Tag: Mystical

PROPHET “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.” In the darkest hour of the darkest century of human existence, one man single-handedly led his country against the forces of an evil empire. Winston Churchill rallied the English and helped them to stand against the Nazi threat, eventually leading England to victory over Germany… Continue reading Jesus: The Prophet – Eric Sammons

We will find it no easy task to achieve holiness through our work, afflicted as it is with two effects of the Fall. First, our weakened natures struggle to carry out our responsibilities—we are lazy and seek pleasure and comfort. To make matters worse, we live surrounded by other fallen creatures, who seek their own… Continue reading Offer Your Work to God

Editor’s note: This article is part 15 of a series, “The Kingdom of Grace.”  Part 14 can be found here.  By his gift of grace, God elevates our humanity so that each of us can live his supernatural and divine Life to some extent, but by the same gift of grace God also works to… Continue reading The Forgiveness of Sins Part 1

I showed a photo of a man dressed in casual clothes to one of our specially gifted people: I said, “What do you see?” She responded, “Who is it?” I said, “I am not going to tell you. What do you see?” She said, “The man is covered with demons. The demons are saying, ‘We… Continue reading Exorcist Diary: Demons Claim a Priest

After prayer and the administration of the sacraments, preaching is the most important work that a priest is called to do. Preaching may be understood as a prophetic task, in which the priest stands in place of Christ and mediates the truths of God to the people to whom he is sent: here, by preaching,… Continue reading The Importance of Preaching – Fr. Ezra Sullivan

Editor’s note: This article is part 16 of a series, “The Kingdom of Grace.”  Part 15 can be found here. Baptism not only washes away personal sins, but also forgives original sin. It forgives original sin both in adults who are baptized and “in tiny infants who have not yet committed personal sin” (CCC 405).… Continue reading The Forgiveness of Sins Part 2

“Man cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself.” So said Vatican II, in words that John Paul II often repeated. Many call this principle the “Law of Gift.” But what is “a sincere gift of self,” and how is it actually possible? I’ve been re-reading John Paul II’s Theology of the… Continue reading The Law of Gift – SpiritualDirection.com

The greatest trials are reserved for the souls most loved. No servant is greater than his master. The whole life of Christ was a cross. So then, all the life of a true servant of God must be on the cross with Christ. Therefore, be of good heart. Ah! Since the sweet Jesus wishes to… Continue reading The Letters of St. Paul of the Cross: ‘A Sacred Silence of Love’

Editor’s note: This article is part 7 of a series, “The Kingdom of Grace.”  Part 6 can be found here.  In his very great goodness and love, God has opened up his own Life to us and called us to share in it. By the gift of his sanctifying grace, given to us in our… Continue reading The Friends of God – SpiritualDirection.com

St. Hildegard of Bingen was a cloistered Catholic nun, a medieval German Benedictine abbess, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary, and a prolific writer on medicine, nutrition, health, and nature who was named a Doctor of the Church in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. When I first came across St. Hildegard in 2019, I was been bewildered… Continue reading St. Hildegard of Bingen – SpiritualDirection.com