Charles Williams : The New Christian Year

Sexagesima Monday (February 28th, 2011)

What is Sexagesima?

Human nature, even though it summed not, could not shine by its own strength simply; for it is not naturally light, but only a recipient of it; it is capable of containing wisdom, but is not wisdom itself.

Origen: Homilies.

How could we know what God wants to do with us when we cannot even know what we are nor who we are?

Léon Bloy: Letters to his Fiancée.

Sexagesima Sunday (February 27th, 2011)

What is Sexagesima?

The soul cannot enter into the night of itself, because no one is able of his own strength to empty his heart of all desires, so as to draw near unto God.

St. John of the Cross: Ascent of Mount Carmel.

In all our deaths, and deadly calamities of this life, we may justly hope of a good issue from Him: and all our periods and transitions in this life, are so many passages from death to death.

John Donne: Sermons.

Septuagesima Saturday (February 26th, 2011)

What is Septugaesima?

It is not in the power of the devil to do so much harm, as God can do good; nay, we may be bold to say, it is not in the will, not in the desire of the devil to do so much harm, as God would do good.

John Donne: Sermons.

Believe me, by God's help, we shall advance more by contemplating the Divinity than by keeping our eyes fixed on ourselves, poor creatures of earth that we are.

St. Teresa of Avila: The Interior Castle.

Septuagesima Friday (February 25th, 2011)

What is Septugaesima?

Prayers negligently performed draw a curse, but not prayers weakly performed.  The former is, when one can do better and will not; the latter is, when one would do better, but, alas! he cannot: and such failings, as they are his sins, so they are his sorrows also: pray, therefore faintly, that thou mayest pray fervently; pray weakly, that thou mayest pray strongly.

Thomas Fuller: A Wounded Conscience.

It is well enough known that Christ constantly uses the expression 'follower'; He never says anything about wanting admirers, admiring worshippers, adherents; and when he uses the expression 'disciples,' He always so explains it that we can perceive that followers are meant.

Søren Kierkegaard: Training in Christianity.

Septuagesima Thursday (February 24th, 2011)

What is Septugaesima?

God has not bound up man's salvation with any given way.  What one way has, what possibilities, with these God has furnished all good ways without exception, for one good never clashes with another, and by the same token people ought to realize that they do wrong to say, when they come across or hear about some admirable person, that because he does not use their way it is all labor lost: they dislike his method, so they decry as well his virtues and intentions.

Eckhart: In Collationibus.

Septugaesima Wednesday (February 23rd, 2011)

What is Septugaesima?

It is written, "Tha Angel who spake in me."  And yet there is a difference even here.  The Angel is in us suggesting what is good, not bestowing it: stimulating us to goodness, not creating goodness.  God is so in us as to give the grace and infuse it into us; or rather, so in us that He Himself is infused and partaken of, so that one need not fear to say that He is one with our substance.  For you know, "He that is joined unto God is one spirit."  The Angle is in the soul as a comrade, God as life.

St. Bernard: On Consideration.