Do little things as though they were great, because of the majesty of Jesus Christ who does them in us, and who lives our life: and do the greatest things as though they were little and easy, because of His omnipotence. 
- Blaise Pascal

JL 1:13-15; 2:1-2;    PS 9:2-3, 6, 16, 8-9;    LK 11:15-26

R. The Lord will judge the world with justice.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, Most High.

You rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
their name you blotted out forever and ever.
The nations are sunk in the pit they have made;
in the snare they set, their foot is caught.

But the LORD sits enthroned forever;
he has set up his throne for judgment.
He judges the world with justice;
he governs the peoples with equity.







The late Cardinal Leo J. Suenens once remarked that, faced with Jesus, one would have to take a position for or against him and that pretending not to take a position is already taking a position; that neutrality is wishful thinking and just words. Regardless of our word positions, our lives make a strong statement. In Ralph W. Emerson's words, "what you do speaks so loudly, that it does not let me hear what you say". Inconsistency between our words and our lives' deeds could put us in the predicament of sounding somewhat like suffering from split spiritual personality: for and against.

- by Luis Rodriguez, S.J.

Selected Quotes from St. John of the Cross on the Journey of the Soul to God by Contemplation

- from Dark Night of the Soul

Bk. 2, Ch. 3.Ch. 6. The Divine assails the human soul in order to renew it and thus to make it Divine. The soul feels itself to be perishing and melting away. 

#4. The sensual part is purified in aridity, the faculties are purified in the emptiness of their perceptions and the spirit is purified in thick darkness. 

#5. The soul itself should be destroyed since these passions and imperfections have become natural to it. 

#6. One hour of purgation here (on earth) is more profitable than are many there (in Purgatory).

- compiled by James and Tyra Arraj