59th sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

This way of life contains very little business and bustling, and demands mortification of the will more than knowledge. The less one takes of things and pleasures the farther one advances along this way.

58th Daily Sayings of Light and Love (St John of the Cross)

It is not God’s will that a soul be disturbed by anything or suffer trials, for if one suffers trials in the adversities of the world it is because of a weakness in virtue.  The perfect soul rejoices in what afflicts the imperfect one.

57th Daily Sayings of Light and Love (St John of the Cross)

The soul that journeys to God, but does not shake off its cares and quit its appetites, is like one who drags a cart uphill.

56th Daily Sayings of Light and Love (St John of the Cross)

Since God is inaccessible, be careful not to concern yourself with all that your faculties can comprehend and your senses feel, so that you do not become satisfied with less and lose the lightness of soul suitable for going to him.

55th daily sayings of light of love (St John of the Cross)

Souls will be unable to reach perfection who do not strive to be content with having nothing, in such fashion that their natural and spiritual desire is satisfied with emptiness; for this is necessary in order to reach the highest tranquility and peace of spirit.  Hence the love of God in the pure and simple soul is almost continually in act.

The (welcome) return of the Scorzelli ferula

Pope Francis

I am quite happy to see Pope Francis has begun using the Lello Scorzelli ferula again.  It has been used by all Popes at some point since the Servant of God, Venerable Pope Paul VI.

Servant of God, Pope Paul VI

Pope John Paul I

Blessed John Paul II

Pope Benedict XVI



Pope Michael, Bishop of Meath

 It is also driving the traddies to distraction.  With each passing day they search for new things to accuse the Pope of.  Over in Rorate Caeli a commentator has a list of about fifty things - the usual black shoes, no mozzetta stuff, but also the distinctly weird, like drinking tea in public.  Apparently the only thing we should see the Pope consuming is the Blessed Eucharist.  Who knew?  They think the cross is Jansenist because the arms go up.  Don't remember Jansen promoting that.

I'm not a massive fan of modern art - the blue square, black wall sort of stuff.  But I do like some of the dramatic such as La Resurrezione by Pericle Fazzini in the Paul VI audience hall.

Scorzelli's cross looks very much like it was inspired by the famous drawing of the crucifixion by St John of the Cross and subsequently Dali's painting.  If you're ever in Glasgow be sure and go to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and see it.

Dali drawing

I always felt that Blessed Pope John Paul II took great support from it, physically and spiritually.  Scorzelli made one specially for him that was lighter to carry.  Pope Francis is using the original one made for Paul.

54th daily sayings of light of love (St John of the Cross)

Going everywhere, my God, with you, everywhere things will happen as I desire for you.

53rd daily sayings of light of love (St John of the Cross)

If you wish to attain holy recollection, you will do so not by receiving but by denying.

52nd daily sayings of light of love (St John of the Cross)

That person has truly mastered all things who is not moved to joy by the satisfaction they afford or saddened by their insipidness.

51st daily sayings of light of love (St John of the Cross)

O Lord, my God, you are no stranger to those who do not estrange themselves from you.  How do they say that it is you who absent yourself?

50th daily sayings of light of love (St John of the Cross)

If you purify your soul of attachments and desires, you will understand things spiritually.  If you deny your appetite for them, you will enjoy their truth, understanding what is certain in them.

49th daily sayings of light of love (St John of the Cross)

O mighty Lord, if a spark from the empire of your justice effects so much in the mortal ruler who governs the nations what will your all-powerful justice do with the righteous and the sinner?

48th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

If you make use of your reason, you are like one who eats substantial food; but if you are moved by the satisfaction of your will, you are like one who eats insipid fruit.

47th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

Lord, you return gladly and lovingly to lift up the one who offends you, but I do not turn to raise and honour the one who annoys me.

 

46th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

Blessed are they who, setting aside their own pleasure and inclination, consider things according to reason and justice before doing them.

45th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

Be attentive to your reason in order to do what it tells you concerning the way to God.  It will be more valuable before your God than all the works you perform without this attentiveness and all the spiritual delights you seek.

44th daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

Bear in mind that your flesh is weak, that that no worldly thing can comfort or strengthen your spirit, for what is born of the world is world and what is born of the flesh is flesh. The good spirit is born only of the Spirit of God, who communicates himself neither through the world no through the flesh.

43rd daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

Reflect that the most delicate flower loses its fragrance and withers fastest; therefore guard yourself against seeking to walk in a spirit of delight, for you will not be constant. Choose rather for yourself a robust spirit, detached from everything, and you will discover abundant peace and sweetness, for delicious and durable fruit is gathered in a cold and dry climate.

42nd daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

Do not tire yourself, for you will not enter into the savour and sweetness of spirit if you do not apply yourself to the mortification of all this that you desire.

41st daily sayings of light and love (St John of the Cross)

What you most seek and desire you will not find by this way of yours,
nor through high contemplation,
but in much humility and
submission of heart.