Quotations

Question 1

Psalm 1

Answer 1

1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water,
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Question 2

Psalm 23

Answer 2

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
2 he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.

Question 3

Psalm 19:8

Answer 3

The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.

Question 4

C. S. Lewis on popular writing

Answer 4

“Any fool can write learned language. The vernacular is the real test. If you can’t turn your faith into it, then either you don’t understand it or you don’t believe it.” From Timeless at Heart.

Question 5

Sirach 6:6

Answer 5

“Let those that are at peace with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand.”

Question 6

Prayer for the dead.

Answer 6

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Question 7

Thomas Sowell on the first laws of economics and politics.

Answer 7

“The first law of economics is scarcity. The first law of politics is to ignore the first law of economics.”

Question 8

Nietzsche on suffering

Answer 8

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

Question 9

St. Augustine on difficult times

Answer 9

“The clouds pass but the heavens remain” Confessions 13.15

Question 10

Romans 8:31

Answer 10

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Question 11

Pascal on our love of fame

Answer 11

“Fame is so sweet that we love anything connected with it, even death.” Pensees

Question 12

Galatians 1:8

Answer 12

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”

Question 13

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Answer 13

“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.“

Question 14

Archbishop Vigano on the nature of temptation.

Answer 14

“The recurrent element in temptation … is to show evil under false appearances of good and good as an annoying obstacle to the fulfillment of one’s rebellious will.”

Question 15

1 Cor. 14:33

Answer 15

“God is not the author of confusion but of peace.”

Question 16

Pledge of Allegiance

Answer 16

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Question 17

The Divine Praises

Answer 17

Blessed be God.

Blessed be his holy Name.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.

Blessed be the name of Jesus.

Blessed be his most Sacred Heart.

Blessed be his most Precious Blood.

Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.

Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.

Blessed be her glorious Assumption.

Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.

Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.

Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints.

Question 18

1 Kings 20:11

Answer 18

“One who puts on armor should not brag like one who takes it off.”

Question 19

St. Catherine of Siena on the basis of our reward.

Answer 19

“You are rewarded not according to your work or your time but according to your love.”

Question 20

St. Francis de Sales on how we should conduct ourselves always.

Answer 20

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if the whole world seems upset.”

Question 21

Albert Camus on autumn.

Answer 21

“Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower.”

Question 22

Hebrews 11:6

Answer 22

“[W]ithout faith it is impossible to please [God]. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Question 23

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Answer 23

“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.”

Question 24

Psalm 32:7

Answer 24

“You are a hiding place for me, [O Lord;] you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with deliverance.”

Question 25

Galatians 5:22-23

Answer 25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 RSV-CE

Question 26

Proverbs 16:32

Answer 26

“32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” RSV-CE

Question 27

What Our Lady urged the children at Fatima to say often and especially when making sacrifice for sinners.

Answer 27

“O Jesus, this is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

Question 28

Excerpted “Prayer before Study” by St. Thomas Aquinas

Answer 28

Ineffable Creator, Lord Jesus Christ, pour forth a ray of Your brightness into the darkened places of my mind; disperse from my soul the twofold darkness into which I was born: sin and ignorance.

Grant me keenness of mind,
capacity to remember, skill in learning, subtlety to interpret,
and eloquence in speech.

May You guide the beginning of
my work, direct its progress,
and bring it to completion.

You who are true God and true man, who live and reign, world without end.

Amen.

Question 29

Mark Twain on what gets us into trouble.

Answer 29

“It’s not what we don’t know that gets us into trouble. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Question 30

1 John 3:18

Answer 30

“Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.”

Question 31

C. S. Lewis on putting first things first.

Answer 31

“Put first things first and second things are thrown in. Put second things first and you lose both first and second things.”

Question 32

Isaiah 43:2

Answer 32

“When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you.”

Question 33

Joshua 1:9

Answer 33

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Question 34

St. Joan of Arc on victory

Answer 34

“We must fight; then God gives the victory.”

Question 35

1 John 3:10

Answer 35

“[T]he children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.”