Emily M. DeArdo

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Seven Quick Takes No. 108: Tribute to Mother Angelica

Emily DeArdoComment

I've loved Mother Angelica for a long time. When I heard of her passing on Easter Sunday, that seemed very appropriate to me--I hope she is enjoying the Easter Season with the one she loved so much!

So, in her honor, today's quick takes are seven of my favorite Mother Angelica quotes. Enjoy. 

I. 

You have to enjoy this life without resting in it. You have to have zest for life but a desire for heaven. And you must see God in all things, realizing that He transcends them all. 

II. 

You're never alone. You must feel safe, always safe, and sure that whatever He does with you or for you, He can be trusted. 

III. 

It sends me up a wall when people say, "If you have more faith you could be healed." What is this faith business in their minds? Some kind of magic formula?...God is not your personal slot machine! Faith breeds a humility that is willing to accept the truth that the Father has revealed to us through His Son Jesus, knowledge that Christ is the Lord, and a deep realization that within the soul dwells the Spirit...The fruit of faith is to change your life.

IV. 

Holiness is not for wimps and the cross is not negotiable, sweetheart, it's a requirement.

V. 

Sometimes I am so cold and in such darkness that I merely look to Heaven and plead for light. That's a prayer of faith. A lot of people think faith is all joy. Well, I don't. Faith is sometimes scary. There are many moments in life where you are uncertain about which way to go. That kind of faith is hard. There's a type of darkness in Faith, not the darkness that comes from sin, but the darkness that necessitates trust. 

VI. 

Know that when trials come you way they are meant to prune you. Don't say, "God is punishing me." God has more to do with His day that run around with a baseball bat hitting you over the head.

VII. 

Try to laugh a lot, because life is funny and everybody today is too serious. The only tragedy in the world, my friend, is sin. 

(Bonus!)

VIII. 

Faith is one foot on the ground, one foot in the air, and a queasy feeling in the stomach. You don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but you do know that His Presence and His Providence rise before the dawn, and that's all you need to know.