ST Thomas Aquinas and family!

While I have been working overnight - Pat has been in charge of Ruth's kids and now Nancy, Bill and Augustine along with John are home to take over.  So with family to go and see... I just wanted to share this amazing link about St Thomas today -

http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/444/Why_the_Cross_Exemplifies_every_Virtue__Thomas_Aquinas.html

So powerful and wonderful!

Silly jumping picture...  I can't resist using the amazing words of St Thomas to share the key to happiness ..."The Cross is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on account of our sins, we have found relief through the passion of Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.

If you seek the example of love: Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake.
f you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth. Therefore Christ’s patience on the cross was great. In patience let us run for the prize set before us, looking upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who, for the joy set before him, bore his cross and despised the shame.
If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.
If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. For just as by the disobedience of one man, namely, Adam, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.
If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink.
Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because they divided my garments among themselves. Nor to honors, for he experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head. Nor to anything delightful, for in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."

Jesus, we embrace your Most Cherished Cross and realize that through it we find LIFE and learn to LOVE as we are called to as followers of you!  Thank you for the beauty of the Tree of Life - the Cross - it is covered with fruit of every type and color, leaves and branches as we allow the seeds to be planted  in fertile soil and to grow 100 fold!  Jesus, we trust in you!  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"In a similar way man puts no measure in his faith, his hope, and his charity, but the more he believes, hopes, and loves, so much the better man he is.  That is why it is said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength." Dt 6: 5" 

ST Thomas Aquinas (1274) Doctor of the Church...

more quotes

" Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand."

" How can we live in harmony? First we need to know we are all madly in love with the same God."