Filipino Woman Carries Family Cross to Safety, like the saying goes, 'A Filipino may lose his valued possessions, but not his Faith in God'. Nov. 6, 1944, Palo, Leyte.
A youth trapped inside a burning ski bar in Switzerland survived in what many are calling a miracle. As the fire ripped through the basement club, exits were blocked and there was “no way out.” According to witness Laetitia Place, her friend couldn’t escape, so “he just sat down and held his cross in his hand.” Flames were spreading fast, people were panicking, but somehow the fire never reached him. “The fire was all around him,” Place said, yet “the fire just avoided him. The fire just didn’t touch him.” Eventually, he managed to break a window and escape alive. Place said she could only thank God. “I just want to thank the Lord for saving me,” she said, while also pleading for others. Many of her friends were injured, hospitalized, or still unaccounted for. The fire broke out around in the basement of Le Constellation, a packed New Year’s Eve venue in the Alpine resort town of Crans-Montana. At least 47 people are believed to have died, with 115 more injured, as the blaze tore …More
"Answer to the fourth and fifth questions. ”As to why self-praise should not be sought, I answer: No one is good in himself, except for me alone, God, and anyone who is good is good through me alone. Therefore, if you who are nothing seek praise for yourself and not for me from whom comes every perfect gift, then your praise is false and you do me, your Creator, an injustice. As all the good things that you have come from me, so all praise should be given to me. And just as I, your God, bestow on you all worldly goods - strength, health, knowledge, and discernment for considering what is to your advantage, and time and life - so too I alone should be glorified in everything, that is, if you make good and rational use of the things given you. However, if you make bad use of them, then the fault is yours and the ingratitude is yours.”
[Saint Bridget of Sweden – XIV Century AD; Uppland, Sweden/Rome, Papal States; Patron Saint of Europe, Widow, Mystic, Spiritual Writer] “Interrogation 7 First question. Again the monk appeared on his ladder as before saying: ”O Judge, I ask you: Why are the words ugly and beautiful used in the world?” Second question. ”Why must I hate the beauty of the world, seeing that I am beautiful and of noble ancestry?” Third question. ”Why should I not exalt myself over others, seeing that I am rich?” Fourth question. ”Why should I not put myself ahead of others, seeing that I am more honorable than others?” Fifth question. ”Why should I not seek my own praise, seeing that I am good and praiseworthy?” Sixth question. ”If I do other people favors, why should I not demand remuneration?” Answer to the first question. The Judge answered: ”Friend, ugly and beautiful in the world are like bitter and sweet. Ugliness of the world, which is adversity and contempt of the world, is like a kind of …More
"And He Himself spoke through the mouth of the Prophet, saying: I AM A WORM, AND NO MAN: A REPROACH OF MEN AND DESPISED OF THE PEOPLE. And He made Himself so small in time that the Jews trod Him under their feet. But they felt Him not; for, had they recognized the Son of God, they had not dared to crucify Him. He is still little and despised in all men's hearts that do not love Him well."
[BLESSED JAN VAN RUYSBROEK – XIII-XIV Century AD; Ruisbroek, Holy Roman Empire/ Groenendael, Holy Roman Empire; Mystic, Spiritual Writer, Doctor Divinus Ecstaticus] “CHAPTER IV ~ OF THE SPARKLING STONE, AND OF THE NEW NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE SECRETS OF GOD AND therefore the Spirit of our Lord speaks thus in the Book of the Secrets of God, which St John wrote down: TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH, He says, that is, to him who overcometh and conquereth himself and all else, WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE HIDDEN MANNA, that is, an inward and hidden savour and celestial joy; AND WILL GIVE HIM A SPARKLING STONE, AND IN THE STONE A NEW NAME WRITTEN WHICH NO MAN KNOWETH SAVING HE THAT RECEIVETH IT. This stone is called a pebble, for it is so small that it does not hurt when one treads on it. This stone is shining white and red like a flame of fire; and it is small and round, and smooth all over, and very light. By this sparkling stone we mean our Lord Christ Jesus, for He is, according to His …More
[Saint Bridget of Sweden – XIV Century AD; Uppland, Sweden/Rome, Papal States; Patron Saint of Europe, Widow, Mystic, Spiritual Writer] “Interrogation 7 First question. Again the monk appeared on his ladder as before saying: ”O Judge, I ask you: Why are the words ugly and beautiful used in the world?” Second question. ”Why must I hate the beauty of the world, seeing that I am beautiful and of noble ancestry?” Third question. ”Why should I not exalt myself over others, seeing that I am rich?” Fourth question. ”Why should I not put myself ahead of others, seeing that I am more honorable than others?” Fifth question. ”Why should I not seek my own praise, seeing that I am good and praiseworthy?” Sixth question. ”If I do other people favors, why should I not demand remuneration?” Answer to the first question. The Judge answered: ”Friend, ugly and beautiful in the world are like bitter and sweet. Ugliness of the world, which is adversity and contempt of the world, is like a kind of …More
"Answer to the fourth and fifth questions. ”As to why self-praise should not be sought, I answer: No one is good in himself, except for me alone, God, and anyone who is good is good through me alone. Therefore, if you who are nothing seek praise for yourself and not for me from whom comes every perfect gift, then your praise is false and you do me, your Creator, an injustice. As all the good things that you have come from me, so all praise should be given to me. And just as I, your God, bestow on you all worldly goods - strength, health, knowledge, and discernment for considering what is to your advantage, and time and life - so too I alone should be glorified in everything, that is, if you make good and rational use of the things given you. However, if you make bad use of them, then the fault is yours and the ingratitude is yours.”
[BLESSED JAN VAN RUYSBROEK – XIII-XIV Century AD; Ruisbroek, Holy Roman Empire/ Groenendael, Holy Roman Empire; Mystic, Spiritual Writer, Doctor Divinus Ecstaticus] “CHAPTER IV ~ OF THE SPARKLING STONE, AND OF THE NEW NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE SECRETS OF GOD AND therefore the Spirit of our Lord speaks thus in the Book of the Secrets of God, which St John wrote down: TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH, He says, that is, to him who overcometh and conquereth himself and all else, WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE HIDDEN MANNA, that is, an inward and hidden savour and celestial joy; AND WILL GIVE HIM A SPARKLING STONE, AND IN THE STONE A NEW NAME WRITTEN WHICH NO MAN KNOWETH SAVING HE THAT RECEIVETH IT. This stone is called a pebble, for it is so small that it does not hurt when one treads on it. This stone is shining white and red like a flame of fire; and it is small and round, and smooth all over, and very light. By this sparkling stone we mean our Lord Christ Jesus, for He is, according to His …More
"And He Himself spoke through the mouth of the Prophet, saying: I AM A WORM, AND NO MAN: A REPROACH OF MEN AND DESPISED OF THE PEOPLE. And He made Himself so small in time that the Jews trod Him under their feet. But they felt Him not; for, had they recognized the Son of God, they had not dared to crucify Him. He is still little and despised in all men's hearts that do not love Him well."
"Behold, this is the sparkling stone which is given to the God-seeing man, and in this stone A NEW NAME IS WRITTEN, WHICH NO MAN KNOWETH SAVING HE THAT RECEIVETH IT. You should know that all spirits in their return towards God receive names; each one in particular, according to the nobleness of its service and the loftiness of its love. For only the first name of innocence, which we receive at baptism, is adorned with the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when we have lost this name of innocence through sin, if we are willing still to follow God—especially in three works which He wishes to work in us—we are baptized once more in the Holy Ghost. And thereby we receive a new name which shall remain with us throughout eternity.”
"And that is why we consider three comings of our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. In the first coming He became man, for man's sake, out of love. The second coming takes place daily, often and many times, in every loving heart, with new graces and with new gifts, as each is able to receive them. The third coming we will see as the coming in the Judgement, or at the hour of death. And in all these comings there are three things to be considered: the reason, the inward way, and the outward work."
[BLESSED JAN VAN RUYSBROEK – XIII-XIV Century AD; Ruisbroek, Holy Roman Empire/ Groenendael, Holy Roman Empire; Mystic, Spiritual Writer, Doctor Divinus Ecstaticus] “CHAPTER II; SHOWING HOW WE SHALL CONSIDER THE COMING OF CHRIST IN THREE WAYS Now, by saying: “The Bridegroom comes,” He shows us further what we will see. Christ, our Bridegroom, spoke this word in Latin: “Venit.” And this word implies two tenses, the past and the present; and yet here it denotes the future too. And that is why we consider three comings of our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. In the first coming He became man, for man's sake, out of love. The second coming takes place daily, often and many times, in every loving heart, with new graces and with new gifts, as each is able to receive them. The third coming we will see as the coming in the Judgement, or at the hour of death. And in all these comings there are three things to be considered: the reason, the inward way, and the outward work. The reason God created the …More
"The first leaf is your nobleness, which is so great that my angels, who are noble before me, when seeing and considering your nobleness, saw that it was above them and more eminent than their holiness and nobleness. You are therefore higher than the angels."
[Saint Bridget of Sweden/ Heliga Birgitta; XIV Century AD: aged 69-70; Uppland, Sweden/Rome, Papal States; Widow, Mystic; Spiritual Writer; Founder; Patroness of Europe] “Chapter 51 ~ The Mother blesses the Son in the hearing of the bride, and about how the glorious Son makes a wonderful comparison of his most sweet Mother to a flower that grew in a valley but rose up over mountains. The Mother of God spoke to her Son and said: “Blessed be your name, my Son Jesus Christ, and all honor to your Manhood above all that is created! Glory to your Divinity above all good things, which are one God with your Manhood!” The Son answered: “My Mother, you are like a flower that grew in a valley. Around the valley there were five high mountains, and the flower grew out of three roots with a straight stem without any knots. This flower had five leaves that were filled with all sweetness. The valley with its flower grew above these five mountains, and the leaves of the flower spread themselves above …More