bible and theology on Past

There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.

“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”

Repentance resulting from self-examination is a lifelong endeavor, occasionally surfacing in the public or private act of confession as an act of “courageous memory” in recalling one’s past.

In her excellent little book (Mythical Me), Richella Parham describes the importance of looking on the past with grace: Developing a redemptive memory requires recalling not only the pain of the pas...

When we remember the past, it is not only the past; it breaks into the present and gains a new lease on life.

One day Saint Francis and brother Leo were walking down the road. Noticing Leo was depressed, Francis turned and asked, “Leo, do you know what it means to be pure of heart?” “Of course. It means to h...

The most exemplary nature is that of the topsoil. It is very Christ-like in its passivity and beneficence, and in the penetrating energy that issues out of its peaceableness. It increases by experienc...

If we examine our thoughts, we shall find them always occupied with the past and the future.

Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love and the future to God’s providence.