Category: Words of Wisdom

“Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring. Imaginary good is boring; real good is always new, marvelous, intoxicating.” – Simone Weil

Try to see things for what they really are, not for what they appear to be. There are some things which appear to be good but are indeed evil. And there are some things that appear to be bad, but are truly good for you.

Evil often wears a mask. It deceives us into thinking it is always pleasurable and always to our benefit. While it may be pleasurable, it gives us a lie, because whatever pleasure it can give us is only temporary, it could never last.

On the other hand, the reason why we fail to see the true face of goodness is that we fail to develop the spiritual eyes to see it. For so long, we have been accustomed to seeing only what’s corruptible and fleeting that our eyes are strained once we begin to look at what’s truly beautiful and eternal.

With prayer however, we can be granted the eyes to see what’s beautiful and true. With God’s grace, our spiritual eyes can be purified so we can see what’s pure.

Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one. “For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him?” But we have Christ’s mind. – 1 Corinthians 2:14-16, WEB-BE

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7, KJV

It takes a lot of courage to face life. To continuously perform our obligations, to face the loss of people we value so much, to undergo excruciating physical and emotional pain – these are just some of the problems that wrench our hearts and tempt us to seek means of alleviation and escape.

Some find their escape in bad habits. Some find it in illusions. Some try to find it in people who only fail them one after the other.

There are some however, who, instead of trying to escape, try their very best to face the challenges coming their way. They too, know their weaknesses, and they too, fear much the problems and sufferings coming their way.

But deep within them, they know they couldn’t just give up. Deep within them, they know that though the struggle wouldn’t be easy, there is no other option but to fight and carry on. Why? Because the urge to love has become in them more important than the urge to escape. Because more than their fear of pain or suffering, they fear of love being extinguished from their hearts.

Thus, though they frightened, they gain courage. Though they fall, they rise again. They choose hope instead of despair. They choose life instead of escaping it.

Fill your hearts then with as much love as it can contain. Consider not yourselves alone but others who need you and care for you. Consider God Himself who goes with you through your darkest sufferings. You are never alone, never unloved. Fear not your weaknesses. If you have much love, you will also have much strength.

“Faced with today’s problems and disappointments, many people will try to escape from their responsibility. Escape in selfishness, escape in sexual pleasure, escape in drugs, escape in violence, escape in indifference and cynical attitudes. I propose to you the option of love, which is the opposite of escape.”- Pope John Paul II

“Love, in its own nature, demands the perfecting of the beloved.”- C.S. Lewis

Let others help you. You give honor to others not only by taking care of them, but by allowing them to take care of you.

Love, if it is indeed love, desires the good of the beloved. This good however doesn’t only mean sparing our loved ones from pain, but believing in them enough that they can have the courage to bear it when necessary.

Love sees the beloved not only as a recipient of one’s affections but as someone who is also capable of giving affection generously.

Love desires to transform the beloved into the best one could ever be. This is the kind of love that trusts and uplifts. This is a love that is humble. It is not puffed up with one’s generosity alone but sees and desires to develop the generosity of the beloved.

He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts which they receive from us. For this service you perform not only meets the needs of God’s people, but also produces an outpouring of gratitude to God. – 2 Corinthians 9:11-12, GNT

“We cannot take a single step towards heaven.
It is not In our power to travel in a vertical direction.
If however we look heavenward for a long time, God comes and takes us up.
He raises us easily.”
-Simone Weil

Let God console you. Let His be the arms you run to in your time of need. For once, try to put your concerns upon His hands instead of holding them with your own. Seek not your consolation upon futile things or fragile people. Seek comfort in the heart of Him who truly knows how to love.

Fear not your momentary sorrow. Worry not for the emptiness you may feel. After you empty your heart of things that only fail you, you shall be filled with the sweetness you truly seek.

So be still and run away no more. Shut the door until the noise of the world is gone. In prayer and silence shall your strength be. And in a gentle whisper, you will hear the voice of God.

“You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence.” -Isaiah 30:15 WEB

“Patience is power.
Patience is not an absence of action;
rather it is “timing”
it waits on the right time to act,
for the right principles
and in the right way.”
-Fulton J. Sheen

Patience is the strength of a man with purpose. He does not fear of being drawn away from his dreams because he knows that achieving them is only a matter of time. He is neither worrisome nor quick tempered. He knows that these things will only hinder him from reaching his heart’s true desires.

Rather than be troubled, he waits patiently for the right time. He saves his strength for the right moment. He inspires himself each day so he won’t give up just when he is about to reach his dreams.

He works without grumbling, but cheerfully while perfecting his skills. He doesn’t give in to temptations to take a quick route or a quick fix when such things will yield only temporary results.

Patience guides us to the right path and takes us away from thieves that take away the harvest we desire to reap.

“Put it in writing, because it is not yet time for it to come true. But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true. It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed.” – Habakkuk 2:3, GNT