Charles Williams : The New Christian Year

Whit-Sunday; Day of Pentecost (May 31st, 2009)

Unity is in the Father, equality in the Son, and in the Holy Ghost is the concord of equality and unity.

St. Augustine: On Christian Doctrine.

The Holy Ghost is He whereby the Begotten is loved by the One begetting and love His Begetter.

St. Augustine: On the Trinity.

He loves Himself and every creature by the Holy Ghost, inasmuch as the Holy Ghost proceeds as the love of the primal goodness whereby the Father loves Himself and every creature.

Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica.

A gift is properly an unreturnable giving . . . hence it is manifest that love has the nature of a first gift, through which all free gifts are given.  So since the Holy Ghost proceeds as Love, He proceeds as the first gift.  Gift . . . is the proper name of the Holy Ghost.

Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica.

2nd Saturday after Ascension Day (May 30th, 2009)

If we are to have the nature of Christ regenerated in us, as the life of Adam is born in us; if we are to be like Him in nature as we are like Adam in nature; if we are to be the heavenly sons of the one as we are the earthly sons of the other, then there is an absolute necessity that that which was done and born in the Virgin Mary be also by the same power of the Holy Ghost done and born in us, by a seed of life derived into us from Christ our regenerator.

William Law: Answer to Dr. Trapp.

2nd Friday after Ascension Day (May 29th, 2009)

Let me love Thee so that the honour, riches and pleasures of the world may seem unworthy even of hatred—may be not even encumbrances.

Coventry Patmore: Life.

The righteous man has already done in heaven and in earth all that he has willed to do and therein he is like God.

Eckhart: The Book of Benedictus.

Thursday after Ascension Day (May 28th, 2009)

Two things make our delight pure.  One is turning of sensuality to the skill [intelligence]; for when any is turning to delight of his five wits [senses], all soon uncleanness enters into his soul.  Another is, that the skill meekly be used in ghostly things, as in meditations and orisons, and looking in holy books.  Therefore the delight that was naught of unordained stirring, and meekly has stirring in Christ, and in which sensuality is turned to skill, all set and used to God, makes a man's soul in rest and secureness and aye to dwell in good hope, and to be paid with all God's gifts, without grumbling or heaviness of thought.

Richard Rolle: Desire and Delight.

Wednesday after Ascension Day (May 27th, 2009)

The work is not of persuasive eloquence, but Christianity is a thing of might whenever it is hated by the world.

St. Ignatius: Epistle to the Romans.

Not only do we know God by Jesus Christ alone, but we know ourselves only by Jesus Christ.  We know life and death only through Jesus Christ.  Apart from Jesus Christ, we do no know what is our life, nor our death, nor God, nor ourselves.

Pascal: Pensées.