Posted on July 16, 2017 View all news
Laudetur Jesus Christus! Gelobt sei Jesus Christus! Sia lodato Gesù Cristo! Praised be Jesus Christ!
Thank you to those who assisted in anyway with Bible Camp. Your help is truly appreciated as we seek to hand on the Faith to our future generations. Without everyone’s assistance and working together, at home, in the Church, in the world, this would not be possible. Thank you!
As we enter into our summer slow down, we will begin a series of meditations from St. Francis de Sales on the Spiritual Life. St. Francis was the Bishop of Geneva, and the founder of an Oratory in Switzerland. As a spiritual son of St. Philip Neri, St. Francis de Sales has put into writing what St. Philip was unwilling to do during his life, and given life to the Spiritual Life promoted by St. Philip. These selections will be taken from his book “The Introduction to the Devout Life” this is a spiritual classic much loved by generations of Catholics. Please find a reflection on the Sacrament of Penance. Have a blessed week ahead!
“Our Savior has bequeathed the Sacrament of Penitence and Confession to His Church, in order that therein we may be cleansed from all our sins, however and whenever we may have been soiled thereby. Therefore, my child, never allow your heart to abide heavy with sin, seeing that there is so sure and safe a remedy at hand. If the lioness has been in the neighborhood of other beasts she hastens to wash away their scent, lest it should be displeasing to her lord; and so the soul which has ever so little consented to sin, ought to abhor itself and make haste to seek purification, out of respect to His Divine Gaze Who beholds it always. Why should we die a spiritual death when there is a sovereign remedy available?
Make your confession humbly and devoutly every week, and always, if you can, before communicating, even although your conscience is not burdened with mortal sin; for in confession you do not only receive absolution for your venial sins, but you also receive great strength to help you in avoiding them henceforth, clearer light to discover your failings, and abundant grace to make up whatever loss you have incurred through those faults. You exercise the graces of humility, obedience, simplicity and love, and by this one act of confession you practise more virtue than in any other.
Be sure always to entertain a hearty sorrow for the sins you confess, however small they are; as also a steadfast resolution to correct them in future. Some people go on confessing venial sins out of mere habit, and conventionally, without making any effort to correct them, thereby losing a great deal of spiritual good. Supposing that you confess having said something untrue, although without evil consequences, or some careless words, or excessive amusement;– repent, and make a firm resolution of amendment: it is a mere abuse to confess any sin whatever, be it mortal or venial, without intending to put it altogether away, that being the express object of confession.” – St. Francis de Sales