Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

[Guest]

When we are troubled with temptation and evil thoughts, then we see clearly the great need we have of God, since without God we can do nothing good… No one is so good that he is immune to temptation; we will never [in this life] be entirely free of it.

- Thomas Kempis (1380-1471), Of the Imitation of Christ

 

[Guest]

One half of my petition has been answered as I hoped.  Deo Gratius Laudate Dominum.  The other half will probably resolve this coming weekend.  It is humbling to have a win because I wonder what Glory it must surely be to reach to the lowest. There is a distance so great between the two, that I get lost in wonder just guided into a few steps into that distance, glimpsing for a second it's endlessness, its eternity.

I have had quite a week to date struggling with paranoid thinking.  It seemed I would start to think paranoid, then after a bit become aware of it and then struggling to reinstate Peace in my heart with The Lord's Grace.  There is also the battle to not be discouraged with myself and the temptation to give up the struggle, lay down and cry.   I won some battles and I lost some - but the war continues and probably will until this other half of my petition is resolved and that is indeed wonderful thinking - it is more of a likely that the war will continue in some form or other until death.  If this other half of my petition is resolved my way, may I be full of gratitude and humbled, and if it is not my way, then may I be accepting seeing with humility The Lord's Will in the situation and not allow hurt feelings to overcome......and certainly not anger.  But therein is a battle of its own probably.

Hence, my task is to live in the moment without paranoid thoughts, or if such does occur to not allow them to set up camp and that means battle.

What amazed me almost more than anything about all the experiences of St Teresa of Avila is that in the final mansion all is Peace.

If only I could take up some sort of apostolate, I feel I would be distracted from myself and me.  But then, that grass is always greener over there!    Ideally, I should live in great wonder and gratitude at the gift of being alive alone, the gift of life, of being called by God to life - and then embrace lovingly what comes in the wake.

How I love Little St Therese, for I can even offer all my poverty and failings in their great variety to The Lord as the only gift I have for my love to offer............and He accepts such gifts with Great Love.  His Heart of Loving Mercy is consoled by active confidence and trust in His Mercy and sighting something of its Glory and Infinite Nature.  There is nothing whatsoever His Heart cannot embrace with His Mercy.  And what is His Mercy but His Love of us.  His Love is Merciful.  I don't think of it as His Love for the sinner but being revolted by this sin.  Rather I see it as His Love of the sinner including the sin, for in Loving the sinner, His Love burns away all sin.   His Merciful Love must do so in order to reach the sinner.  Free will is always present and I have the option to either choose Jesus and His Merciful Love or to reject Him.  The Sacrament of Reconciliation, Confession, is the Sacrament of His Mercy made visible.

"I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

John Chapter 15

 

My other thought just now is that St Therese said she found her vocation in Love.  Her vocation is to Love.  And that is another way of saying "we are all called to holiness" for we are all called to Love.

"A new commandment I give to you: Love one another"

John Chapter 13

[Guest]

A new discovery for me.  Benedictine Nuns in London have live Eucharistic Adoration streaming live.  I could not access it on I.E. but could on Chrome.  I am unable to get to any Eucharistic Adoration in my area or thereabouts, hence live streams are my resort. 

http://adoration.tyburnconvent.org.uk/

 

 

[Guest]

 

From Second Reading Office Of Readings 30th May 2018

St Augustine - Confessions

http://universalis.com/readings.htm

 

"When at last I cling to you with my whole being there will be no more anguish or labour for me, and my life will be alive indeed, alive because filled with you. But now it is very different. Anyone whom you fill you also uplift; but I am not full of you, and so I am a burden to myself. Joys over which I ought to weep do battle with sorrows that should be matter for joy, and I do not know which will be victorious. But I also see griefs that are evil at war in me with joys that are good, and I do not know which will win the day.

This is agony, Lord, have pity on me! It is agony! See, I do not hide my wounds; you are the physician and I am sick; you are merciful, I in need of mercy.

Is not human life on earth a time of testing? Who would choose troubles and hardships? You command us to endure them, but not to love them. No-one loves what he has to endure, even if he loves the endurance, for although he may rejoice in his power to endure, he would prefer to have nothing that demands endurance. In adverse circumstances I long for prosperity, and in times of prosperity I dread adversity. What middle ground is there, between these two, where human life might be free from trial? Woe betide worldly prosperity, and woe again, from fear of disaster and evanescent joy! But woe, woe, and woe again upon worldly adversity, from envy of better fortune, the hardship of adversity itself, and the fear that endurance may falter.

Is not human life on earth a time of testing without respite?

On your exceedingly great mercy, and on that alone, rests all my hope." 

[Guest]

Hundreds (didn't count them!) of Blesseds and Saints

who were in the laity lifelong

 

Blesseds who were in the laity all their lives: http://catholicsaints.info/saints-who-were-lifelong-lay-people/

Continuation (includes list of lay saints) : http://catholicsaints.info/saints-who-were-lifelong-lay-people-2/

(Picked up the above info from a post into Catholic Answers)

 

---o0o---

 

The Confessions of St Augustine

All my hope lies in your great mercy

Where did I find you in order to make your acquaintance in the first place? You could not have been in my memory before I learned to know you. Where then could I have found you in order to learn of you, if not in yourself, far above me? “Place” has here no meaning: further away from you or toward you we may travel, but place there is none. O Truth, you hold sovereign sway over all who turn to you for counsel, and to all of them you respond at the same time, however diverse their pleas.

  Clear is your response, but not all hear it clearly. They all appeal to you about what they want, but do not always hear what they want to hear. Your best servant is the one who is less intent on hearing from you what accords with his own will, and more on embracing with his will what he has heard from you.

[Guest]

I have taken myself out of the difficult situation.  I was not strong enough to stay in it and accept with serenity if things went against me - frankly, I was afraid I might respond with spontaneous hurt and anger and say something I would really regret.  I was fearful I would not be able to hide my hurt feelings and anger even if I managed to remain silent.  I lacked trust!  Not at all proud of myself, but it is now fait accompli.  It is done.  I just have to gather up wounded pride and revelation of my own weakness and move on with shame, but still with confident trust in The Lord's Mercy even on such as I knowing my confidence and trust in Divine Providence was very much lacking.

It is evidence I do not at all always meet up to what I advocate and in what I strongly believe.

 

 

 

Quote

 

The final reality, and the ultimate fact of our total situation to which we need to be adjusted, is God. That indeed would be my definition of God: God is He with whom we have ultimately to deal, the final reality to which we have to face up, and with whom we have in the last resort to reckon.

- John Baillie (1886-1960), Christian Devotion

 

 

[Guest]

31st May

Feast Visitation Blessed Virgin Mary

 

 

CATHOLIC CULTURE - ABOUT THE FEAST OF THE VISITATION

[Guest]

 

The reflections from the USCCB website, are only more or less recent additions as accessible on YouTube.  They can be accessed on the following link :  http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/

I have always found them to be helpful and concise, rarely longer than 3mins.

[Guest]

 

Outward as well as inward morality helps to form the idea of a true Christian freedom. We are right to lay stress on inwardness, but in this world there is no inwardness without an outward expression.

… Meister Eckhart

[Marysheart]

Thank you Barbara therese, for your kind input. May Jesus and Mary bless you. 

Barbara Therese, I just read your post. I will pray for you. It's nice that I met a friend on here. Let's pray for one another. I know what you mean by  I'm not letting things get the best of you, or something of that nature. I think life is wonderful in many aspects, we have God who is always with us. We are also human though.... So when things happen to us, especially when we have no control how others treat us... Let's think of Jesus and all he went through. It's hard at times, but mother Angelica once said it's either God's will or God permits things to happen, I don't always understand, but I'm sure not every one understands the " why" but if we keep our eyes and heart on Christ, it helps because our focus is more on him than the " trial" we are enduring". Easier said than done, but God gives us the grace to endure it. ( Praying all works out for you)

[Guest]

 

 

How Eucharistic Miracles are approved:

HERE

[Guest]

14 hours ago, Marysheart said:

Barbara Therese, I just read your post. I will pray for you. It's nice that I met a friend on here. Let's pray for one another. I know what you mean by  I'm not letting things get the best of you, or something of that nature. I think life is wonderful in many aspects, we have God who is always with us. We are also human though.... So when things happen to us, especially when we have no control how others treat us... Let's think of Jesus and all he went through. It's hard at times, but mother Angelica once said it's either God's will or God permits things to happen, I don't always understand, but I'm sure not every one understands the " why" but if we keep our eyes and heart on Christ, it helps because our focus is more on him than the " trial" we are enduring". Easier said than done, but God gives us the grace to endure it. ( Praying all works out for you)

Hi again Marysheart.

Thank you very much for prayer and I will keep you also in prayer - and yes, always a real consolation to come across a friend.   I came across another friend many years ago now and on Catholic Answers Forums, long before I was a member of Phatmass.  She is in the USA and we still exchange regular emails.

I think things did get the better of me initially re the situation I wrote about -  and that is why I took myself out of the situation because I was no longer confident of how I would respond and chances were, I thought, that I could potentially make the situation even worse and me stuck in the middle of it all.

What Mother Angelica said is very true - it is what we call the Doctrine of Divine Providence.  You can read all about it in the Catholic Catechism here http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p4.htm  You will need to scroll down to #302 "God Carries Out His Plan: DIVINE PROVIDENCE"

I did reflect on the Sufferings of Jesus but in my poverty it was not sufficient to keep me from fear of potentially making the situation worse.  No way, could I stop my bipolar OCD mind from going round and round on the potential worst outcomes.  I knew that God's Grace would be with me no matter what happened and even if fear got the better of me, which it did, and I withdrew from the situation.  I did feel deeply ashamed of myself, but I knew that it was hurt pride that I was not as good as I thought I could be.  I then recognised that I was grieving because my self-image was shattered (yet again!) - and gave myself permission to grieve for how long it might take.  This morning I woke in a better frame of mind and ready to move on, closing the door on that situation.  It was not mortally sinful hence there is no absolute necessity to confess it, but I will anyway asking for the Actual Grace to be stronger hopefully in the future.  I also reminded myself that I was not totally evil to maintain some sort of balance -and brought to mind any good I might have done, thanking God for those times.  I no longer hear in Confession "May any evil you suffer and any good you do bring to you the reward of eternal life" ..... it was such a beautiful prayer and consolation to hear at the end of Confession.

You are spot on about keeping one's eyes on Christ!  I failed but do not intend to give in to any sort of despair or self loathing, rather to cast myself into The Infinite Love and Mercy of Jesus once again and move on in the journey.  In the Doctrine of Divine Providence, The Good Lord allowed me to fall because of my own weakness.  God's Grace is indeed made manifest in weakness - it reveals just how exquisite and all embracing is His Loving Mercy.  I have often reflected that it is in my sinfulness, all sinfulness everywhere, that Jesus reveals concretely how all embracing His Loving Mercy actually is.

I have not seen my spiritual director for quite some time now, but once my finances are back to normal, I will be going to see him.

When one has a mental illness (I suffer bipolar), one has to learn to try to achieve a balance between what I can do and what I cannot do.  It is very important to know oneself and doubly so with mental illness  - and my brand of bipolar reacts to stress.  St Mary of The Cross MacKillop said something totally beautiful and profound "Do what you can and leave the rest to God".  She did not say "do your best", but only what you can.  That cannot excuse me from failing to trust God totally and staying in the situation.  But I think that I did what I could in my weakness and poverty and Faith tells me that The Good God abandons no one, not even such as I.  Hence, I move on in freedom in the journey.

Great to hear from you again, Marysheart.  What a lovely User Name and I do suspect that your heart is very much in imitation of the heart of our mother.

Cheers.........Barb  

 

Edited June 2, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, BarbaraTherese said:

I have often reflected that it is in my sinfulness, all sinfulness everywhere, that Jesus reveals concretely how all embracing His Loving Mercy actually is.

Another point that just occurred to me that it is probably only through the teachings of The Catholic Church that we and the whole world knows that absolutely nothing is beyond His Love and Mercy if we turn to Him.  That is an astounding reflection indeed and on that score I am very thankful for our theologians.  At times I can be critical of theologians, but only because what they write is sometimes too far above me for me to understand.

[Marysheart]

Barbara Therese, I just read your post. I will pray for you. It's nice that I met a friend on here. Let's pray for one another. I know what you mean by  I'm not letting things get the best of you, or something of that nature. I think life is wonderful in many aspects, we have God who is always with us. We are also human though.... So when things happen to us, especially when we have no control how others treat us... Let's think of Jesus and all he went through. It's hard at times, but mother Angelica once said it's either God's will or God permits things to happen, I don't always understand, but I'm sure not every one understands the " why" but if we keep our eyes and heart on Christ, it helps because our focus is more on him than the " trial" we are enduring". Easier said than done, but God gives us the grace to endure it. ( Praying all works out for you).        Very well put what saint mary said do what you can and God will take care of the rest. I am sorry you suffer from bipolar, that must not be easy ( and no one's fault of ones own) it is genetic. We all bear a cross or crosses, as mother Angelica said as well, she thanked God for her aches and pains... As she said it humbled her. I too, even though very difficult thank Jesus for my flaws, which are many because it makes me realize that there is a reason that I have chronic fatigue syndrome... It makes my brain foggy, and believe me its not pleasant, for me and honestly at my job... You know when people try to be polite, but are saying to themselves, what's wrong with her... Is she slow... Etc.. even though it's difficult, there's a reason I have chronic fatigue syndrome. Do I wish I had it.. absolutely not. But I know there is a reason beyond my understanding. One of the reasons is to humble me. Like saint Teresa of Avila said too  may God excuse us from silly nuns ( something of that nature she said) as we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously. ( Such a lesson for me,as I can be a perfectionist in certain aspects. ) And saint Bernadette was called lazy because she spent most of her time near the end of her life in the infirmary. Thank you for the compliment about Mary's heart, she is everything to me. I had a very special grace from Mary back several years ago. And really after living Jesus, the blessed mother is my favorite. I hope you are feeling better Barbara therese. Let's continue to pray for one another.  

[Guest]

I fell heaps better today, Marysheaert, I got some very good and welcome news.  And yes, let us continue to pray for each other.

Sorry to read that you suffer chronic fatigue syndrome - it is not easy cross for sure.  I knew a woman in my previous parish who suffered CFS.

The saints are a wonderful gift to us all - some at one time perhaps and others at another time.  I haven't had a serious episode of bipolar in over 12 years now, but I still have certain symptoms that indicate that I am still a sufferer.    When I am in good or even bad times, I say to myself "and this too shall pass" it is a question of taking things step by step and working through whatever.  I think it might have been St Teresa of Avila who said it, I am not sure.  Nothing, indeed in this life will last forever - all things pass.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Marysheart said:

Teresa of Avila said too  may God excuse us from silly nuns  ( something of that nature she said)

"God, deliver me from sullen saints"

I had to cut short my previous post as I had a visitor.  Is the above quotation the one you were looking for? 

Having a sense of humour is a real gift.  I lost it there for a while!   I was very taken aback at what happened to create the difficult situation, very taken aback indeed because of the persons involved.  I am very happy now that I have completely withdrawn out of it and very aware of the reason why I withdrew - self protection.  Faced with some sort of threat, the"flight or fight" principle sets in.  Ideally with human beings, there is a third ooption and that is communication and I was not sure about what I would say at all and so I opted for flight. 

I read the following in the autobiography of St Therese of Lisieux: "When I was violently tempted by the devil and if I could slip away without her seeing my inner struggle, I would flee like a soldier deserting the battlefield. "  When St Therese would run from a situation for some reason, she would all the more pray for the person involved.   That has been some consolation in it all as I continue to work through it step by step as well as to give thanks that I have something to endure.

The following was a consolation too from St Teresa of Avila "“To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience.”

I am, of course, picking and choosing my quotations from saints.  I know why I ran and it was self protection and that is not, in my case, a virtue.  Sometimes it is wisdom that asks self-protection and sometimes in weakness, wisdom clicks into place.  My spiritual director will sort me out I am sure and when I catch up with him.

Edited June 3, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

I researched the origin of the quotation "this, too, shall pass".  It has a fascinating origin (The Holy Spirit is all embracing)- St Teresa did write something similar (from her bookmark HERE ) "All things are passing away................Whoever has God has everything, God alone suffices":

 

What is the origin of the phrase, "this, too, shall pass"?

http://intelligenttree.blogspot.com/2007/10/poem-by-theodre-tilton-this-too-shall.html

 

Quote

 

This is a proverb from the medieval Levent (Persian, Hebrew and Turkey) around 1200AD. The proverb means that all material conditions, whether good or bad, are transient. This proverb has the ability to make the happy person sad and the sad person happy because of the realization that both the 'best and worst of times' will soon pass.

I love the quote and it is a prudent reminder for us all that regardless of how the serendipity of life has dealt with us, it will soon pass. It speaks to me that "Change is the one constant in the universe" and it aligns with what the poet Rudyard Kipling said in his poem "IF" ...
 

If you can meet with triumph and disaster 

And treat those two imposters just the same 

Looking around the web, what I have below is the best I can come up with in regard to its history ...

The legend of the quote finds its roots in the court of a powerful eastern Persian ruler who called his sages (wise men) to him, including the Sufi poet Attar of Nishapur, and asked them for one quote that would be accurate at all times and in all situations. The wise men consulted with one another, and threw themselves into deep contemplation, and finally came up with the answer ...
 

"this too, shall pass".

The ruler was so impressed by the quote that he had it inscribed in a ring.

The quote was popular in the first half of the 19th century particularly with the English poet Edward Fitzgerald and later being employed in a speech by Abraham Lincoln, in his address to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society in 1859. He summed up the quote's impact so well by saying:
 

"How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction."

 

 

Here is the whole of the poem "IF" by Rudyard Kipling:

 

If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

 

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

 

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   

    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Edited June 3, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

 

https://www.catholic.com/qa/do-we-have-pre-existing-souls

Full Question -

Do souls exist in heaven prior to human conception?

 

Answer - No, we do not have a pre-Earth existence.

If anyone asserts the fabulous pre-existence of souls, and shall assert the monstrous restoration which follows from it: let him be anathema (Second Council of Constantinople).

 

 

Catholic Catechism

Para 6 "Man" http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p6.htm

 

 

__________________

 

Weather forecaster

 

A film crew was on location deep in the desert. One day, an old Indian went up to the director and said, "Tomorrow storm." The next day there was a sandstorm.

Several days later, the Indian went up to the director and said, "Tomorrow rain." The next day it rained for the entire day.

"This Indian is amazing," said the director. He told his secretary to hire the Indian to predict the weather. However, after several successful predictions, the old Indian failed to show up for a couple of weeks.

Finally, the director sent for him. "I have a big scene to shoot tomorrow," the director said, "and I'm counting on you. What will the weather be like?"

"Not know," replied the Indian, shrugging his shoulders. "Radio broken!"

[Guest]

"Life of Christ" - Fulton Sheen Available on Kindle

                        

"For those seeking to better understand the message of Jesus Christ,

this vivid retelling of the greatest story ever lived

is a must read"

 

"Widely proclaimed a classic work of Christian faith, Life of Christ has been hailed as the most eloquent of Fulton J. Sheen’s many books. The fruit of many years of reflection, prayer, and research, it is a dramatic and moving recounting of the birth, life, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Christ, and a passionate portrait of the God-Man, the teacher, the healer, and most of all the Savior, whose promise has sustained humanity for two millennia.

With his customary insight and reverance, Sheen interprets the scripture and describes Christ, not only in historical perspective, but also in exciting and contemporary terms, seeing in Christ’s life both modern parallels and timeless lessons. His thoughtful, probing analysis provides new insight into well-known Gospel events.

An appealing blend of philosophy, history, and Biblical exegesis, from the best-known and most-loved American Catholic leader of the twentieth century, Life of Christ has long been a source of inspiration and guidance. For those seeking to better understand the message of Jesus Christ, this vivid retelling of the greatest story ever lived is a must read."

 

---o0o---

 

 

Full Question - I have a friend that was not raised with any religion; what is the best book or information I can give her?

Answer - A good number of people recommend G.K. Chesterton’s The Everlasting Man.

 

And if she likes that book, I would then highly recommend Archbishop Fulton Sheen's A Life of Christ.

For further formation, I’d encourage her reading the Bible in tandem with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and, to better both, informally sitting in on an RCIA classes and adult education classes at a good Catholic parish you can recommend to her.

Catholic Answers - Q&A

[Guest]

The following is not available on Kindle

"Peace of Soul" - Fulton Sheen

Catholic Answers Apologist's Bookshelf - Recommended Reading

$19.79 plus shipping - Paperback Only

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen brilliantly examines the vast differences between the benefits of psychotherapy and true confession that leads to conversion. While one may help the patient gain some peace of mind, the Christian gains something far greater through the grace of Confession: peace of soul.

"The writing is clear and forceful, the logic frequently brilliant...This is a rewarding experience for any reader and those of other religions or of none will enjoy it even when in disagreement".....Catholic World.

 

Catholic Culture Library - "CONFESSION AND PSYCHIATRY"

An important read highlighting the difference between psychiatry and the confessional:  

Excerpt - "First, he clarifies the boundary line between the subject matter of psychoanalysis and the subject matter of confession. The Sacrament operates on sin, human activity which lacks the rightness it should have in conformity with divine law. Sin is the evil "men do," and men's actions are sinful only in so far as they are willed. But psychoanalysis pertains to the field of mental sickness, to the evil "men suffer." As a sickness, this evil is involuntary and usually quite contrary to the wish of the sufferer. Sin, therefore, is something that men do while psychoneurosis is something that happens to them. Confession presupposes the power to turn freely from sin, while psychoanalysis supposes a certain slavery to blind compulsions. In short, confession deals with willful misdeeds whereas psychoanalysis deals with involuntary misfortunes."

 

---o0o---

This did leap out at me from the above text "This is a special temptation at the present time when the Church in America is at the very pinnacle of her prestige".

  When I checked, the article is dated 1949.  Today the situation is radically different with our Church and lines from the Magnificat come to mind :

"He has shown strength with His arm;
    He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
He has brought down the mighty from their thrones'"

 

 

Edited June 4, 2018 by BarbaraTherese