Saturday, July 31, 2021

The First Jesuit


The Society of Jesus has been my favorite religious order, despite the turmoil and tempests they have caused in the past. I have always admired their academic rigor as part of their formation. In my opinion, they are, in a manner of speaking, the "brain cells" of the Body of Christ. His "Spiritual Exercises" are not for the faint of soul. I understand it takes a great deal of humility and maturity to apply them. Someday.... 

His biography is here.

His famous prayer:
Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me. I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.
Truly, a soldier for Christ.

**********

Originally posted 7/31/2008.
Re-posted 7/31/2020.

Monday, July 05, 2021

Still Another "Prime" Birthday Time

For the 17th. time in my life, I have reached an age which is only divisible by itself and one. (And here's hoping I will see the 18th. edition as well, God willing. Because that will mean I have seen another x0 th. birthday.)

As I have done since the inception of this 'blog, I gratefully acknowledge the first and best natural gift I have received:  existence. Yet despite "all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams," it is still worthy of being. Have I made the best of it? Not by a long shot; "what if" is a game I play way too often. I still curse the darkness too much instead of lighting a candle. But by realizing I have fallen short of the glory of God, understanding the many times I haven't done His will, I can continue "with the help of Thy grace" to pursue metanoia, knowing perfection on earth is a worthy struggle. There is still a lot of Augustinian resistance, however. As I have said before, the four hardest words in Christianity are "Thy will be done."

I thank God "I am fearfully, wonderfully made."

In Him do I "live and move and have my being."

May I strive in the next twelve months to be more of the creature the Creator intended me to be.

Thursday, July 01, 2021

July 2021 Morning Offering Prayer Intention

 Here is the intention for this month when prayer the Morning Offering:

Social friendship. We pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship.

A reflection for this intention is found here.