Saturday, August 23, 2008

Feast of St. Rose of Lima

Howdy-doo, there, readers.  I'm back from vacation.

I am constantly amazed that, depending on what I'm going through in my life, God sends me a message out there for the world, yet one that seems to be directed just toward me.  This quote comes from the writings of St. Rose of Lima, found in the breviary in today's Office of Readings:

"Our Lord and Savior lifted up his voice and said with incomparable majesty: 'Let all men know that grace comes after tribulation.  Let them know that without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace.  Let them know that the gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase.  Let men take care not to stray and be deceived.  This is the only true stairway to paradise, and without the cross they can find no road to climb to heaven.'"

3 comments:

Unknown said...

You know Fr., I wasn't planning stopping by your blog today. I needed to read this too today.

Thanks.

Aaron Traas said...

Thank you, Father. I needed to read this.

Smiley said...

This is scary isn't it. We live in a world where from the time we are little kids we are told to run away from all problems and sufferings.
And so we run and run. We run to alcohol and drugs and addictions. And what does Jesus tell us, pick up your cross and follow me.
When I was a child in school we were taught a hymn, one of the lines went like this
'Oh what grace we often forfeit oh what needles pain we bear all because we do not carry every thing to God in prayer.'