond. An ordinary pebble is not worked on like that. - St. Josemaria Escriva (Furrow, 235)

It Is Through The Flesh That Man Turns Away From God; It Is In Becoming Flesh That God Delivers Man

Sin which destroyed the divine life within us demands a satisfaction, an expiation without which it would be impossible for divine life to be restored to us. Being a mere creature, man cannot give this satisfaction for an offense of infinite malice, and, on the other hand, divinity can neither suffer nor expiate. How is this problem to be solved? The Incarnation gives us the answer. Consider the babe of Bethlehem. He is the Word-made-Flesh. The Word asks of us a human nature to find in it wherewith to suffer, to expiate, to merit, to heap graces upon us. It is through the flesh that man turns away from God; it is in becoming flesh that God delivers man. The flesh that the Word of God takes upon himself, is to become the instrument of salvation for all men. - Blessed Columba Marmion

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A World Soaked Through With Oceans Of Mercy

With eyes of faith, we do not wonder why God allows so much suffering, but rather why He doesn't allow more. We're not looking at a world full of innocent people suffering unjustly. We're looking at a world soaked through with oceans of mercy, because all of us are sinners, and none of us deserves even the next breath we're going to take. - Dr. Scott Hahn

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Lay A Successful Siege Against The World's Many Barricaded Hearts - Breaching Their Walls With Love

The Pharisees were unbelieving. They didn’t want to believe in a Messiah that didn’t fit their pre-conceived ideas, and so they found ways to justify their resistance – if Jesus drives out demons, he must be possessed by a stronger demon, that’s all. Imagine how Christ’s heart reacted to those accusations, such stubborn resistance to his grace. Imagine how it reacts to the disbelief of so many people who refuse to see the signs of his love and truth in the world today.

When a friend is in pain, you do whatever you can to comfort him. Christians can comfort Christ by keeping their own faith fresh and, above all, by living a real, practical, and universal Christian charity. That’s the only way to lay a successful siege against the world’s many barricaded hearts – breaching their walls with love, so the gift of faith can come streaming in. - Fr. Bartunek

What On The Outside Is Simply Brutal Violence Becomes An Act Of Total Self-Giving Love

By making bread into His Body and the wine into His Blood, He anticipates His death, He accepts it in His heart, and He transforms it into an action of love. What on the outside is simply brutal violence - the Crucifixion - from within becomes an act of total self-giving love. This is the substantial transformation which was accomplished at the Last Supper and was destined to set in motion a series of transformations leading ultimately to the transformation of the world when God will be all in all (cf. 1 Cor 15:28). - Pope Benedict XVI, Heart of the Christian Life

It Is Suffering Which Clears The Way For The Grace Which Transforms Human Souls

It is suffering, more than anything else, which clears the way for the grace which transforms human souls. Suffering, more than anything else makes present in the history of humanity the powers of the Redemption. – Blessed Pope John Paul II

Nothing Great Is Ever Achieved Without Much Enduring

Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring. ― Saint Catherine of Siena

Truth Suffers, But Never Dies

Truth suffers, but never dies. - Saint Teresa of Avila

A Joyless Catholic Is The Devil's Best Tool

A joyless Catholic is the devil's best tool. A joyful Catholic is God's greatest instrument. - Scott Hahn

Purification Enables A Loving Union

The more lofty the degree of loving union to which God destines the soul, so much more profound and persistent must be its purification. - Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, OCD (Edith Stein)

What Is The Responsibility Of The Catholic Church As The Lights Go Out All Over Western Civilization?

What does the Church do? What is the responsibility of the Catholic Church as the lights go out all over Western Civilization? It is a question that we Catholics who see that reality need to start thinking about seriously. An empire that murders its own children, a population that is self-absorbed and lusts after little else other than being entertained...whose economy is rushing head long into unsustainable debt. This empire is on the short course to self-extinction. The faithful Catholics remaining, however few, need to be prepared to emerge from the rubble and once again rebuild. We did it after Rome, we will do it again. But as in the days of Rome, there will be martyrs. No empire goes quietly into the night. - Michael Voris

The Best Suffering Is The Suffering That Is Kept To Oneself

The best suffering is the suffering that is kept to oneself. - Michael Fanelli

It Is Our Suffering That Gives Us Strength As The Cross Sustains Our Being

When Carter was President, he actually made many of us stronger such as Obama is doing today. It is in our suffering that gives us strength as the Cross sustains our being. The answer to the whole situation is to continue the job of many of the Saints such as Saint Pius X, St. Patrick, and others such as these who converted many. The people lack true leadership and wouldn't know of it unless they are shown it. Being a caregiver by profession, I see the changes firsthand when I'm given assignments. I always wear my cross to identify who I am. In the meantime, we need to lessen and limit government in our daily lives as we walk and weep in this Valley of Tears. The next generations are counting on us. Lord, hear our prayers! - Arthur R. Garcia

How Many There Are Who Shrink From Whatever Requires Manhood

How many there are, who love to live delicately and shrink from whatever requires manhood. - Pope Leo XIII

Adore And Bless The Divine Will, Especially in The Things Which Are Hardest For You

In all the events of life, you must recognize the Divine will. Adore and bless it, especially in the things which are the hardest for you. - Saint Padre Pio

He Disciplines us For Our Good, That we May Share His Holiness

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us ...and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. - Hebrews 12:7-11

Protect Yourselves by Prayer, Fasting, And, Above All, Community Prayer

Mirjana, one of the visionaries of Medjugorje, had a particular vision on 14th April 1982. While she was waiting for Our Lady to appear, Satan arrived disguised as Our Lady. She writes

"He was ugly, horribly ugly. You cannot even imagine how ugly, he almost killed me with his gaze, I almost fainted. He then told me,'You must leave God and Our Lady because they will make you suffer, come with me and I will make you happy in love and life.' My heart echoed -No, no, no! Then Satan went away and Our Lady came and she said to me:

"I am sorry for this, but you must know that Satan exists and has asked God to allow him to test the Church for a certain period with the intention of destroying Her. God allowed him to have one century, saying ,'You will not destroy Her.'

This century in which we are living is under Satan's power. When the secrets I have confided to you come about, his power will be destroyed. Satan has become aggresive because he is losing his power. He is breaking up marriages, causing quarrels amongst priests, obsessing people, even killing them.

Therefore, protect yourselves by prayer, fasting and, above all, community prayer. Renew the use of holy water, wear blessed and holy objects and put them in your homes."

The World Promises You Comfort, But You Were Not Made For Comfort

‎The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness. - Pope Benedict XVI

Fighting For Him Against Riches, Against The World, Hell, And Himself

What, then does God look upon with pleasure and delight? What is He asking the Angels about, and even the devils? It is about the man who is fighting for Him against riches, against the world, hell, and himself, the man who is cheerfully carrying his cross. - Saint Louis-Marie De Montfort