Part five of my Lenten book extracts.
‘Love Unknown’ by Sr Rachel Gregory OCD (Ruth Burrows)

Sr Rachel says: “Our faith must be a rock-like certainty that God, in Christ, has given us everything, guaranteed an inheritance that cannot be spoiled and can never pass away. An ocean of grace is always at our disposal. Our lives should be thanksgiving, and this will mean a realisation that we need not rely so much on ourselves but must look towards him for guidance and strength. We shall cease to worry as to the outcome of our effort, be it success or failure.  Our works will be the works of Christ living in us and acting through us. Firm belief in what God is and has done for us, the riches that are there for us, enables us to stand tall and hold our heads high, whatever storms swirl around our defenceless head.”

God’s grace is unlimited, like Sr Rachel says: ‘an ocean of grace is at our disposal.’
If you spend time watching the waves on the coast, imagine each one of us as a pebble on the shore and watch the sea wash over it. This is like God’s grace in our lives constantly washing over us, giving us strength and guidance.
Fr Philip.

Part four of my Lenten book extracts.
‘Love Unknown’ by Sr Rachel Gregory OCD (Ruth Burrows)

Sr Rachel says: “Expectancy rose high: was John the Baptist himself the Messiah? John denied it: “I am not the Messiah”; he was nothing but a voice “crying in the wilderness”, urging the people to prepare a way for the Lord.
Can you imagine the excitement, the thrilling expectancy by the news, of a man, bearing all the marks of a prophet, prophesying the coming of the Messiah and his day of Judgement?
His call was for repentance and the acceptance of a baptism in the Jordan as a symbol of repentance. From all parts of the country the famished people flocked to him, captivated by his appearance and his authoritative words. Willingly, they consented to be plunged into the purifying waters.”

Let us find time this Lenten season to purify our hearts through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, wiping our souls clean once again, to prepare ourselves for the glory of Easter.
Fr Philip.

Part three of my Lenten book extracts.
‘Love Unknown’ by Sr Rachel Gregory OCD (Ruth Burrows)

Sr Rachel says: “True faith is soldered on to the living God alone, it relies not on signs and wonders, but on God’s truth, his reliability and steadfastness; the intent of his heart remains unchanged, an absolute intent to give himself to us completely for our perfect fulfilment.”

It is humbling to know that God’s heart is with each one of us. He knows us all by name since we are his children.
To reach our perfect fulfilment in life, which is our common vocation to become Saints. We need to pray and ask for God’s continual grace to help us along the narrow path that leads us to our eternal reward.
Fr Philip.

Part two of my Lenten book extracts.
‘Love Unknown’ by Sr Rachel Gregory OCD (Ruth Burrows)

Sr Rachel says: “Let us acknowledge our sins and expose them to the love of Jesus through our prayer.
We must keep looking towards Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith.
God offers himself in total love to each one of us. Our part is to open our hearts to receive this gift.
God is an ocean of merciful love, longing to be released and to be poured into each one of us. However, our human pride, lack of faith and trust, becomes a barrier against it.”

LENT 2024.
My Lenten book for this year is ‘Love Unknown’ by Sr Rachel Gregory OCD (Ruth Burrows)
Throughout Lent, I’ll be posting a small extract from her book that stood out for me.

Sr Rachel says: “We delude ourselves if we think we can be Christian in isolation.  We need the Church and everything the Church can give us: her Sacraments, the proclamation and exposition of the Word of God, mutual sharing of gifts and insights, mutual support, both material and spiritual.  None of us can stand up alone against the forces of atheism and materialism within our society.  What is more, a Christian is always as one ‘given’ committed to others, to a community.”

“We are not animals, not even simply rational animals: we are sons of God; and we learn in prayer to look at the world as God sees it.  We are joined to Christ as branches to the vine, and we try to make our minds, and our lives, grow more like his.”

… But greater still is charity…

My Lenten book for this year is ‘Love Unknown’ by Ruth Burrows OCD, over the next few weeks I’ll be posting a small extract from her book that stood out for me.

Ruth says:  “As Carmelite nuns, prayer is our life; prayer is our principal work for the Church and for the world. WE HAVE NOTHING ELSE!
Think what it is for a Carmelite to feel such a failure at prayer, not just now and then, but day after day, year after year! I lived with this searing anxiety for many, many years.”

As a priest myself, I feel Ruth’s frustration and anxiety at the failure of daily prayer.