Reflections on life, meaning and purpose

Saint John Chrysostom or the Power of the Holy Words

In one of the most valuable books dedicated to the art of meditation, Religious Meditations,[i] Father Pierre Chaignon S.J. (1791–1883) emphasizes one of the essential aspects of how a Christian can effectively change his life by drawing closer to the demands of holiness. How? Certainly not through general, vague, and non-committal resolutions. The effectiveness of a good meditation depends on specific decisions applied with wisdom to our personal lives. Thus, Father Chaignon proposes an eloquent example: “Let’s assume you have decided: ‘I will be patient in adversities.’ It is too vague a resolution and therefore sterile. (…) Try, therefore, to…