SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN
Job, Chapter 41, Verse 25
Upon the earth there
is none like him, he was made FEARLESS.
Was Job born fearless or did his trial and faith make
him fearless? I think we all can be fearless if we trust.
Do Not
Let Doubts Eclipse Your Faith[1]
·
2 Timothy 4:17 – Live as
a FEARLESS witness.
“But
the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be
preached fully through me…”
·
Psalm 125:1-2 – Live FEARLESS
because you are surrounded by God.
“Those
who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides
forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people,
from this time forth and forever.”
·
1 Timothy 6:11-12
– Fight the good fight of faith FEARLESSLY.
“But
you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on
eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession
in the presence of many witnesses.”
·
John 16:13-14 – Live FEARLESSLY
guided by the Spirit.
“However,
when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for
He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak;
and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify me, for He will take of
what is mine and declare it to you.”
·
Isaiah 45:3 – Live FEARLESSLY
called by God.
“I
will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so
that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by
your name.”
·
Philippians 1:6 – Live FEARLESSLY
finishing the work of Christ.
“For
I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will
perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
·
Psalm 40:2 – FEARLESSLY walk
along the path God has established.
“He
also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet
upon a rock, and established my steps.”
·
Isaiah 44:8 – Live FEARLESSLY
trusting God as your Rock.
“Do
not fear nor be afraid. Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?
You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is no other
Rock; I know not one.”
·
Psalm 91:4-5 – Live FEARLESSLY under
the provision of God.
“He
shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler, you shall not be afraid of the terror
by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day.”
·
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 –
Be strong – FEARLESSLY.
“Watch,
stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with
love.” When you believe in truth and remember the promises of God, fear takes a back seat. Sure, it’s a process. And sure,
you’re still human so fear may not totally be gone until the glory days in the
kingdom. But work on believing. Work on trusting. Work on hiding these words in
your heart so that the impact of Christ is greater than
your fear.
St. Bridget of Sweden[2]-
St. Bridget received visions
of Christ’s suffering many times throughout her life.
Book 1
The words of our Lord Jesus Christ
to His chosen and dearly beloved bride, Saint Bridget, about the proclamation
of His most holy Incarnation and the rejection, desecration and abandonment of
our faith and baptism, and how He bids His beloved bride and all Christian
people to love Him.
Chapter 1
“I am the Creator of
the heavens and the earth, one in Divinity with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
I am the one who spoke to the patriarchs and the prophets and the one whom they
awaited. For the sake of their longing and in agreement with my promise, I
assumed flesh without sin and concupiscence, by entering the womb of the Virgin
like the sun shining through the clearest gem. For just as the sun does not
damage the glass by entering it, likewise the virginity of the Virgin was not
lost when I assumed Manhood. I assumed flesh in such a way that I did not have
to forsake my Divinity, and I was no less God - with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, governing and upholding all things - although I was in the womb of the
Virgin in my human nature. Just as brightness is never separated from fire, so
too, my Divinity was never separated from my Humanity, not even in death.
Thereafter I allowed
my pure and sinless body to be wounded from the foot to the head, and to be
crucified for all the sins of mankind. That same body is now offered each day
on the altar so that mankind might love me more and remember my great deeds
more often. But now I am totally forgotten, neglected, despised, and expelled
as a king is from his own kingdom and in whose place the most wicked robber has
been elected and honored.
I have indeed wanted
my kingdom to be within man, and by right I should be King and Lord over him,
for I made him and redeemed him. However, now he has broken and desecrated the
faith which he promised me in his baptism, and he has broken and spurned my
laws and commandments which I prescribed and revealed to him. He loves his own
will and refuses to hear me. In addition, he exalts the most wicked robber, the
devil, above me and has given him his faith. The devil really is a robber,
since he steals for himself, by way of evil temptations, bad councils, and
false promises, the human soul that I redeemed with my blood. But he does not
do this because he is mightier than me; for I am so mighty that I can do all
things with a word, and so just, that even if all the saints asked me, I would
not do the least thing against justice.
But, since man, who
has been given free will, willfully rejects my commandments and obeys the
devil, it is only right that he also experiences his tyranny and malice. This
devil was created good by me, but fell by his own wicked will, and has become,
so to speak, my servant for inflicting vengeance on the workers of evil.
Yet, even though I
am now so despised, I am still so merciful that whoever prays for my mercy and
humbles himself in amendment shall be forgiven his sins, and I shall save him
from the evil robber - the devil. But to those who continue despising me, I
shall visit my justice upon them, so that those hearing it will tremble, and
those who feel it will say: “Woe, that we were ever conceived or born! Woe, that
we ever provoked the Lord of majesty to wrath!”
But you, my
daughter, whom I have chosen for myself, and with whom I now speak in spirit:
love me with all your heart - not as you love your son or daughter or parents,
but more than anything in the world - since I, who created you, did not spare
any of my limbs in suffering for your sake! Yet, I love your soul so dearly
that, rather than losing you, I would let myself be crucified again, if it were
possible. Imitate my humility; for I, the King of glory and of angels, was
clothed in ugly, wretched rags and stood naked at the pillar and heard all
kinds of insults and ridicule with my own ears. Always prefer my will before
your own, because my Mother, your Lady, has, from the beginning to the end,
never wanted anything but what I wanted.
If you do this, then
your heart shall be with my heart, and it will be inflamed by my love in the
same way that anything dry becomes rapidly inflamed by fire. Your soul shall be
so inflamed and filled with me, and I will be in you, so that everything
worldly becomes bitter to you and all fleshly lusts like poison. You will rest
in the arms of my Divinity, where no fleshly desires exist, but only spiritual
delight and joy which fill the delighted soul with happiness - inwardly and
outwardly - so that it thinks of nothing and desires nothing but the joy which
it possesses. So love me alone, and you will have all the things you want, and
you will have them in abundance. Is it not written that the oil of the widow
did not decrease until the day the rain was sent to earth by God according to
the words of the prophet? I am the true prophet! If you believe my words and
follow and fulfill them, the oil - joy and jubilation - shall never decrease
for you for all eternity.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s words to
his daughter - whom He now had taken as His bride - about the articles of the
true faith, and about what kind of adornments, tokens and desires the bride
must have in order to please the bridegroom.
Fitness Friday-Sleeping Workout
Recognizing
that God, the Father created man on Friday the 6th day I
propose in this blog to have an entry that shares on how to recreate and renew
yourself in strength, mind, soul and heart.
Having trouble
sleeping? Try some light catholic reading.
“The
reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of the past
centuries.” This quote is by the famous philosopher Descartes.
Although I am not a fan of everything Descartes has to say, I don’t think
he’s too far off here. Reading a good book by a good author is
indeed like having a conversation with them. By reading their book you’re
looking into their mind, experiencing their world, and learning their wisdom.
In my opinion there are no greater people to have “conversations” with through
their writing than Catholic saints. Catholic saints have written some of
the most beautiful literature which inspires, educates, encourages, and informs
us how to live a holy and happy life. Here is a list of ten classic Catholic books which any and every Catholic
should read at some point in their life.
*If
you’re not much of a reader, or if you don’t have much free time to pick up a
book, many of these classic Catholic books have audio book versions.
·
The Imitation of Christ by St. Thomas a Kempis
·
Diary of Saint Maria Faustina
Kowalska by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska
·
Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross
·
The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila
·
The Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux
·
An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
·
City of God by St. Augustine
·
Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas
·
The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila
·
The Confessions by St. Augustine
As you
can tell, this list of great Catholic books by wonderful Catholic saints is in
no particular order. These are just 10 of the many Catholic books written
by wonderful saints who have so much timeless wisdom to share. Who
wouldn’t want to have a conversation with any of these wonderful saints?
What books would you add to this list of classic Catholic books?
What does your favorite classic Catholic books list look like?
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End
to abortion
·
Iceman’s Total
Consecration to Mary-Day 28
·
Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day 10
·
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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