Does anyone else think this picture of the Cure of Ars is remarkable like the face of Saint John Paul the Great.
I just listened to the most POWERFUL talk on prayer and the power of prayer I have ever heard. Jesse Romero on Jesus 911 on you tube downloaded ovtober 20 2020 entitled " the effect of prayer on angels and demons" This is GOLD fellow prayer warriors. I urge you to listen as soon as you get a chance. God bless.
All talks and interviews with Jesse Romero are awesome. I will be hunting that one down What does prayer do to angels and demons . Thank you for letting us know. God bless.
I believe that God tests us in these moments of inner darkness, so that our faith, hope, and love may be translated into an unceasing search for Him. In this way, a human—yet sanctifying—aspect of this process is that, in our weakness, the strength to seek God is revealed, just as a father searches for a lost child without ever losing his love and hope, even amid distance and uncertainty. Our faith is a path to be walked, often a winding one, but sustained by love. The three theological virtues are part of the same integral process of salvific faith. However, Saint Paul tells us that love is the greatest of the three, perhaps because it is what most powerfully drives our relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters at the same time.
Secular people use the phrase, 'Dark Night', so much these days that it has pretty well lost it's original meaning. But it reminds me of the part in a child's life when the parents let go to let it walk on it's own. They used to have something called a 'Walker', an aid to help. I think the Dark Night might be compared to a child being let loose from the walker.. Looking back on it it is amazing how many times I fell and hurt myself growing up. But if our parents tried to keep us in a walker we might never fall but on the other hand we would never grow up. It is amazing how many people in the Spiritual Life refuse to leave the Walker stage. In fact many of them consider the Walker the end of the Spiritual Life, whereas it is right at the very beginning.
An aspect of Christ’s Passion worth highlighting is that many people question how a loving God could allow the suffering and death of His only Son. However, many of those same people would criticize the Gospel if there were no supreme example of love—one that infinitely surpasses the greatness of any human expression of that feeling. Likewise, people may think it is easy to be holy when one is tied to a mystical life that offers certainty of salvation’s reward; yet many are unaware of, or ignore, the example of saints who struggled through moments of darkness, being tested in faith so that our own similar trials might have meaning and move us to keep going.
Would having the walker being taken away equate to something like a heavy trauma in your analogy? I know St. John of the Cross speaks about the dark night of the spirit which is similar to your analogy, but not quite the same.
Yes it is traumatic, especially at the start. A bit like being dropped in the sea to learn how to swim. But after a while the soul becomes more accustomed to it. This is why it is very important to have a Spiritual Father or Mother to cover at least these transference periods.
People sometimes ask how can I find a good Spiritual Father? They are so hard to find. This is true but as Jesus said what child that asks his father for bread, He will and him a stone. There is a saying that when the Disciple is ready the Master appears. We just have to knock and the door will indeed be opened. https://spiritdailyblog.com/inspiration/just-love May 8: “Today, the holy day of the apparition of St. Michael the Archangel on the Gargano [in Monte Sant’Angelo] and also consecrated to Our Lady of Pompeii, I felt my heart completely drawn to my Love. In praying and meditating, I asked Jesus for pure, constant love, telling Him, ‘Oh my Beloved, do not make me suffer like this; burn me in the furnace of Your Heart; let me be Yours and always Yours, otherwise I cannot live. Oh Jesus, Love, give me Love and let me die as a victim of Love and come to You.’ “And Jesus said to me, ‘Do not be disturbed; you will have everything. Love is resignation and patience in adversity; Love is prudence; Love is charity towards neighbor. Strive to practice virtues and say, “I want to suffer for the Love and glory of God; I want to accept everything from His hands.” Always say, “May Your Divine Will be done!” This is Love, My daughter; yes, it is always Love.'”
This attitude of self-sacrifice for the sake of glorifying God is the key, but challenging for the fainthearted such as I. Lord have Mercy!
Yes, it's a very special grace indeed. I admit I feel such a coward when I read of Victim Souls. But on the other hand the time of the Great Persecution is at hand as foretold in Scripture. The Immense Effusion of Blood. The cleansing by the Blood of the Lambs. Many of those who read this will give up their lives for the one true Lamb. I always had a keen longing to be a Martyr for Christ. This at least I can do and it will be a great, great joy and honour. Bring it on. Revelation 16:6 6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”
