Entries by Anthony Lilles

The Great New Beginning

The Christmas Mystery is humanity’s great new beginning, the sure orientation point for all history and each one’s life, the pathway out of social and personal chaos, and the threshold into such tender harmonies as heal hearts and unleash untapped potential. If by the envy of the devil an obstacle thwarted the holiness that men […]

That disturbing consolation that confirms identity and reveals mission

When the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, His greeting disturbed her and his explanation consoled her. Contemplative prayer unfolds in that polarity of divine disturbance and sacred comfort.  Whether disturbing or comforting, every encounter with the Holy One always communicates identity and purpose, the truth about oneself and the mission that God has in store. […]

The Great King’s Shadow

Rages that terrible battle, in deep darkness, deceit, disdain, Divine  Obedience cries remain as Rises undeterred the Shepherd’s’ Shadow  whose splendor unseen  Save under clouds of grace and glance as Gains the dawn, this Day without End. Though hard fought, costing  cruel crown and cross, crushed obedience, hell’s cacophony is silenced by Word’s Weakness ablaze […]

Deep Down Mercy

Off the edge of inadequacy, into that void, I searched for Him Who would vindicate and rebuild What I destroyed. Into the deep, that step sliding down ravines of misery, abyss swallowing, flooding torrents of chaos, self Vanishing under waves of euphoric delusion and Dreams dashed dead on reality’s rocks – Such shell shocked emptiness, […]

St. Elisabeth of the Trinity: that praise of glory

What glory this fiery creature bears  In the bottom of that bottomless Abyss A radiance, not her own, but in her radiant being! She knows well that secret cellar Where unseen the Furnace of Love humbly  envelops and begins boldly her own loving flame: Nature’s unaided eye cannot see – nescivi! – As she passes […]

The Heart of the Church

Much attention is rightfully rendered to the Head of the Church – Christ. But we need to ask, is the Head really the most important member of the Church? Indeed, the only devotion to “the Head” we have as Catholics is that “Sacred Head surrounded by crown of piercing thorns.” What makes this devotion so […]

Receiving the Word in Affliction and Joy

St. Paul calls believers of Thessalonica “imitators of the Lord” who received the Word in “affliction” and “the joy of the Holy Spirit.”   To imitate is to repeat what another has done. When imitation is made of another out of love, it reveals a beautiful devotion.  So one friend imitates the virtues of another […]

The Pathway of Forgiveness

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’  What if the neighbor who I trust sins against me and robs me of the dignity that is due, am I still to love him? Such a neighbor has taken a hostile stand toward me and has become my enemy. Christ commands me […]