The Commentaries

Father Robert Nixon explores the practical aspects of surrendering to God's will. He begins with a prayer for faith and courage, highlighting the importance of both active and passive submission to God's directives. Emphasizing the diverse ways in which God communicates His will, Father Nixon illustrates how souls in perfect abandonment find fulfillment and union with God. He concludes by affirmin...

Delve into the pivotal themes of duty, sacrifice, and the pains and consolations of abandonment. Father Robert Nixon emphasizes the necessity of surrendering entirely to God's will, even amidst challenges and emotional turmoil. He elucidates that while embracing divine providence may entail discomfort and confusion, it ultimately leads to the establishment of pure love within the soul, guiding one...

Fr. Robert Nixon emphasizes that true sanctity stems from pure faith and constant trust in God, rather than extraordinary manifestations of holiness seen in saints' lives. Fr. Robert highlights the importance of complete submission to God's will, fulfilling one's duties, and viewing all life's roles as part of a divine vocation. Through this abandonment, one achieves peace and aligns with God's lo...

Fr. Robert Nixon delves deeper into the lives of those who have achieved complete abandonment to God's will. This state reflects a profound union of faith, hope, and charity, guiding souls by divine influence rather than personal plans or structures. Abandoning oneself to God's providence, even amidst life's uncertainties, leads to spiritual growth, joy, and the assurance of God's guidance toward...

Fr. Robert Nixon explores how divine action can elevate the ordinary to the supernatural, urging abandonment to God's will as the path to profound sanctity. Father Nixon highlights the danger of distraction from personal spiritual growth by overly fixating on the experiences of saints or the allure of dramatic acts of faith. Instead, he advocates for finding God's grace in the mundane challenges o...

Fr. Robert Nixon emphasizes the sanctity of the present moment as a revelation of God's will. He encourages embracing the present as a source of divine grace, comparing it to a sacrament that guides us toward holiness. Nixon highlights the importance of living in perpetual abandonment to God's will, suggesting that true sanctity is found not in extraordinary acts but in faithfully accepting and re...

Fr. Robert Nixon highlights the importance of treating daily divine actions with reverence, likening them to the sacred treatment of Christ’s body. True understanding of God's will comes through experiential faith and surrender, rather than solely through intellectual means. Learn to recognize God’s presence in every event and to fully trust in His divine providence for spiritual growth and peace....

Fr. Robert Nixon emphasizes the continuous, infinite, and accessible nature of God's will, which fulfills our deepest desires when perceived through faith. He stresses the importance of restraining the senses to uncover God's will in every moment, likening the revelation of God through daily events to the hidden mysteries of Holy Scripture. He concludes by highlighting the ongoing divine action in...

Fr. Robert Nixon discusses divine action as always present and active, though only visible through the eyes of faith. He relays how author Jean-Pierre de Caussade emphasizes that every moment, whether filled with joy or suffering, conceals God's providential work. By recognizing God's will in every aspect of life, individuals can achieve true peace and sanctification. Episode 5 covers Book 1, Chap...

Fr. Robert Nixon discusses how true peace is attained through total submission to God's will, emphasizing that each moment's duties and challenges, no matter how mundane, are pathways to sanctification. He explains the degrees of spiritual excellence, gauged by fidelity to God's order, and introduces "Sanctity Made Easy," highlighting that fulfilling daily responsibilities with acceptance and trus...

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...

In the second episode of his commentary series on Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Fr. Robert Nixon emphasizes that sanctity lies in fidelity to God's order and submission to His will, as exemplified by the Blessed Virgin Mary. By embracing God's will in every moment, whether mundane or significant, we participate in divine work, achieving sanctity through active and pa...

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 a...

In his final reflections on The Glories of Mary by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Father Edward Looney emphasizes the richness of the text and the need for further study. He highlights the simplicity of Marian devotion presented by Saint Alphonsus, suggesting that returning to these basics will profoundly impact our spiritual lives. Father Looney expresses a desire to explore deeper into the text, parti...

Father Edward Looney discusses the significance of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He explores various practices of Marian devotion outlined by Saint Alphonsus, including praying the Hail Mary, novenas, the rosary, and visiting images of Mary. Father Looney emphasizes the personal nature of devotion to Mary and encourages us to find ways to integrate these practices into our own spiritual liv...

Delve into the ten virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary as outlined by Saint Alphonsus Liguori in The Glories of Mary . Through prayer and reflection, Father Edward Looney explores these virtues exemplified by Mary, including humility, charity towards God and neighbor, faith, hope, chastity, poverty, obedience, patience, and prayer. Drawing parallels between Mary's virtues and their relevance to our...

Through prayer and reflection, learn how to contemplate the significance of the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Father Edward Looney explains the relevance of Mary's Sorrows to our own experiences of sorrow and contrition by highlighting her role as a mother and emphasizing the importance of this devotion to deepen our understanding of Christ's Passion and Mary's enduring intercession. Encouraging engageme...

Father Edward Looney delves into his personal favorite mystery of the rosary, Mary's Assumption. Exploring the theological perspectives on whether Mary died or was assumed directly into heaven, he highlights the rich traditions surrounding her passing. With insights into Eastern and Western interpretations, learn how to contemplate on Mary's role as Queen of Heaven and Earth and reflect on these m...

Father Edward Looney delves into the significance of the Purification of Mary, also known as the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. He begins with a prayer, invoking God's blessings and reflecting on Mary's obedience and humility in fulfilling the law by presenting Jesus in the temple. Father Looney explores the Christological and Marian aspects of this event, highlighting Jesus as the ultimate...

Father Edward Looney explores the significance of the Visitation, the second joyful mystery of the rosary. He shares a personal connection to the feast, having been ordained a deacon on the feast day of the Visitation. Father Looney invites us to reflect on the biblical account of the Visitation in Luke's Gospel while pondering Mary's journey to visit Elizabeth, the presence of Joseph, and the hol...

Father Edward Looney explores the significance of the Annunciation, emphasizing its centrality to the mystery of the Incarnation. He encourages us to reflect on the biblical account of the Annunciation in Luke's gospel before delving into discourse four of The Glories of Mary . Father Looney invites contemplation on various aspects of the Annunciation, such as the location, Mary's response, and th...

Father Edward Looney discusses the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple, emphasizing its significance as a moment of consecration and preparation for her role as the Mother of God. He addresses doubts regarding the historicity of the event, asserting its importance for meditation and reflection based on the teachings of saints and mystics. Father Looney highlights Mary's dedicatio...

Father Edward Looney discusses in detail the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He highlights the significance of Mary's birth as a prelude to her role in salvation history and emphasizes the unique graces bestowed upon her by God from the moment of her conception. Father Looney encourages reflection on how to honor Mary on her feast day, September 8th, and draws parallels between celebrating the b...

Father Edward Looney explores the theology of the Immaculate Conception as presented by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. He discusses the fittingness of Mary's preservation from original sin in relation to the Holy Trinity and explains how this doctrine was anticipated and believed by saints and religious communities prior to its dogmatic definition. Father Looney clarifies the distinction between the Imm...

Father Edward Looney explores the structure and significance of prayers addressed to the Virgin Mary by various saints. He discusses how these prayers teach the language of prayer and models how to craft a prayer to Mary, using the Annunciation as an example. He concludes with an invitation to reflect on the anatomy of Marian prayer and to encourages us to write our own prayers inspired by these m...