Tag: despair

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION

One Minute Reflection – 1 October – “Your sins are forgiven you” 

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One Minute Reflection – 1 October – “Month of the Most Holy Rosary” – Readings: Eccli 36:18, Ps 121:1, 1 Cor. 1:4-8, Matt 9:1-8

Give peace, O Lord, to those who have hoped in You, and let Your Prophets be proved true. Hear the prayers of Your servant, and of Your people Israel.

Eccli 36:18

REFLECTION – Why are you downcast? See. Someone’s hands are fishy; a little oil makes them clean. How much more can God’s compassion purify you. For just as you have no difficulty in washing your garment, in the same way – and even more – it is not difficult for the Lord to wash you clean from all reproach even if each day you naturally have to experience temptation. Indeed, the instant you say: “I have sinned against the Lord”, the response is given you: “Your sins are forgiven”. “It is I who wipe out and remember no more”. “As far as the east is from the west so far has he removed your sins. As a father has compassion on his children, I have had compassion on you”.

Only do not keep away or distance yourself from He who has chosen you to sing and pray, but all your life long remain close to him either through pure confidence or by a holy audacity and courageous confession. The he will hear and purify you. Is he not God who has justified us in his love for human souls? Who will condemn us?. If we invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our conscience is easily purified and nothing separates us from the prophets and other saints.

For God has not destined us for wrath but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us. So whether we are awake in virtue or asleep in some kind of woe or are bearing certain circumstances according to nature, we will live with Christ, turning our eyes towards him, sighing deeply, weeping constantly and only breathing him. Let us then put on the breastplate of faith and wear the helmet of salvation, that the arrows of discouragement and despair may not penetrate us.

John of Karpathos (VII century) monk and bishop

PRAYER – God, our Father, Your promised Your Kingdom to the little ones and the humble of heart. Give us grace to walk confidently in the way of St Bavo of Ghent, so that helped by their prayers, we may see Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 12 May – Concerning the Four Assaults of the Enemy at the Hour of Death. The Second Assault of Despair and its Remedy.

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Thought for the Day – 12 May – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

LXIV: … Concerning the Four Assaults of the Enemy
at the Hour of Death.
The Second Assault of Despair and its Remedy.

“The Second Assault by which the perverse one attempts our destruction, is the terror which he would infuse into our minds at the recollection of our past sins, hoping thereby, to drive us to despair.

In this peril, hold fast to the infallible rule – that the remembrance of your sins is the effect of grace and, is most salutary, if it inspires within your heart, sentiments of humility, compunction and confidence in God’s Mercy.
But, if such recollection creates vexation and despondency, leaving you spiritless from the apparent cogency of the reasons adduced to convince you that you are irrevocably lost, be assured that it has been suggested by the devil.
In such circumstances, humble yourself the more and have greater confidence in God – thus shall you destroy the strategem of the devil, turn his own weapons against himself and give greater glory to God.

It is true, of course, that you should be truly contrite for having offended such Sovereign Goodness, as often as you call to mind your past offences but, as often as you ask pardon, you should have a firm
trust in the Infinite Mercy of Jesus Christ.

I will go further and say that even though God Himself should seem to say, within your heart, that you are not one of His flock, still ,place your confidence in Him; rather say to Him in all humility:
“Thou hast good reason indeed, O Lord,
to condemn me for my sins
but I have greater reason ,in Thy Mercy,
to hope for pardon.
Have pity then, O Lord, on a humble sinner
condemned by his own sinfulness
but redeemed by Thy Blood.
I commit myself entirely to Thy Hands,
O my Redeemer – all my hopes are in Thee,
trusting that in Thine Infinite compassion,
Thou will save me, to the glory of Thy Name.
Do with me as Thou wilt,
for Thou alone art my Lord.
Even though, My Lord,
Thou shouldst destroy me, ever will I hope in Thee!”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli