Praise God

http://www.lifenews.com/2013/02/20/planned-parenthood-abortion-biz-closing-two-clinics-in-iowa/

Series on the Doctors of the Church Resumes on Friday

I shall resume the Doctors of the Church and Perfection series on Friday, skipping tomorrow.

I just got over a horrid virus, and tonight had an allergic reaction to something in the food group to which I am allergic.

Something was hiding as "vegetable oil".

Cucurbitaceae. Are any of you allergic to this family of plants? This group includes squashes, melons, and gourds, cucumbers, pumpkins, luffas, zucchinis, and watermelons.  Butternut squash and all these are included: thanks to wiki for the two lists....And, I love melon, sigh.....

• Acorn squash
• Delicata squash
• Dodi marrow, grown in South Asia^[4]
• Gem squash
• Heart of gold squash
• Pattypan squash
• Some types of pumpkin
• Spaghetti squash
• Sweet dumpling squash
• Yellow crookneck squash
• Yellow summer squash
• Zucchini

Of course, one does not eat luffas.....but, I really do not feel well. Thankfully, it is not a bad reaction. 

My mom, one of my three brothers, and I have this allergy. 

If it is on a vine coming out of the ground like this--forget it.

I shall virtually see you all tomorrow. 

Entering the final stage of persecution NOW

A sober note from Supertradmum:

I rarely write a real editorial but know that I must. As reported in the Catholic Herald this week and a few weeks ago, the SSM bill in Great Britain allows for no opt out for Catholic registrars or superintendents for registrars. There most likely will not be an opt out for primary school teachers, either.

The choice of a Catholic registrar or Catholic teacher in the state schools will be to either be a faithful Catholic and refuse to cooperate, and possibly be fired, or to make a decision against one's Catholic conscience.

Cooperating in sin is sin.

I pray that all the good teachers of any denomination will say no to this law.

I hope Catholics realize that we are in the same position as Catholics under the Marxists when persecuted in the Iron Curtain countries.

We are in the beginnings of the final stage of persecution.

People will be impoverished. Children will suffer.

Are you getting ready for this?

Those who deny this are ostriches. (I know it is myth, but it is a useful myth).

In case you missed the British Bishops statement on the same-sex marriage bill, here is the link

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2013/01/29/bishops-briefing-on-same-sex-marriage-bill-full-text/

Vatican Insider Interview with Cormac Murphy-O'Connor

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/inquiries-and-interviews/detail/articolo/murphy-oconnor-22505/


And clarification on contentious quotation....

Q.  You have been reported as saying that after Benedict XVI “there is going to be another conservative Pope – perhaps the last before a great explosion in the Church”.  Did you say that?

A. No!  I’ve certainly been misquoted here.  I have never said ‘another conservative pope’. I don’t like the word ‘conservative’ or the word ‘liberal’ in this context.  When I became archbishop of Westminster I was asked, “Are you a conservative or a liberal?”, and I replied, “No, I’m a Catholic, and I am sensitive, I hope, to the mind and teaching of the Church in what I proclaim and what I stand for.” 

Part 43: Peter Damian and Perfection in the DoC Series

In the rocky solitude of Fonte Avellana,

Peter Damian desired to be with Christ. 

Here he is on contemplative experience.

"I longed to cleave with all my heart,

to the everlasting light. My heart, then

as it seemed, was made of wax, as that

of the Lord's prophet was of flesh.

And, it melted in flame under the breath

of heavenly desire, and my sorrowing

countenance was often watered by rich

tears....I often beheld, by an immediate

perception of my mind, Christ hanging

from the cross, fastened with nails.

and thirstily received His dripping

blood in my mouth. But if I were to

attempt to tell you of the heights

of contemplation which were vouchsafed

to me, both of our Redeemer's most

sacred humanity and of the indescribable

glory of Heaven, the day would be at an

end before I had finished."

Found here. 

Part 42: DoC: St Peter Damian and Perfection

Many years ago, I thought this, that is, that we each one of us, was a little 

Catholic Church, enjoying all the benefits individually of the larger Church, as

well as wearing on our bodies the scars of the Church persecuted.

If the Church is the Bride of Christ, so too we can each be in that intimate 

relationship with Him.

Here is St. Peter Damian on this idea.

Think about this. To be continued............

Now just as the Greeks call man a microcosm, that is to say 
a little world, because his body is comprised of the same four 
elements as the universe itself, so each of the faithful is a little 
Church, since without any violation of the mystery of her 
inward unity each man receives all the sacraments of human 
redemption which are divinely given to the whole Church. If 
one man, then, can be said to receive the sacraments which are 
common to the whole Church, why should he be prevented, 
when alone, from uttering the words common to the whole 
Church, for the sacraments are so much more important than 
any words.

UPDATE: check this out shar.es/YM0Co 

Part 41: Pope Benedict XVI on the Love of Peter Damian-DoC series

The scholarship of our dear Pope is seen clearly in this selection from his talk on St. Peter Damian from Benedict XVI General Audience Address September 9, 2009 found here on the Vatican website.

I am glad to highlight two great men here today.

St Peter Damian, who was essentially a man of prayer, meditation and contemplation, was also a fine theologian: his reflection on various doctrinal themes led him to important conclusions for life. Thus, for example, he expresses with clarity and liveliness the Trinitarian doctrine, already using, under the guidance of biblical and patristic texts, the three fundamental terms which were subsequently to become crucial also for the philosophy of the West: processio, relatio and persona (cf. Opusc. XXXVIII: PL CXLV, 633-642; and Opusc.II and III: ibid., 41 ff. and 58 ff). However, because theological analysis of the mystery led him to contemplate the intimate life of God and the dialogue of ineffable love between the three divine Persons, he drew ascetic conclusions from them for community life and even for relations between Latin and Greek Christians, divided on this topic. His meditation on the figure of Christ is significantly reflected in practical life, since the whole of Scripture is centred on him. The "Jews", St Peter Damian notes, "through the pages of Sacred Scripture, bore Christ on their shoulders as it were" (Sermo XLVI, 15). Therefore Christ, he adds, must be the centre of the monk's life: "May Christ be heard in our language, may Christ be seen in our life, may he be perceived in our hearts" (Sermo VIII, 5). Intimate union with Christ engages not only monks but all the baptized. Here we find a strong appeal for us too not to let ourselves be totally absorbed by the activities, problems and preoccupations of every day, forgetting that Jesus must truly be the centre of our life.

Communion with Christ creates among Christians a unity of love. In Letter 28, which is a brilliant ecclesiological treatise, Peter Damian develops a profound theology of the Church as communion. "Christ's Church", he writes, is united by the bond of charity to the point that just as she has many members so is she, mystically, entirely contained in a single member; in such a way that the whole universal Church is rightly called the one Bride of Christ in the singular, and each chosen soul, through the sacramental mystery, is considered fully Church". This is important: not only that the whole universal Church should be united, but that the Church should be present in her totality in each one of us. Thus the service of the individual becomes "an expression of universality" (Ep28, 9-23). However, the ideal image of "Holy Church" illustrated by Peter Damian does not correspond as he knew well to the reality of his time. For this reason he did not fear to denounce the state of corruption that existed in the monasteries and among the clergy, because, above all, of the practice of the conferral by the lay authorities of ecclesiastical offices; various Bishops and Abbots were behaving as the rulers of their subjects rather than as pastors of souls. Their moral life frequently left much to be desired.

That St. Peter Damian spent his life helping the Church and the Papacy with many things which needed reforming is a good reason to pray to him today....To be continued......

Part 40: DoC-St. Peter Damian

I did not plan this, for once, but my posts today are on St. Peter Damian and it is tomorrow, happily, his feast day.

This great saint is one of the Benedictines on the list. He is overlooked by many, who may not even realize his contributions to the Church. He lived in amazing times and counselled more than one pope. Notice his cardinal's robes lying on the floor in this painting, as he was humble about his office. His dates are 1007-1072. That the man was brilliant may be seen in his biography on several sites. Many of his works which use to be on line years ago, have been taken off, by the revamping of certain websites. This is sad, indeed, and a warning at taking for granted what is on line.

I present selections from his writings on the link found here in the next few posts. I start with one.

His point here is that it is not merely the choice of life, or the vocation of a person which causes perfection, but the cooperation of grace therein....

 For it was certainly not that holy and humble man St. Benedict who, at the very beginning of his 

work, sat himself in the master's seat and usurped the place 
of the loving Father: 'Hearken, O my son, to the precepts of 
thy Master, and incline the ear of thine heart; willingly receive 
the admonition of thy loving Father.' 1 Rather, the Holy 
Spirit made his servant the instrument of his voice, just as he 
did at the beginning of the books of prophecy, when he cried, 
through Isaias: 1 have nourished and brought up children." 2 

Let us see, then, to whom he directs what he has to say, for 
what sort of man all that follows is written. He says: 'To thee, 
therefore, my words are now addressed, whoever thou art that, 
renouncing thine own will, dost take up the strong and bright 
weapons of obedience, in order to fight for the Lord Christ, 
our true king.' 3 As far as we can gather from the words of the 
holy man, the school of the holy Rule was established more 
for the learning of obedience than for the performance of 
penance. This is not to say that it excludes either the sinner or 
the just man, or rejects any sort of person; but rather that its 
whole strength and purpose lies in the teaching of the rules of 
obedience. 

I know that in writing in this way I am displeasing some of 
the brethren, namely those who believe that a turning to our 
way of life brings about both the absolution of our offences 
and the perfection of virtue. I hope it may be enough if I reply 
that in setting forth my opinions I have no desire to cast a 
snare upon any man, -as the Apostle says, 4 but rather wish to 
urge you on towards the good.

From Today's Terce

	Ezekiel 18:30-32 ©

Repent, renounce all your sins, avoid all occasions of sin! Shake off all the sins you have committed against me, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why are you so anxious to die, House of Israel? I take no pleasure in the death of anyone – it is the Lord who speaks. Repent and live!

Dr. Evelyn RIP and Thank You

MELBOURNE, Australia, February 18, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Dr. Evelyn Billings, world-renowned pioneer of natural fertility regulation, died on February 16 at age 95 after a short illness.

"Dr. Lyn," as she was widely and lovingly known, developed the Ovulation Method of natural fertility regulation together with her husband, Dr. John Billings. Dr. John Billings died April 1, 2007, at the age of 89.

Persecution Watch: The British need to wake up and see the tyranny of their government

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/uk-pushes-to-outlaw-reparative-therapy-ahead-of-gay-marriage-vote?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=77ecdb1ef2-LifeSiteNews_com_Intl_Full_Text_02_19_2013&utm_medium=email

read this and be astounded.............

Persecution Watch

Check out this amazing report

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/02/director-of-hamas-linked-cairs-missouri-wants-sharia-punishments-for-those-who-publish-anti-islamic.html

Is there anyone else who can add to this? The Twelve Dioceses

In the 1960s, there were twelve dioceses chosen in the United States as tests for the Novus Ordo before it was promulgated. My diocese was one of these.

However, the NO was not just introduced on a Sunday. For at least nine months, all the adults in the diocese  who wanted to do so, and many, many did, had classes on the liturgy conducted as discussion groups with readings from the council documents and histories of the liturgy in their homes. The council documents were not yet published at this time in book form, but loose-leaf notes were available. These discussion groups were conducted from Rome in order to get feedback from the laity on the NO. The pastor of my parish was very involved in these meetings and discussions.

Only after months of preparation and priming was the new Mass then introduced. Of course, the people were ready for this change and had been taught that this was all part of the continuity of Tradition. The feedback was positive.

The feedback came after the Mass was introduced and the results sent back to Rome.

I have only talked to one priest in my life so far who knew about this orchestrated effort to make the NO accessible and popular among the Catholics in these areas, for a positive poll result.

Does anyone else out there know about this? I do from tangential personal experience. I would like to invite comments from anyone who may have had experience in these liturgical discussion groups.

Part 39: Bede, Doctor of the Church and Perfection

I am amazed that this is the thirty-ninth posting on the Doctors of the Church and Perfection. Looking at Bede is such a joy, as he not is only is a personal example for us of one who pursued perfection, but his great contribution to civilization is tremendous. Did you know that he was the first person to us Anno Domini for dates? Sadly, in the past thirty years, secularists have moved away from this. However, we know better, those who read and write on this blog!

Now, a sermon of Bede's on the saints for a further look at perfection. My commentary is in red. This is found here.

Bede's Tomb

TO-DAY, 1 beloved, we celebrate in the joy of one solemnity, the festival of All Saints, in whose companionship the heaven exults; in whose guardianship the earth rejoices; by whom triumphs the Holy Church is crowned; whose confession, as braver in its passion, is also brighter in its honor—because while the battle increased, the glory of them that fought in it was also augmented. And the triumph of martyrdom is adorned with the manifold kind of its torments, because the more severe the pangs, the more illustrious also were the rewards; while our Mother, the Catholic Church, was taught by her Head, Jesus Christ, not to fear contumely, affliction, death, and more and more strengthened—not by resistance, but by endurance—inspired all of that illustrious number who suffered imprisonment or torture, with one and equal ardor to fight the battle for triumphal glory.	1
O truly blessed Mother Church! so illuminated by the honor of divine condescension, so adorned by the glorious blood of triumphant martyrs, so decked with the inviolate confession of snow white virginity! Among its flowers neither roses nor lilies are wanting. Endeavor now, beloved, each for yourselves, in each kind of honor, to obtain your own dignity—crowns, snow white for chastity, or purple for passion. In those heavenly camps, both peace and war have their own flowers wherewith the soldiers of Christ are crowned. Bede is showing us that each person has a way to perfection within the larger stages all experience. Virginity is a white martyrdom, a real suffering perhaps for Bede.	2
For the ineffable and unbounded goodness of God has provided this also, that the time for labor and for agony should not be extended—not long, not enduring, but short, and, so to speak, momentary; that in this short and little life should be the pain and the labors, that in the life which is eternal should be the crown and the reward of merits; that the labors should quickly come to an end, but the reward of endurance should remain without end; that after the darkness of this world they should behold that most beautiful light, and should receive a blessedness greater than the bitterness of all passions; as the apostle beareth witness, when he saith, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.” Again, the sufferings are purgation of the soul, the mind, and the body. The endurance is not merely "offering up crosses" as so many modern people state, but immersing one's self in the suffering, cooperating with it for the greater glory of unity with the Beloved.	3
With how joyous a breast the heavenly city receives those that return from flight! How happily she meets them that bear the trophies of the conquered enemy! And with triumphant men, women also come, who rose superior both to this world, and to their sex, doubling the glory of their welfare; virgins with youths, who surpassed their tender years by their virtues. Yet not they alone, but the rest of the multitude of the faithful shall also enter the palace of that eternal court, who in peaceful union have observed the heavenly commandments, and have maintained the purity of the faith. The final union with God in heaven depends on this purity of faith, which might seem like a strange phrase. But, what Bede means by this is the complete trust of the will which has been conformed to the Mind of Christ. Purity comes only after suffering.	4
But above all these things is the being associated with the companies of angels and archangels, thrones and dominations, principalities and powers, and the enjoyment of the watches of all the celestial virtues—to behold the squadron of the saints, adorned with stars; the patriarchs, glittering with faith; the prophets, rejoicing in hope; the apostles, who in the twelve tribes of Israel, shall judge the whole world; the martyrs, decked with the purple diadems of victory; the virgins, also, with their wreaths of beauty. But of the King, who is in the midst, no words are able to speak. That beauty, that virtue, that glory, that magnificence, that majesty, surpasses every expression, every sense of the human mind. For it is greater than the glory of all saints; but to attain to that ineffable sight, and to be made radiant with the splendor of His countenance, it were worth while to suffer torment every day—it were worth while to endure hell itself for a season, so that we might behold Christ coming in glory, and be joined to the number of the saints; so is it not then well worth while to endure earthly sorrows, that we may be partakers of such good, and of such glory? These are the passionate words of a man who has seen God. Bede reveals here the same intensity as seen in St. Paul when he describes his moment of union with God in 2 Corinthians 12.	5
What, beloved brethren, will be the glory of the righteous; what that great gladness of the saints, when every face shall shine as the sun; when the Lord shall begin to count over in distinct orders His people, and to receive them into the kingdom of His Father, and to render to each the rewards promised to their merits and to their works—things heavenly for things earthly, things eternal for things temporal, a great reward for a little labor; to introduce the saints to the vision of His Father’s glory; and “to make them sit down in heavenly places,” to the end that God may be all in all; and to bestow on them that love Him that eternity which He has promised to them—that immortality for which He has redeemed them by the quickening of His own blood; lastly, to restore them to Paradise, and to open the kingdom of heaven by the faith and verity of His promise? I like the phrase "all in all" and the idea that God in His Love is all to the saints. This is what one must desire to be a saint--to want the all of God, to the capacity which God has called one.	6
Let us consider that Paradise is our country, as well as theirs; and so we shall begin to reckon the patriarchs as our fathers. Why do we not, then, hasten and run, that we may behold our country and salute our parents? A great multitude of dear ones is there expecting us; a vast and mighty crowd of parents, brothers, and children, secure now of their own safety, anxious yet for our salvation, long that we may come to their right and embrace them, to that joy which will be common to us and to them, to that pleasure expected by our fellow servants as well as ourselves, to that full and perpetual felicity…. If it be a pleasure to go to them, let us eagerly and covetously hasten on our way, that we may soon be with them, and soon be with Christ; that we may have Him as our Guide in this journey, who is the Author of Salvation, the Prince of Life, the Giver of Gladness, and who liveth and reigneth with God the Father Almighty and with the Holy Ghost. Do not forget that on this journey to perfection, one has help from those who have gone before--the Church Triumphant.  Christ takes us by the hand and guides us, giving us Life and Grace. We only need to desire this way and to cooperate. And, so, goodbye to Bede, and on to the next Doctor of the Church...	7

Bede's Door

Note 1. Translated by the Rev. John M. Neale. Abridged. More than thirty editions of Bede’s writings have been published. The one which appeared in 1843, edited by Dr. J. A. Giles, and giving in complete form the original Latin, with translations of the historical work into English, comprises twelve volumes.

Doctors of the Church Series and Perfection: Bede the Venerable; Part 38

There are only two people who have been born in the Holy Spirit besides Our Lord Himself. One is the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was perfected from the moment of her Immaculate Conception. She achieved the Unitive State by a particular grace without any effort, as she was prepared from all time to be the Theotokos, the Mother of God.

Such perfection was never seen before on earth and is a great gift to us, her children by adoption. She is the New Eve plus. She is the most perfect of all God's creatures.

The second person born in the Holy Spirit was not conceived without Original Sin or sanctifying grace, but was given it at six months, when the Mother of God visited his mother, Elizabeth. Now, we know this is St. John the Baptist.

These two humans are models for us on our way to perfection. St. Bede writes of both in sermons, which highlight the fullness of grace in Mary and the great light given to John the Baptist, which is why Christ called him the greatest of all men.

Not even St. Joseph, who achieved great purity through righteousness and grace, was born with such graces at John the Baptist.

How does he show us the way to perfection? Let us look at Bede's sermon on this wonderful saint. This is Bede's Homily 23 ffound on the CCL site. and this particular reading is also in some breviaries.

Now, remember a few days ago, I mentioned here that martyrs also reach the perfection possible to all of us, but through a different manner. And, although John the Baptist was a martyr, his unitive state came before his death. I do not quote the entire sermon here. My comments are in brown.

The Baptizer had been baptized in the womb. John is a type of Christ. He experienced what Christ was going to experience; that is, tremendous suffering, isolation, misunderstanding, persecution. John knew the Truth as a Person and never denied Him. Through his birth, preaching and baptizing, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer. Again, as the forerunner, all things which happened in John's life, all he did, pointed to Christ. Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men; he was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ.  That Bede emphasizes the Light which is Christ as being in and with John, we understand that John has experienced Illumination, and was living in the light of all virtues and graces. His union with Christ would be completed in martyrdom. John was baptized in his own blood, though he had been privileged to baptize the Redeemer of the world, to hear the voice of the Father above him, and to see the grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon him.  Can we understand how close John was to Jesus? He shared all the manifestations of the Father with Christ, recognizing his God in the Baptism of Jesus and witnessing the Trinity. John was illumined to recognize God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit right before him in the Jordan. But to endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward. Only a man who has been purified of all desires, of all venial sins, of all imperfections through trials and sufferings can experience joy at death. John desired to be one with God, as he knew his time on earth has accomplished what God wanted--to prepare the way for the Lord. Since death was ever near at hand through the inescapable necessity of nature, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ’s name. John's suffering is not purgation but the invitation to be one with Christ in His Cross. John was invited by Christ to suffer with Him, for Him and witness to Him in that suffering. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake. He tells us why it is Christ’s gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us. Only Mary was completely without sin. John earned his reward by cooperating with grace from his childhood. He knew his way was unique. He knew he had to go into the desert to be completely formed into the Precursor.  John's way is a light for us on our way. Bede obviously understands this all first hand, being holy himself and knowing the stages of purification, illumination and unity. To be continued....

Part 37: DoC--St Bede the Venerable Two--The Beauty of Simplicity

I want to look at Bede on Bede  and his dates are 673 – 26 May 735 .

Here is a snippet which reveals Bede's way to perfection.

“I  have devoted my energies to a study of the Scriptures, observing monastic discipline, and singing the daily services in church; study, teaching, and writing have always been my delight.”

How simple and yet how profound is his description of himself.

First, he is focussed, putting all his energies into the road to perfection.

Second, he studies the Scriptures, which would include meditating on the Word of God as well as using commentaries from the Early Church Fathers. Of course, Bede would have had infused knowledge as well.


Third, he observed the Rule of the monastic life. Celibacy, poverty, obedience and if Benedictine, stability.

Here we see his choice of the shortest way to perfection-the rule under obedience, which forms the will into God's Will.

Fourth, singing the daily office; nine times a day and night, Bede joined in the Divine Office of the monks.

Fifth, from study, the pursuit of God through learning, Bede used his great gifts to teach and write.

We have his books today and still study him in high school or college, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum.

A modern drawing of his monastery, St. Paul's

Sixth, in all of this is his joy. The suffering is muted, but the joy shines through these limited words. 

Such is the way to perfection for the religious, whose entire day is devoted to perfection. So much in so few words...

To be continued............

Part 36: Doctors of the Church-Anselm and the Illuminative State

Before I finish St. Anselm, I must address some questions from a few who have asked me whether God really does want us to pursue perfection. They wanted Scriptural proof and not "merely" the ideas and insights of the great saints. Such is the Protestant mindset which does not understand the Tradition of the Church as resting on Christ and the Apostle.

Another person said to me that it was too hard to be a Catholic. Yes, it is hard, but we have grace and help.

Christ said it and this was echoed by St. Paul as well as the saints I have been emphasizing on this blog. 

Without being tedious, I shall only quote again two passages: Christ, the Son of God Himself in Matthew 5:48 said, Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect. DR

St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:11 states, For the rest, brethren, rejoice, be perfect, take exhortation, be of one mind, have peace; and the God of peace and of love shall be with you. DR.

Seeking perfection is not an option.

And, at that stage of Illumination, we shall have light to understand more and more what this means.

Here is St. Anselm again.



CHAPTER XIV  from Meditations of St. Anselm on Seeking God.

HAST thou then found, O my soul, that which thou wast seeking? Thou wast seeking God and thou hast found that He is that thing which is supreme among all things, than which nothing better can be conceived, and that this is very life, light, wisdom, goodness, eternal bliss and blissful eternity, and that this is everywhere and always. For if thou hast not found thy God, how can He be this which thou hast found, and which thou hast with so certain an assurance, so assured a certainty understood Him to be? But if thou hast found Him, why dost thou not perceive that which thou hast found? Why doth my soul not perceive Thee, O Lord God, if she hath found Thee? Hath she not found Thee, whom she hath found to be light and truth? Or could she understand anything at all concerning Thee, except by Thy light and truth? If then she hath seen light and truth, she hath seen Thee; if she hath not seen Thee, she hath seen neither light nor truth. 

And may I add that if one truly seeks Truth, one will find God.


Or is it rather that that which she hath seen is indeed both truth and light; and yet she hath not yet seen Thee because she hath seen Thee in part only, but hath not seen Thee as Thou art? O Lord my God, my Creator and Renewer, tell my soul that longeth after Thee, what else Thou art beside what she hath seen, that she may see clearly that after which she longeth. 

Shall we not seek for the "more"?

She stretcheth out herself that she may see more, and yet seeth nothing beyond what she hath seen, except mere darkness. Nay, she seeth not darkness, for in Thee is no darkness; but she seeth that she can see no farther, because of the darkness which is in herself. Wherefore is this, O Lord, wherefore is this? Are her eyes darkened by her own infirmity, or are they dazzled by Thy splendour? Surely she is both darkened in herself and dazzled by Thee. 

Thus also she is darkened by reason of her own littleness, and overwhelmed by reason of Thine immeasurable greatness. She is straitened by her own narrowness, and vanquished by Thy vastness. 

And, so we are purified in the heart and in the mind as well as the soul.

For how great is that Light, whereby every truth shineth that doth enlighten the rational intelligence! How vast is that Truth, wherein is contained every thing that is true, and outside whereof is only nothingness and falsehood! How immeasurable is that Vision which beholdeth in one glance all things that have been created and whence and by whom and how they were created out of nothing! What purity, what simplicity, what clearness and splendour is there!  Surely more than can be comprehended by any creature.

St. Anselm is standing on the shoulders of a lowly monk to show us  his roots in humility.

Anselm's words remind me of those of Julian of Norwich. The path way is the same for all who seek holiness.

Goodbye to St. Anselm for now. There is so much more of his writings, but I have shared a little of his great insights. St. Bede will follow, the Venerable Bede.

To be continued....

Take time to watch this

http://goo.gl/QpVSp

This best thing Voris has ever done, I think.