Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

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Daily Reflection - St Vincent de Paul Society

 

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Mar 22, 2017

 

Writing to his students, Bl. Frederic wrote:

“Gentlemen, have faith in the era in which you are living. If you see that the old walls of Christian civilization fall down destroyed,

trust that new, solid parapets will be raised for your protection and defense.

For this civilization, which has cost a great deal for the Martyrs, Saints, and Popes to build

will never perish. With these words of hope, I bid you goodbye.”
– Bl. Frederic Ozanam

 

 

[Debra Little]

Barbara Therese, I truly relate to u about the friendship and support from others. Once people found out that I have bipolar disorder they have avoided me or ignored me. Even the pastor at an old parish complained to me and said he liked me only when I was on heavy meds that made me into a zombie. I eventually left.  I have found that the most understanding people are those with disabilities and the elderly. No matter it is their loss and neither do I want or invite the negativity. I stopped feeling rejected years ago. 

We have an aawesome God and offer all to Jesus through the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary. She is not only a queen but my mamma and my friend. She leads me closer to Jesus.

Like St. Therese said, "everything is a grace, a gift of love from our heavenly Father. 

Edited March 22, 2017 by Debra Little

[Guest]

THROUGH THE EYES OF THE LORD

Creighton University Daily Gospel Meditation for 23rd March 2017 (Excerpt)    "I have come to the personal realization that the more I watch, listen and read about our political malaise, the more I am not letting the voice of the Lord be the touchstone upon which I rely.

Maybe the solution to this growing problem is to remember that more important than the opinions and comments of those who align themselves with red states or blue states, Democrat or Republican, are the teachings of Christ and how we should first and foremost view the vexing political problems that are dividing our country through the lens of our faith. Maybe if we spent as much time praying and serving those in need as we do watching cable news or Twitter feeds, we would be in a much better state of mind.

I assume these challenges and the solution is generally the same in each country, accounting for the differences which our various cultures and politics involve.

As we move into the last days of Lent and continue our daily examination of conscience, let’s focus on what Christ says we should do for others and not the rancor of political commentators. Maybe we need to reread the Beatitudes in Matthew 25:31-46 in light of today’s issues and think about how we can be part of the solution instead of a nay-saying part of the problem. Remember, if we feel compelled to pick a side in these seemingly endless controversies, the smart move would be to pick Christ’s side. " http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/032317.html

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Invitatory Psalm - Morning Prayer : Psalm 95 (Excerpt)

"O that today you would listen to his voice!
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your fathers put me to the test;
when they tried me , though they saw my work.

For forty years I was wearied of these people and I said:
‘Their hearts are astray, these people do not know my ways.’
Then I took an oath in my anger:
‘Never shall they enter my rest.’ "
(vv. 1-11).

 

 

[Guest]

23 hours ago, Debra Little said:

Barbara Therese, I truly relate to u about the friendship and support from others. Once people found out that I have bipolar disorder they have avoided me or ignored me. Even the pastor at an old parish complained to me and said he liked me only when I was on heavy meds that made me into a zombie. I eventually left.  I have found that the most understanding people are those with disabilities and the elderly. No matter it is their loss and neither do I want or invite the negativity. I stopped feeling rejected years ago. 

We have an aawesome God and offer all to Jesus through the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary. She is not only a queen but my mamma and my friend. She leads me closer to Jesus.

Like St. Therese said, "everything is a grace, a gift of love from our heavenly Father. 

Hi Debra again.......

What you have endured saddens me.

And I can relate to your rejection by others although largely in the past now.  It was a passage of rejection by family and friends and The Church on both parish and diocesan level and because I suffered bipolar.  I did come to the conclusion that since my behaviour at times was marked by the somewhat bizarre and probably impossible for others to understand who did not suffer a mental illness, that their rejection was understandable.  That was a reason but no excuse.

I no longer feel any rejection either.  If I am rejected because of bipolar, I do feel nowadays that it really is their problem and not mine and I refuse to take their problem on-board as my problem too.  The community, all communities, need to understand that just as they do not expect a person with a broken leg to walk in the normal fashion, so all communities need to arrive at the understanding that they cannot expect those who suffer a mental illness (and IT IS an illness like any other i.e. cancer, heart disease etc.) to behave in a normal type of fashion.  After all, all communities are going to have people with broken limbs and mental illness in their midst and neither group very often has done anything to DESERVE what they suffer.  And even if they have done something to deserve it, the Catholic consciousness, most especially of all, has to arrive at forgiveness and understanding, compassion, if they are to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, to which we are called and vocated by our baptism.

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We have an aawesome God and offer all to Jesus through the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary. She is not only a queen but my mamma and my friend. She leads me closer to Jesus.

Amen and what a wonderful gift to you. 

The Church is the Mystical Body of Jesus on earth in this instance - and The Church on earth functions on two levels, the human and the supernatural.  Very sadly at times, the human aspect is contradicting the supernatural aspect and bringing about further suffering to neighbour through stigma in this instance.  Stigma not only brings about cruel suffering to neighbour, it is contrary to the commandment of both the Old and New Law and therefore God.

I think that we as suffering a disability (mental illness) need to have a big dose of forgiveness and understanding, compassion, too for those who do stigmatise "Father, forgive them for the know not what they do".  It is not easy and in fact one of the most difficult things a sufferer of mental illness is going to have to do, if not THE most difficult thing, is to learn to let stigma be the problem of the one or ones who stigmatise - to not take it on-board as one's own problem too.  "Father, forgiven them, for they know not what they do".  This is an extremely difficult thing to do because most often along with stigma comes rejection and closed doors.........isolation and loneliness even.  Perhaps nothing is as depressing and alarming as to find one's dreams crashing around one - and very often the experience of sufferers of mental illness.

Because: "I tell you, whatever you do to one of these though it is the least of my brethren you have done it to Me" (Matthew Ch25)

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Like St. Therese said, "everything is a grace, a gift of love from our heavenly Father.

Amen to the above as well.  Once we can grasp that all is indeed Grace and Gift of The Father everything falls into place.

Thank you for posting, Debra - and keep walking with Jesus and His mother as I know you will - it is a sure and safe path.  Amen.

[Guest]

Morning Prayer - 24.3.17

Short Reading	Isaiah 53:11-12 ©

By his sufferings shall my servant justify many, taking their faults on himself. Hence I will grant whole hordes for his tribute, he shall divide the spoil with the mighty, for surrendering himself to death and letting himself be taken for a sinner, while he was bearing the faults of many and praying all the time for sinners.

 

"Take up your cross and come follow Me"

[Pax17]

Debra and BT, thank you for your posts.

[Guest]

How does Jesus now reign?

As the Lord of the cosmos and of history, the Head of his Church, the glorified Christ mysteriously remains on earth where his kingdom is already present in seed and in its beginning in the Church. One day he will return in glory but we do not know the time.

Because of this we live in watchful anticipation, praying "Come, Lord" (Revelation 22:20).

(Taken from "Catechism in a Year)

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Pax17 said:

Debra and BT, thank you for your posts.

You are very welcome, Pax.  Do feel quite free to post yourself.......posts by all members are also always most welcome indeed.

Edited March 24, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

ON THE SUBJECT OF MENTAL ILLNESS AGAIN

I have found that people in the general community are accepting and understanding of a sufferer of mental illness and the problems that such a person has - and of the great difficulty these problems can present.

Very sadly to me, I have found the general community more accepting and embracing than I have found various parish communities including leadership.  What did happen for me, Deo Gratius indeed, is that as I journeyed along I came across nuns and priests, though not many at all, fully understanding and embracing, compassionate, of my plight back then.  What I had to do, needed to do, and eventually did do was to cease expecting acceptance etc. from my parish community then and to embrace and be thankful for those nuns and priests who did embrace me and my plight in every way.  They became my parish community, my family and my friends even though they were dispersed over a few parishes and some quite distant from me.

It seemed to me and still seems to me that The Church has all the right words to state re sufferers of mental illness and they are absolutely profound and enlightening words in every way, but my experience on the ground is that these thoughts are not put into action at parish level.  That is too much of a sweeping generalization because I know that there are parishes where those thoughts are put into action.  It is just that I have never experienced it in my journey, and I know I am not alone.

I had tremendous problems over my journey with Faith - faith in The Church as the human institution as applied in my particular parish.  What kept me Catholic was The Blessed Eucharist.  I could not and would not abandon Jesus and that led to my musings of Jesus as His Mystical Body The Church...........and that in turn led to my understanding that The Church on earth functions on two levels, on the human or natural level and on the supernatural level.  Those ponderings, in their own turn, led me to accept the human institution of The Church as faulted and weak, as all we humans are.  We are all broken creatures somewhere or other.  My journey into theology as applied theology to my journey all began because I could not and would not leave Jesus in The Blessed Eucharist - apart from that knowledge, I think I would have abandoned Catholicism long ago.

Just as I desire and expect even to be accepted and loved with all my failings and weaknesses, foibles.........so I in turn owe that to others including The Church in Her quite human functioning.

Until I shifted to my now parish a little over seven years ago, I never hid the fact that I suffered a mental illness; however in my parish now, I have gone back into the closet and kept it hidden largely.  Rather often the negative things that happen to us will mean that there is a lesson inherent in those circumstances we need to learn for our journey ahead.  And it is often very true that the lessons of history unlearnt are bound to be repeated.

Perhaps I will come out of the mental illness closet at some stage here in my current parish...........if and when I feel the time might seem to be right.

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum

..........the journey............

 

Pope says contact with Scripture

will bring you two qualities you might need today

HERE

 

[Guest]

THEOLOGY & THE SUFFERER OF MENTAL ILLNESS

Back in 2006 here in Adelaide, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, gave an address for The World Day of The Sick on sufferers of mental illness.  Much of that address was quite technical, or so it struck me, but the excerpt in the quote box below were more a combination of the sufferer of mental illness and our Catholic Theology.

It was an address that can convey to those who do suffer mental illness a sense of dignity and worth - and equally importantly completely sort out moral difficulties for them.  The problem probably is that the actual address and more importantly, the meaning of the Cardinal's address, did not reach the understanding of many sufferers at all.   Just as importantly, it is up to our communities in The Church to grasp the meaning of what the Cardinal is stating, take it to heart, and commit to overcoming the stigma of mental illness in The Church.

I appeal to the core principle of The Church's social thought, i.e. "subsidiarity" :- "The social teaching of the Church is based on the human person as the principle, subject and object of every social organization. Subsidiarity is one of the core principles of this teaching. This principle holds that human affairs are best handled at the lowest possible level, closest to the affected pesons." http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/what_you_need_to_know/?id=84

Cardinal Barragán's address was titled:

"The Mentally Ill Patient:

A Faithful Image

of God"

 

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https://zenit.org/articles/the-mentally-ill-patient-a-faithful-image-of-god-2/

Excerpt only:

1. Mental Disorder in Christian Thought

In Christian thought it is said that these severe mental illnesses reduce man to sad conditions, like a deformed image of God, which is compared to the suffering servant of Isaiah (Isaiah 53:1-7). Yet, apart from that deformation, or rather due to it, the mentally ill person resembles our Lord on the cross; and since the cross is the only way to the resurrection, the mentally ill person, has so to say a superior level, is worthier and reaches such a level of excellence because of the magnitude of his love and the suffering he endures.

2. Is He a Deformed Image of God?

If the above holds true, I would like to move a step further and venture a statement that might shed light on the issue, from the point of view of moral theology. The statement is that: the mentally ill person is not a deformed image of God but, rather, a faithful image of God, our Lord.

Such a statement intuitively finds confirmation in the thought of our Lord when he says: “The Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) and “what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles man” (Matthew 15:18). “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man” (Mark 7:20).

The Kingdom of God, the existence of the Holy Trinity in each one of us, may be found in our heart, the heart seen as the ultimate source of decisions that give form to our whole existence; not only that which was previously defined as the fundamental option, but also the whole meaning of this option, with all the actions we perform to realize it. In other words, the heart represents all our dynamism at the service of the mission that God has entrusted to us.

The Kingdom of God enters into the loving knowledge and in the decision made in the deepest intimacy of our person, which are then realized by the power of the Holy Spirit, who leads us by the hand like Children of God, and by the total collaboration that give form to our existence, according to the Law of God. If we want to separate from the Kingdom of God, we can do so only with an evil heart, to which Christ our Lord refers, and from which all the sins come.

3. Faithful Image of God

Therefore, once the mental illness has caused such a disorder as to take away from the mentally ill patient any responsibility for his actions — qualifying them as separation from the divine will, as a sin — the mental patient cannot separate from God.

In other words, the image of God in him cannot be distorted. In this case his knowledge or his volitive option is no longer sufficient to motivate any human action that separates him from God. His bodily and psychic conditions do not allow him to commit a grave sin, given that in his state of disequilibrium he does not have that full knowledge and ability of assent required to sin.

If we approach the argument from this point of view, whereby the mentally ill patient does not have the knowledge or the faculty of full consent required to commit a mortal sin, his is not a deformed image of God, since that image can only be deformed by sin. Certainly, it is the suffering image of God, but not a deformed image. He is a reflection of the mystery of the victorious Cross of the Lord. Inspired by the image of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh (Isaiah 53:1-7) we are drawn to a conscious act of faith in the suffering Christ.

It is not by chance that in the old popular Mexican language, a mad person was called “bandito,” that is, “blessed”; […] without the full use of reasoning, he was unable to commit sin and was, therefore, destined to eternal life.

It is true that the objective disorder of sin and its consequences are manifest in the mentally ill patient; however, at the same time, there is in him the historical equilibrium of the only possible order, the order and equilibrium of the Redemption.

This is not comprehensible to a secularized mentality; it is only understood within the context of Christian optimism, which stems from a reasoned faith that tells us how in such circumstances our obligations towards a mentally ill person, on one hand, satisfy our duty to see the suffering Christ in the poor and less protected; and on the other hand the idea of seeing in the patient the love of God who has indicated him as his chosen one, in the sense that he shall not be separated from Him.

He is therefore a proof of the crucified love of God. Hence, the best thing we can do is to give them a treatment of love. Since the mentally ill patient is also the image of the resurrected Christ, we have the obligation of being the “Good Samaritan,” that is, providing all that is necessary for his care.

We need to think about a series of treatments that should be devised to pull these patients out of the prostration that is all the more painful the deeper the psychic suffering is. In fact these patients often lose the sense of human relations and feel persecuted by a hostile surrounding environment; or the subjectivity of the environment disappears and for them people become many objects, or are indifferent or even real threats to their security.

Edited March 24, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

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[Guest]

 

There is nothing but Mystery in the world

and how it hides behind the fabric of our poor

and brownbeat days.

It shines so brightly

and we don't even know it

"The Secret Life of Bees" Sue Monk Kid

[Guest]

 

We were not present some 2000 odd years ago when Jesus was crucified;

however, in contemplating Jesus in every person, including the suffering and the ill,

we are able to effect for Jesus what we were not able to effect, if we would, 

those 2000 odd years ago when Jesus was crucified.

 

We can be very sure that every single person

has their cross to carry and

"Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians Ch6)

 

Jesus asks us to treat every person as our neighbour, no matter creed, colour or religion, moral or social status. 

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Matthew Chapter 22:  "He (Jesus) said to him, ²² "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: ²³ You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

 

 

 

Divine Mercy Is the Indispensable Medicine:

"Address to the participants in the course on the Internal Forum. If you can read this without worrying about various points of confusion the Pope has introduced in the past, you will find his vision both beautiful and profound." (From Catholic Culture.org)

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[Guest]

Vincent's Quote of the Day - St Vincent de Paul Society:

 

 

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Mar 25, 2017

Let us finish what we have begun and our Lord will help us (VII:71).

“I see nothing more common than poor results from things done with precipitation.”
– St. Vincent de Paul

 

 

[Guest]

CHAT & DEO GRATIUS

On and off I have been watching two mini-series on FoxtelGo: "Scandal" (politics) and "The Good Wife" (the law and those who practise law).  I have never regretted being (to the secular mind very often) 'on the bottom', but these two series, if they in any way approximate the truth, have turned me to continual rejoicing and thankfulness to indeed be consigned far from the corridors of power and just about as far as one can get almost.

The above does not mean that I think that those in politics and/or practising law are unimportant.  On the contrary, they are of great importance and the call is to put Jesus first in those vocations (as with all vocations) and that would be quite a challenge in politics and law - to my imagination, if the series is any approximation to the truth.  Prayer for those in politics and/or practising law.

I do think that the plots and scripts on these two series are excellent as are the actors - although a matter of taste and even perspective.  A bonus indeed is the that violence and sex is absolutely minimal and since it is on FoxtelGo, I can fast forward where it does (briefly) occur.  Not only that it is easy for me to abandon both series and pick up again at a later time. I have never had a taste for either sex or violence as a form of entertainment, nor have I ever had a taste for violence at any time at all.

Both series are a form of escapism - and to my mind reality can be harsh at times; hence, I am not afraid of some escapism now and then.  Balance is an important factor and gift of The Holy Spirit to spirituality.  Not only that, but it has been my experience that The Holy Spirit is no snob and sometimes can communicate what He chooses to communicate in the most unlikely of ways even through escapism as genre.  That reminded me of today's Gospel and the man cured of blindness.  Lord that I might see and keep my eyes, heart and mind open to Your Presence and Your Inspirations everywhere  - in any place at all and at any time through any person, place or thing.  Amen.

 

 

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Edited March 26, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

Humility, Simplicity, Divinity

Vatican City, Mar 9, 2015 / 08:11 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- If there’s one thing that marks the presence of God, it’s humility rather than making a scene, Pope Francis said Monday.

“This is how the Lord acts: He does things simply. He speaks silently to you, to the heart,” Francis told attendees of his March 9 daily Mass, held in the chapel of the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse. When it comes to God and his action in the world, it is “the simple things” that mark his presence, the Pope said, adding that the humility of God “is the divine style, never the spectacle.”

He pointed to Biblical history as evidence of God’s simple style. Even as far back as creation, God chose to form man out of mud rather than use a “magic wand” to create him.  From Moses to David to the baby Jesus in the manger, the Bible teaches us that God’s divine way is one of humility, Pope Francis explained. When God freed his people from slavery, he did it “through the faith and confidence of a man, Moses. When He desired to cause the fall of the powerful city of Jericho, He did so through a prostitute. And for the conversion of the Samaritans, He required the work of another sinner,” he said. ............Catholic News Agency MORE

 

 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, BarbaraTherese said:

CHAT & DEO GRATIUS

On and off I have been watching two mini-series on FoxtelGo: "Scandal" (politics) and "The Good Wife" (the law and those who practise law).  I have never regretted being (to the secular mind very often) 'on the bottom', but these two series, if they in any way approximate the truth, have turned me to continual rejoicing and thankfulness to indeed be consigned far from the corridors of power and just about as far as one can get almost.

The above does not mean that I think that those in politics and/or practising law are unimportant.  On the contrary, they are of great importance and the call is to put Jesus first in those vocations (as with all vocations) and that would be quite a challenge in politics and law - to my imagination, if the series is any approximation to the truth.  Prayer for those in politics and/or practising law.

 

  Just occurred to me as I pondered my thanksgiving to be on the 'bottom of the pile' far from any sort of corridor of power, that with the vocations to the legal and political (and every vocation) comes those Graces necessary to follow Jesus and His Gospel and to fulfil one's vocational role and call to holiness.

Again, prayer for those in the legal and political vocations.

Edited March 26, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

Daily Reflection - St Vincent de Paul Society

 

 

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Mar 26, 2017

“Our Lord’s sufferings made his words fruitful,

and your crosses will do the same to the holy seed that you sow in hearts.”
– St. Louise de Marillac

 

 

 

[Guest]

Did not want to post the following into the Vocations Forum.   See thread HERE in VF.

____________________

A few questions I asked myself:

Do I always take myself and my spirituality too seriously and am overly sensitive? 

Is my spirituality rich in light with Joy and humour - or is it dark, heavy and oppressive?

Has political correctness gone too far?

[Guest]

The Lord Jesus brings healing and restoration

to those who trust in him
 

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Jesus' miraculous healings show his generous kindness and extravagant love - a love that bends down in response to our misery and wretched condition. Is there any area in your life where you need healing, pardon, change, and restoration? If you seek the Lord with trust and expectant faith, he will not disappoint you. He will meet you more than half way and give you what you need. The Lord Jesus never refused anyone who put their trust in him. Surrender your doubts and fears, your pride and guilt at his feet, and trust in his saving word and healing love.

"Lord Jesus, your love never fails and your mercy is unceasing. Give me the courage to surrender my stubborn pride, fear and doubts to your surpassing love, wisdom and knowledge. Make be strong in faith, persevering in hope, and constant in love." http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/2017/mar27.htm