Category Archives: Poor in Spirit

It will be amazingly beautiful

Posted on June 5, 2014 by unwobblingpivot

In this moment of pain the Lord said to me, “The wonderful end to your story is visible and present to me. I see the whole thing and it’s beautiful. You are not yet in a position to see it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Faith, Fifth Sorrowful Mystery, First Glorious Mystery, Fortitude (Courage), Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Glorious Mysteries, Hope, Poor in Spirit, Power of God, Prayer, Purification, Rosary, Sorrowful Mysteries, Suffering, Theological Virtues | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The implications of what we believe about God’s Freedom

Posted on May 31, 2014 by unwobblingpivot

It is more proper to say God “couldn’t” rather than God “wouldn’t” create a world where he would be anything less than free to achieve his good ends. God is maximum Freedom itself. Once again, look at the Crucifixion. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Faith, Fifth Sorrowful Mystery, First Glorious Mystery, Glorious Mysteries, Peacemakers, Persecuted for the sake of Righteousness, Poor in Spirit, Power of God, Pure of Heart, Rosary, Sorrowful Mysteries | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A way in which we are all like Jesus without even trying

Posted on July 28, 2013 by unwobblingpivot

St. Paul writes that Christ Jesus was a man like us in all things but sin. Obviously, our point of greatest dissimilarity to Christ is our sinfulness. Conversely, because we all live in a fallen world, we all suffer the … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Fifth Sorrowful Mystery, Fortitude (Courage), Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Hope, Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness, Peacemakers, Persecuted for the sake of Righteousness, Poor in Spirit, Power of God, Rosary, Show Mercy, Spirit of the World, Suffering, The Meek, Theological Virtues | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“A voice of one crying out in the desert”

Posted on July 26, 2013 by unwobblingpivot

The Desert Fathers believed that the wilderness had been created as supremely valuable in the eyes of God precisely because it had no value to men. The wasteland was the land that could never be wasted by men because it … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Poor in Spirit, Pure of Heart | 1 Comment

Prayer and the cross appear to be intertwined

Posted on July 21, 2013 by unwobblingpivot

Both the cross and prayer have features in common: the world considers them both weak and foolish. All the more reason to be drawn to both of them. And all the more reason to see in both of them a harmonious … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Poor in Spirit, Power of God, Prayer, Spirit of the World, Suffering, The Meek | Tagged | Leave a comment

Completing the circle of mercy

Posted on July 20, 2013 by unwobblingpivot

There are two obvious lessons of mercy we need to learn: to seek forgiveness from God and to extend forgiveness to our brother. They are linked in the Lord’s Prayer, such that the first will not happen without the second. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Counsel, Eucharist, Faith, Fear of the Lord (Reverence), Fortitude (Courage), Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Grace, Hope, Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness, Love, Peacemakers, Persecuted for the sake of Righteousness, Poor in Spirit, Sacraments, Show Mercy, Theological Virtues | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Very much like an alcoholic…

Posted on July 9, 2013 by unwobblingpivot

In the same sense that an alcoholic is an alcoholic even when he is not actively drinking, I am always a sinner even when I am not actively sinning. I must accept that, while I may aspire to be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Hope, Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness, Mourning, Poor in Spirit, The Meek, Theological Virtues | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Merton on trusting God’s mercy

Posted on June 23, 2013 by unwobblingpivot

Let my trust be in Your mercy, not in myself. Let my hope be in Your love, not in health, or strength, or ability or human resources. If I trust You, everything else will become, for me, strength, health, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Faith, Hope, Love, Poor in Spirit, Theological Virtues | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Merton on Mercy

Posted on May 3, 2013 by unwobblingpivot

The mercy of God does not suspend the laws of cause and effect. When God forgives me a sin, He destroys the guilt of sin but the effects and the punishment of sin remain. Yet it is precisely in punishing … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Grace, Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness, Love, Peacemakers, Poor in Spirit, Show Mercy, Theological Virtues | Tagged | 1 Comment

Why it is crucially important to be keenly aware that you are a sinner

Posted on February 10, 2013 by unwobblingpivot

If you are not thoroughly aware of your sinfulness and do not identify yourself as a sinner, you place yourself in a condition of moral hazard. The reason? When somebody sins against you, you will unknowingly behave in such a … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes, Confession, Grace, Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness, Peacemakers, Persecuted for the sake of Righteousness, Poor in Spirit, Pure of Heart, Purification, Sacraments, Show Mercy, The Meek | Leave a comment