New Years

[rkwright]

One of my all time favorite quotes relates somewhat to new years, thought I'd post it and see what your thoughts are on it/new years

[quote]If each year should see one fault rooted out from us, we should go quickly on to perfection. But on the contrary, we often feel that we were better and holier in the beginning of our conversion than after many years of profession. Zeal and progress out to increase day by day; yet now it seemeth a great thing if one is able to retain some portion of his first ardour.[/quote]

Edited December 20, 2010 by rkwright

[fides quarens intellectum]

Nice - what is the quote from?

[rkwright]

The Imitation of Christ

[Archaeology cat]

Great quote, great book

[Ed Normile]

That is a great quote as it inspires thought. My first thought was that the author matured from blind faith into a reasoning faith, not that he lost hope or zeal as he put it rather he realizes his shortcomings, even the petty ones and he has matured spiritually and now maybe holds himself to a higher standard. This want for perfection or imitation of the Christ is now what is driving how he views himself, and ultimately what will forge him towards whatever level of perfection he may acheive, and this should please God. He has spiritually grown from the child who has no sins to confess to the adult who tries his best and relies on Christ's mercy.

I read an article where Mother theresa of Calcutta actually died during a heart surgery, she was asked by a reporter if she had seen a tunnel of light. She replied she had a vivid dream that God asked where she wanted to go, and she replied home with Him, and he asked her what she had done to deserve this and she recounted what she had accomplished, and she said He asked her if she could have done more! then she said she woke up as she was revived by the doctors in attendence. Now whether this was a dream or an actual vision from God, she felt in her inner self, her soul if you will, that she still had more to do, more love and aid and comfort to give before she was worthy to join Him. This level of spiritual maturity is naturally why she is a saint, she knew and understood that whatever good she had done, however many children she saved or poor she housed and fed or lepers she comforted she was still far from the perfection of the Christ, and in the end she too would have to rely on His mercy.

ed

[Luigi]

I agree with Ed - that first rush of zeal & ardor is wonderful, but the convert/believer is still innocent of so many things in so many ways. A more mature faith lets us see our own faults more clearly (we've read more, heard more preaching, understand more, etc). It's like a person who joins the military all fired up to serve the country; after basic training and whatever all else, the soldier winds up slogging through the mud, carrying a heavy backpack, just trying to stay alive. He's no less committed to serving the country, but he really didn't know what he was getting into until he found himself slogging through the mud. The heavy work - in the mmilitary or in the life of faith - is less thrilling but it's where the real progress is made.

I grant you that the the author has a point. It is easy to fall into habits, to ritualize our prayer lives, to lose some motivation along the way because we've stopped committing the major sins, and so forth. But there's also more to faith than just expecting it to make us feel good. I know a number of Protestants who (apparently) go to church so that they can get an emotional high from the music-lights-preaching, and they come away thinking they've encountered God. I'm not saying they haven't - for all I know, they have - but sometimes it seems like an addiction - they need more, and stronger, doses to get the same high.

I think the Catholic church addresses this need for renewal of the zeal & ardor by offering retreats. Properly done, we back off, sit down, concentrate, analyze, re-focus, pray, and get our spiritual batteries recharged in the process. And - to return to the question in rkwright's original post - New Year's can be a good time for the same thing. Properly done, New Year's resolutions arise from that same analysis and refocusing.

So yeah, RK, I think you're on to something here.

[rkwright]

The responses from every one have been great.

I tend to pull a lot more from the first sentence than the rest. But it is interesting seeing people find themselves drawn to the parts about the first parts of conversion vs endurance.

BTW I take it from some of the comments that people have not heard of the book I pulled this from. It is by far one of my favorites, one that I can pick up and re-read over and over. Its called The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis.

[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Imitation_of_Christ_(book)"]Heres the wiki on it[/url]

If you're still making your Christmas list... go get it! I bet its around $10 at a bookstore, if not cheaper.

Edit: If you have an iphone, ipad, ipod touch, if you download the free ibooks app, you can download The Imitation of Christ for free. Its an older translation, but it still works.

Edited December 21, 2010 by rkwright