If we knew the depth of our poverty, we would not be at all surprised by our falls,
but rather astonished, and we would thank God, after sinning,
for not allowing us to fall even deeper and still more frequently.
André Frossard quoting Saint Maximilian Kolbe
from Forget Not Love: The Passion of Maximilian Kolbe
(detail of one of the paintings in the cells of the monks at the Convent of San Marco
in Florence, Italy / painted by Fra Angelico / Julie Cook / 2018)
What defiles this temple of God that dwells within?
The unwanted tenants that occupy our hearts . . .
we all, at times, entertain some pretty undesirable guests in our hearts.
We may not have consciously invited them, may not even know they’re there;
but they have taken up residence and are unwilling to leave on their own.
They are defiling the temple, and we need to get rid of them—to clean house, so to speak.
Vinny Flynn
from 21 Ways to Worship
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