Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

[Guest]

..........I did get my revenge...........almost.  Walking home from school one day when silk worms were all the rage and me still in primary school.  I had to cross the bridge over a creek and down that creek grew mulberry leaves on which silk worms fed.  The children from the public school had their bikes lined up on the bridge and were down the creek to collect leaves.  I got a protractor out my school bag and was strongly tempted to kill their silk worms, which were in shoe boxes on some of the bikes tied to the rear of their bikes. 

I can't recall going to confession about that and back in those days, I did not understand the difference between being tempted only and giving in to it.  Any temptation to me back then was dreadfully sinful.  Poor dear Father in the confessional at times.

[Guest]

 

Prayer of St Padre Pio (especially for After Holy Communion):

https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/padre-pio-after-communion.html

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You. 

Stay with me Lord, because I am weak, and I need Your strength, so that I may not fall so often. 

Stay with me Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor. 

Stay with me Lord, for You are my light, and without you, I am in darkness. 

Stay with me Lord, to show me Your will. 

Stay with me Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You. 

Stay with me Lord, for I desire to love you very much, and always be in Your Company. 

Stay with me Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You. 

Stay with me Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of Love. 

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late, and the day is coming to a close, and life passes, death, judgment, eternity approach. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is getting late and death approaches. I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile. 

Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers, I need You.

Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart. 

Stay with me Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to you, if not by Communion, at least by grace and love. 

Stay with me Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation because I do not merit it, but the gift of Your presence, oh yes, I ask this of You. 

Stay with me Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more. 

With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity.

Amen. 

 

[Guest]

When Did God as 'Father' Become Common?

 June 02, 2018

From Catholic Answers  QandA https://www.catholic.com/qa/when-did-god-as-father-become-common

 

Full Question - When did God as "Father" become common? Jesus called him Father, but was that common?

Answer - Referring to God as “Father” took place in Old Testament times, but it was rather unusual prior to the coming of Jesus, who regularly referred to his heavenly Father, e.g., John 1:14, 18.

In the Old Testament, God is referred to as the father of the nation of Israel several times, (Deut. 32:6, Is. 63:16, Mal. 1:6). He is also referred to the father of certain people more than a dozen times, (e.g., 2 Sam. 7:14, Ps. 89:26). And at other times, the imagery of “fatherhood” is present even though the word Father is not used, (Ex. 4:22-23, Mal. 3:17).

In coming to redeem the world (see John 3:16-17),

Jesus invites us into an intimate relationship with his heavenly Father in which we can call him “Abba” or “Daddy,”

(e.g., Mark 14:36, Rom. 8:15, Gal. 4:6).

[Marysheart]

I think self protection is wise in some cases. If we avoid certain people and or situations for our good, then I think God would be proud of that. For example if someone you know unfortunately doesn't like you and they try to approach you in a manner where you have a right to say something. I think it's best if certain situations are avoided. Not all situations of course. But God gives us wisdom to make the right choices. Avoidness may be good if we know not avoiding a certain person will cause problems. Unfortunately in today's world we are not going to be liked by everyone. But luckily, that's not our mission here. My mission is to only care what good thinks of me. I aim to be a good person with moral values. I'm not perfect, but I'm here to help my neighbor if I can and so forth. I see a lot of negativity in today's society. I don't mean to be cynical at all. But it seems in today's media, that they feel if you have certain things it will make you happy... Quite the contrary. Christ Is all we need. As long as we depend on the holy Spirit to live a godly life, we can! I am a sinner indeed and my heart is broken over all these liberal things that go on. I'm appalled when I watch the news at times, if that's how I feel, sinner that I am. I can't imagine how holy God feels. He can't stand the sight of sin.. yet it's all around the news and media. It's the way Hollywood is living and they are looked up by many people, sad to say.  I stay away from media. But I enjoy and glad I joined phatmass. Its nice as we Catholics can pray for one another. No one is perfect but when you find the real meaning in life, and that's jesus... You never want to leave his side.

[Guest]

 

Q & A - IS HELL A JUST PUNISHMENT?

Catholic Answers 

 

https://www.catholic.com/qa Scroll down to Question as above

Full Question - Is hell a just punishment? I hear this question many times from skeptics, and that "No human being deserves such a punishment." How would I combat this claim?

 

Answer - The Church reminds us that hell is the “definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed” (CCC 1033, emphasis added; see 1033-37).  Scroll down to "Hell"

For further perspective, see this previous response in which I explain that the fallen angels basically said, “To hell with heaven.” https://www.catholic.com/qa/to-hell-with-heaven

[Guest]

It is over 10 days now since that event that rather shook me to the core almost.  My initial emotional reaction was deep hurt and then anger.  Emotions and emotional reactions are amoral, they have no morality.  It is what one decides to do with emotions that are either right or wrong, sinful or not sinful.

So what I did was acknowledge that my hurt and anger were mine without blaming anyone else for them.  I allowed myself to be hurt and angry without making any decision about what to do with those feelings or emotions, except to permit them to be a part of me without attempting to either deny them or get rid of them in some way.  I was a hurt and angry person for days and decided to simply work through each day as it occurred without deciding what to do about my hurt and anger except to allow them to be present.  I did decide that this would be my course of action prayerfully and for as long as it took for me to work through my hurt and anger.  I resisted, Deo Gratius, a strong temptation to lash out in hurt and anger.  I am very very grateful to The Lord.  Amen.

But what did happen due to my bipolar condition I suspect,  and what my doctor calls "a touch of OCD" (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) was that at night as I attempted to drift off to sleep, my bipolar OCD (I suspect) clicked in and no way could I stop my mind from going round and round on the situation and thinking paranoid about it including about relationships in general.  I could not stop my mind from that course while, thankfully Deo Gratius, recognising they were paranoid thoughts probably connected to restless bipolar & OCD as most always under stress*** -  and so I did what is very rare for me, I took a sleeping tablet after getting up and watching TV for a short time and then going back to bed and thankful sleep.  The restless paranoid mindset when trying to drift to sleep lasted for probably three days only.  After that, I was able to sleep ok without the sleeping pill after my normal reading in bed for a short time.

My psychiatrist has told me that if I cannot sleep, I should not lay there trying and trying to get to sleep, rather to get up and watch TV or read for a while until I felt tired again.  A warm glass of milk with cinnamon and honey is also a great way of inducing tiredness and sleep.  Warm Milk, Cinnamon and Honey Recipe for Sleep  Cinnamon sticks are not at all expensive and here in South Australia available readily at Coles and other supermarkets.  Honey is a pantry staple usually - and keep the Cinnamon sticks as a staple too.  This reminds me, after posting this post, I must include Cinnamon sticks and honey in my shopping list.  I am out of stock.

It is only Grace that has rescued me, but now some 10 days or so later, I have neither reacted angrily nor from hurt - nor have I shared my emotional state with anyone, as well as not accusing anyone at all in any way neither directly nor indirectly to any person at all.  My hurt and anger have passed and I have worked through these emotions successfully, Deo Gratius, and I am back to a normal frame of mind in every way.  The situation that shook me has drifted into past tense and only a memory if I want or need to recall it.

Quote

Paul's Thorn and God's Grace (2 Corinthians Chapter 12)
…Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum

__________________________

*** My bipolar condition reacts and gets restless under stress.  It is up to any sufferer of a mental illness to learn what aggravates their condition and to discern how to cope with it.  It is also up to sufferers to learn their early warning signs of their illness getting restless and even active.  We are all unique and different and will probably each have different answers in some way.

It is very important indeed to have supports.  One or two, or even a network if one is really outstandingly blest, of people whom one trusts with whom one can talk about their situation re mental illness, especially in the difficult times. 

Most important of all is to contact one's therapist or doctor when illness does become restless.

If one does not have any supports at all, there are websites with discussion forums re mental illness that can be outstanding supports.  "Beyondblue" Forum https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums is a wonderful support but sadly is only open to Australians.  There are excellent articles on the site.  The benefit of a website support, as Phatmass can be, is that there is not the rather confronting matter of face to face, one can think about what one writes before posting - and anonymity.

I am sure too that other countries have their own excellent online means of support for sufferers of mental illness.

We have so very much to be humbly thankful for to The Lord for the internet.  Very sadly as with most any good thing in life, it can be abused.  Pray.  Patron Saint of Computers and the Internet: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-isidore-of-seville/ (Feast April 4)

 

Edited June 7, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

 

 

If for some reasons, I cannot or do not want to talk to anyone I know on a face to face basis, Phatmass is always here to hear my ups and downs, ins and outs, falling downs, getting ups etc etc.

Thank you @dUSt for Phatmass yet again.  dUSt is our fearless leader and boss,

the owner and administrator of Phatmass

_________________

One thing in general I forgot to mention not related to my Thank You above, is that when bipolar/OCD is restless, I know it is a matter for my psychiatrist more so than my spiritual director, unless of course I am in spiritual difficulty too.  Then it would be a matter for both.

If you have a spiritual director, wise to discuss these things with him or her.......your psychiatrist too i.e. that you do have an SD for spiritual matters.    To date, no priest that I have spoken with has experience with mental illness, nor claimed to know much about it at all.

[Guest]

Friday, 8th June,

Solemnity of The Sacred Heart of Jesus

 

Four Saints who saw The Sacred Heart of Jesus (with slide show)

What Catholics Should Know About First Fridays (including Promises)

How to Enthrone The Sacred Heart in Your Home and Heart

Note the words of Jesus to St Margaret Mary Alacoque "In the excess of the Mercy of My Heart......".........

Full quote: "“In the excess of the mercy of my heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.”

 

For one reason or another, I never got around to making the Nine Consecutive First Fridays in all my 72 years that I can recall anyway. I am still hoping to be able to do so.  Finances should come back into line and cross over from the red to the black at the end of June, God Willing.. ... and that should permit some more taxi travel.

Deo Gratius

Should things go amiss again and I am unable to complete the First Five Fridays, my confidence and trust in The Sacred Heart will remain every bit as strong as if I had done so.  What Jesus asks is an honest heart and sincere effort.    Success or failure are always His Domain alone and in all things.  Sometimes failure is clearly my own fault and in that instance Jesus has permitted failure for His Own Good Reasons.  Sometimes I seem to have contributed to some success somewhere, then all thanks to The Lord for the gift and Grace to succeed.

"All is Grace" (St Therese of Lisieux)

Should read Nine First Fridays. 

It is the Five First Saturdays of Our Lady http://www.themostholyrosary.com/appendix2.htm

Edited June 7, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Marysheart]

Barbara therese, you can be my grandmother. ( Adding humor) hope you don't mind)  I'm glad you are feeling better.thank you for posting the sacred heart. Which is one of my favorites. I wanted to ask you a question, if that is okay. When saint therese was younger she struggled with an illness that her doctor I believe never seen such a thing? ( In my opinion, I think it was a mental illness but was cured by the blessed mother. I'm not an expert at all, but I think some mental illnesses are attributed by ones environment, meaning i myself have had a person living above me bully me, slamming on the floor, and going in and out frequently. For years. I live in a condo and own mine, but you do have people that buy or rent. It's a average neighborhood. Nice enough. I didn't understand why the person was doing this. It has happened for years and I had to speak up, but it didn't do any good.  It got worse. I was such a laid back person but enduring this I think has changed me. But I try my best to cling to Jesus and Mary and I do have to talk to my priest about it. I have seen some true life stories that because of the persons environment... And what they endured by others that can contribute to mental illness over time. I wanted to be a nun but opted not too.  But we can still serve and love the Lord here living in the world, even though it's difficult, with his grace everything is possible. Bless you Barbara therese.

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Marysheart said:

Good to hear from you again, Marysheart!

Barbara therese, you can be my grandmother. ( Adding humor) hope you don't mind)  Do not mind at all, MH   I am even old enough to be a great grandmother.  I hope you will not mind me answering you in the format I have used.

I'm glad you are feeling better.thank you for posting the sacred heart. Which is one of my favorites.  I am certainly much better now - but similar will happen again somewhere or other to some degree.  That is what my journey to date has told me.  Of course, there are always miracles.

The Sacred Heart is a devotion of mine too.  Do you have an image in a prominant place in your condo?   "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You, no matter what befalls me Lord, nor dark the hour might be"

When saint therese was younger she struggled with an illness that her doctor I believe never seen such a thing? ( In my opinion, I think it was a mental illness but was cured by the blessed mother. I am not sure, but I dont think we really know what exactly  (with confidence)was the problem with St Therese when she was indeed cured by Our Lady.
 I'm not an expert at all, but I think some mental illnesses are attributed by ones environment, meaning i myself have had a person living above me bully me, slamming on the floor, and going in and out frequently. For years. I live in a condo and own mine, but you do have people that buy or rent. It's a average neighborhood. Nice enough. I didn't understand why the person was doing this. It has happened for years and I had to speak up, but it didn't do any good.  I don't know where you are in the world, but here in South Australia our state government has a department for dealing with issues with neighbour problems.  Sometimes, if one complains about a neighbour to him or her, the situation does get worse. We humans are indeed a weird mob!  It got worse. I was such a laid back person but enduring this I think has changed me.  Long term environmental problems could cause trauma and probably especially with a pre-existing problem.But I try my best to cling to Jesus and Mary and I do have to talk to my priest about it. What has Father suggested you do?  Also, jump onto Google and research what might be available where you live i.e. help re neighbour problems.  Do you have a doctor or therapist for your own health problems and have you discussed your neighbour situation with him or her?   Have you thought of posting a thread into Open Mic and stating your problem, asking if anyone knows of some sort of help available where you are living?  I have received a lot of help through Open Mic.. I have seen some true life stories that because of the persons environment... And what they endured by others that can contribute to mental illness over time. Certainly problem neighbours could make a nervous wreck of one and induce truma and if one does suffer MI, it could well make the illness worse.  Your doctor needs to address your problem situation, environment. I wanted to be a nun but opted not too.  But we can still serve and love the Lord here living in the world, even though it's difficult, with his grace everything is possible. Bless you Barbara therese.  Loving and serving The Lord can be just as difficult as convent or monastic life - usually the nature of the problems might differ only.  Sometimes those of us on the outside looking in as it were to religious life have romantic notions about it.  It is not an easy life although at times I like to think that it is, just to get away from all the noise and strife out here.  But then I recall to mind the problems within religious life.   One can aspire to great holiness out here in the world just as much as in religious life.  It is not one's vocation and situation, environment, that makes saints, it is a work of The Lord.  Only God can make a saint and He is continually working to do so for every single person.

Have you read St Francis de Sales "Introduction to the Devout Life" - it is almost a handbook for laity although not only laity.  Priests and religious have benefited from it as well.   I do think that St Therese just might have read it too.  It certainly made a huge impact on me when I read it many many years ago now.

It is available online here:  http://www.ccel.org/d/desales/devout_life

Introduction: "Do I need to go into full-time ministry to live a truly Christian life? Am I really a Christian if I'm not out preaching the gospel in dangerous places where people have never heard of Christ? Can secular work benefit the kingdom of God? All Christians struggle to discern God's call on their life, but God does call all to live a Christ-centered life. Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis of Sales attempts to help Christians discern what it means to be a child of God in a secular world. We can glorify God in a secular world, and be a testimony to the world of God's abounding grace and love. "

Take care, Marysheart.  Thank you very much for prayer, you are in mine.

God bless you..........Granny Barb  

 

Edited June 8, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Marysheart]

I live in the United States, but even though it's difficult at times, some situations are better to be ignored, it really depends as sometimes complaining  make things worse. Unfortunately. But on a positive note I'm hoping to move within three years. There are worse things In the world going on. It's true we all know our weak points and strong points. By the grace of God I was never into drinking and things of that nature, while that neighbor is living that lifestyle right in front of my eyes. Only heaven is perfect.God has allowed this situation to make me strong. Look at David and goliath ( David was bullied)  I was never diagnosed with a mental illness but do have chronic fatigue syndrome. I thank you again for being a kind person. I'm reading saint John of the cross, which has been a great help. Take care! I wish you the best!

[Guest]

19 hours ago, Marysheart said:

 

Hi MF

I live in the United States, but even though it's difficult at times, some situations are better to be ignored, it really depends as sometimes complaining  make things worse. Spot on with that statment MH! Unfortunately. But on a positive note I'm hoping to move within three years. God's Blessings on your hopes. There are worse things In the world going on. Spot on again. It's true we all know our weak points and strong points.  I sure hope that I do by now, after 72yrs on  this earth. By the grace of God I was never into drinking and things of that nature, while that neighbor is living that lifestyle right in front of my eyes. Only heaven is perfect. Amen! God has allowed this situation to make me strong. Good thinking   Look at David and goliath ( David was bullied)  I was never diagnosed with a mental illness but do have chronic fatigue syndrome.  As I posted before, in my previous suburb, I knew a young woman with CFS and it is cruel suffering.   I thank you again for being a kind person. I'm reading saint John of the cross, which has been a great help. Very happy to read that St John of The Cross is helpful to you.  Take care! I wish you the best!  

I do try to take care and you also - and every blessing....Cheers........Barb

 

 

---o0o---

 

Last night and today, I have been watching 2 black and white movies, one from 1944 and the other from 1951.  These are the years I call the years of innocence when movies did not show graphic violence nor sexual scenes.  The movies I watched had not bad scripts and pretty good acting too especially from actors I did not recognise at all, some that I did.

The 1951 movie I am watching tonight is "Detective Story", the one from last night was "Laura" - script for "Laura" was really corny in the end.

I enjoy these old movies.  I work around the house and garden until my back starts up and then I sit and watch some FoxtelGo until it settles down again, then hit Pause and then I am up and around doing stuff again.  I did get over to the shops today with the wheeler - case of have too.  Food had run out.

"All is well, all is well and all shall be well" (St Julian of Norw)ich.  I struggled with her statement for quite a few years it must have been before the penny dropped.

 

Edited June 9, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

 

Holy Spirit of God, visit now this soul of mine,

  and tarry within it until the eventide.

Inspire all my thoughts.

Pervade all my imaginations.

Suggest all my decisions.

Lodge in my soul’s most inward citadel,

  and order all my doings.

Be with me in silence and in my speech,

  in my haste and in my leisure,

  in company and in solitude,

  in the freshness of the morning

     and the weariness of the evening.

Give me grace at all times to rejoice

  in Thy mysterious companionship.

 

- John Baillie

[Guest]

 

 

 

Saint John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Encyclical "Dominum et vivificantem" § 46 (trans. © Libreria Editrice Vaticana)
 

The sin against the Holy Spirit

 

Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit unforgivable? How should this blasphemy be understood ? St. Thomas Aquinas replies that it is a question of a sin that is "unforgivable by its very nature, insofar as it excludes the elements through which the forgiveness of sin takes place." According to such an exegesis, "blasphemy" does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers us through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross. If man rejects the "convincing concerning sin" which comes from the Holy Spirit (Jn 16,8) and which has the power to save, he also rejects the "coming" of the Counselor (Jn 16:7) - that "coming" which was accomplished in the Paschal Mystery, in union with the redemptive power of Christ's Blood: the Blood which "purifies the conscience from dead works" (Heb 9:15).

We know that the result of such a purification is the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, whoever rejects the Spirit and the Blood (cf. 1Jn 5:8) remains in "dead works," in sin. And the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists precisely in the radical refusal to accept this forgiveness, of which he is the intimate giver and which presupposes the genuine conversion which he brings about in the conscience. If Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this life or in the next, it is because this "non-forgiveness" is linked, as to its cause, to "non-repentance," in other words to the radical refusal to be converted...

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, then, is the sin committed by the person who claims to have a "right" to persist in evil - in any sin at all - and who thus rejects Redemption. One closes oneself up in sin, thus making impossible one's conversion, and consequently the remission of sins, which one considers not essential or not important for one's life. This is a state of spiritual ruin, because blasphemy against the Holy Spirit does not allow one to escape from one's self-imposed imprisonment.

[Guest]

The four cardinal and three theological virtues don't come easier with age,

even if perspective does.

HERE