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Charity


Balthazor

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HisChildForever

[quote name='Autumn Dusk' post='1643530' date='Aug 31 2008, 06:06 PM']does it count as road rage if you only secretly hope that the guy tailgating you tire's magically deflate? Not to hurt him...just to get him off your tail.



..............i wish that alot.[/quote]

I check them with my brakes. :mellow:

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Charity for us on earth involves a supernatural love for man and so that includes love of ourself and of neighbor. It is supernatural and so is not the easiest thing for any of us to have an abundance of at all times or in all situations. We have to constantly work at it and be aware of it. You are aware of it. I am aware of it and I can be so uncharitable at times especially with those I love the most. Whenever we veer from God's will we tend to lack charity in that action.
When one realizes that they have acted in an uncharitable manner, they can atone for it immediately, with an apology if possible to whom one was uncharitable to and to God. We can become more charitable if we work at it.

St. Thomas said:

"The spiritual increase of charity is somewhat like the increase of a body. Now bodily increase in animals and plants is not a continuous movement, so that, to wit, if a thing increase so much in so much time, it need to increase proportionally in each part of that time, as happens in local movement; but for a certain space of time nature works by disposing for the increase, without causing any actual increase, and afterwards brings into effect that to which it had disposed, by giving the animal or plant an actual increase. In like manner charity does not actually increase through every act of charity, but each act of charity disposes to an increase of charity, in so far as one act of charity makes man more ready to act again according to charity, and this readiness increasing, man breaks out into an act of more fervent love, and strives to advance in charity, and then his charity increases actually."

The perfection of charity may be understood in two ways: first with regard to the object loved, secondly with regard to the person who loves. With regard to the object loved, charity is perfect, if the object be loved as much as it is lovable. Now God is as lovable as He is good, and His goodness is infinite, wherefore He is infinitely lovable. But no creature can love Him infinitely since all created power is finite. Consequently no creature's charity can be perfect in this way; the charity of God alone can, whereby He loves Himself.

On the part of the person who loves, charity is perfect, when he loves as much as he can. This happens in three ways. First, so that a man's whole heart is always actually borne towards God: this is the perfection of the charity of heaven, and is not possible in this life, wherein, by reason of the weakness of human life, it is impossible to think always actually of God, and to be moved by love towards Him. Secondly, so that man makes an earnest endeavor to give his time to God and Divine things, while scorning other things except in so far as the needs of the present life demand. This is the perfection of charity that is possible to a wayfarer; but is not common to all who have charity. Thirdly, so that a man gives his whole heart to God habitually, viz. by neither thinking nor desiring anything contrary to the love of God; and this perfection is common to all who have charity.


Now, all we have to do is what he said in regards to charity and we have it made. Wasn't that easy? :unsure: I am not sure I am at that place in my spiritual journey to be reading St. Thomas. My head hurts.

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My problem is that I get flared up really easily if someone insults someone else or me. I don't like to be labeled, I don't like others to be labeled, I do not like people assuming that they know me or believes. I tend to bite back if this occurs. For the most part I am ok....I think....

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[quote name='picchick' post='1644837' date='Sep 1 2008, 08:00 PM']My problem is that I get flared up really easily if someone insults someone else or me. I don't like to be labeled, I don't like others to be labeled, I do not like people assuming that they know me or believes. I tend to bite back if this occurs. For the most part I am ok....I think....[/quote]


You are one of the most charitable, giving, generous loving people I know. :lol_roll:

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[quote name='Deb' post='1644863' date='Sep 1 2008, 08:26 PM']You are one of the most charitable, giving, generous loving people I know. :lol_roll:[/quote]
:ohno:

I have done my share

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  • 3 weeks later...

Balthazor,

I can't find the thread where you were . . . shall we say, pensive . . . yes, that's a good word . . . about the employment possibilities . . . update, progress, good news, so so news?

and how is charity coming along?

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