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Whoso fears the Lord shall not be afraid, and shall not play the coward; For he is his hope. The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach 34:14-17 Therefore, keep your conscience good and you will always enjoy happiness, for a good conscience can bear a great deal and can bring joy even in the midst of adversity. Thomas À Kempis "The Imitation Of Christ" Do not rejoice unless you have done well. Thomas à Kempis "The Imitation Of Christ" The lust of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life lead to love, while the pains and miseries, which are the just consequences of those things, beget hatred and weariness of the world. Vicious pleasure overcomes the soul that is given to the world. She thinks that there are delights beneath these thorns, because she has never seen or tasted the sweetness of God or the internal delight of virtue. They, on the other hand, who entirely despise the world and seek to live for God under the rule of holy discipline, are not ignorant of the divine sweetness promised to those who truly renounce the world. They see clearly how gravely the world errs, and in how many ways it deceives. Thomas à Kempis "The Imitation Of Christ" Use temporal things but desire eternal things. You cannot be satisfied with any temporal goods because you were not created to enjoy them. Even if you possessed all created things you could not be happy and blessed; for in God, Who created all these things, your whole blessedness and happiness consists - not indeed such happiness as is seen and praised by lovers of the world, but such as that for which the good and faithful servants of Christ wait, and of which the spiritual and pure of heart, whose conversation is in heaven, sometime have a foretaste. Thomas à Kempis "The Imitation Of Christ" {17:22} A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 {40:4} Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, and doesn't respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. The Psalms 40:4 Are you in a bad mood? Do some small good deed! Still feeling bad? Do one more good deed! Repeat until the mood improves and you feel joy. The author is anonymous {3:10} For, "He who would love life, and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Peter's First Letter 3:10 For though the fig tree doesn't flourish, nor fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food; the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer's feet, and enables me to go in high places. Didn't your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Wasn't this to know me? says Yahweh. Jeremiah, 22:15-16 I, Yahweh, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah, 17:10 Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, and whose trust Yahweh is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat comes, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah, 17:7-8 Give the person what they need - and they will want amenities. Provide him with amenities - he will strive for luxury. Showered with luxury - he will begin to sigh in exquisite. Let him get exquisite - he will crave frenzy. Give him everything that he wishes - he will complain that he was deceived, and that he did not receive what he wanted. Ernest Hemingway The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. Catechism of the Catholic Church (1733) Don't tell God how big your problem is; tell your problem how big your God is! For our citizenship is in heaven. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 3:20 Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing. The Psalms 34:9-10 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 4:6 Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses concerning Israel. The First Book of Chronicles 22:13 When a man reaches a point where he seeks no solace from any creature, then he begins to relish God perfectly. Then also he will be content no matter what may happen to him. Thomas à Kempis "The Imitation Of Christ" You shall walk in all the way which Yahweh your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess. Deuteronomy 5:33 Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow; because he doesn't fear God. It is a great honor, a great glory to serve You and to despise all things for Your sake. They who give themselves gladly to Your most holy service will possess great grace. They who cast aside all carnal delights for Your love will find the most sweet consolation of the Holy Ghost. They who enter upon the narrow way for Your name and cast aside all worldly care will attain great freedom of mind. O sweet and joyful service of God, which makes man truly free and holy! O sacred state of religious bondage which makes man equal to the angels, pleasing to God, terrible to the demons, and worthy of the commendation of all the faithful! O service to be embraced and always desired, in which the highest good is offered and joy is won which shall remain forever! Thomas à Kempis "The Imitation Of Christ" When you shall have come to the point where suffering is sweet and acceptable for the sake of Christ, then consider yourself fortunate, for you have found paradise on earth. Thomas à Kempis "The Imitation Of Christ" Even if you possessed all created things you could not be happy and blessed; for in God, Who created all these things, your whole blessedness and happiness consists --not indeed such happiness as is seen and praised by lovers of the world, but such as that for which the good and faithful servants of Christ wait, and of which the spiritual and pure of heart, whose conversation is in heaven, sometime have a foretaste. Thomas à Kempis "The Imitation Of Christ" Give not over your soul to sorrow; and afflict not yourself in your own counsel. The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach 30:21-24 We are as happy as we are united with God. So the most important thing you can do in life is to seek saintliness (saintliness is unity with God)... Father Alexander - a Catholic Priest Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever! Deuteronomy 5:29
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