The Spiritual Combat; The Imitation of Christ

Mother Cabrini is another example. Mother Angelica comes to mind too as our most recent example.

 

Yes, as St Paul says to the Greeks the Way of the Cross, 'Is foolishness'.

 

The Fifth Chapter
READING THE HOLY SCRIPTURE
TRUTH, not eloquence, is to be sought in reading the Holy Scriptures; and every part must be read in the spirit in which it was written. For in the Scriptures we ought to seek profit rather than polished diction.

Likewise we ought to read simple and devout books as willingly as learned and profound ones. We ought not to be swayed by the authority of the writer, whether he be a great literary light or an insignificant person, but by the love of simple truth. We ought not to ask who is speaking, but mark what is said. Men pass away, but the truth of the Lord remains forever. God speaks to us in many ways without regard for persons.

Our curiosity often impedes our reading of the Scriptures, when we wish to understand and mull over what we ought simply to read and pass by.

If you would profit from it, therefore, read with humility, simplicity, and faith, and never seek a reputation for being learned. Seek willingly and listen attentively to the words of the saints; do not be displeased with the sayings of the ancients, for they were not made without purpose.

When I was at school one of the Maths teachers taught religion class. He taught that Christ's Miracles and other miracles in Scripture never really happened. For instance the multiplication of the loaves and fishes were a result of folks sharing the food they already had.

The parting of the Red Sea was a tidal phenomena.

Possession by demons was a mental issue..and so on and on and on. Eventually of course doubt is caste on the actual physical ressurrection of Christ.

Down the years I have heard priest after priest teach this in homilies. It makes me want to scream.

I love this from Thomas A Kempis.

'Men pass away, but the truth of the Lord remains forever.'

 

Padraig, I have a 4 day trip to Brussels next week and was lamenting the fact that in the dead of winter I would have nothing new to explore. Guess I’ll be heading to Ghent!

 

Yeah you could do a lot worse. As far as I recall as well there were a series of three or four Church Approved apparitions round that area just before the Second World War which might interest you too.

Now let me see...



I'm sorry I can't get this one in Pontmain in English



Also Banneaux

 

Have been to Beauraing but not Banneux. Banneux cannot be gotten to by train, and I’m a little leary about taking a bus— especially in the winter. Ghent is easy to get to by train— but I always head to Bruges instead as my favorite chocolate shop is there— Stephen Dumon. But this video on that fabulous artwork makes me think I’m finally going to stop in Ghent instead.

 

I love the artwork of that period. Such Faith. Totally, totally Catholic. No doubts whatsoever.

It reminds me of my mother when she was dying of cancer. I asked her if she never had any doubts about the existence of God to which she replied, 'That would be a mad thing to think!' She never had a moments doubts. In some ways I admire her for this, but without trials there is no virtue.
I have often, often doubted. But then I say to the devil, 'If it is all a fairy tale, it has made me very,very happy! Not believing only ever filled me with despair and sadness' To which he goes away in disgust.

There is no answer to that really, is there?



Unkown master Brussels. 15th century.

 

Lovely.
God bless your mother and all other faithful Catholic souls of that generation. My parents and aunt and uncle were like that. I wish I had paid more attention.

 

You have eagle eyes Steve. But watch the video. The shortcut photo is of Garabandal but the video is of Beauraing. The kids who made it must have bombed.

 

You have 'eagle eyes' too Padraig, I realised that this was the case and deleted the comment almost immediately (are you a speed reader?)

 

Maybe my home made wine helps.

I am going out now putting up political posters for Peadar Tobin. I haven't done that for a long, long while. It will be weird getting into politics again.

 

The Sixth Chapter
UNBRIDLED AFFECTIONS
WHEN a man desires a thing too much, he at once becomes ill at ease. A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives in a world of peace. An unmortified man is quickly tempted and overcome in small, trifling evils; his spirit is weak, in a measure carnal and inclined to sensual things; he can hardly abstain from earthly desires. Hence it makes him sad to forego them; he is quick to anger if reproved. Yet if he satisfies his desires, remorse of conscience overwhelms him because he followed his passions and they did not lead to the peace he sought.

True peace of heart, then, is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying them. There is no peace in the carnal man, in the man given to vain attractions, but there is peace in the fervent and spiritual man.

 

Nearly everything I buy is second hand. I dream of the day I owe nobody anything. But I love the fact that I have so little money I could not easily do anything else. How strange that the people who the world considers the richest are very often the ones who owe the most.

I suspect that the happiest and most content people on the planet are the one' s who owe the least.

I read a story from Protestant Missionaries in India one time. They were working in a very remote village in the middle of nowhere. They felt so sorry for the people who had no running water, electricity and so on and were trying to work out how to , 'help' them materially.

But the village elders held a meeting and called the missionaries to hear what they had to say. The locals had heard about life and the rich West and were very,very concerned. They had come to understand how spiritually very poor the West is and wanted to help people their to be spiritually richer.

 

The Eighth Chapter
SHUNNING OVER-FAMILIARITY
DO NOT open your heart to every man, but discuss your affairs with one who is wise and who fears God. Do not keep company with young people and strangers. Do not fawn upon the rich, and do not be fond of mingling with the great. Associate with the humble and the simple, with the devout and virtuous, and with them speak of edifying things. Be not intimate with any woman, but generally commend all good women to God. Seek only the intimacy of God and of His angels, and avoid the notice of men.

We ought to have charity for all men but familiarity with all is not expedient. Sometimes it happens that a person enjoys a good reputation among those who do not know him, but at the same time is held in slight regard by those who do. Frequently we think we are pleasing others by our presence and we begin rather to displease them by the faults they find in us.

 

I just LOVE this Chapter

Someone once wrote that we are very blessed our entire lives if we can find two or three people that we can call our friends. So true.

When I was young I was like a little puppy rushing up to everyone and thinking everyone was my friend and well meaning and I could relate to all and sundry. Not so. Many people are on the Road to Hell and will lead others to hell.

Nowadays I am on my own most of the time. I go entire days without really speaking to a single soul and this my delight. For, since I am never alone, constantly in the presence of the Dear Lord I am never ever lonely. This is heaven on Earth.

I think this is a very natural draw in the Spiritual Life towards greater and greater silence as we walk towards the Eternal silence of heaven.

It is different for Evangelicals of course ; those called to go out into the world. But even there there talk must be off Christ, in Christ and for Christ.

For the Contemplative the call is deeper and deeper into the Desert, Deeper and Deeper into Silence.

That last bit made me laugh. It reminds me of the Scripture that often even the fool is often thought wise by employing few words.

Proverbs 17:28

Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

'Sometimes it happens that a person enjoys a good reputation among those who do not know him, but at the same time is held in slight regard by those who do'

 

Yes Padraig...

 

This really hit home to me as well!

 

Wish I could exist alone....

I love company.

That’s a gift you have...

 

Actually talking about company and being alone; I am reading a small little book of 50 pages you can get on Amazon Kindle very cheaply at the moment on St Jacinta of Fatima (it was by a New York priest who was in his his 80's and in very bad health when he wrote it several years ago, so I am sure he is a long time in heaven now) .



(There is a twin book which I will read next)

 

I thought another book about Fatima would bore me, but not at all ! It is a delight. Apparently one time St Jacinta appeared in bilocation to a cousin who was lost in the woods to point out the way. There are at least two reports of miraculous healings, these while she was still alive.

Anyway I have got to the part where she was dying of the Spanish flu alongside her saintly brother Francesco. She wanted to join him for company a lot in the bedroom beside hers but gave it up as a Penance. When he died it was a big blow as she was on her own. They both knew they were going to die and that it would be a painful death, but they accepted this joyfully knowing it would save sinners. Amazing.

I think her mother was hurt that Jacinta was not relying on her motherly care so much. Jacinta seemed so independent praying the rosary so much. The author guesses eight times a day.

But the point I am trying to make is when Jacinta wanted to be with others like Lucia and Francesco she gave it up as a penance. When she wanted to be alone she got buried with visitors from the village and further afield to her sick bad.

So we have this kind of penitential dance between being alone and being in company.

Anyway its a lovely book. Anything that inspires prayer and devotion to the saints can only be good. It also inspires a great love for penance and poor sinners.
Puzzingly the book skips over Jacinta's vision of hell. I can't understand this as it central to understanding her spirituality. But the book is very, very good.

St Jacinta Marto pray for us.