Fatima and MS7 I can really relate to what you both say- that gnawing sense of something bigger and better, that is maybe going to require some really, really, really significant sacrifice on my part. In some ways I feel like Peter stumbling from the boat after the big catch, suddenly aware of the power of God but also painfully aware of his sinful inadequacy. But then those brief moments of enlightenment that give the sense that this path i tread does console the One i injured with my sins. Or are we all mad?
No. WE ARE THE SANE ONES!! LOL In Mark Mallett's new blog entry today: Can you see how radical Christ is calling you to be? Yes! Come out of the world. Let the illusion be shattered. Let the truth set you free: sin is a lie. Let a divine fire burn within your heart. The fire of love. Imitate Christ. Follow the saints. Be holy as the Lord is holy! We must see ourselves as “strangers and sojourners”… this world is not our home. But what we are leaving behind is nothing compared to what God has in store for those who take these paths of His Will. God cannot be outdone in generosity! He has joys beyond expression awaiting us which even now we can experience through faith. What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Cor 2:9) Lastly, remember that you cannot win this spiritual battle without God. And so, draw near to Him in prayer. Every day, you must pray from the heart, spending time with God, letting Him infuse your soul with all the graces you need in order to persevere. As our Lord said, Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)Indeed, we pray with all our heart the words in The Act of Contrition: “with the help of Your grace“. The devil is like a rabid dog tied to a chain; beyond the length of the chain he cannot seize anyone. And you: keep at a distance. If you approach too near, you let yourself be caught. Remember that the devil has only one door by which to enter the soul: the will. There are no secret or hidden doors. —St. Pio of Pietrelcina
I am afraid I do not trust in any good works of my own (few enough as they are) but am trusting totally in God's Mercy. THough I always thought St James words a wake up call... James 2:26 New International Version (NIV) 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Your post resonates with me very much Fatima. My family definately think that I am nuts, and my friends a little too. I feel very isolated too (the island you reference) and the feeling of isolation was very evident over the holidays with family...where it really hit me how differently my thought process is from theirs, and where I view the world is going vs. the entire rest of my family. As most people know here, God is preparing me for the future via the long-term unemployment cross I carry. It's beyond difficult, but seems to be the only way I will learn to trust in the way I will need to trust in the future. My family tells me they are sorry I have been displaced in the corporate world...I just think...no, this is a cross to prepare me for the future. But I don't really say this out loud because then they will think I am just making excuses and justifying why I have not been able to get a job. Regardless...we are all being prepared for the future in the way God knows we need. As you say, it truly is the calm before the storm...
I believe God expects us to work/labor as if everything depends on us and pray is if everything depends upon God. Never give up praying that God open up a door for you. I would be a ditch digger if I had to.....I don't feel I am to good for any job and would take any job if I had to.
oh, I'll never give up praying Fatima...and one of the jobs I've been doing is barely better than a ditch digger...so I'm doing the jobs I have to do and offering it up every day....and praying, praying, praying...
Again Potatosack, I know exactly how you are feeling. I went out tonight because someone paid for my son and husband and I to go to an auction/dinner. I absolutely just feel different. I sat at a table full of adults and felt like I was 16 years old and I'm in my early 50's. I looked at the almost 800+ people there drinking beer and having a good time and eating and all I could do was quietly ask our Lord to bless them all, save them all, help them all see the truth.... It was fun, but I just felt so darn different. I actually wondered if anyone else in that entire room felt the way I did and knew what I knew, and my answer was no.... I have to take a deep breath, because the numbers are overwhelming to me. The lack of piety, the lack of knowledge, the lack of caring. Now I am being a judge and jury because I truly don't know the state of these people's souls, only God does. But my INDIFFERENCE and lack of enthusiasm for the evening hopefully wasn't noticed, as I am used to just being part of everything and not actively participating but being gracious and kind. I wasn't the least bit interested in buying anything unless it had to do with emergency preparedness and luckily my husband wasn't either, which is why we didn't bring any money to spend foolishly. I don't WANT to be a wet washcloth, but very few things interest me anymore. I don't think I'm depressed, I'm just feeling introverted and intro-spective. I am very much an extrovert most of the time, but as time goes on, I'm changing... I am going to go to another town this weekend with my two kids about 4 hrs. away and go to a Eucharistic Conference. I'm SO LOOKING FORWARD to that!! Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers will be there and I want my children to hear him preach!! So Lent will start off on the right foot!
It's true we are often lonely but never alone. I remember sitting in a drinking club surrounded by about twenty young men who were my friends and brothers, drinking. I crazuly thought that no one knew about my new found faith or that I was just about to enter a monastery and become a monk. But there are no secreats in Irelnad..at least were I live. Suddenly one of the guys asked me, 'Padraig is it true that you are going to be a monk?' It was like a bolt out of the blue to me my heart froze. But from somewhere I found the courage to confirm it was true. Then he asked, kind of stammered, really, 'But why do you want to do that?' (They all looked aghast} I felt an anger rising within me and said, 'Because I love Jesus..' More even further aghast stares, Total silence. Matthew 10:33 English Standard Version (ESV) 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. 'Well', I said rising from my place, 'I am away to the toilet so you can all have a good laugh at me.' The guy who asked thw question looked threatenly round the table. 'Anyone who makes fun of you, I'll kick his face in'.Much nodding and agreeement from the reat that I would be left in peace. That was so many years ago . The young man who asked the question went on to become a very successful abnk robber and criminal. We meet now and agin and are still friends. I foten pray for him. Others there, including my brothers have grown I think to respect my choice and some of them from time to time talk to ma about God, the things of God and the deeper things in life... I do not judge them, they made their choices, I made and continue to make my own; which is to say to walk hand in hand with Mary in the footsteps of Christ. So I agree we are alone..and yet..and yet we are never alone.... I heard years later that my choice to becime a monk echoed right round the working class areas were I lived for I was very well known. Kind of a celebrity in fact. A former IRA officer, a hard man, a fighter. Never underestimate the good effect you may be having on those around you. It may not be obvious to yourself but as is written none of us go to hell alone, none of us go to heaven alone. In either circumstance we take others with us. Wether we know this or not. As Maximus said in the film , 'Gladiator', what we do now echoes in Eternity. Luke 8:16-18 New International Version (NIV) A Lamp on a Stand 16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”
You know in my experience it takes far, far more courage, at least at the beginning to stand up for your faith than it does to stand up to armed men with guns doing their level best to kill you. But after a while, like everything else it becomes kind of a habit, a good habit but still, s habit and eventually if you are anything like me you end up kind of enjoying it.
Being introspective has its place, as well as pursuing holiness during this time of preparation. But, wondering about the souls around us that are unaware, recognizing their blindness, and even pointing out how far some individuals have fallen (even within our immediate families) should shine a huge spotlight on our respective calls to "fill our hands with good deeds". Jesus, to Saint Faustina, in her diary gives us the exact instruction on how to respond, and fulfill what Mary told Conchita 50 years ago: "My daughter, if I demand through you that people revere My mercy, you should be the first to distinguish yourself by this confidence in My mercy. I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it. I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first - by deed, the second - by word, the third - by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works." (Diary, 742) Saint Faustina then expounds on this so we are not confused: "The Lord gave me knowledge of His will under three aspects, so to speak, but it all comes down to one. The first is that souls separated from the world (consecrated religious) will burn as an offering before God's throne and beg for mercy for the whole world... and by their entreaties they will obtain blessings for priests, and through their prayers prepare the world for the final coming of Jesus. The second is prayer joined to the act of mercy (through some form of consecration, I think). In particular, they will defend the souls of children against the spirit of evil. Prayer and merciful deeds are all that will be required of these souls, and even the poorest persons can be admitted to their number. And in this egoistic world they will try to rouse up love, the mercy of Jesus. The third is prayer and deeds of mercy, without any obligation of taking vows. But by doing this, these persons will have a share in all the merits and privileges of the whole [congregation]. Everyone in the world can belong to this group. A member of this group ought to perform at least one act of mercy a day; at least one, but there can be many more, for such deeds can easily be carried out by anyone, even the very poorest. For there are three ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray - that too is mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict." (Diary 1155-1158)
Just remember that if we know the Church teachings, even a "bad" Pope cannot lead us astray because he does not have the authority to change dogmas. If he does, we will know he is an anti-pope and the faithful can take appropriate action (PRAYER MISSLES) to defend the Holy Church.
I think when we speak of an anti Pope it does not mean someone who is REALLY the annointed Pope. It is a guy PRETENDING to be Pope. He is not valid. A person who is a genuine Pope could not promulgate false Doctrine, we have the Dogma of Papal Infallibilty to secure this. But a guy who was claiming to be Pope ( with the support of many Cardinals) could dream up whatever kind of wickedness he liked. This is the danger. Not a Pope being totally in the hands of the devil, but someone pretending to be Pope being in his hands. Someone very convincing.
MS7, LOL, it is so true for we follow the leader and what do we do, the kids will suffer if we are too strict but we know the limits, the fashion today is getting worse by the way. I tell my kids when they put the pressure on me to keep up with the Jones'..do not worry about what humans think, care mostly about what God thinks of us. What happened to beauty within...today very few have it, that is for sure. I did buy some jewelry recently for an excellent price, costume jewelry and felt so guilty knowing God likes it simple, and all these warnings about fashion and clothes..I gave most of them away already for I am at the age and trying to be a "goddess" per se, as again I may be following the leader..ugh,
No one, not even a Pope can change dogma or doctrine for they come from the deposit of faith, which is from God himself. I have said this to Protestants for years..... find me just ONE doctrine that has ever changed in the Catholic faith and I will renounce my faith today. Hmmmmm, no one has come up with just one, but I can name dozens within any Protestant denomination that have changed. God is Truth. Truth can not change. If what doctrines you believe are different than what was taught 200, 500, 800, 1500, 2000 years ago...then it isn't truth. Hate to brag, but being Catholic has its benefits rooted in God's unchanging truth
I agree, my meaning was more if a Pope TRIED to change doctrine, or proclaimed for example that the Eucharist was only a symbol. So many people depend upon secular media nowadays that I had my Catholic cousin try to tell me that the Catholic Church promoted Obama in the last election because of some Jesuit article she read. She truely believed what she read, because she is ignorant of the teachings of our faith.
I do remember someone saying that 'A POPE WOULD TRY AND CHANGE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THE DAY OF THE SABBATH AND IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT WE NOT GO DOWN THAT PATH--THAT WOULD PROVE THE PERSON (THE POPE FALSE).
