Cathy

“Prayer is not a tool of faith by which we control His control over our lives. Rather, it is the conversation God began with us when He established a relationship with us in Baptism.”
― Richard C. Eyer, Pastoral Care Under the Cross: God in the Midst of Suffering

“We must not allow ourselves to slip into a false spirituality that treats our bodily existence as if it can be separated from our so-called "spiritual" life -- as if our spiritual life carries on quite independently from what is happening to our bodies.”
― Christopher Ash, Zeal without Burnout

“We are so unrepentant that we would rather perish than confess truthfully that we are sinners and justify God by means of confession. David justified the prophet Nathan's words: 'You are an adulterer, a murderer, and a blasphemer.' When David heard this, he was chastened and replied: 'The words are true.' He confessed his sins immediately and received forgiveness. Nathan did not write David a letter of indulgence, nor did he say to him: 'Make a pilgrimage to St. James, or have Masses read; or lie down in a hairy garment!' No, he said: 'The Lord has removed your sin.”
― Martin Luther, Luther's Works, Volume 22

“In all of Holy Writ we find not a single instance of adoration of the patriarchs, the prophets, and apostles - much less of St. George and St. Barbara, who probably never existed, and of the other saints who created by the pope, like St. Francis and St. Dominic, about whom no one knows anything with certainty. But even if we were to concede that they were full of grace, they would still be unable to impart any of it to me.”
― Martin Luther, Luther's Works, Volume 22