Friday, February 4, 2011

Penance Purifies Souls

"Penance is the rampart protecting chastity.
Penitence appeases God's justice and transforms it into graces.
It purifies souls,
extinguishes the fires of purgatory
and receives in heaven a most sublime recompense.
 Penance pays for personal faults and those of others.
Penance is the sister of mortification. Both work together hand in hand.
Penance helps the soul rise above things of the earth.
Penance cooperates with the Redemption of the world.
Penance humbles man,
it penetrates him with an inner feeling of his baseness and his wretchedness.
Penance brings light to the soul.
 It consumes and causes to disappear all in it that is purely material.
It raises him higher and higher above the earth,
making him taste of delights hitherto unknown and pure.
But this penance should be the daughter of reverence and exist in the soul,
hidden from all humans"

~ Jesus to Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida,
from Conchita, A Mother's Spiritual Diary, Sept. 24, 1895).


1 comment:

Anne said...

I am writing this down and putting it in my prayer book to be read each day. Renewed and grateful thanks!