Charles Williams : The New Christian Year

The highest, the only proof of love, is to love our adversary.

St. Gregory the Great, quoted in Aquinas: Catena Aurea.

6th Thursday after Trinity

Whoever has admitted this tyranny of pride within suffers this loss first of all, that from the eyes of his heart being closed, he loses the equitableness of judgement.  For even all the good doings of others are displeasing to him and the things which he has done, even amiss, alone please him.  He always looks down on the doings of others, he always admires his own doings; because whatever he has done he believes he has done with singular skill; and for that which he performs for desire of glory, he favours himself in his thought; and when he thinks he surpasses others in all things, he walks with himself along the broad spaces of his thought and silently utters his own praises.

St. Gregory the Great: On the Book of Job.

4th Tuesday after Trinity

Many things seem to be good and yet are not, because they be not done with a good mind and intention; and therefore our Saviour saith in the Gospel, If thy eye has naught, all thy body shall be dark.  For when the intention is wicked, all the work with followeth is naught, although it  seemed to be never so good.

St. Gregory the Great: Dialogues.

Whitsun-Week Wednesday

The grace of the Holy Ghost is not bound to any law.

St. Gregory the Great: Dialogues.

Easter Week Tuesday

. . . Whereas now their souls (of just men) be only in heaven, at the day of judgement this further increase of joy shall they have, that their bodies also shall be partakers of eternal bliss, and they shall in their flesh receive joy.

St. Gregory the Great: Dialogues.

  Whoever has admitted this tyranny of pride within suffers this loss first of all, that from the eyes of his heart being closed, he loses the equitableness of judgement.  For even all the good doings of others are displeasing to him and all the things which he has done, even amiss, alone please him.  He always looks down on the doings of others, he always admires his own doings; because whatever he has done he believes he has done with singular skill; and for that which he performs for desire of glory, he favors himself in his thought; and when he thinks he surpasses others in all things, he walks with himself along the broad spaces of his thought and silently utters his own praises.

St. Gregory the Great: On the Book of Job.

26th Friday after Trinity (Nov. 25th, 2005)

Assure yourself . . . that all creatures be, as it were, nothing to that soul which beholdeth the Creator: for though it see but a glimpse of that light which is in the Creator, yet very small do all things seem that be created; for by means of that supernatural light, the capacity of the inward soul is enlarged, and is in God so extended, that it is far above the world: yea, and the soul of him that seeth in this manner is also above itself; for being rapt up in the light of God it is inwardlyin itself enlarged above itself, and when it is so exalted and looketh downward, then doth it comprehend how little all that is, which before in former baseness it could not comprehend.

St. Gregory the Great: Dialogues.