Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

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People should think less about what they ought to do and more about what they ought to be. If only their being were good, their works would shine forth brightly. Do not imagine that you can ground your salvation upon actions; it must rest on what you are. The ground upon which good character rests is the very same ground from which our work derives its value, namely, a mind wholly turned to God.

- Meister Eckhart

 

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There is no one in the world who cannot arrive without difficulty at the most eminent perfection by fulfilling with love the obscure and common duties.
    ... J. P. de Caussade (1675-1751)

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O Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me and all the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen

St Joseph The Worker - Optional Memorial 1st May 2021

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CATHOLIC EDUCTION.ORG:  https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/religion-and-philosophy/spiritual-life/understanding-the-dark-night-of-the-soul.html

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"Understanding The Dark Night of The Soul"

"The dark night of the soul looks different in different lives.  Laypersons don't necessarily experience the dark night the way religious do.  Nor do active religious necessarily experience the dark night the way contemplatives do.  Some people experience it primarily through external circumstances.  They find themselves persecuted or afflicted.  In the midst of those afflictions, all calls for help go unanswered.  To the person passing through this type of dark night, it feels like God has left them to deal with their cross on their own.

Others experience the dark night through..".......... MORE on above link

 

 

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Laughter is good medicine

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May is the month dedicated to Mary

Regina Caeli

V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia:
R. For he whom thou hast deserved to bear, alleluia,

V. Hath risen, as he said, alleluia.
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who by the Resurrection of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, has vouchsafed to make glad the whole world, grant, we beseech thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his Mother, we may attain the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

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I'm having computer problems.  Technician wont be here until Monday 10th May.

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Computer still playing up, either timing out on sites or buffering for ages.  For some reason Phatmass is fine, no problems.  The buffering and timing out means that my researching is too time consuming to tackle.  Can't open emails and woe is me, I can't even watch Foxtel Go or Netflix  Ah well, the best penances are those not chosen.

I am hoping my IT person will be able to fix things on Monday.

St  Isadore, please pray for us

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Thought I would try computer this morning and lo and behold it is now ok again.  It must have been an Optus downtime.  

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On the risen body of Christ . . .

"As a seed is unrecognizable in the mature plant into which it sprouts; as solar and astral bodies differ significantly from terrestrial bodies; as what is perishable becomes inconceivably imperishable; as a creature of dust comes to bear the image of heaven; as those who are asleep in the grave suddenly become startlingly awake (see 1 Corinthians 15), so too life in the eternal embrace of God is unimaginable."

- Elizabeth Johnson, in Incarnation: On the Scope and Depth of Christology

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https://aleteia.org/2021/05/07/sr-anna-maria-vaccinated-at-101-talks-about-prayer/?utm_campaign=NL_en&utm_content=NL_en&utm_medium=mail&utm_source=daily_newsletter

A novice at 72 years of age!

 "Sr. Anna Maria, at the venerable age of 101, was given the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

But who is this centenarian nun?......."....see MORE on above link

 

[Pax17]

Wow...what a blessing she must be to her community as well as an example for the younger sisters.

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Only my thoughts:  The good things in life come to us from the Goodness of God as gift - and therefore should not be despised in my book. For these I am grateful and give thanks.   But there is something superior that The Lord longs to gift and this can come about only once we have detached ourselves from His visible gifts.  Detachment does not mean despise, rather it means no longer absolutely necessary in the journey.

Something far greater has become one's focus and heartfelt desire.

Edited May 10, 2021 by BarbaraTherese

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https://www.sane.org/

"Whatever your age, ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity, we have something for you. "

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Prayer of Teilhard de Chardin

Patient Trust

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.

And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.

—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ

 

The above is what I mean by not going over nor under, nor around.  Rather to go through, to permit oneself to go through some problem, not trying to avoid it in some way, in any way at all.  It does take patience and trust - in not knowing nor working for, nor planning, any sort of outcome.  Rather to leave that to The Lord and His Wisdom and Love.
 

Only my thoughts:  The one proviso I would make is the medical. If one is seeing a doctor (includes psychiatrist/therapist) and some sort of medication is prescribed, to then take it.  St Paul said “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities...” (Romans 13:1) and the doctor is an authority one has chosen to be over oneself.

Medicine and medicos are Gifts of The Lord in our struggle with suffering in order not to be overcome by it (St Julian of Norwich); therefore, in my book not to be despised, but rather to give praise and thanks to God for all His Gifts.

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Just as spiritual direction is a good in itself.  One is both wise and prudent to seek sound spiritual direction.  The same applies to medicine and medicos, which are goods in themselves also.  One needs to discern, however, the same as with a spiritual director.

Edited May 13, 2021 by BarbaraTherese

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https://www.catholiccompany.com/magazine/five-prayers-taught-at-fatima-by-mary-the-angels-6057          THE ROSARY DECADE PRAYER

The Blessed Mother (at Fatima) stressed the critical importance of praying the rosary daily for the conversion of sinners and for peace in the world. She asked that the following prayer be recited at the end of each rosary decade:

"Oh My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy."