From Miroslav Volf (April 30, 2004):
The essence of Christian life, of faithful life is keeping God at the center of everything we do. If we do this, if we keep God at the center of everything we do, we will succeed in our highest aspirations despite all our limitations, all the obstacles before us, all the challenges in the world around us. But if we fail in this, if we fail to keep God at the center of everything we do, we will fail in our highest aspirations notwithstanding all our strengths and capacities.
From Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath (July 28, 2005):
The solution of mankind’s most vexing problems will not be found in renouncing technical civilization, but in attaining some degree of independence from it.
2004
From For the Love of God: Take a Day Off!" in The Christian Century, (May 2, 2004) at pages 1-2:
April Zogby International University of Rochester Public Opinion Poll: Survey American Catholics: what do they most want in their lives? Survey says: Time with their family. Survey American Protestants: what do they most want in their lives? Survey says: Time with their family. [Used in “For the Love of God: Take a Day Off!” May 2, 2004 at pp.
1-2.] RefMgr field[18]: For the Love of God: Take a Day Off!
2004
From Harold Masback, Much More Than a Death - Much More Than a Resurrection" (April 11, 2004) at pages 7-8:
It had been six months since her baby boy had died. A devasting, soul-numbing, faith-shaking loss. In one long horrible afternoon of loss easy assumptions about God and hope and love had been shattered. She felt cut off, abandoned by God in a place so black she couldn’t face the prospect of even holding another baby. And yet, here she was on her way to a baby shower she couldn’t duck, dreading the risk that someone would unknowingly thrust a baby into her arms. Stopping at Target along the way, Kate was in the crowded women’s room washing her hands. Just one woman among ten at the washbasins as the door flew open and a strange woman burst into the room, a baby in her arms and a tell-tale urgency in her eyes. Not even glancing at the other nine women, she marched straight at Kate. And as the “please no, please no’s” cascaded futilely though Kate’s mind, the woman shoved the baby into her arms, disappearing into a stall with nothing more than a “Hold my baby. I have to go.” Anguish, panic, and a sudden deep realization: “Ok God, I get it, it’s not my baby. And then tears. Sidelong glances up and down the basins, “What’s wrong, honey?” “You don’t understand. This is the first time I’ve held a baby since mine died six months ago. Why did she shove him at me?” And suddenly, they were a knot of 10 total strangers, group hugging and crying together in Target’s washroom. Damp cheeks pressed against Kate’s and a whisper in her ear. “You were chosen. She chose you. God wanted you to heal.” Christ’s love reaching out to her through strangers. As she left the store for the baby shower, Kate knew God was with her. She knew she was loved. He had given her the hope to live. God had taught her to find joy, even in the midst of death.
From Dame Julian, Meditations, at p. 115
God did not say: ‘You will not be tempted. You will not labor hard. You will not be troubled.’ But God did say: ‘You will not be overcome.’
From Julian Dame:
All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well. RefMgr field[18]: Much More Than a Death – Much More Than a Resurrection
2004
From Harold Masback, Much More Than Death - Much More Than a Resurrection" (April 11, 2004) at page 3:
From a Greeting Card: Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.
From Unkown, St. Anselm's Prayer":
O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire thee with our whole heart; that so desiring, we may seek, and seeking, find thee; and so finding thee, may love thee; and loving thee, may hate those since from which thou has redeemed us.