Grace

The gift of reconciliation is a gift of grace. God cares nothing for great works and mighty deeds, loving and desiring instead a contrite heart. Sin hardens us with hatred and despair, producing misshapen and flawed vessels likely to shatter in the furnace of love. But grace softens us that the Potter may form us as He wills; into beautiful vessels for His Spirit, tempered by divine flame.

Confession

Every confession is a miracle, the salvation of the soul from sure destruction. Every reconciliation is a consolation for Christ on the Cross.

Sin

Sin leads to shame and guilt, which can result in self-loathing and hatred. This hatred is a willing of evil for the self, the root of despair. Repentance is the will moving towards its good, which is God who is Love, and away from sin. Self hate arrests this movement. So sin traps the soul, preventing us from moving to God, or even accepting love from Him and others, and ultimately bringing us to self-destruction.

Doctor

I wanted to be a Doctor of the Church.  But that is such a small thing next to the love of God.

Magic

Those who work magic cannot perform even the smallest feats of humility or charity and remain in the occult. But those who are humble are given powers far greater than those who seek it. The gifts of God can be used for others, but all the powers of magic can be used only for the self. Ultimately they destroy even that, for the powers of magic use even the user, while the powers of God heal even the healer.

Family

This world fears the family for famine. We fear to increase our families because of the loss of material comfort. The families we do have separate easily, for we are afraid to give ourselves to one another. We are afraid of the sacrifice involved in the family. Be not afraid. In sacrifice do we find penance, and with the family comes consolation, just as Joseph sacrificed much and yet was more greatly consoled.

Pleasure

We purchase cheap pleasures instead of holy penance. Yet the removal of pain and the pursuit of pleasure only turns pleasure into a terrible idol and master called addiction. Pain tempers and disciplines pleasure and pleasure helps make pain bearable. Thus our perfection is not to be found in fleeing from pain but in embracing it, in offering it up for others, like Christ on the Cross.

Treasure

We are a people of full bank accounts and bankrupt souls. Why? We can't take our money with us into death. All we can take is love. Ultimately, our lives are nothing save an opportunity to build up treasure in Heaven, and that treasure is our love - for everyone and everything. A love which begins in Christ, as Our Lady's has.