I like the cat chasing analogy. There is a radio host in the USA named Dave Ramsey who helps people with their finances in a firm, but loving Christian way. whenever a caller asks how he is doing his reply is always "better than I deserve, how can I help you?" It always seemed to me that Mary, Joseph, St Teresa, St John of the Cross got worse than they deserved with such dark nights of the soul while sinners like myself are treated better than they deserve - such a mystery. The fact that Mary could not be any holier or closer to God before Jesus was lost in the temple or after is something I always ponder. I guess the only thing I am sure of is that God is with us through all things - before a crisis, during a crisis and after a crisis. MS7, I will pray that St Nicholas gives you more energy too
Padraig, This line from your long post struck me the most: Seeing that God was slow to anger and abounding in love, Moses grew determined in his intercession. He interceded during the Amalek battle (Ex 17:8-12) and asked that Miriam be healed (Num 12:13-14). After the Israelite apostasy, Moses stood "in the breach before God to save the people (Ex 32:1-34:9)." Though I am weak, may my confidence in God grow to be like that of Moses!
Moses is such a type of the person who prays and engages in spiritual warfare, Terry. I think somewhere it says of hm that he was beloved by God above all men. I often think of this when I am in a contemplative monastery or convent. This should surely encourage us, too, to climb Mount Sinai: Sirach 45 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA) 45 Moses was beloved of God, and men: whose memory is in benediction. 2 He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease. 3 He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory. 4 He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh. 5 For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloud. 6 And he gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life and instruction, that he might teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his judgments.
I always worry a little Daniel when I don't feel the Cross firmly on my shoulder. Such an an encouragement seeing Mary chasing cats like the rest of us.
Padraig. I was told by a priest friend I had the gift of 'actual grace'. Maybe you could expound on this. Sometimes I see myself in situations and see how its going to go, ie giving a speech, praying over someone, talking to someone important etc. so I literally don't have to work at it at all, I know what to do and what to say! I'd say this is a tremendous gift. I laugh and say God must know how dense I am and want me to do it His way, cause my way would be wrong...lol Marti, Matthew 18:3 >> New International Version (©1984) And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. "I leave to great souls and lofty minds the beautiful books I cannot understand, much less put into practice and I rejoice that I am little because children alone and those who resemble them will be admitted to the heavenly banquet. I am glad that there are many mansions in the Kingdom of God, because if there were only those whose description and whose road seem to me incomprehensible, I could never enter there." St Therese When we become very little God can pick us us.When we are a very little leaf the wind can carry us.
The ability to laugh and not take oneself too seriously is always a good sign, MS7! Work hard and give God all the credit! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
Well, to continue. I am going to write first of all from my own experience of this 5th garden (as St Teresa did} then I am going to move unto a more general description of what souls might expect. I realise not everyone will have outright mystical experiences. But hot fires burn deep and every one I expect would experience the second more general experience. By the time I realised I went into the 5th garden I was praying more than a little. In fact I suppose I was saying round about two hundred rosaries a day. This together with going to mass everyday and other prayer froms, such as vistiing the blessed sacrament for quite long times. I especially liked praying on long, long walks and still do. Where on Earth did i find the time for all this? Well I was just out of prison was clean broke and in the six months before entering the monastery not much work hove on the horizon. I had sped ahead at prayer in prison because I was for long periods in solitary confinement, for some of it naked in a cell with no furniture and being very badly beaten by guards who hated Catholics in general and myself in particular. This proved to be a blessing as it gave me loads of time fro what I had come to love best , to pray to and with our Lady who was never far away, never far away at all. When I told my Spiritual Director how I prayed the day after bieng released he told me he had only read about my kind of prayer in books and felt unable to direct me. But he rolled up his sleeves and did a wonderful job.
So the two hundred rosaries a day, I suppose came form prison, solitary confinement and being beaten up, not a path I would recommend to everyone, but you know all life involves suffering, none of it an accident and when we are handed the cross it is a gift and a golden ladder to the feet of God.
So it happened like this. Every Sunday I was in the habit of walking about four hours round the city with and old hound dog called, 'Blue'. I kept my rosary beads in my pocket and said them constantly. I would say this in 1983 or there abouts and I was 27 years old. I was passing through the university district praying away coming up the hill along a beautiful road with trees when suddenly the most extraordinary thing happened. It was as though God reached down from heaven and gave me a gigantic hug....I can't think of a better way to describe it . I actually looked down at my feet to check if I'd been lifted right of the ground, I felt so light , so now I find no difficulty at all in believing people in prayer can levitate, for sometimes it certainly feels just like it. Around e was a sea of the deepest and most overwhelming love and so strong it felt like I was going to die. Later this would grow so much it would knock me right of my feet and the pain like a spear of love through the heart exquisitely joyful , like the happiest death. No joy, no happiness on Earth can compare for this was totally pure, all other Earthly joys are tinged with sadness, all pale by comparison; this was the very doorway of heaven.
Interesting that the Rosary is mentioned 71 times in the messages of Medjugorje. June 25, 1985 Fourth Anniversary of The First Apparition Marija asks Our Lady what She wants from the priests. "I urge you to ask everyone to pray the Rosary. With theRosary you will overcome all the troubles which satan is trying to inflict on the Catholic Church. Let all priests pray theRosary. Give time to the Rosary."
From my own personal experience the rosary is the premier prayer of the Church, I cannot recommend it highly enough. When Our Lady appears it is usually firmly in her hands. The main problem is it is not said slowly or prayerfully enough. But that is easily fixed especially when said alone.
Still Our Lady does like us to pray as a group and we get the benefit of everybody elses rosary. Ive always said it with my family. At times its difficult especially with the young but its the only way they will learn. Im sure the Lord allows for the difficulty. The family rosary has saved the faith of my children. Thats the only way I can explain that they still attend church and pray as all the friends they have grown up with have fallen away. I really thank Our lady for obtaining the great gift of faith for them. Mary
I'm just getting ready to walk to church and pray the rosary en route. Mary, I still include your brother in my rosary. How is he doing?
Gail, I cant remember what I said about my brother. maybe you are confusing me with someone else. But now that you ask There has been a grace in my brothers life this past week. He is a farmer and was always a bit wild with drinking etc. My mother has spent her whole time since he was a young teenager about 40 years ago praying for him. I attended the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in the past 2 week, which bye the way was a very grace filled experience. I prayed there for him. On the Monday night after the congress he was attaked by a mad cow and was on the ground being head butted by the cow. She jumped all over him but then her attention wandered for a second and he rolled out under the fence. I said to him this is the 1st miracle from the Congress. He thanked the Lord and I believe he has had a conversion. He is badly bruised but no vital organs were damaged. He is amazed that he esaped as is the doctor. I Thank God Mary
Mary, a miracle!!! That's incredible and it brought a conversion! Praise God, this is surely his grace!
Gail maybe the prayer you were saying for my brother came into the equation. God works in mysterious ways. Mary
