Search Page
Showing 61 - 80 of 91
Older children deserve to hear the truth: "If you throw away your life - your spiritual life - by immorality, drunkenness, pornography or violence, it will be impossible to regain holiness by your own power. You can then only hope to reach Heaven one day if you receive from God the grace to repent: a grace perhaps brought to you through the prayers and penances of people who care about you.
Whether a person becomes careless about his spiritual life, or deliberately sinful, his soul can become like a neglected garden: unpleasant for God to look upon. That person is loved by God, yet appears horrible, compared with holy souls. It's as stark and tragic a contrast as between a neglected garden, full of rubbish and rotting woodwork, and a renovated garden which has flower-beds, trees, and all sorts of features to delight the eye and to bring peace.
It can happen that a person becomes so despondent about the demands of the Gospel that he begins to blame God, or the Church for what he sees as unfairness; in his rage he might fall, and endanger his spiritual life and his immortal soul. It is important to persevere in prayer for people in difficulty.
Every priest needs a spiritual advisor, 'brother' or director. The spiritual life of a priest can suffer for many reasons; yet on examination, a life is seen to resemble a church which simply needs some cleaning and re-decoration, or might even resemble a church whose foundations have been almost destroyed by termites, and need completely replacing, if the church is not to collapse.
If we have faith in Christ, and a fervent spiritual life, we can become like the healthy mustard-plant that Christ described, in which 'the birds of the air can rest'; but if we have very little faith in Him, and are full of self-pity about our difficulties, resentful of the crosses we carry, and prickly towards our neighbour, we are like a thorn bush amidst all the beauty and life that is seen around us.
Though we do not usually see them, the Saints and Angels are very close to us, urging us on, as we follow the path to Heaven in this dark world. They delight in our successes in the spiritual life. Their companionship is not enjoyed by people who take the wrong path which leads down low, as if into a ditch, as they try to hide their sins from God.
Just as the land which is not watered by spring rains becomes dry, causing subsidence and dangerous lesions in the road, so a spiritual life not fed by the sacraments becomes weak. Those most likely to fall into the pit are those preoccupied by earthly troubles, those careless in their everyday life, and those unable to go to church who sink into depression or despair.
When we begin again in the spiritual life, and by sincere prayer we cross a chasm that separated us in our mediocrity from the climb to sanctity, we should be glad and grateful; but we must not suppose that our difficulties are over. There is still a long way to go before we reach holiness or Heaven. Patience and fortitude are essential.
Some children's books are far too simple. It is often said that children are too young to learn words which Christians have used for centuries about the spiritual life and the sacraments. Yet even young children can remember complicated film-plots, and the names of foreign weapons, and hierarchies. Can they not be helped to learn the correct words for religious matters?
In the spiritual life, we are never stationary. We are either moving closer to God or further away from Him. We either increase our union with Him, or diminish it, by every one of our thoughts, acts, words and choices.
We should try to do everything calmly, trusting in God. If we rush and fuss, as we go about our ordinary activities, we are likely to trip up and make mistakes; and so it is in the spiritual life. If we try to rush ahead, unwilling to do God's Will carefully, and with patience, we are liable to make mistakes, to trip up and make silly decisions.
Some of us imagine that if we have set out on a sinful way of life we can never escape from it - as if we have entered a train that is carrying us away to our doom; but even trains have an emergency cord to pull, if we are brave. And in the spiritual life, we can decide, of our free will, to co-operate with Divine Grace, and to 'stop in our tracks', to change our way.
Stages of the spiritual life - used for a retreat at Ampleforth College
How to know Jesus Christ
Finding Christ, Finding Life: a talk by Elizabeth Wang, given at the French Church, Leicester Square, London, 2006.
INTRODUCTION.
You probably know that I’m an artist. The project I’m busy with,…
Holiness, by Elizabeth Wang
This text is the complete version of the pamphlet entitled 'SPEAK ABOUT HOLINESS'. It is based on a talk given by Elizabeth Wang.
Preface.
This little book contains the full version of the text I …
What is Mary Like? by Elizabeth Wang
This text is the complete version of the pamphlet WHAT IS MARY LIKE?
“Now having met together; they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied,…
The Purpose of the Priesthood, by Elizabeth Wang
‘The Purpose of the Priesthood contains encouragement and advice for Catholic priests. It reminds them about the central meaning of the Priesthood, and about the need to teach the Catholic Faith in it…
How to Pray: Preparation, by Elizabeth Wang
This text is published as Chapter 1 of How to Pray (Part One: Foundations), entitled 'How to Prepare'. An introduction to the life of prayer with much practical advice about how to deepen your prayer…
How to Pray: Perseverance, by Elizabeth Wang
This text is published as Chapter 3 of How to Pray (Part One: Foundations), pages 19-30, entitled 'How to Persevere'. An introduction to the life of prayer with much practical advice about how to deep…
How to Pray: The Mass, by Elizabeth Wang
This text is published as Chapter 4 and 5 of How to Pray (Part One: Foundations), pages 31-38, entitled 'How to Pray the Mass'. An introduction to the life of prayer with much practical advice about h…
Showing 61 - 80 of 91