I've realized that one of my biggest problems is that I focus too much on the exterior, rather than the interior. I've recently been making an effort to detach myself from the exterior and focus more on Christ, and giving myself over to Him through Mary. However I have started having some really bad struggles lately, in fact I am currently recovering from a really bad struggle I just had a few minutes ago. I need prayers that I can overcome these harsh struggles I'm having, and detach myself from the exterior. I hope that these struggles are a sign that I am finally advancing spiritually, and will eventually be free from a lot of the mortal sins, I have struggled with in the past.
Keeping you in prayer. Detachment is a key to deepen ones journey in holiness. Trials will always be there, but faith strengthened with prayer and penance will provide the strength we need.
Here are some promises of our Lord as spoken by Him to St. Faustyna: 'The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to my mercy.' 'Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet' 'My heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners' 'Were a soul like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint, there would be no [hope of] restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not ... Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God‟s mercy!' https://www.faustyna.pl/zmbm/en/the-greatest-miracles-of-gods-mercy-3/ http://www.faustyna.pl/zmbm/en/diary-full-text/
There is a passage in scripture in the Old Testament that says (I’m paraphrasing) “Son do not be surprised to encounter great trials when you come to serve the Lord.” To seriously embark on a life lived for and with Jesus trials you can absolutely anticipate struggles . They come in battalions! Those who do not bother with Christ generally don’t struggle in quite the same way. The boat doesn’t get rocked. In this war—and it is war—The Rosary is the weapon! Our Lady is our true mother. She defends us. Also our Guardian angels are powerful protectors.
RW, A saint is not one who never falls, but one whose desire is to see the face of God, and while leaning on His Mercy, gets up once more and moves forward! Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
I think you consider a Venial Sin as rather like walking along the road and tripping over something. A Mortal Sin on the other hand is rather like jumping of a cliff to your death.. For that is what Mortal Sin is ,as St James says; that which brings death to the soul. Which is why we cal lit 'mortal'. I think we Catholics often talk too casually about swinging onti and out of mortal sin. In this we may be making one of two mistakes. Firstly in that we mistake a sin which is , in fact venial for a mortal sin. or.. Secondly that we consider we have left the sin that is mortal when we have not. For we have not left the occasion of sin, or we are not truly sorry. Which is why ,for instance Padre Pio sometimes sent people packing from his confession box. But mostly I think it is because we mistake a venial sin for a mortal one. A mortal sin is a really , really big deal.
Concerning detachment: St John of the Cross compares the soul to a little bird that wants to fly to God. How ever the bird is tied to the ground by a rope. Even if it were tied down by a single silken thread to the things of this world, it still cannot fly. We must be like the man who sold all he had to buy the Pearl of Great Price.
Now consider two men who walked along the Road to the Kingdom of Heaven. One man always keeps his feet to the ground at the obstacles at his feet, studying to remove them. This man stumbles along slowly The other keeps his head ever upwards towards the Glory ahead to the Gates of the Kingdom. His face always turned to the Face of God in Prayer and Adoration. This man runs to the Kingdom. The best way to get to the Kingdom through Detachment is to become very small in prayer so we are tiny enough to let God pick us up and carry us there. This is true detachment. Prayer is the best way to sever the cords that bind us to this Earth.
From the Book of Heaven: "... this is why the first thing I so much recommend is detachment from all things, and also from oneself. When the soul has detached herself from everything, she does not need to pluck up her strength in order to stay away from all the things of the earth which, of their own, come around her; but seeing themselves ignored - even more, despised - saying good-bye to her, they take leave of her to bother her no more.”
My confessor and I were discussing this a few months back. I said that something I was confessing did not rise to the level of a mortal sin but that conscience was showing me so called “venial’ sin is not a little thing! He agreed wholeheartedly and went on to say very much what you are saying. Once at Adoration I was talking in my heart about my so called venial sins and I “heard” that Still,Small,Voice day “It is personal.” A cryptic statement but as I reflected on it I saw in a moment of grace that every sin big or small is very personal to Jesus. He took upon himself every—every!!! sin. On His Body. Into His Heart and Soul. He became sin as St Paul tells us. No sin is a little thing. Mortal sin is an utter horror—a death dealing blow but venial sins are not nuthin’!
No. I notice with the saints this total horror of sins. Sometimes they are horrified by things they did wrong and I must admit I can't even think what is wrong with them. I remember St Frances of Rome, for instance. She could see and hear her Guardian Angel all the time and he used to give off to her, on at least one occasion he even hit her very hard knocking her to the ground for letting her mind wander in prayer. I kind of think to myself, if he were my Guardian Angel he would have something to complain about.
Unencumbered; make me so, Jesus! Philippians 3:8 - Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ...
