..."I need grace to be pure. The will to be pure is necessary as well, but it is not enough. I must understand that or I shall not be chaste. And I must pray for that grace daily."
...Temperance is another cardinal virtue: we can be temperate in the use of our imagination, by not letting it gallop as fast as it would wish; we can be temperate with our eyes, temperate with our mouth – some people constantly have something sweet and pleasant in their mouth; we can be temperate with our ears, not allowing them to listen to useless songs and conversation; temperate in smelling – some people perfume themselves to such a degree as to make those about them sick; temperate with the hands – some people are always washing them when it is hot, and handling things that are soft to the touch.... In short, we can practice temperance with our whole body, this poor machine, by not letting it run away like a horse without bit or bridle, but checking it and keeping it down. Some people lie buried there, in their beds; they are glad not to sleep, that they may the better feel how comfortable they are. The saints were not like that. I do not know how we are ever to get where they are.... Well! if we are saved, we shall stay infinitely long in Purgatory, while they will fly straight to Heaven to see the good God.Read this in its entirety at Day 20: March 8, 2010
That great saint, St. Charles Borromeo, had in his apartment a fine cardinal's bed, which everybody saw; but, besides that, there was one which nobody could see, made of bundles of wood; and that was the one he made use of. He never warmed himself; when people came to see him, they remarked that he placed himself so as not to feel the fire. That is what the saints were like. They lived for Heaven, and not for earth; they were all heavenly; and as for us, we are all earthly. Oh, how I like those little mortifications that are seen by nobody, such as rising a quarter of an hour sooner, rising for a little while in the night to pray! but some people think of nothing but sleeping. There was once a solitary who had built himself a royal palace in the trunk of an oak tree; he had placed thorns inside of it, and he had fastened three stones over his head, so that when he raised himself or turned over he might feel the stones or the thorns. And we, we think of nothing but finding good beds, that we may sleep at our ease...
Without a strict observance of the fundamental Code of Honor [cf., that a gentleman does not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do], no man, no matter how ‘polished’, can be considered a gentleman. The honor of a gentleman demands the inviolability of his word, and the incorruptibility of his principles. He is the descendant of the knight, the crusader; he is the defender of the defenseless and the champion of justice… or he is not a Gentleman.
A Gentleman…
…Does not discuss his family affairs in public or with acquaintances.
…Does not speak more than casually about his girlfriend.
…Does not go to a lady’s house if he is affected by alcohol. He is temperate in the use of alcohol.
…Does not lose his temper; nor exhibit anger, fear, hate, embarrassment, ardor, or hilarity in public...
Because God made us in His image, we are fundamentally attractive to him and to each other...From as far back as I can remember, my mother would teach us about modesty in dress. She would often mention that when she was growing up in Peru, any woman who went up to Holy Communion wearing a sleeveless dress would be denied Holy Communion by the priest.
Immodest attire is attractive, and the more immodest the attire, the more powerful the attraction. They way you dress sends powerful signals. It is important to be aware of the message you are sending and who you are attracting.
As a check, ask yourself, "How would my choice of clothing be perceived by my Heavenly Parents..by my earthly parents...by someone with unchecked lustful thoughts."
As Christians, we have a responsibility for the souls of others, and we are obligated not to place others in the near occasion of sin. Charity requires that we pay particular attention to this grave responsibility in a matter as serious as sexual attraction. Sexual sin often begins with an unchecked lustful thought. Lustful thoughts often lead to more serious sin...Quoted excerpts from World Apostolate of Fatima Spiritual Guide for the Salvation of Souls and World Peace.
...In this world which is increasingly filled with immodesty leading to serious sin and the loss of salvation for many poor souls, we are all called upon to exercise prudence and charity, beginning with ourselves, whether we refrain from being a means of temptation or whether we take steps to control our eyes and imagination. As we have shown, what the world considers proper clothing is many times far short of what a modest Christian should want to wear. It is up to each of us to consider prayerfully our standard of dress.
Where souls are concerned, it is always better to err or n the side of charity and modesty.
I understood too that the love of our Lord is revealed in the simplest soul who offers no resistance to His grace as well as in the most sublime soul. In fact, since the essence of love is humility, if all souls were like those of the learned saints who have illuminated the Church by the light of their teaching, it would seem as if God would not have very far to descend in coming to their hearts. But He has created the baby who knows nothing and whose only utterance is a feeble cry; He has created people who have only the law of nature to guide them; and it is their hearts that He deigns to come down to, those are His flowers of the field whose simplicity delights him. In coming down in that way the good God proves His infinite greatness.
Just as the sun shines at the same time on cedar trees and on each little flower as if it was the only one on earth, so our Lord takes special care of each soul as if it was His only care.
Parents are often obliged to correct their children over and over again - about the same thing. They would really prefer not to have to do it, but if they didn’t they would be guilty of sinning by omission. Priests feel the same way. One of the things that we often have to correct people about is the use of immodest clothing.Also, on the topic of modesty, Sue shared an online petition started by Colleen Hammond calling for modesty
Dressing Immodestly Is A Sin
Whoever you may be who still desire the first place here—go and sit in the last place. Do not be lifted up by pride, inflated by knowledge, elated by nobility, but the greater you are, the more you must humble yourself in every way, and you will find grace with God. In His own time He will say to you: "Friend, go up higher," and then you will be honored by all who sit at table with you.Bruno of Segni ( died 1123 AD, bishop of Segni, great commentator on scripture who helped Pope Gregory VII in his reform of the Church.
Moses sat in the last place whenever he had the choice. When the Lord, wishing to send him to the Israelites, invited him to take a higher place, his answer was: I beg you, Lord, send someone else. I am not a good speaker. It was the same as saying: "I am not worthy of so great an office."
Saul, too, was of small account in his own eyes when the Lord made him king. And Jeremiah, similarly, was afraid of rising to the first place: "Ah, Lord God," he said, "look, I cannot speak—I am only a child."
In the Church, then, the first seat, or the highest place, is to be sought not by ambition but by humility; not by money but by holiness.
Saint Thomas Aquinas lists four kinds of modesty in ordinary matters, that are obligatory for everybody:Fr. John Hardon: The Meaning of Virtue of St. Thomas Aquinas
One is the movement of the mind towards some excellence, and this is moderated by humility.
The second is the desire of things pertaining to knowledge, and this is moderated by studiousness which is opposed to curiosity.
The third regards bodily movements and actions (including words), which require to be done becomingly and honestly, whether we act seriously or in play.
The fourth regards outward show, for instance in dress and the like.
It was pride that caused the fall of Lucifer and Adam. If you should ask me what are the ways of God, I would tell you that the first is humility, the second is humility, and the third is still humility. Not that there are no other precepts to give, but if humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts are fruitless.- St. Augustine of Hippo
I knew nothing; I was nothing. For this reason God picked me out.- St. Catherine Laboure
In order to banish this plague of vainglory far from my children, I do ask you and their mother and all their friends to sing this song to them, and go on singing it, drive it into their heads that vainglory is despicable and to be spit upon, and that there is nothing more sublime than the humble modesty so often praised by Christ.- St. Thomas More
Humility is like a pair of scales; the lower one side falls, the higher rises the other. Let us humble ourselves like the Blessed Virgin and we shall be exalted.- St. John Vianney
True humility does not make a show of itself and hardly speaks in a humble way. It not only wants to conceal all other virtues but most of all it wants to conceal itself. If it were lawful to lie, dissemble, or scandalize our neighbor, humility would perform arrogant, haughty actions so that it might b concealed beneath them and live completely hidden and unknown.- St. Francis de Sales
Not to feel pleased at being praised is, I am afraid, what has never happend to any man.- St. John Chrysostom
In order to become an instrument in God's hands we must be of no account in our own eyes.- St. Angela Merici
When we do something we dislike, let us say to God: 'May God, I offer you this in honor of the moment when you died for me.'- St. John Vianney
He, the most beatific and most joyful, did make Himself most wretched in order that through His infinite suffering He might redeem man and save him from everlasting and unspeakable pain.- Blessed Angela of Foligno
I will attempt day by day to break my will into little pieces. I want to do God's holy will, not my own.- Gabriel Possenti
I thank God that now when I preach I shall be able to say instead of 'dear brethren,' 'my fellow lepers.- Blessed Damien of Moloka'i
Christ one day said to St. John of the Cross, 'John, what recompense dost thou ask for thy labors?' He answered: 'Lord, I ask no other recompense than to suffer and be condemned for Thee."- John of the Cross
I began to understand that the love of the sacred Heart without a spirit of sacrifice is but empty illusion.- Bl. Maria Droste Zu Vischering
It's a form of trade, you see. I ask God for souls, and pay him by giving up everything else.- St. John Bosco
How terrible, I thought, that no act of love is ever made in hell! And I told God that I was ready to go there myself, if it pleased him to contrive, in that way, that for all eternity there would be one loving soul in that abode of blasphemy.- St. Therese of Lisieux
Obedience is the only virtue that implants the other virtues in the heart and preserves them after they have been so implanted.- St. Gregory I The Great
Obedience is the mortification of the members while the mind remains alive. Obedience is unquestioned movement, death freely accepted, a simple life, danger faced without worry, an unprepared defense before God, fearlessness before death, a safe voyage, a sleeper's journey. Obedience is the sepulcher of the will and the resurrection of lowliness.- St. John Climacus
If you are ordered to eat meat, be extremely careful not to make the slightest resistance to obedience, for you will render more honor to God by eating flesh meat through obedience than by fasting on bread and water of your own volition.- St. John Eudes
If you begin to grieve at this, to judge your superior, to murmur in your heart, even though you outwardly fulfill what is commanded, this is not the virtue of obedience, but a cloak over your malice.- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
The virtue of obedience makes the will supple. It gives the power to conquer self, to overcome laziness, and to resist temptations. It inspires the courage with which to fulfill the most difficult tasks.- St. John Vianney
Thus the abbot john without a single though as to whether it would do any good or not, with great and prolonged labor watered a dray stick for a whole year on end when told to do so. Heaven sometimes approved this kind of obedience with miracles.- St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.Mother Teresa
A Celebration of Style and VirtueAs Marie wrote:
Teenagers also need help in accepting that they are beautiful no matter their size. On this site the models represent all sizes whether they be slim or curvaceous, mainly because their objective is to promote self esteem and to show that no matter what size you are, you can look fantastic.I wish they had helped teens when I was a teen. It is not only the overweight teens who may have self-esteem issues, it also happens to underweight teens as well.
...During the dinner that Sabbath, Jesus taught two important things: one directed to those who were invited and the other to their host. To the host Jesus says (perhaps privately or only in the presence of his disciples): "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors ..." This is what Jesus himself did when he invited the poor, the afflicted, the meek, the hungry, the persecuted -- the persons named in the beatitudes -- to the great banquet of the kingdom...
Lord, no matter how unworthy I may feel, I hope to be with You in Heaven some day. I place all of my hope in You, relying on Your goodness, wisdom and love.From My Daily Bread, Confraternity of the Precious Blood
Help me to prove this hope by a loyal following of Your holy Will in all that happens to me today. I will deal with all things and events as You desire; that is without pride, impatience, or any other form of selfishness. I will use whatever I need with the intention of pleasing You rather than pleasing myself alone.
In my use of earthly remedies, I will not forget that Your holy Will is still governing every move I make. Never will You abandon my hopes. Do with me as You see fit, since no one knows and seeks my welfare more than You. Amen.
“Saint Maria Goretti invites us to be faithful to the traditional doctrine of the Church. She is a role model of the Church's zeal in defense of purity and that unique bravery purity imbues. The Church has always instilled this bravery in defense of virtue. That is why a faithful Catholic should prefer death to losing his purity.From The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property
"'Father, my mother was with me when I bought it.' The girl was not being impudent. She saw nothing wrong in wearing the low-cut prom gown because her mother had been with her when the dress was bought. Boys and girls will and do find fault with their parents, but the children are quick to justify their own actions if dad and mother approve. An eight, ten or twelve year training in modesty from priests, religious and lay teachers counted little to the girl because mother approved her dress."
Counter-Attack
"The world, the flesh, and the devil have teamed up in an all-out attempt to undermine the virtue of purity by battering down its safeguard which is modesty in dress. Mothers must again become mirrors of modesty if the victory over the devil's scheming is to be won."
Bang!
"Sad to say, the beaches and swimming pools are crowded not only girls but also by many older women who have become exhibitionists. Today a woman can be modern yet modest, or she can just be modern with a bang! So many of the styles at present are daringly extreme with particular stress on evening gowns, mini and micro skirts, plunging necklines, blouses, shorts and slacks without any slack, sun suits and swim suits".
Insist!
"The selection of modest gowns and summer clothing may be meager, but only women who refuses to purchases such styles will change the trend. Demand modest clothing and it will be supplied. The sale-not the virtue of modesty-is uppermost in the minds of business people. A mother who quietly tells a salesgirl that the gown is not immodest will find some such girls agreeing with her, but our ideal is not thereby attained. The salesgirl sells. The buyer of the department or the manager of the store is the person who determines what styles will be displayed and for that reason our suggestions and complaints should be taken to buyers and managers. Buying an immodest gown and building it up at home shows a sense of modesty but such a procedure increases the sales and does nothing to stop the immodest trend at its source."
Shameless!
"When will mothers and girls begin to realize that boys and men must be helped into heaven by the ladies. What a pity that a girl's body- a temple of the Holy Spirit, a tabernacle for Christ's Body and Blood, a shrine for new life-should become, because of lack of modesty, a shameless torch to fire the passions of boys and men".
Imitators
Girls and boys must be taught as tiny tots to love modesty and must be corrected for immodesty. Even though they are too young to sin, they are from infancy old enough to be impressed with the beauty of modesty. However, the trend today is to leave the little ones run around in practically nothing. But what more can we expect when so many fathers and mothers work around the house in all too little clothing!
"Humility gives us a sense of values. It keeps a man in his rightful place as a creature, not a creator. Pride shouts, "Show off. Act big!' Humility whispers, 'Be hones with yourself! Know your place.' Humility jolts the proud daydreamer, the castle-builder, the bubble blower-jolts him back into the land of facts and of reality."
