Manage Account

Delete Account

Manage Subscription

<h2>Opening Prayer</h2>
Heavenly Father, I thank Thee for the "divine character" of faith Thou hast imprinted upon my soul, a beam radiating from Thy own countenance. I desire to fulfill in myself the submission that Thy Son showed toward Thy divine lights, continuing that willing subjection that filled the human mind of Jesus. Let the light He brought from Thy heart dispel every shadow in my own interior chambers.
I petition Thee to subject my mind to Thy truths, taught through the Church, so that I may possess the science of the saints. Grant me the grace to continue in that willing subjection of the intellect, allowing Thy heavenly light to enlighten my heart for the perfect love and service of Thy Majesty.
Amen.
															<img width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif" alt="Today&#039;s Gospel" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />															
<blockquote>
Matthew 5:1-12
 

1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. 2And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying: 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 5Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 6Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God. 10Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: 12Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.
</blockquote>

			<img data-interaction-id="d881a8f" data-e-type="widget" data-id="d881a8f" id="17132" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif" width="1280" height="150" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif 1280w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-768x90.avif 768w" alt="Saint of the Day"/>				
<h5>St. John Eudes</h5>
					<img data-interaction-id="708a8c3" data-e-type="widget" data-id="708a8c3" id="17156" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-StJeanEudes-219x300.jpg" width="219" height="300" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-StJeanEudes-219x300.jpg 219w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-StJeanEudes.jpg 500w" alt=""/>		
St. John Eudes connects the Virtue of Faith directly to the Incarnation. Faith is a "participation in the eternal, inaccessible light" and a projection of the knowledge infused into the soul of Jesus. This Church Father perspective reminds us that by faith, we continue the "submission and obedience" of Christ. This illumination is fueled by the Eucharist, which "nourishes and perfects" the soul. As members of the One Body, we receive this "Science of the Saints" to give us the knowledge necessary for the "perfect love and service of God," ensuring our mind is subject to the truths of the Catholic Church.
															<img width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif" alt="Wisdom of the Saints" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />															
St. John Eudes emphasizes that faith is the "cornerstone of the kingdom of Christ." It is not a human invention but a "divine character" imprinted by the countenance of God. He describes it as the "science of salvation," a gift drawn from the Heart of the Father to enlighten our hearts.
<blockquote>
"Faith is the science of salvation, the science of the saints, the science of God. Jesus Christ drew it forth from the heart of his Father and brought it down to you on earth to dispel your shadows." 
— St. John Eudes
</blockquote>
<h4>Mary and the Magisterium</h4>
Mary is the "Star of the Sea", the bright shining star that gives light by her example in the "flood of this world." She is the "Dispenser of all" the Holy Spirit's gifts. The Magisterium, specifically the Office of the Priest, has the "dignity" to administer this "Light" through the Sacraments, acting as "earthly angels." The Bishop ensures this light remains "universally and completely" taught, guiding the faithful away from the "mire of impurity" toward the "true Light" found in Christ.





															<img width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp" alt="" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-300x35.webp 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-768x90.webp 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application.webp 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />															
<ul>
<li>
										Is my faith truly the foundation of my life, or just a part of it?
									</li>
<li>
										How could it change my life to submit my mind fully to God’s truth as Jesus did?
									</li>
</ul>
Closing Prayer


Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing the light of God’s own mind down into my darkness. Help me to embrace his truth as you did so that all the shadows in my thinking will be dispelled.
Amen.

June 5: Faith Shines God’s Light in the Soul

This special four-hour episode confronts one of the most consequential questions facing the Catholic Church today: is the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) on the right side of history? The SSPX’s Fr. Jonathan Loop argues that a continuing crisis in the Church has created a state of necessity that can justify extraordinary measures to preserve Catholic tradition and the priesthood. Fr. Gerald Murray does not think those extraordinary measures are justified and that the SSPX’s misapplication of canon law undermines the Church's divinely established authority.BIOGRAPHIESFr. Jonathan Loop is a priest of the Society of Saint Pius X, a convert to the Catholic Faith, and a respected educator, speaker, and apologist known for his clear defense of Catholic tradition. Ordained in 2011, he has devoted his priesthood to forming young Catholics, preaching the Faith, and addressing the challenges facing the Church today. Fr. Gerald E. Murray is a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, canon lawyer, author, and widely respected commentator on Catholic doctrine, canon law, and ecclesiastical affairs. Ordained to the priesthood in 1984, he has devoted decades of priestly ministry to the defense and explanation of the Church’s perennial teaching and is one of the most recognizable voices in contemporary Catholic discourse.🔗 LINKS TO RELEVANT DOCUMENTS:Graphic Comparing Dignitatis Humanae to Earlier Encyclicals: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GO27hrK9baeF7Sqa0A9iI59lzjw1Fkg3/view">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GO27hrK9baeF7Sqa0A9iI59lzjw1Fkg3/view</a>SSPX Article Announcing the Episcopal Ordinations: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://fsspx.news/en/news/general-house-announces-names-future-bishops-59319">https://fsspx.news/en/news/general-house-announces-names-future-bishops-59319</a>Pope St. Paul VI’s comments on Vatican II: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/it/audiences/1966/documents/hf_p-vi_aud_19660112.html">https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/it/audiences/1966/documents/hf_p-vi_aud_19660112.html</a>EDITING NOTE: To be as fair and impartial as possible, we have included all responses in full. For purposes of greater clarity, some moments have been rearranged. 👍 Like, Subscribe, or Follow The Conor Gallagher Show on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media!<a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/conorgallaghershow">https://www.facebook.com/conorgallaghershow</a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://instagram.com/conorgallaghershow">https://instagram.com/conorgallaghershow</a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://tiktok.com/@conorgallaghershow">https://tiktok.com/@conorgallaghershow</a>Spotify: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1qtdMK8FqjAQ3ODlFXCEYt?si=ae4598b16c1d4cde">https://open.spotify.com/show/1qtdMK8FqjAQ3ODlFXCEYt?si=ae4598b16c1d4cde</a>Apple Podcasts: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conor-gallagher-show/id1789476722">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conor-gallagher-show/id1789476722</a>📱TAN Digital: The Catholic App You Can Trust. Browse and listen to over 1,200 spiritual classics.<a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://tanbooks.com/tan-digital-app/">https://tanbooks.com/tan-digital-app/</a>CHAPTERS0:00 - Conor’s Opening Remarks6:25 - Opening Statements16:48 - The Principle of Necessity32:26 - Religious Liberty1:10:13 - Ecumenism1:34:57 - Vatican II as a Pastoral Council1:56:42 - The Crisis in Catholic Fidelity2:14:35 - Other Traditional Communities2:36:11 - On Disobeying the Pope2:50:39 - The 1988 Excommunications2:55:39 - The Lifting of the Excommunications3:02:51 - The Meaning of Schism3:14:04 - Archbishop Lefebvre’s Disavowal of Schism3:21:02 - The Status of the Society Now and in the Future3:40:10 - Order Vs. Jurisdiction3:49:10 - SSPX Bishops as Auxiliary3:57:33 - Closing Statements

SSPX: Both Sides of the Controversy | Fr. Gerald Murray, J.C.D. & Fr. Jonathan Loop, FSSPX

“For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”



—Matthew 12:36–37



How does one begin a blog by TAN Books? What if God were to read our blog? Would He care about the intent, the content, or the tone? How mighty a question; yet how foolish a question. But such a question gets to the heart of what TAN is all about.



The Lord sees and hears all that we do. Nothing escapes His omniscience, His omnipresence. And thus, every thought we think, word we whisper, or syllable we spell will be placed in evidence before the heavenly tribunal.



What of the thoughts we think? The judgment upon them will come as no surprise. As King David, that great repentant sinner, once said, “Thou hast understood my thoughts from afar off” (Ps. 138:3). The Lord will not conclude that our thoughts just whirl around, as if we are helpless victims of a breeze blowing through our minds. No. He will judge us for our thoughts. “But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt. 5:28).



What of the words we whisper? “The mouth of a fool is his destruction: and his lips are the ruin of his soul” (Prov. 18:7). And yet how loose we are with our words! What if we were to truly believe the words of Solomon: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:21)? If foolish words cut our lips as they departed our mouths, we would be as the wise man and speak only when we have something to say. We need not rely on just the Old Testament to see certain judgment of our words, for Jesus Christ tells us Himself, “But I say unto you, that every idle word men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Mt. 12:36–37).



And what of everything we write? I think of the Angelic Doctor who declared at his death that all he wrote was but straw, which any humble writer must come to understand.



The leadership of TAN will be judged for all they publish, whether in a blog or social media or video or in a beautifully bound book. In fact, everything any of us think, say, or write is in many ways directed to our Lord. “Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). Just as all roads used to lead back to Rome, all our words—interior and exterior—lead back to the Word of God. Our lips may not be cut by our foolish words, but our souls most certainly are. And if we are not careful, we will appear at our particular judgment scourged by our own words as Christ was by the Romans. In fact, our words scourged Him. They truly did.&nbsp;



TAN is a company that finds those words that jar the soul. The greatest of TAN’s books do not speak to the mind per se but to the heart. And the great spiritual masters that TAN publishes plead with the heart to convert now—right now. They beg for the reader to give himself to the Lord like a beggar begs for sustenance. Truly, the great TAN books strike the heart in a unique way that cannot be ignored. One must either love them or hate them, but one cannot be indifferent to them. &nbsp;



This blog must be of the same nature. Our goal is to find the right words to jar your soul, for every soul needs jarring. And thus, this blog is not for the faint of heart. It is for those ready to lose themselves completely in the passion of our Lord, in the fire of His Holy Spirit, and ultimately in the Father’s embrace.



Words matter. And I pray these words will matter to you. &nbsp;

If Foolish Words Cut Our Lips: Welcome from the CEO of TAN Books

<h2>Opening Prayer</h2>
Almighty Father, You are the Most Excellent and Most Strong, a Being who is never new and never old, yet You possess the power to renew all things by Your Word. We wonder at Your nature, for You are always working while always at rest, gathering Your creation into Yourself even though You lack nothing. You are the Source of all being, life, and virtue, and though Your essence remains incomprehensible, You have revealed Your goodness to us through the marvelous deepness of Your divine secrets.
Through the intercession of St. Augustine, we pray that You would enlighten our understanding to realize that You have made us for Yourself and that our souls will find no peace until they return to You. Forgive us for the times we have sought You in outward things while You were waiting to be found in the secret place of Your presence. Clear away the mist of our worldly anxieties so that we may behold Your immutability and eventually arrive at the unspeakable sweetness of Your eternal contemplation.&nbsp;
Amen.								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17133" alt="Today's Gospel" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
									<blockquote>
Matthew 10:26-32

26Therefore fear them not. For nothing is covered that shall not be revealed: nor hid, that shall not be known.&nbsp;27That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light: and that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops.&nbsp;28And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell.&nbsp;29Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father.&nbsp;30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.&nbsp;31Fear not therefore: better are you than many sparrows.&nbsp;32Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.
</blockquote>
								
				
					
		
					
		
		
 			<img decoding="async" class="e-image-base e-d881a8f-2e7c468" data-interaction-id="d881a8f" data-e-type="widget" data-id="d881a8f" id="17132" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif" width="1280" height="150" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif 1280w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-768x90.avif 768w" alt="Saint of the Day"></img>		

		
						
					
			
				
					
				
				
					<h5 class="elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default">St. Augustine</h5>				
				
					<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="e-image-base " data-interaction-id="708a8c3" data-e-type="widget" data-id="708a8c3" id="17170" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/250px-Saint_Augustine_Portrait-221x300.jpg" width="221" height="300" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/250px-Saint_Augustine_Portrait-221x300.jpg 221w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/250px-Saint_Augustine_Portrait.jpg 250w" alt=""></img>					
				
				
				
									St. Augustine presents God through a series of beautiful paradoxes: “unchangeable, yet changing all things.” This theological depth is the foundation of our Sacramental life. In the Mystical Body, we encounter the “Most Omnipotent” yet “Most Merciful” Lord. The Eucharist itself is a “sublime humility of God”, where the “Most High” makes Himself present under the simplest appearances. We recognize that while God “needs nothing,” He “seeks” us, nourishing us through His Divine Grace. To belong to the One Body in Christ is to participate in this marvelous mystery, where we are “nourished and perfected” by the God who “forgives debts” and “loses nothing.”								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17134" alt="Wisdom of the Saints" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
									St. Augustine’s reflection in his Confessions highlights the limitation of human language when addressing the Infinite. He acknowledges that while we must speak of God to lift our souls, no one can ever say enough to do Him justice. God is “always working, yet always at rest,” a mystery that invites us into perpetual adoration.								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
									<blockquote>“Most high, most excellent, most mighty, most omnipotent; most merciful and most just; most hidden and most near… constant, yet incomprehensible; unchangeable, yet changing all things.”&nbsp;
—&nbsp;St. Augustine
</blockquote>								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
									<h4>Mary and the Magisterium</h4>
Mary’s relationship with the Blessed Trinity&nbsp;reveals how a creature interacts with this mystery. As the “Treasure of the Lord,” she is the channel through which the “incomprehensible sweetness” of God is dispensed. The Magisterium, through the Servant Leader, helps the faithful navigate these mysteries of Divine Revelation. The Bishop leads the flock in the Sacraments, ensuring that our worship of the “Most Mighty” God is preserved from error. Mary, the Mother of God, perfectly mirrored this “holy Joy,” teaching us to submit our limited reason to the Divine Will in an act of “unquestioning obedience.”




								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17142" alt="" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-300x35.webp 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-768x90.webp 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application.webp 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
							<ul class="elementor-icon-list-items">
							<li class="elementor-icon-list-item">
											
													
										Have I praised God today for who He is, rather than just what He does?
									</li>
								<li class="elementor-icon-list-item">
											
													
										What attributes of God do I see in Him most clearly in my life right now?
									</li>
						</ul>
						
				
				
				
							
			
							
					
						
		
						
				
				
				
									Closing Prayer


You’re magnificent, Lord, and nothing I can say about you could possibly do you justice. Nevertheless, let even my feeble praise bring you glory in some small way as it lifts my soul closer to you.
Amen.

June 2: God’s Nature, A Marvelous Mystery

<h2>Opening Prayer</h2>
Come, Holy Spirit, and enlighten me by Your grace as I begin this meditation. I invoke the assistance of St. Justin Martyr and all the holy men and women who serve as “breathing images of godly living” and models for my imitation.
Lord God, You have provided us with the lives of the saints as a “medical clinic” for our souls, where we may find the proper medicine for every spiritual ailment. Grant me the focus of an artist, that I may constantly look upon these “living and moving statues” of moral excellence and transfer their features of virtue into my own character.
Lord Jesus, You are the Truth whom St. Justin boldly confessed even unto death. Strengthen my resolve to move from the obscurity of sin into the radiant light of Your Divine Nature, becoming a faithful witness of Your love in the world.
Amen.								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17133" alt="Today's Gospel" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
									
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
Matthew 25:1–13

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.1 And five of them were foolish and five wise.2 But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them.3 But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps.4 And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.5 And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet him.6 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.7 And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.8 The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.9 Now whilst they went to buy the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut.10 But at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us.11 But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.12 Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.13
</blockquote>
								
				
					
		
					
		
		
 			<img decoding="async" class="e-image-base e-d881a8f-2e7c468" data-interaction-id="d881a8f" data-e-type="widget" data-id="d881a8f" id="17132" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif" width="1280" height="150" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif 1280w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-768x90.avif 768w" alt="Saint of the Day"></img>		

		
						
					
			
				
					
				
				
					<h5 class="elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default">St. Basil the Great</h5>				
				
					<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="e-image-base " data-interaction-id="708a8c3" data-e-type="widget" data-id="708a8c3" id="17208" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-Saint_Basil_the_Great-200x300.jpg" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-Saint_Basil_the_Great-200x300.jpg 200w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-Saint_Basil_the_Great.jpg 500w" alt=""></img>					
				
				
				
									St. Basil the Great argues that the lives of the saints are essential tools for anyone “seeking to perfect themselves.” He draws an analogy to an artist who must constantly look at a model to transfer its features. For the Christian, the saints are “living and moving statues” whose virtues must be transferred into our own characters through consistent focus and practice.								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17134" alt="Wisdom of the Saints" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
									In the Catholic Church, the lives of the saints are not mere historical accounts but vital components of the Mystical Body of Christ. St. Basil, a preeminent Church Father, teaches that these lives serve as a “medical clinic” for the soul. This hagiographical study is deeply Liturgical, for as we participate in the Eucharist, we join a “precious and marvelous Banquet” where the saints are our companions. By observing their virtues, we align ourselves with the Communion of Saints, receiving the “proper medicine” for our spiritual ailments. This process of imitation is essential for sanctification, moving us from the “obscurity of sin” into the light of the Divine Nature.

								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
									<blockquote>
<h3>“If we devote ourselves to imitating these saints, then no matter which virtue we may feel ourselves lacking, we can find in Scripture, as if in a medical clinic, the proper medicine for our particular ailment.”&nbsp;</h3>
—&nbsp;St. Basil
</blockquote>								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
									<h4>Mary and the Magisterium</h4>
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the ultimate “Mirror of Virtue”, reflecting the perfect form of Grace and Chastity. Her life provides the “rules of virtue” that we must embrace. This path of imitation is safeguarded by the Magisterium, specifically the Office of the Bishop, who “preserves the unity of the Church”. By following the Bishop and honoring the Sacraments, we ensure our imitation of the saints remains rooted in the Universal Church, rather than drifting into private fancy. Mary, as the Mother of the Church, guides us to honor the Apostolic Succession which provides these “breathing images” of faith.




								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17142" alt="" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-300x35.webp 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-768x90.webp 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application.webp 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
							<ul class="elementor-icon-list-items">
							<li class="elementor-icon-list-item">
											
													
										Which saints in the Bible and in Church history do I find most appealing?
									</li>
								<li class="elementor-icon-list-item">
											
													
										What specific lessons about holy living do they have to teach me today?
									</li>
						</ul>
						
				
				
				
							
			
							
					
						
		
						
				
				
				
									Closing Prayer


All you holy men and women of God, so worthy of my imitation, I thank you for your shining examples of virtue and faith. Pray for me and lead me in the way of ever-lasting life.
Amen.

June 1: The Saints As Models of Virtue

A Guided Spiritual Retreat on&nbsp;Abandonment to Divine Providence

Day 1: The Art of Abandonment

<h2>Opening Prayer</h2>
Lord, I confess that my human reason and worldly science are too limited in their span to grasp Thy infinite perfections. I acknowledge that the light of faith is a true participation in Thy own divine light, a beam that penetrates the darkness where reason falters. Help me to bypass the obscurity of sin so that the edifice of my mind may begin to see all things as Thou seest them.
I petition Thee for a faith that penetrates the shadows to reach the infinity of Thy Being. Though I now behold Thee as if through a dark cloud, let this faith sustain the scaffolding of my soul until the day I see Thee face to face. I submit my intellect to Thy truth, knowing that Thy word is an unfailing foundation and Thy goodness is a refuge for the faithful.
Amen.								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17133" alt="Today's Gospel" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
									<blockquote>
Matthew 28:18-20



18And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. 19Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.&nbsp;20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.
</blockquote>
								
				
					
		
					
		
		
 			<img decoding="async" class="e-image-base e-d881a8f-2e7c468" data-interaction-id="d881a8f" data-e-type="widget" data-id="d881a8f" id="17132" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif" width="1280" height="150" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif 1280w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-768x90.avif 768w" alt="Saint of the Day"></img>		

		
						
					
			
				
					
				
				
					<h5 class="elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default">St. John Eudes</h5>				
				
					<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="e-image-base " data-interaction-id="708a8c3" data-e-type="widget" data-id="708a8c3" id="17156" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-StJeanEudes-219x300.jpg" width="219" height="300" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-StJeanEudes-219x300.jpg 219w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/500px-StJeanEudes.jpg 500w" alt=""></img>					
				
				
				
									St. John Eudes teaches that human intelligence is “too full of the darkness” to attain genuine knowledge of God on its own. Faith, however, is a participation in the Divine Light. This perspective aligns with the Church Fathers’ view that faith “penetrates God’s shadows.” This light is essentially linked to the Eucharist, where we must “see the Eucharist with the eyes of the mind” rather than the senses. Within the Mystical Body, faith allows us to know that God is “true in His words and unfailing in His promises.” This Supernatural virtue elevates the mind to behold Divine Perfections that human science can never grasp.								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17134" alt="Wisdom of the Saints" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
									St. John Eudes emphasizes that faith does not “debase” God’s greatness to fit our minds; rather, it elevates our minds to behold Him “just as He exists in the eyes of God.” He warns that while God is “goodness and gentleness” to the faithful, He is “terror and severity” to those who abandon Him.								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
									<blockquote>“But the light of faith is a participation in the truth and light of God. So it can’t possibly deceive you. In fact, it shows you things as God sees them: that is, as they truly are.”&nbsp;
—&nbsp;St. John Eudes
</blockquote>								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
									<h4>Mary and the Magisterium</h4>
Mary is the “Mother of the recreated world”, through whom the “true Light” entered our darkness. Her Faith was the doorway for the Incarnation. The Magisterium acts as the “servant of the Truth,” as the Bishop preserves the “Apostolic traditions”. By following the Bishop, the faithful are protected from the “devices of innovators” who would rely on weak human reason alone. Mary stands as the model of the “submission of the human mind” to Divine Revelation, an obedience that the Office of the Priest is ordained to facilitate in every believer.




								
				
					
		
					
		
				
						
					
			
						
				
															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-17142" alt="" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-300x35.webp 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-768x90.webp 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application.webp 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></img>															
				
				
				
							<ul class="elementor-icon-list-items">
							<li class="elementor-icon-list-item">
											
													
										What truths about God can human reason alone show me? 
									</li>
								<li class="elementor-icon-list-item">
											
													
										What does my faith tell me about God that science and human philosophy could never have discovered?
									</li>
						</ul>
						
				
				
				
							
			
							
					
						
		
						
				
				
				
									Closing Prayer


Lord God, you’re infinite and eternal, beyond all I can think or even imagine. Though in this life I can’t know you fully, yet I can know you truly because you’ve revealed yourself to me in Jesus Christ.
Amen.

June 3: Faith Allows Us to See God as He Truly Is

Father Robert Nixon emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment and trusting in God's guidance. He begins with a prayer for wisdom and focuses on the duty of the present moment as the sole rule, urging you to let go of worry about the future and concentrate on fulfilling God's will in each moment. Exploring the concept of trust in God's guidance, Father Nixon encourages absolute confidence in divine providence, highlighting the uniqueness and unpredictability of each soul's journey towards salvation.Episode 14 covers Book 2, Chapter 2, Sections 6 and 7. LEARN MORE - USE COUPON CODE COM25 FOR 25% OFFAbandonment to Divine Providence Deluxe Edition - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3VcQPxU">https://bit.ly/3VcQPxU</a>TAN Classics Deluxe Edition Set - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3Vx8Fx2">https://bit.ly/3Vx8Fx2</a>Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/4bRf2kg">https://bit.ly/4bRf2kg</a>Abandonment to Divine Providence (Paperbound) - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3x77bju">https://bit.ly/3x77bju</a>Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/4aUOltV">https://bit.ly/4aUOltV</a>The Soul of the Apostolate - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3X7blTc">https://bit.ly/3X7blTc</a>Uniformity with God's Will - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3Vy2CbB">https://bit.ly/3Vy2CbB</a>The Commentaries is a podcast series from TAN in which you’ll learn how to read and understand history’s greatest Catholic works, from today’s greatest Catholic scholars. In every series of The Commentaries, your expert host will be your personal guide to not just read the book, but to live the book, shining the light of its eternal truths into the darkness of our modern trials and tribulations.Fr. Robert Nixon is your guide for The Commentaries: Abandonment to Divine Providence. Abandonment to Divine Providence is an 18th-century classic that is the answer to modern doubts and anxieties. Author Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade offers the one sure solution to any spiritual difficulty: abandon yourself entirely to God by embracing the duties of your station in life. Join Fr. Robert on this 21-episode journey as he skillfully leads us through the timeless wisdom from the text with a perspective that provides helpful examples and countless ways to apply these lessons in our daily lives.To download your FREE Classic Companion PDF and for updates about new seasons, expert scholars, and exclusive deals for The Commentaries listeners, sign up at TANcommentaries.comAnd for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at https://TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code COM25 for 25% off your next order.

14. Abandonment to Divine Providence: The Duty of the Present Moment and Trust in God

Discover how spiritual perfection is achieved through the faithful abandonment to God's will rather than understanding His designs. Fr. Robert Nixon relays how our sanctification comes from cooperating with divine influence in each moment, viewing every duty as a path to holiness. He emphasizes that mental faculties and spiritual practices should serve God's will in the present moment, whether it involves prayer or mundane tasks, ensuring our actions align with divine intention.Episode 3 covers the Book 1, Chapter 1, Sections 4-6.LEARN MORE - USE COUPON CODE COM25 FOR 25% OFFAbandonment to Divine Providence Deluxe Edition - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3VcQPxU">https://bit.ly/3VcQPxU</a>TAN Classics Deluxe Edition Set - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3Vx8Fx2">https://bit.ly/3Vx8Fx2</a>Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/4bRf2kg">https://bit.ly/4bRf2kg</a>Abandonment to Divine Providence (Paperbound) - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3x77bju">https://bit.ly/3x77bju</a>Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/4aUOltV">https://bit.ly/4aUOltV</a>The Soul of the Apostolate - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3X7blTc">https://bit.ly/3X7blTc</a>Uniformity with God's Will - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3Vy2CbB">https://bit.ly/3Vy2CbB</a>The Commentaries is a podcast series from TAN in which you’ll learn how to read and understand history’s greatest Catholic works, from today’s greatest Catholic scholars. In every series of The Commentaries, your expert host will be your personal guide to not just read the book, but to live the book, shining the light of its eternal truths into the darkness of our modern trials and tribulations.Fr. Robert Nixon is your guide for The Commentaries: Abandonment to Divine Providence. Abandonment to Divine Providence is an 18th-century classic that is the answer to modern doubts and anxieties. Author Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade offers the one sure solution to any spiritual difficulty: abandon yourself entirely to God by embracing the duties of your station in life. Join Fr. Robert on this 21-episode journey as he skillfully leads us through the timeless wisdom from the text with a perspective that provides helpful examples and countless ways to apply these lessons in our daily lives.To download your FREE Classic Companion PDF and for updates about new seasons, expert scholars, and exclusive deals for The Commentaries listeners, sign up at TANcommentaries.comAnd for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at https://TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code COM25 for 25% off your next order.

3. Abandonment to Divine Providence: Spiritual Perfection, Divine Influence, and Mental Faculties

<h3>Overview</h3>
Jesus, I Surrender Myself to You&nbsp;is both a moving spiritual biography and a profound witness to the transforming power of surrender to God&rsquo;s will. Drawing from the living memory of Don Dolindo Ruotolo through the testimony of his devoted niece Grazia, alongside the careful research of Luciano Regolo, this work reveals the hidden sanctity of a priest whose life became a continual offering to Christ.
&nbsp;
From a childhood marked by poverty, suffering, and misunderstanding to years of ecclesial persecution endured in silence, Don Dolindo&rsquo;s life was forged through obedience, humility, and radical trust in Divine Providence. Though burdened with immense trials, he developed an astonishing intimacy with Christ, becoming a spiritual father whose simple prayer of surrender continues to bring peace and consolation to countless souls around the world.
&nbsp;
Interwoven with firsthand accounts, Marian devotion, Eucharistic spirituality, and extraordinary graces, this book offers readers not merely the story of a mystic, but a practical path toward holiness. Don Dolindo demonstrates that true sanctity is not found in comfort or recognition, but in abandoning oneself completely into the loving hands of God.

Jesus, I Surrender Myself to You: The Life of Don Dolindo Ruotolo

<h2>Opening Prayer</h2>
Lord, I enter Thy Church as a spiritual clinic, seeking the surgery not of the body, but of the soul. I recognize that Thy Word is a medicine that does not grow weak with time nor fail against the most serious diseases. I bring the only price Thou demandest for this treatment: a sincere intention and a right attitude of heart.
I petition Thee for the healing of my spiritual wounds through the medicine of Thy Word. Let the words proceeding from heaven, dispensed through the preaching of Thy Church, restore health to my soul. Grant me the grace to receive this heavenly healing and to go my way restored in the interior chambers of my spirit.
Amen.
															<img width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif" alt="Today&#039;s Gospel" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/todaysgospel.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />															
<blockquote>
Matthew 13:44-52
 

44The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 45Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls. 46Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it. 47Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes. 48Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth. 49So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just. 50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes. 52He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.
</blockquote>

			<img data-interaction-id="d881a8f" data-e-type="widget" data-id="d881a8f" id="17132" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif" width="1280" height="150" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday.avif 1280w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/saintoftheday-768x90.avif 768w" alt="Saint of the Day"/>				
<h5>St. John Chrysostom</h5>
					<img data-interaction-id="708a8c3" data-e-type="widget" data-id="708a8c3" id="17228" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/500px-Hosios_Loukas_nave_south_east_conch_-_John_Chrysostom_-_detail-260x300.jpg" width="260" height="300" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/500px-Hosios_Loukas_nave_south_east_conch_-_John_Chrysostom_-_detail-260x300.jpg 260w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/500px-Hosios_Loukas_nave_south_east_conch_-_John_Chrysostom_-_detail.jpg 500w" alt=""/>		
St. John Chrysostom explains that while bodily medicine decays, "divine medicine" retains its power forever. This medicine is "put together not from herbs... but from the words proceeding from heaven." This Sacramental view of the Word suggests it is "dispensed... by the tongues of those who preach." In the Mystical Body, both "rich and poor alike" have access to this treatment. It is linked to the Eucharist, which provides "forgiveness of unrecognized sins" and acts as the "food for the soul".
															<img width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif" alt="Wisdom of the Saints" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-1024x120.avif 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-300x35.avif 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints-768x90.avif 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wisdomofthesaints.avif 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />															
Chrysostom emphasizes that the "price" for this medicine is not silver, but a "sincere intention and attitude." It is a surgery "not for bodies, but for souls." He argues that unlike human remedies, God’s Word never "declines over time" nor "fails to overcome every spiritual disease."
<blockquote>
"The Church is a clinic that offers an excellent surgery—a surgery, not for bodies, but for souls... And the remedy it offers for these errors... is God’s Word."
— St. John Chrysostom
</blockquote>
<h4>Mary and the Magisterium</h4>
Mary is the "Mirror of Virtue" who lived with a "pure soul," which St. Athanasius says is necessary to "understand the teaching of the saints". The Magisterium, through the Bishop as the "Physician of souls," must avoid the "failure to correct" the flock. They act as "earthly angels" who administer the "fire of reproof" and the "salve" of mercy. Mary, the "Star of the Sea", guides us to this "divine medicine" dispensed by the Office of the Priest.





															<img width="1024" height="120" src="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp" alt="" srcset="https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-1024x120.webp 1024w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-300x35.webp 300w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application-768x90.webp 768w, https://tandirection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spiritual-Application.webp 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />															
<ul>
<li>
										What spiritual ailments—anger, pride, or greed—am I suffering just now?
									</li>
<li>
										Am I listening to God’s Word to learn about the specific remedies He offers me?
									</li>
</ul>
Closing Prayer


Great Physician, you can heal the broken heart, the troubled mind, the disordered soul. Thank you for the medicine of Scripture.
Amen.

June 10: God’s Word, Our Medicine

The Sinner's Guide is the most famous work of one of the most prominent and exceptional spiritual teachers of the sixteenth century. It has been compared to The Imitation of Christ for its breadth, intensity, and usefulness for devotion and has been translated into Italian, French, German, Polish, Latin, and Greek. Covering what many spiritual writers neglect, Venerable Louis discusses both virtue and vice&mdash;how to both do good and avoid evil. Included in this volume are chapters on:
<ul>
<li>
Eleven motives for practicing virtue
</li>
<li>
Twelve privileges of virtue
</li>
<li>
Cautions against deferring conversion
</li>
<li>
Remedies for the seven deadly sins and others
</li>
<li>
Virtues and duties of our state
</li>
<li>
And far more!
</li>
</ul>
Venerable Louis stands as a master of the spiritual life throughout the whole Christian tradition. Born in extremely poor circumstances, his mother was widowed when he was five, and the pair subsisted on alms gathered from outside the gate of a Dominican priory. Eventually, Louis became a Dominican himself, and began a career of preaching that resulted, at length, in traveling throughout Spain and Portugal. He attained&mdash;despite the humble friar's best efforts&mdash;various posts in the Order of Preachers and served at courts of nobles and the queen regent of Portugal. He was offered bishoprics and the cardinalate, but declined all offers. He suffered much in his life, accused by the Spanish Inquisition of heresy unjustly; he was later vindicated by the Council of Trent and the witness of subsequent saints. Indeed, he counts among his readers and recommenders such pillars of sanctity as St. Rose of Lima, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Louise de Marillac, and St. Francis de Sales, who recommended Venerable Louis's works be read as a "second Breviary."
But Venerable Louis's primary mission, quite unusually for his time, was to write and preach for the laity. Indeed, a disapproving observer said Venerable Louis wrote for "wives of carpenters," maybe forgetting who the Blessed Virgin was. Let, then, the words of this venerable Spanish preacher illuminate your heart with the light of Christ, speaking, as it were, straight from the bosom of the Master.

The Sinner's Guide

The Treasure Box books present a wonderful combination of fun, innocence and the Catholic Faith. They teach the Faith in a simple way, and they inspire children's hearts to love God. The pictures are truly beautiful, unlike the cartoon illustrations found in many children's books today. These books are full of Catholic doctrine, presented reverently and simply at a young child's level, in a manner to capture the child's interest and raise the heart to God.

Treasure Box: Book 7

00 Opening Credits

01 Front Matter

02 Chapter 1 The Will of God Made and Governs All Things

03 Chapter 1 God Controls All Events, Whether Good or Bad

04 Chapter 1 How Can God Will or Allow Evil

05 Chapter 1 Practical Examples

06 Chapter 1 God Does Everything with Supreme Wisdom

07 Chapter 1 Trials and Punishments Are Blessings from God and Proof of His Mercy

08 Chapter 1 Our Trials Are Never Greater than Our Strength to Bear Them

09 Chapter 2 The Great Advantages to Be Gained from Entire Conformity to the Divine Will

10 Chapter 2 Man Sanctifies Himself by this Conformity

11 Chapter 2 Conformity to God's Will Makes Us Happy in this Life as Well

12 Chapter 3 The Practice of Conformity to the Will of God

13 Chapter 3 In the Natural Incidents of Our Daily Lives

14 Chapter 3 In Public Calamities

15 Chapter 3 In the Cares and Difficulties of Family Life

16 Chapter 3 In Reverses of Fortune

17 Chapter 3 In Poverty and Its Hardships

18 Chapter 3 In Adversity and Disgrace

19 Chapter 3 In Defects of Nature

20 Chapter 3 In Sickness and Infirmity

21 Chapter 3 In Death and the Manner of It

22 Chapter 3 In the Loss of Spiritual Consolation

23 Chapter 3 In the Consequences of Our Sins

24 Chapter 3 In Interior Trials

25 Chapter 3 In Spiritual Favors

26 Chapter 3 Summary and Conclusion

27 Chapter 4 Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence - Consoling Truths

28 Chapter 4 When God Sends Us Trials

29 Chapter 4 Loving Recourse to God

30 Chapter 4 Practice of Trustful Surrender

31 Chapter 4 Adversity Is Useful for the Just and Necessary for Sinners

32 Chapter 4 We Must Have Trust in Providence

33 Chapter 4 Unexpected Advantages from Our Trials

34 Chapter 4 Opportunities for Acquiring Merit and Saving Our Souls

35 Chapter 4 Recourse to Prayer

36 Chapter 4 To Obtain What We Want

37 Chapter 4 To Be Delivered from Evil

38 Chapter 4 We Do Not Ask Enough

39 Chapter 4 Perseverance in Prayer

40 Chapter 4 Obstinate Trust

41 Chapter 5 Exercise of Conformity to Divine Providence

42 Chapter 5 Act of Faith, Hope and Charity

43 Chapter 5 Act of Filial Submission to Providence

44 Chapter 5 Usefulness of This Exercise

45 Notes on Publication

46 Closing Credits

To trust in God&rsquo;s will is the &ldquo;secret of happiness and content,&rdquo; the one sure-fire way to attain serenity in this world and salvation in the next. Trustful Surrender simply and clearly answers questions that many Christians have regarding God&rsquo;s will, the existence of evil, and the practice of trustful surrender, such as:
<ul>
<li>How can God will or allow evil?&nbsp;</li>
<li>Why does God allow bad things to happen to innocent people?</li>
<li>Why does God appear not to answer our prayers?&nbsp;</li>
<li>What is Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence?&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
This enriching classic will lay to rest many doubts and fears and open the door to peace and acceptance of God&rsquo;s will. TAN&rsquo;s pocket-sized edition helps you to carry it wherever you go, to constantly remind yourself that God is guarding you. He does not send you any joy too great to bear or any trial too difficult to overcome.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence

Fr. Edward Looney reads from chapter 28 of book 5 and then reflects on following Jesus. &nbsp;

Day 215: Volume 3, Book 5, Chapter 28, Paragraphs 306-313

Fr. Edward Looney reads from chapter 21 of book 8, and then comments on the dormition tradition and our salvation.&nbsp;

Day 363: Volume 4, Book 8, Chapter 21, Paragraphs 767-774

Father Robert Nixon serves as your guide for The Commentaries: Abandonment to Divine Providence. In the introductory episode, Father Robert explores the life of the author of the book, Jean-Pierre de Caussade, a relatively little-known 18th-century French Jesuit priest. Discover the origins and structure of this timeless spiritual treatise and begin this season of The Commentaries with a prayer asking for God's guidance in learning to trust in His divine providence completely.

The Commentaries: Abandonment to Divine Providence

Stern, wise, manful, charitable, generous, and courageous, St. Pius V was a stout-hearted defender of the Faith and of Christendom at a period of the greatest crisis in the history of the Church since the Great Schism and the Fall of Rome. He headed the Church with such inestimable vigor and grace that his name can scarcely be left off a list of contenders for the title of the greatest pope in history.Born in 1504 in Bosco, a town in Lombardy, Italy, Michael Ghisleri was of noble lineage but poor. Discerning in youth a desire to be a priest, he became a pupil of Dominican friars nearby. Under their auspices, he excelled in his philosophical and theological studies, as well as austerities and mortifications. He became a philosophy professor for the province at 20 and was ordained priest at 24; he taught for 16 years. He served also various roles in the order, and his fasts, penances, vigils, and mortifications (such as walking on foot without a cloak in silence, no matter the weather) built his reputation until he was selected as bishop of Sutri by Pope Paul IV, an inquisitor in Milan and Lombardy, and a cardinal (against his desires in all cases). Among his deeds were preventing Emperor Maximilian II from abolishing clerical celibacy. At last, in 1566, against his tearful protests, he was elected the Supreme Pontiff and successor of Peter, the third Dominican to hold that office.His first actions were to donate exceedingly to the poor; he also visited hospitals, consoled the sick, washed the poor's feet, and kissed lepers. His penances were in no way relaxed with his office, but actually increased; his austerity and intensity became well-known, even intimidating—though he was ever a gentle, if stern, ruler and leader. His spate of achievements is remarkable, and it suffices just to name them briefly, so famous are they: the revision and codification of the Roman Breviary, the codification of the Roman Missal, the enforcement of the disciplines of the Council of Trent, reformation of the clergy (among other things by requiring bishops to stay in their dioceses), and support of the missions in the Americas. In Rome itself, he endeavored to thwart prostitution and forbade bullfighting. His time was plagued by Protestant heresies, and much of his efforts were made fighting these: he supported German Catholics against Protestant rulers, sent financial aid to France to fight heresy there, aided Spain in its quest to oppose false doctrines, and excommunicated Elizabeth I of England as a heretic. Perhaps his greatest success, however, was in exhorting a last-ditch defense of Christendom against the Turkish Muslim onslaught, which loomed even larger, perhaps, than the internal threat of the Protestants. After fortifying towns and supporting military orders, in 1571, he raised naval forces from Spain, Venice, and the Papal States to fight Suleiman II's attempt to dominate Western Europe, as well as exhorting all of Christendom to participate in public prayer for victory. His efforts were rewarded when, on the day of the battle at Lepanto, he received a vision showing the unlikely victory of the vastly outnumbered Christian fleet. His death followed soon after in 1572; he was canonized 140 years later.This short, readable biography details all this and more about the illustrious life of this holiest of Holy Fathers. Saint Pius V, pray for us!

Saint Pius V: His Life, Times, Virtues and Miracles

Home. It is an elegant word, at once both simple and far-reaching. Home is a place to live in and feel comfortable, but it is much more than that.Home is where we are nurtured, where we live, and where we love. The language of Home is universal. It is where we find the eternal in the everyday.But the Home has been neglected. To millions of women today, there is nothing worse than being a ;homemaker.; If only they knew the supreme value (and reward) of giving loved ones a place to call Home! Written by three wives and mothers, Theology of Home is a simple guide to help reorient all of us toward our true home, allowing us to think purposefully about how to make our own homes on earth better equipped to get all those living in them to the Fathers house. Featuring more than 100 beautiful (and inspiring) photographs from homes around the country, profound words from the saints and other literary figures, and in-depth commentary on the theological and spiritual underpinnings of our love for Home, Theology of Home offers readers a tour of the both the Home and the human heart.Whether you live in a sprawling estate or a humble dwelling, whether alone or with a crowd, this is far more than a book of beautiful photos and great décor ideas. You will also learn how to create a deeper sense of the divine through:Creating a welcoming environment that starts with your DoorFostering a sense of remembrance through images, scents, and activities that will keep your family recollecting joy, family, and ChristMaking your home a place for joyful gatherings and spiritual growth through an emphasis on lightPrioritizing family dinners to feed the body and the soulOpening up your Home to those around you, spreading the joy and peace of Christ with your hospitalityAnd much more . . .Discover how beauty and order can bring the eternal to your everyday, and help create a path to heaven for those you love most dearly.

Theology of Home

Fr. Edward Looney reads from chapter 10 of book 7 and then comments on Hell, the acts of contrition and love, and prayers of thanksgiving.&nbsp;

Year 3, Day 298: Volume 4, Book 7, Chapter 10, Paragraphs 163-170

Author G. C. Dilsaver writes that the time has come for Catholic families to rediscover true patriarchy—time for Catholic men to accept and fulfill their role as leader and head of their families. The role of Christian manhood, as ordained by God and confirmed by Catholic teaching, is symbolized by three staffs: the Scepter of authority and self-discipline, the Crosier of spiritual stewardship, and the Cross of redemptive suffering. Christian husbands and fathers are called by God to a familial headship which is not one of old and obsolete dominance over wife and children, which rose out of pagan notions of male superiority. Dilsaver promotes Christianity's new and untainted patriarchy in which the husband's ultimate authority is rooted in Christ's example of humility and self-sacrificing love. The Three Marks of Manhood can help Christian families realize their identity to the fullest, empowering them to resist the encroachment of secular culture. Read it and learn how to build a strong and lasting marriage, raise children to become faithful men and women of God, and foster an authentic Catholic culture within your home.

The Three Marks of Manhood: How to be Priest, Prophet and King of Your Family

Father Michael Mueller, C.SS.R., was born in 1825 at Germany. He later joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, and was one of eleven clerics sent to the United States by the American Redemptorist Provincial. Upon completion of his theology studies in Maryland, he was ordained in 1853 by John Nepomucene Neumann. He served the Redemptorist communities in the U.S. as Consulter to the Provincial, as well as Superior and Novice Master. Father Mueller is the author of The Blessed Eucharist, Prayer: The Key to Salvation, Triumph of the Blessed Sacrament, The Prodigal Son, and God the Teacher of Mankind. He died in 1899.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

<h3>Overview</h3>
Recover a lost treasure of Catholic tradition.
&nbsp;
For centuries, the Divine Office formed the heart of the Church&rsquo;s daily prayer. Among its richest hours was Matins, an early morning offering of Psalms, Sacred Scripture, the lives of the saints, and the luminous wisdom of the Church Fathers. The&nbsp;Matins Lectionary&nbsp;restores this spiritual treasury in full, presenting the complete cycle of readings from the Traditional Roman Breviary as they existed before the 1960 reform of Pope John XXIII, when nearly sixty percent of the Patristic and hagiographical readings were removed.
&nbsp;
In his Motu Proprio promulgating the simplified Breviary, Pope John XXIII urged clerics to secure the writings of the Fathers, &ldquo;so rich in wisdom and piety,&rdquo; and to read and meditate upon them constantly. This volume answers that call, placing back into your hands the very readings that nourished monks, priests, and lay faithful for generations.
&nbsp;
Drawing from the Douay-Rheims Bible and newly revised translations of hagiographical and Patristic texts, this single volume offers a full year of daily spiritual reading aligned with the traditional liturgical calendar. While not containing the entirety of Sacred Scripture, it draws from every book of the Bible, guiding you through its high points as the Church herself intended, season by season, feast by feast.
&nbsp;
On feast days, you will encounter six additional lessons: the life of the saint or commentary on the mystery being celebrated, followed by a passage from the day&rsquo;s Gospel and a three-part Patristic reflection. On Sundays, nine lessons provide a profound spiritual preparation for Holy Mass, especially for those attached to the Traditional Roman Rite. With the rich octaves of the traditional calendar, you are invited to linger for days with Saint Joseph, the Sacred Heart, or the Angelic Doctor, letting their wisdom shape your prayer.
&nbsp;
Scripture. Saints. The Fathers. Every day. Now in English.
<ul>
<li>Restores the complete pre-1960 Matins readings of the Traditional Roman Breviary</li>
<li>Includes Scripture from the Douay-Rheims Bible and newly revised Patristic translations</li>
<li>Provides a full year of structured daily spiritual reading</li>
<li>Aligns with the traditional liturgical calendar, including feasts and octaves</li>
<li>Offers nine Sunday lessons for deep preparation before Holy Mass</li>
</ul>

The Matins Lectionary: The Complete Readings from the Traditional Roman Breviary

A Story of St. Catherine of Alexandria is a magnificent story of another of God's great saints - an example to young girls and Catholics of all ages and time.Catherine was born a pagan princess of Egypt, the land of the Sphinx and Pyramids. In her thirst for knowledge and wisdom she grew into a wise and very lovely young woman. This is an account of Catherine's conversion to Christianity, her ascension to the throne as Queen of Alexandria, the persecution of her Christian subjects by the Romans, and her own suffering at the hands of the Emperor for her love of Christ. Beautiful illustrations help tell her amazing story!

A Story of Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Father Robert Nixon reflects on the significance of faith in embracing God's will. He emphasizes the simplicity yet profound importance of faith, likening it to walking in darkness and trusting in divine providence even when the path is unclear. Learn to cultivate absolute faith in God's guidance, recognizing it as essential for true abandonment to God's will.Episode 15 covers Book 2, Chapter 2, Section 8. LEARN MORE - USE COUPON CODE COM25 FOR 25% OFFAbandonment to Divine Providence Deluxe Edition - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3VcQPxU">https://bit.ly/3VcQPxU</a>TAN Classics Deluxe Edition Set - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3Vx8Fx2">https://bit.ly/3Vx8Fx2</a>Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/4bRf2kg">https://bit.ly/4bRf2kg</a>Abandonment to Divine Providence (Paperbound) - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3x77bju">https://bit.ly/3x77bju</a>Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/4aUOltV">https://bit.ly/4aUOltV</a>The Soul of the Apostolate - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3X7blTc">https://bit.ly/3X7blTc</a>Uniformity with God's Will - <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3Vy2CbB">https://bit.ly/3Vy2CbB</a>The Commentaries is a podcast series from TAN in which you’ll learn how to read and understand history’s greatest Catholic works, from today’s greatest Catholic scholars. In every series of The Commentaries, your expert host will be your personal guide to not just read the book, but to live the book, shining the light of its eternal truths into the darkness of our modern trials and tribulations.Fr. Robert Nixon is your guide for The Commentaries: Abandonment to Divine Providence. Abandonment to Divine Providence is an 18th-century classic that is the answer to modern doubts and anxieties. Author Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade offers the one sure solution to any spiritual difficulty: abandon yourself entirely to God by embracing the duties of your station in life. Join Fr. Robert on this 21-episode journey as he skillfully leads us through the timeless wisdom from the text with a perspective that provides helpful examples and countless ways to apply these lessons in our daily lives.To download your FREE Classic Companion PDF and for updates about new seasons, expert scholars, and exclusive deals for The Commentaries listeners, sign up at TANcommentaries.comAnd for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at https://TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code COM25 for 25% off your next order.