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According to the French Jesuit Cadres, the Caracteres de la vraie devotion of Pere Grou - a work which ran into no less than forty- four editions - was first published in Paris in the year 1788. This was quickly followed by a further work on the same subject, but treated from a somewhat different and more practical angle, the Maximes Spirituelles avec des explications, published in the following year. In his Preface to the original edition, reproduced here in its place, the author says: 'At the end of the little work which I wrote on the Marks of true devotion, I promised to write another under the title of Spiritual Maxims, in which I would explain in more detail the means for practicing that devotion. The following work is the result'. The former book defined what true devotion is: its motives, its object and the means for acquiring it; the second outlined in greater detail, as he says, the means for practicing that devotion, always bearing in mind that, in Pere Grou's use of the word, devotion stands for the interior life or the life of the spirit.
The Practice of the Presence of God, and the Spiritual Maxims by Brother Lawrence Pdf
A former soldier, French mystic Nicholas Herman, aka BROTHER LAWRENCE (1611?-1691), was converted to a powerful love of God at age 18 by a humble observation of nature, and his thoughts, collected in these two uncomplicated works of devotion, remain among the most pure and most powerful adorations of the divine. A lay Carmelite brother, Lawrence spent most of his time in the monastery's kitchens, and his simple, earthy observations on the direct paths to communication with God continue to inspire those seeking a stronger, more potent spirituality today.
Spiritual Maxims ... Arranged for Every Day in the Year by ... Dr. Walsh, Bishop of Halifax. To which is Added a Nine Days'Devotion in Honour of St. Vincent of Paul, and Biographical Notice of Mrs. Seton, Foundress ... of the Sisters of Charity in the United States by Anonim Pdf
Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence by Brother Lawrence Pdf
Here is a small book with the Maxims of Brother Lawrence. The book is set up so that you can absorb these maxims with short, easy readings each day over the course of one month, allowing you ample time to reflect and meditate upon each maxim.
Spiritual Maxims by John Nicholas Grou,Brother Hermenegild Pdf
"Pere Grou's great theme in the Spiritual Maxims is his insistence on the following of the spirit of Christ as opposed to what he calls the natural spirit, or the spirit of private judgment. Prayer for him is contemplative prayer, or the prayer of the interior way. Not that he despised formal meditation by any means, but he regarded it always as a stepping-stone towards a higher form of prayer, the intimate prayer of the spirit. His great aim and desire was to urge and encourage souls not to be afraid, but to persevere in a wholehearted gift of themselves to God, and in a faithful surrender to the guidance of the Holy Ghost." Translator A Monk Of Parkminster St. Alphonsus writes: "a single bad book will be sufficient to cause the destruction of a monastery." First Maxim: By the ladder of sanctity, men ascend and descend at the same time, which leads to knowledge of God and true knowledge of self. Second Maxim: Yield your liberty to God, and have no will but His Third Maxim: Pray for a wise guide whom, when you have found, trust, revere and obey Fourth Maxim: Be always mindful of the God Who is present everywhere, and Who dwells in the hearts of the just Fifth Maxim: Keep close to Our Lord in His mysteries, and draw the purest love from His salutary wounds Sixth Maxim: Make good use of the two sacraments, whereof one brings cleansing, and the other life, that is Penance and the Holy Eucharist Seventh Maxim: Let your intention be pure, and your devotion simple and upright Eighth Maxim: Follow the enlightening spirit of Christ: mistrust the blindness and treachery of the natural mind Ninth Maxim: Take no account of external things: seek strenuously after those blessings which are to be found within Tenth Maxim: Listen to Him Who teaches the heart without sound of words. Receive His peace, and guard it faithfully Eleventh Maxim: Treat God as a child treats his Father amd thus acquire a child-like spirit Twelfth Maxim: Beware of resisting the leadings of grace: be thoroughly generous in great things and in small Thirteenth Maxim: Never cease to struggle with the enemy that lives within the soul, and practice holy mortification Fourteenth Maxim: When God bids you be still in prayer, humble yourself silently before His Majesty Fifteenth Maxim: Cling not to sensible sweetness: suffer dryness with a good heart Sixteenth Maxim: The tempter combines cunning with violence: we must meet him with prayer and vigilance Seventhteenth Maxim: Beware of self-love, the rival of the love of God Eighteenth Maxim: Stay quietly at home: regulate your day, and waste no time Nineteenth Maxim: Let charity and piety begin at home, that is always fulfill your daily duties. Twentieth Maxim: Be cordial and kind, gentle and lowly; considerate towards others, severe upon yourself Twenty-First Maxim: Go straight on: never stop or look back. Grieve for sin, but never lose courage Twenty-Second Maxim: When we know our own helplessness, we learn to appreciate the value and efficacy of grace Twenty-Third Maxim: Love is our law: God is our portion; here by faith, in heaven by sight. Twentieth Maxim: Social Relationships Be cordial and kind, gentle and lowly; considerate towards others, severe upon yourself
Excerpt: First Maxim: The Knowledge of God and the knowledge of selfBy the ladder of sanctity, men ascend and descend at the same timeAll Christian sanctity is contained in two things: the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of self. 'Lord, that I may know Thee' cried St. Augustine, 'and that I may know myself'. A short prayer, but one opening out on to an infinite horizon. The knowledge of God elevates the soul; knowledge of self keeps it humble. The former raises the soul to contemplate something of the depths of the divine perfections, the latter lowers it to the abyss of its own nothingness and sin. (1) The amazing thing is that the very knowledge of God which raises man up, at the same time humbles him by the comparison of himself with God. Similarly self-knowledge, while it humbles him, lifts him up by the very necessity of approaching God in order to find solace in his misery.Marvellous ladder of sanctity, whereon men descend even as they ascend. For the true elevation of man is inseparable from his true humiliation. The one without the other is pride, while the latter without the former is to be unhappy without hope. Of what use would be the most sublime knowledge of God to us, if the knowledge of ourselves did not keep us little in our own eyes? Similarly, would we not fall into terrible despair, if the knowledge of our exceeding meanness and misery were not counterbalanced by our knowledge of God? But this two-fold knowledge serves to sanctify us. To be a saint, we must know and admit that we are nothing of ourselves, that we receive all things from God in the order of nature and grace, and that we expect all things from Him in the order of glory.By the knowledge of God, I do not mean abstract and purely ideal knowledge such as was possessed by pagan philosophers, who lost their way in vain and barren speculations, the only effect of which was to increase their pride. For the Christian, the knowledge of God is not an endless course of reasoning as to His essence and perfections, such as that of a mathematician concerned with the properties of a triangle or circle. There have been many philosophers and even theologians who held fine and noble ideas of God, but were none the more virtuous or holy as a result of it. The knowledge we must have is what God Himself has revealed concerning the Blessed Trinity; the work of each of the Persons in creating, redeeming and sanctifying us. We must know the scope of His power, His providence, His holiness, His justice and His love. We must know the extent and multitude of His mercies, the marvellous economy of His grace, the magnificence of His promises and rewards, the terror of His warnings and the rigour of His chastisements; the worship He requires, the precepts He imposes, the virtues He makes known as our duty, and the motives by which He incites us to their practice. In a word, we must know what He is to us, and what He wills that we should be to Him.This is the true and profitable knowledge of God taught in every page of Holy Scripture, and necessary for all Christians. It cannot be too deeply studied, and without it none can become holy, for the substance of it is indispensably necessary to salvation. This should be the great object of our reflection and meditation, and of our constant prayer for light. Let no one fancy that he can ever know enough, or enter sufficiently into so rich a subject. It is in every sense inexhaustible. The more we discover in it, the more we see there is yet to be discovered. It is an ever-deepening ocean for the navigator, an unattainable mountain height for the traveller, whose scope of vision increases with every upward step. The knowledge of God grows in us together with our own holiness: both are capable of extending continually, and we must set no bounds to either.
Spiritual Maxims by John Grou,John Nicholas Grou S J Pdf
Excerpt: First Maxim: The Knowledge of God and the knowledge of self By the ladder of sanctity, men ascend and descend at the same time All Christian sanctity is contained in two things: the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of self. 'Lord, that I may know Thee' cried St. Augustine, 'and that I may know myself'. A short prayer, but one opening out on to an infinite horizon. The knowledge of God elevates the soul; knowledge of self keeps it humble. The former raises the soul to contemplate something of the depths of the divine perfections, the latter lowers it to the abyss of its own nothingness and sin. (1) The amazing thing is that the very knowledge of God which raises man up, at the same time humbles him by the comparison of himself with God. Similarly self-knowledge, while it humbles him, lifts him up by the very necessity of approaching God in order to find solace in his misery. Marvellous ladder of sanctity, whereon men descend even as they ascend. For the true elevation of man is inseparable from his true humiliation. The one without the other is pride, while the latter without the former is to be unhappy without hope. Of what use would be the most sublime knowledge of God to us, if the knowledge of ourselves did not keep us little in our own eyes? Similarly, would we not fall into terrible despair, if the knowledge of our exceeding meanness and misery were not counterbalanced by our knowledge of God? But this two-fold knowledge serves to sanctify us. To be a saint, we must know and admit that we are nothing of ourselves, that we receive all things from God in the order of nature and grace, and that we expect all things from Him in the order of glory. By the knowledge of God, I do not mean abstract and purely ideal knowledge such as was possessed by pagan philosophers, who lost their way in vain and barren speculations, the only effect of which was to increase their pride. For the Christian, the knowledge of God is not an endless course of reasoning as to His essence and perfections, such as that of a mathematician concerned with the properties of a triangle or circle. There have been many philosophers and even theologians who held fine and noble ideas of God, but were none the more virtuous or holy as a result of it. The knowledge we must have is what God Himself has revealed concerning the Blessed Trinity; the work of each of the Persons in creating, redeeming and sanctifying us. We must know the scope of His power, His providence, His holiness, His justice and His love. We must know the extent and multitude of His mercies, the marvellous economy of His grace, the magnificence of His promises and rewards, the terror of His warnings and the rigour of His chastisements; the worship He requires, the precepts He imposes, the virtues He makes known as our duty, and the motives by which He incites us to their practice. In a word, we must know what He is to us, and what He wills that we should be to Him. This is the true and profitable knowledge of God taught in every page of Holy Scripture, and necessary for all Christians. It cannot be too deeply studied, and without it none can become holy, for the substance of it is indispensably necessary to salvation. This should be the great object of our reflection and meditation, and of our constant prayer for light. Let no one fancy that he can ever know enough, or enter sufficiently into so rich a subject. It is in every sense inexhaustible. The more we discover in it, the more we see there is yet to be discovered. It is an ever-deepening ocean for the navigator, an unattainable mountain height for the traveller, whose scope of vision increases with every upward step. The knowledge of God grows in us together with our own holiness: both are capable of extending continually, and we must set no bounds to either.
Spiritual Progress by Francois Fenelon,Madame Jeanne Guyon,Pere Lacombe Pdf
A collection of five inspiring essays by three closely linked mystical thinkers of the seventeenth century—François Fénelon, Madame Jeanne Guyon, and Père Lacombe—whose focus on the availability of intimacy with God made them scandalous in their day. "Christian Counsel" and "Spiritual Letters," by Archbishop Fénelon, offer wise advice on how to find the keys to true devotion and peace. "Method of Prayer" and "On the Way to God," by Fénelon’s close friend, Madame Guyon, demonstrate the critical importance of constant prayer. "Spiritual Maxims," by Père Lacombe, the spiritual mentor of Madame Guyon, emphasizes the importance of expressing a passionate love for God. Each stirring work is divided into short chapters, making Spiritual Progress ideal for morning or evening devotions or for Bible study. This treasured collection of classic Christian wisdom is certain to lead readers closer to the heart of God.
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence Pdf
This devotional classic is a compilation of Brother Lawrence’s letters and recorded conversations from the seventeenth century. Brother Lawrence was a simple French Carmelite lay brother who was able to achieve profound intimacy with God through the most mundane activities. He taught that the highest communion with God is not reserved for extraordinary moments but permeates the very core of our most ordinary days. He spent much of his time in the kitchen of a Paris monastery. He learned that our daily activities and thoughts could be acts of worship, engaging in opportunities to “practice the presence of God” by thinking about and loving God. Also included is Brother Lawrence’s “Spiritual Maxims,” a collection of aphorisms and sayings that summarize his teachings. This timeless spiritual treasure has illuminated the hearts of many who yearn for the awe-inspiring knowledge of the divine presence in a hectic modern world. Features a foreword by Matthew Fox, author of Sheer Joy.
Spiritual Progress; Or Instructions in the Divine Life of the Soul. From the French of Fénelon and Guyon ... Edited by J. W. Metcalf by François de Salignac de La Mothe- Fénelon Pdf
