Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

[Pax17]

After reading "In This House of Brede" many years ago, and learning about cloistered life, I too wished I could live a quiet, ordered life without the mess of trying to function in a metropolis.  I am still learning to slow down, relax, tend to my physical and mental health, and take time for spiritual matters.  The high desert is my teacher.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Pax17 said:

After reading "In This House of Brede" many years ago, and learning about cloistered life, I too wished I could live a quiet, ordered life without the mess of trying to function in a metropolis.  I am still learning to slow down, relax, tend to my physical and mental health, and take time for spiritual matters.  The high desert is my teacher.

Hi Pax - What and where is the "high desert"?

 

I entered monastic life in my early forties - it was not my vocation and today I still know it is not my vocation, despite all the complexities of secular life.  I can yearn for the routine and the quiet of an enclosed cloister but it passes and I know it would only be an escape - and no motivation for monastic life at all, certainly not an indication of a vocation to same, rather to the contrary, an indication there is no vocation to the life.  The actuality is that it won't be too long before one realises religious life is not an escape at all.   No matter where I am, I know that at times in any vocation one can find escape decidedly attractive - and temptation only.

Be the above as it may, I know that not all have the highest motivation for entering religious life, but I think for those that stay, their motivation changes with time and formation and all that formation involves. I think this happens in any vocation at all if one is serious about one's particular vocation.  Formation not only occurs in religious life and formation is lifelong.  Out here in secular life, formation occurs in many ways.

[Pax17]

Barb, I retired to northern Arizona.  "High desert" refers to land that features low trees and bushes, pine trees and juniper as well as cacti.  There are also lakes.  I live in Sedona which is surrounded by ancient red rock formations.  Southern AZ is hotter and features true desert landscape, such as the famous tall saguaro cactus.

I think whatever one's vocation, if you're in it for the long term, you're going to grow and mature.  That means overcoming temptations, working hard and not giving up.

 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Pax17 said:

Barb, I retired to northern Arizona.  "High desert" refers to land that features low trees and bushes, pine trees and juniper as well as cacti.  There are also lakes.  I live in Sedona which is surrounded by ancient red rock formations.  Southern AZ is hotter and features true desert landscape, such as the famous tall saguaro cactus.

I think whatever one's vocation, if you're in it for the long term, you're going to grow and mature.  That means overcoming temptations, working hard and not giving up.

 

Pax, your "High desert" sounds absolutely beautiful, wonderful!  Thank you for explaining. 

I agree wholeheartedly with your second paragraph.

 

 

 

[Pax17]

This is nearby, watching over us....

https://cdn.allsedona.com/images/content/11158_17958_Sedona_Arizona_Chapel_lg.jpg

 

 

 

[Guest]

Daily Reflection St Vincent de Paul Society

Daily Reflection – September 7

 

“Many contradictory things happen to us: unfavorable opinions about ourselves, our works, our intentions. These contradictions have the advantage of preventing vain-glory, of obliging us to throw ourselves more confidently into the arms of God.”

– St. Vincent de Paul

[Guest]

 

 

 

Running late

A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran, she prayed, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!"

As she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again. Again, she prayed, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!...But don't shove me either!"

 

 

 

St Vincent de Paul Society

Daily Reflection – September 8

“You have a thousand reasons for rejoicing in God

and for hoping for everything from him through Our Lord who dwells within you.”
– St. Vincent de Paul

[Guest]

“We are at Jesus’ disposal. If he wants you to be sick in bed, if he wants you to proclaim His work in the street, if he wants you to clean the toilets all day, that’s all right, everything is all right. We must say, ‘I belong to you. You can do whatever you like.’

And this is our strength. This is the joy of the Lord.”

– St. Teresa of Calcutta

[Guest]

Interesting documentary on stigmata "Stigmata, marked for life".

 

 

[Guest]

........and an interesting detailed documentary on exorcism by Jesuit Theology Professor:, including near the end commentary on the film "The Exorcist".

Published on Oct 3, 2012

Fr. Herbert J. Ryan, S.J., a theology professor at LMU, engages us in a passionate discussion on the often controversial subject of exorcisms. As one of the primary consultants on the film The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Fr. Ryan uses his expertise in the Catholic Rite of Exorcism to help explain the unexplainable.

[Guest]

St Vincent de Paul Society (FAMVIN)

Daily Reflection – September 9

 

“Our dear Savior was never in extremes.”
– St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

 

___________________________________

 

 

Tomorrow I will be receiving Holy Communion here in Bethany.  I have suspended going to Mass until after surgery - I am in too much pain most of the time and at risk of falling.

[Guest]

 

Quote

 

"Whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" : the sacrament of reconciliation

 

The other day, a man, a journalist, asked me a strange question. He asked me, "Even you, do you have to go to confession?" I said, "Yes, I go to con­fession every week." And he said, "Then God must be very demanding if you have to go to confession."

And I said, "Your own child sometimes does some­thing wrong. What happens when your child comes to you and says, 'Daddy, I'm sorry'? What do you do? You put both of your arms around your child and kiss him. Why? Because that's your way of telling him that you love him. God does the same thing. He loves you tenderly." Even when we sin or make a mistake, let's allow that to help us grow closer to God. Let's tell Him humbly, "I know I shouldn't have done this, but even this failure I offer to you."

If we have sinned or made a mistake, let us go to Him and say, ''I'm sorry! I repent." God is a forgiving Father. His mercy is greater than our sins. He will forgive us.

 Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), founder of the Missionary Sisters of Charity

 

(From DailyGospel.com)

[Guest]

Really good commentary on Confession by Bishop Barron

(not much on the iPhone App, whatever it is:

 

 

[Guest]

 

 

Following is, all in one place, those Canons in Canon Law covering public AND PRIVATE vows:

"Public and Private Vows in Roman Catholic Church..........

...........The following is from The New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, Commissioned by the Canon Law Society of America (John D. Beal, James A. Coriden, and Thomas J. Green, eds.  New York, New York: Paulist Press, 1999, pp. 1416-1420). The Code of Canon Law is italicized in the following commentary."

HERE

[Guest]

POEMS OF ST JOHN OF THE CROSS

Sorting out a place to keep my ream of copy paper close hand, I fell across a most beautiful little book tucked away at the bottom of some items I needed to shift -  and I have no idea where it came from.  I cannot recall it at all.  It is a book of poems by St John of The Cross "Centred on Love" (translated by Marjorie Flower OCD)

The poems are absolutely exquisite and absolutely spot on, touching an inner place that other than for these poems once could not depict nor explain at all.  This is to be anticipated from St John, of course, but to actually read them is when one has that ahhhh experience - and the words are on paper for something that had no words and it is an overcome type of experience of Joy.

I will post excerpts now and then.  Some of the poems are too long to post in one post and so I will break them into Part 1 of 4 and similar notations.

Oh, I have just found where the book has come from there is a note opposite the introduction in handwriting "To Barb, Whose whole interior is to be centred on Love".  My Carmelite prioress has signed the note.  What a beautiful message.  I can't recall when she gave it to me however and I can't help but wonder why - it is such a treasure, an overwhelming treasure - an exquisite and beautiful gift from a Carmelite contemplatively enclosed nun who has never wavered from her love, support, advice and companionship at any point, even during my very ill years and no matter some of my terrible circumstances - I have held her close and she me for what must be close to 45 years or more now. When I met her she was a nun in the community - now for many years indeed she has been the prioress. Deo Gratius.  The message is not dated but the little booklet must be very old, the pages have really yellowed. It doesn't look like a professionally produced booklet, not by today's standards anyway. It looks to be very old.  I see that the Imprimatur was granted by Archbishop Gleeson in 1983.  When he was a priest and inspector of schools, I have the 'honour' of having been called a heretic by a future Archbishop   I might get around at some point to relating the little story of that very funny experience. Although at the time I was devastated.

Next time I catch up with Sister (she prefers that title but much more prefers just her Christian name, but I met her as Sister and it sticks), I will ask her about the history of the booklet. 

This is the last poem in the little book and looks to be the shortest too:
 

Quote

 

"Summary of Perfection"

Forgetful of creation,

all-mindful of Creator,

attention to the life within,

for Love, Love ever greater

 

Nope, there is an even shorter one.  "Concerning The Divine Word".

__________________

Just occurred to me the poems might be online.  I did a very quick Google indeed but could not find them - which doesn't mean they aren't on the net somewhere - I mean the entire poetry of St John.

Edited September 12, 2017 by BarbaraTherese