Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

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IMITATION OF MARY ON AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Imitation-Mary-Four-Books/dp/0899423175

(The four books are enclosed under the one cover as above)

[Marysheart]

Thank you Barbara therese. I did your article about depression. I think it happens to most people at different times in their lives. I thank Jesus for everything. I do get " days" where I am down, allot has to do with I lost my brother to cancer almost two years ago and my dad passed away three years beforehand. It took a toll on me without me realizing it right away. So what helps, is I try to focus on the good in life. I have Jesus, there is no one better. I have a relationship with his mother Mary, there's no better mother. I try to focus on my Bible, religious books... Etc. The devil also knows our weak points sadly, so when I feel defeated in any way I hang on to Jesus, it helps and it shows me that he is the only one who will never let us down. Keeping an optimistic view and a positive outlook is crucial to getting over the " blues". We all have them every now and then. It's our outlook and knowing God is near and in our hearts, he knows all we go through and he being there always, as he never leaves our side, is the truth that keeps me going. To love him in this life and when my journey is over here, loving him in eternal life. 

* I meant I read your article*

[Guest]

Hi again @Marysheart   Very well stated post in its entirety........beautiful words above - and very true words too!

It is wonderful to hear another voice in this thread besides my own - and thank you for your post and what you have contributed.  It is very welcoming too to read such wise, healing and beautiful words.

I was sorry to read of the loss of your brother and father and so close together too.  It is understandable that such tremendous losses would bring about great grief - and grief, I know, can be immediate or it can onset later.  Sometimes too, it is not realised at first that it is taking a toll on one and that one might need space in one's life to grieve.

Thank you for sharing about focusing on the blessings in life and the healing that can bring about.

Thank you again for posting into this thread and sharing of yourself.  

[Marysheart]

Thank you!

[Guest]

It is I who thank you, @Marysheart 

 

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                                                  St John Baptis Rossi - biography

 

 

When religion is in the hands of the mere natural man (woman), he is always the worse for it; it adds a bad heat to his own dark fire, and helps to inflame his four elements of selfishness, envy, pride, and wrath. And hence it is that worse passions, or a worse degree of them, are to be found in persons of great religious zeal, than in others that made no pretenses to it.

… William Law (1686-1761), Christian Regeneration 

 

[Guest]

 

Pope Francis - Catechesis on Confirmation - Part 1 .............see "Download Document" underneath image of Pope Francis on THIS SITE

 

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[Marysheart]

Thank you too Barbara Therese, as you don't know how much your kindness means to me. The picture of the Little flower who is one of my favorites, it's like a personal meaning because just yesterday my sister texted me Jesus loves you my little flower, and I was watching the movie Therese with Lindsay younce, I was ten minutes into the movie, when my sister texted me out of the blue. So, I too thank you. It's a little personal but I would like to add as well, I have a hard time with people at times. I'm very polite ( not bragging, but I have always been polite saying please and thank you and sadly many people aren't use to it. I have gotten bullied for my manners and made fun of. I remember a couple of years back at one of my jobs, I heard two girls talking behind my  back and saying they weren't use to my politeness. But that's my nature and happy I am. I thank Jesus and Mary for protecting me every day. What better friends can we have right bless you.

[Guest]

 

I was very sorry to read that you have been the victim of bullies, MH.   Most often deep down, bullies are insecure and lack self esteem and confidence and they might even be bullied in the home.  At home they might feel powerless and bullying another is a way they try to achieve power, but since it is through hurting another, it is false power whether bullied at home or not.  Bullies are very sad and interiorly crippled people.  Though they can be very hurtful indeed - very hurtful, they are to be pitied with compassion at their very sad and twisted interior life.  Pray for them.

It was good to read that you have good manners, it is an act of respect for the other and therefore a virtue, especially in the face of persecution.  Jesus has told us "They have persecuted Me and they will persecute you".  Persecution is almost, I could say, a badge of discipleship of Jesus and especially in today's society and culture where Jesus is not everywhere loved.  Your good manners would be very pleasing to Him.

I did notice too your little 'message' from St Therese i.e. receiving a text from your sister: "Jesus loves you, my little flower" while you watched a movie about St Therese.  Therese has many ways of "letting fall a shower of roses from Heaven". That was her statement before she died and her desire for after her death was to help us all here on earth (what she called "a shower of roses").

6 hours ago, Marysheart said:

I thank Jesus and Mary for protecting me every day. What better friends can we have right bless you.

I was happy to read the above.  Delighted to read that you have Jesus and Mary to protect you and indeed, what better friends could we have!  And friendship with Jesus and His mother is paramount in a healthy spiritual life.  In fact, I read somewhere that the common denominator of our saints is a love of Our Lady.

May God bless you also.

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Perfection probably for most/all of us is to do what one can in the present moment.  I know for me, after the present moment is past, it is often only then that I think of what I could have done, which would have been better than what I did do.  Learning to forgive oneself for ones shortcomings, faults and failings, one's sinfulness, is not an easy lesson.  But if Jesus forgives me, who am I to withhold it?  "I can't forgive myself, Dear Jesus, no matter how I try, but with Your Grace "all things are possible to God" Please help me to forgive myself."

 

http://www.thedivinemercy.org/news/How-Can-We-Learn-to-Forgive-Ourselves-2713

In a section of her Diary entitled "Conversation of the Merciful God with a Sinful Soul," Jesus said to St. Faustina:

"Be not afraid of your Savior, O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to Me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon my hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart. ...

My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of My goodness? For you I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to the cross; for you I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come then, with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My Mercy. Do not argue with Me about your wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all your troubles and griefs.

I shall heap upon you treasures of My grace (Diary, 1485)."

[Guest]

Read the latest post by Sr. Christina OSF HERE in her thread on "Thought from a Franciscan Sister" in Vocation Forum.  After some reflection, it has prompted me to do a good act.  I did a good act last week that the persons would not know about but I did feel good about it because it was a good act and a 'hidden' one (except for writing about it here in this post).

I had been holding back for some weeks on another good act the person definitely would know about- and holding back because I felt it would be 'thrown back at me'.  I am not so eager to act if I think I will get a negative response, I have decided - I am not at all walking the walk, while I do talk the talk in this thread.  After reading Sr. Christina's post, I have decided that I will do a good act no matter the response I think I am likely to get - and because it is a good act and no matter the response.  I must do it for Jesus and for the person because it really would be of help to her:

Quote

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark Chapter 12)

It might not be directly related to Sister's post, but it was her post that has made me aware of talking the talk, but not walking the walk.  It was her post that led and triggered me to quiet reflection on my interior thoughts, transactions, and related behaviour.

This thread, in the quotes I share, does set a very high bar for me and one I quite often fall short of attaining.........and now I am acutely aware of it.  But I am not going to cease posting the quotations etc. that I do, nor am I going to kick myself all over the place because of my failures.  I will go to The Lord in sorrow asking His Mercy and Help for the future.

Edited May 25, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

I will walk on and keep trying because I trust confidently that I do have His Mercy and Help having, as humbly as I can, asked for it.  Amen.

[Guest]

I have decided after prayer and thought not to do the kind act.  St Albert states in the Ancient Rule of Carmel "common sense is the guide of the virtues".  Common sense does tell me that going by past experience the person would react to kindness with unkindness; therefore, my kind act would be most likely  a temptation to uncharitableness by the other. I am informed by past experiences.

I will refrain from my kind act out of kindness and concern for neighbour and I think this is the moral way for me to act even though I know my act of kindness would be of help to her.

 

Edited May 25, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

The Intervention

A man and his wife were sitting in the living room discussing a “Living Will”

"Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."

His wife got up, unplugged the TV and threw out all the beer.

Joke resource site

 

 

"Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity."

-  Edwin Hubbel Chapin (1814-1880)

““One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”

- Luke 16:10

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[Guest]

I have got into a difficult personal situation and, at this point, have no idea what to do.  If you are reading this, please say a prayer to The Holy Spirit that I will settle on and effect the best move to overcome the situation.

It is a huge help to me giving support and strength to be able to post into Phatmass, which does tolerate my ramblings and thinking on my feet in long posts.

I think on my feet e.g. at a keyboard.  I am thinking that perhaps I should just endure what has happened, come what may, and then as the situation continues to unfold work through it step by step.  That sounds like a way to go, but it scares me silly.  I would need to put every ounce of confidence and trust I can muster in Divine Providence.  My problem is that if pushed too far, I can be just as cutting as the very worst and I can respond with a quick tempered response when provoked - and a response I might later really regret.  But that is to anticipate what MIGHT happen rather than to live in the moment. 

To live in the moment at this moment is to get on with life here in Bethany.  I wont have to face the situation again I don't think until next weekend.

Come Holy Spirit into the situation and grant that I will work through it pleasing to You - and therefore to Jesus and Our Father.  Help me to grasp with Love that whatever happens good will come of it, even if I cannot see it and suffer because of it.  Grant that I will never again respond overly quick tempered and perhaps hurt another.  Grant too, I beg, that I will not allow hurt feelings to get the better of me.  Amen.

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"We fail to see the place of suffering in the broader scheme of things. We fail to see that suffering is an inevitable dimension of life. Because we have lost perspective, we fail to see that unless one is willing to accept suffering properly, he or she is really refusing to continue in the quest for maturity. To refuse suffering is to refuse personal growth."

- Henri J. M. Nouwen