I think there is a Kinetic component to blockages in Spiritual Growth. So that the waters of grace that are stopped beyond the dam of the blockage form a deep well of grace which when the dam finally does fall pour forth in torrents. So in the case of St Paul of Tarsus when Jesus appeared to him He said, 'It is hard for you to kick against the goad', '(the goad was the whip the rider used to urge in the camel. ) So this was the force of grace beating against Paul but getting damned up. So when he finally did break down and open up entire oceans of grace poured through. I also read one French writer who said that the very Crosses that we would dread the most are the ones that we are given. Why? Because those very same Crosses are the ones we need the most.
True. This got me to wondering about what's been said about two witnesses being sent during the tribulation. Maybe they will be "the sons of thunder", Peter being busy at The Gates.
That's a very insightful post. I'm guilty of procrastination described by Fr. Schmitz in the video posted above. I'm also guilty of not acknowledging that my venial sins are actually sins. The last time I went to Confession with no mortal sins to confess, I struggled to think of venial sins and could only manage a couple. I need to gen up on the examination of conscience. I can't believe that God would ever withdraw grace. I believe that He loves us so much that actual grace will always be available to us although we may suffer before availing of it just as the Prodigal Son was at a very low point before returning to his father. The grace is there and we will have plenty of nudges from thr Holy Spirit but it will always be our choice to take advantage of it or not.
Imho, we are living in a time now where grace is abundantly available to those willing to do the "work" to obtain it. We can still, at this point, avail ourselves of the sacraments of the Church, get ourselves to Mass. Take advantage now though, do your "work" in this regard.....and read again the parable of the 10 virgins.....I make no prognostications, but keeping a "full lamp" seems only prudent in these days of ours....
Almost through reading the book Brian recommended. It's an eye opener for those who struggle (myself included) but really don't understand why. Acedia is a demon who appears to play "whack a mole" with the spiritual life of a soul, or even an entire community of souls. Supposedly, Father Ripperger has stated St. Catherine of Alexandria is a good helper with this evil, but I'm still searching for the reference. She's one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The following describes acedia in a nutshell: "At once isolated and vulnerable, one caught up in persistent and pervasive discouragement has unwittingly opened doors to despair and to the deadly sin of acedia. Acedia (sometimes unfortunately translated as “sloth”) is a debilitating form of sadness. Seeing the difficulties that moral and spiritual goodness entail (while blind to or ignoring natural and supernatural helps), acedia moves the soul to distraction, diversion and restlessness. Acedia can put us flat on our back. Or it can make us hyperactive, in a kind of super-caffeinated “Martha Syndrome,” unable to sit at the feet of the Lord and thereby be refreshed. One friend observed that the highest hope of a soul in the grip of acedia is, at best, “to get the last seat on the last bus leaving for Purgatory.” https://aleteia.org/2018/07/11/this-might-be-the-best-trick-the-devil-has-up-his-sleeve/ "Martha Syndrome", for some reason, reminds me of "synodality". Personally, there's a lot of work to be done so as not to be worrying about getting that last "seat on the bus"
From Don Dolindo's book, A month with Mary Sixth Day: Trust MARY: You must hide yourself in God; but precisely in order to do this, you must trust in him alone. God must be the true life of your soul, the profound peace of your heart. Hiding oneself doesn’t mean being despondent; hiddenness is true when it is trusting. Often you see nothing around yourself but duplicity and deception; you see the insufficiency of the help of others, the poverty of your powers, your weakness ... Trust, trust, and, as a fragile little child, throw yourself into the arms of your heavenly Father, who is your life, your riches, your peace! You must be hidden in God; you must please him alone; you must rest on him alone! Trust in him: your faults he looks on with pity and forgives, if you repent of them with trust in his mercy. Your miseries he eliminates, if you offer yourself entirely to him. In your battles he comforts and sustains you, if you lean on him. THE SOUL: I’m almost ashamed to speak with you, Mary, so far am I from this trust! Up to now I have trusted only in creatures, in my powers, in the good will of the great ones of the earth and for this I loved to make myself noticed, admired and praised. What a sad experience I’ve had with creatures! What a sad experience I’ve had with myself! Therefore I beg you to hide me in God and to help me to trust in him alone. ASPIRATION: O Mary, my hope, expand the trust in God in my heart. LITTLE WORK: When an act of virtue seems difficult, trust in God, and, filled with this trust, do it promptly ... Go, thus, and perform an act of courtesy for the person you find most disagreeable.
~ Let your yes be yes and your no be no Matthew 5:37 ~ Parable of father and 2 sons Matthew 21:27-32 ~ Lawful authority/natural law Matthew 21: 23-27 In one of the above videos with Father R, he mentioned that when he would plan a homily on acedia/sloth, he led up to it with a couple of homilies on the natural law first as a sort of preparation. So many questions came to mind...... Do we owe obedience to the lawful authority when that authority approves of something contravening the natural law, or when the lawful authority ignores both the natural law as well as the law of the land; the law it's supposed to uphold? When the lawful authority does not act in accordance with the rule of law, what are we to do? Rules for thee but not for me? In the parable from the Gospel of Matthew, the father has authority over his sons by the natural law. He has the right to send them off to work in the vineyard. One said no, but went anyway after feeling guilty. No reparations to dad are mentioned though. His no was not no. The other one said sure, but never bothered to go. His yes was not yes. Imo, it seems they both sinned against the father, and the one who felt guilt never asked forgiveness for his disrespect of the father's authority; remember Judas felt guilty too in the end, but that didn't work out very well for him. Neither one of the sons did the will of their father and in the end, they were both lukewarm about it. Will they end up on the "last seat of the last bus"? When you say your yes or your no, to whom ultimately are you saying yes or no? For what reasons? What is the intention of your heart in your answer? Does the answer you give benefit your self only? Did you consider the ramification of your decision on others? Did you confer with those who may have authority over you before making that decision? Did you take the time you need to make an informed decision? Were you bullied into making the decision before you were ready? because you were afraid? Are you ready to accept/suffer the consequences of that decision? Take responsibility for your actions, or lack thereof? Will your yes become no when you realize the consequences of that decision may lead to suffering you're not willing/capable of dealing with? (carrying your cross? Guilty as charged here, even more than I ever realized) If so, do you humbly ask forgiveness, while recognizing your limitations? Does God fit into your decision making process? Should He? If the prayer says "Thy Will be done", should He not be consulted? And if so, should we not expect we will receive the grace we need to follow through as long as we stay the course? The ignoring of these questions/lessons leads, imo, to the "dam*ed if you do, dam*ed if you don't" scenarios we've been dealing with, whether it be about a vaccine or an election or whatever. Then there's the "ignoring things until they go away" attitude. Assuming, of course, they will go away. This attitude has lead to many a prescription for blood pressure meds for those who see and try to warn of impending danger. Through the past few years, it seems obvious that most in the West are not interested in suffering of any kind. Which is weird considering all the war mongering. Fear is rampant and being stoked more with every passing day, while suffering is frowned upon. The word "care" has taken on a new meaning, like we have become caged animals to eventually be put out of our misery, due to fear either of what is or what "they" say will be. "Pick up your cross and follow Me" wasn't a suggestion though.......it was a direction from Jesus Himself. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no......Trust that God's grace will carry you the rest of the way ~ Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us ~
One answer to the questions above was in yesterday's Mass reading (NO). Paul and Silas, in prison and praying and praising God, did not run off after the prison was opened....The jailer was stunned, and converted. Amazing!! To quote AED's old friend, the jailer realized through Paul and Silas' actions and words that yes, "Jesus loves you too"!
A month with Mary: Tenth Day The Grace of God MARY: The mercy of God never abandons you, little creature; it has a way of overcoming your wretchedness and encompasses you with grace. Grace is a supernatural gift of God with which he penetrates hearts, renews them, elevates them, transforms them into himself. What water is to the arid earth grace is for your heart. The Holy Spirit, who is the substantial love of the Father and the Son, consumes your misery with his gifts if only you cast it into those divine flames and thus he transforms you into a new being. Grace is the support of human freedom because it is its guide, its help, its lifting up ... Your soul is well established when it is under the influence of this divine grace. Do you feel drowsy in your spirit? Lift your eyes up to God, call upon the Holy Spirit and beg him to awaken you to life and to divine love. Do you feel depressed and disheartened? Call upon this infinite love in order to be lifted up; thus you will become accustomed to live in a spirit of continual offering and you will touch with your hand what is impossible to you, but very possible to the grace of God! You see me so rich and great. You are astounded at this, yet all of this greatness was the work of the grace of God; you say this to me yourself in your greeting: Hail Mary, full of grace. The grace of God is not frugal or stingy because it is the expansion of love. You must, therefore, distrust yourself and trust much in the grace of God ... Come to me, little flower of Jesus; I will rearrange your little leaves, I will revive you, I will immerse you in the mercy of Jesus. God has made me the channel of that grace which must enrich and enliven you. ASPIRATION: Mary, Mother of grace, have pity on me. LITTLE WORK: Recite five Hail Marys to beg from the Heart of Mary a treasure of graces.
I am reading at the moment about an American Jesuit priest who spent 15 years in Russian prisons and another 15 years in Siberia in horrendous conditions. This morning I read of an Easter Mass he said in a Siberian town. The police and KGB were present ready to haul him off to prison again. But he mentioned the very strict fast the people kept always in Holy Week. This even though they already lived in horrendous conditions in dire freezing weather. They had this huge hunger for God and the things of God. Our Lady when she appears always underscores the importance of fasting. It seems such a source of great joy. The Easter mass in Siberia seemed to shout with joy and hope.
