Purity of Intention: Shortcut to Sainthood — So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God — 1 Corinthians 10:31 The Real Secret One of the great secrets of the spiritual life is “purity of intention.” Adolphe Tanquerey says that purity of intention is the most effective and practical means of sanctification…

Resist the Devil — “We are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12). Your problem is not with other people. The struggle is against the devil and his…

The Power of “Krypte Melete” or “Hidden Meditation” — Athletic Metaphors in Christian Thought Saint Paul the Apostle uses athletic metaphors to describe the Christian life. The apostle writes of the spiritual life in terms of running a race or boxing in a boxing match (1 Cor. 9:26). In the Christian tradition, we use the term ascesis from the Greek word for athletic “exercise”…

He Who Does Not Pray is Damned — Saint Alphonsus — Apart from Me, You Can Do Nothing — Jesus (John 15:5) Without special help from God, it is impossible to live a holy life and remain in the state of grace. Our human nature has been damaged by the Fall of our first parents and by our own sins. …

Endure Trials With Faith and Patience — Bear your illnesses, sorrows, and tragedies with faith and patience. Believe that God knows what He is doing and that there is a good reason for what you suffer and endure. Once we are in heaven, we will understand our suffering in light of the infinite wisdom of God, but…

Ask and it Will be Given to You— Matthew 7:7 — God promises to hear and answer prayer, but there are times, we have to admit, that prayer goes unanswered. There are reasons for this. 1. Doubt and Unbelief First, there is the problem of unbelief. In eight miracles that Jesus Christ performed in the Gospels, He states that the recipient received their miracle because…

Worry = Sin — “A mole burrowing in the earth is blind and cannot see the stars; and he who does not trust God in temporal things will not trust Him in eternal things.” — Saint Mark the Ascetic Jesus Does Not Appreciate Worry Worrying is a sin. Prayer is the antidote to worry. In the Sermon on the…

Moving the Truth from Head to Heart — Meditation is using your faculties of memory, reason, and imagination to concentrate on truths of the faith so that they take deep root in your heart and mind. You may have read profound spiritual books or pamphlets or heard enlightening sermons. Still, everything read or heard is forgotten, and the…

Pray for the Lost — Only One-Third Have Heard The United Nations estimates that the world population is around seven billion. There are approximately 2.3 billion self-professed Christians in the world. Such statistics are a cause for concern. Only about one-third of the world’s population knows the good news about Jesus Christ. Only around 33% know that “God so…