Purifying Prayer

'Since prayer
places our intellect
in the brilliance
of God's light
and exposes our will
to the warmth
of His heavenly love,
nothing else
so effectively
purifies our intellect
of ignorance
and our will
of depraved affections.
It is a stream
of holy water
that flows forth
and makes the plants
of our good designs
grow green and flourish,
and quenches
the passions
within our hearts.'

St. Francis de Sales







Painting: Thomas Moran, 
Mountain of the Holy Cross
(the cross is in original - 
it is NOT a Photoshopped alteration!)


LATE BREAKING BLOG NEWS:  
The Breadbox Letters has been nominated for a Sheenazing award.   This has come as a complete surprise.  I now know what people mean when they say it is a privilege simply to be nominated for thus-and-so.  There is no 'simply' to it; it is a genuine honor to be listed on the same page with such truly exceptional bloggers.  The Breadbox Letters is in the category of Most Inspiring Blog.  Anyone can vote by clicking here. Voting continues until Monday.

This is especially timely for me, as today is the feast of the patron of Catholic writers.  Over twenty years ago, I took this saint as my personal patron as well.  St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.