Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

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"NOT A ZERO SUM GAME" (Bishop Barron on Amoris Laetitia)

 

 

"THE CHURCH HAS ALWAYS TAUGHT" (Catholic Answers - Jimmy Akin)

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Don't know what happened - post has now been deleted.

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Please always feel free to add your own comments at any time in the unfolding of this thread. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

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        "THE CHURCH HAS ALWAYS TAUGHT"

Catholic Answers - Jimmy Akin

My comment:  I was educated by Dominican nuns in college pre V2.  Back then, we certainly knew that mortal sin required grave matter, full knowledge and full consent; however, what exactly full knowledge and full consent implied with clarity for us was not really known or perhaps understood is a better word.  We all sort of thought that grave matter being present and one knew it and consented to it was sufficient for mortal sin.

Our current CCC came out in 1992 after Vatican II and full knowledge and full consent are quite clearly explained so that I had no more incorrect areas of unclear understanding in regards to mortal sin.

Still today, however, as Jimmy Akin commented grave matter and mortal sin are not clearly understood generally.  Too often today even, a Catholic will state something is mortal sin when the actuality is that it is grave matter and potentially only mortal sin. 

It is a failure of adult education in a very important area indeed.

Grave matter is the theological objective definition and rightly so.  Mortal sin however involves the subjective and personal disposition of the actual person i.e. it requires full knowledge of and full consent to what is grave matter.  The current CCC explains what that means.   Unless the three requisites for mortal sin (grave matter, full knowledge and full consent) are present, there cannot be mortal sin.

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Catholic Catechism http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm

1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent."131

1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: "Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother."132 The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.

1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God's law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart133 do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.

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1860 Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offense. But no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man. The promptings of feelings and passions can also diminish the voluntary and free character of the offense, as can external pressures or pathological disorders. Sin committed through malice, by deliberate choice of evil, is the gravest.

1861 Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God's forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ's kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

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1862 One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent.

 

Edited September 29, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

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"For centuries the church has confronted the human community with role models of greatness. We call them saints when what we really often mean to say is 'icon,' 'star,' 'hero,' ones so possessed by an internal vision of divine goodness that they give us a glimpse of the face of God in the center of the human. They give us a taste of the possibilities of greatness in ourselves."

— Joan D. Chittister, A Passion for Life

Shalom Place, Dominican Sisters of Peace

Edited September 29, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

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The Lord is indeed Infinitely Patient; however, since we know not the day nor hour of our death, nor the manner, wisdom asks we not delay heartfelt repentance and renewal of life.

 

Feast of St Jerome - 30th September

Below is only part of the article - to read in full go to: HERE
 

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What we probably don’t know about St. Jerome is just what we need to know.

You probably know a few things about St. Jerome. He was a Church Father, the one who translated the Bible into Latin directly from the Hebrew texts of the Old Testament, instead of relying on the Greek translation known as the Septuagint.

You also probably know about his temper...................edit.............

......................Ultimately, this is what makes St Jerome a great saint. It’s not his translations or commentaries, not his letters or controversies. It’s the fact that he never stopped trying to be a Christian in deed as well as in name; in heaven, he has finally succeeded.

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On September 30, the feast of St. Jerome

Let’s ask his intercession for perseverance in our pursuit of holiness, whatever setbacks we may encounter.

St. Jerome, pray for us!

 

 

 

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MENTAL ILLNESS

&

HOLINESS

 

Pope John Paul II affirmed the worth of those individuals at the International Conference for Health Care Workers on November 30, 1996 when he spoke on Illnesses of the Human Mind:

\”Whoever suffers from mental illness \’always\’ bears God\’s image and likeness in themselves, as does every human being. In addition, they \’always\’ have the inalienable right not only to be considered as an image of God and therefore as a person, but also to be treated as such.”

These serious illnesses are not a new phenomenon. Throughout history, people who suffered from poor mental health were misdiagnosed, excluded from society or killed by their disease. Even holy men and women such as the saints dealt with mental illness.

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Further reading:

 

"ADELAIDE, Australia, FEB. 18, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is an excerpt of an address

Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, prepared for World Day of the Sick. The main events of the World Day were held Feb. 9-11 in Adelaide."

https://zenit.org/articles/the-mentally-ill-patient-a-faithful-image-of-god-2/

Excerpt only - further reading on above link:

"It is true that the objective disorder of sin and its consequences are manifest in the mentally ill patient; however, at the same time, there is in him the historical equilibrium of the only possible order, the order and equilibrium of the Redemption.

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This is not comprehensible to a secularized mentality; it is only understood within the context of Christian optimism, which stems from a reasoned faith that tells us how in such circumstances our obligations towards a mentally ill person, on one hand, satisfy our duty to see the suffering Christ in the poor and less protected; and on the other hand the idea of seeing in the patient the love of God who has indicated him as his chosen one, in the sense that he shall not be separated from Him...."............

 

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1st October is the Feast of St Therese of Lisieux;

however, since in 2017 it is a Sunday

The Sunday takes liturgical precedence.

ST THERESE OF LISIEUX

No doubt this structure (The Little Way) embodies the most authentic elements of the Order to which Therese belongs; but Therese has divided and arranged them according to her own genius. Better still, a very sure instinct, given by the Holy Spirit, enabled her to discern and sometimes to rediscover, not without merit, Carmel's purest spirit. https://www.ewtn.com/therese/carmel.htm

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GOD'S LOVING MERCY AND ONE'S OWN HUMAN  WEAKNESS

ARE ONE

in

LOVING CONFIDENT TRUST

Excerpt from a Carmelite text on The Little Way: "Her little way is about God’s Mercy and human weakness. We need to be in touch with both these poles: God’s fullness and our emptiness.

But there is one more piece to the puzzle; Thérèse called it the centerpiece. It is confidence and trust.

My way, says Thérèse,  is all about confidence and love. We have to trust God’s Mercy in the face of our neediness. Trust or surrender into God’s arm is the bridge that connects divine Mercy and human inadequacy Our task in life is to accept God’s love and our own powerlessness, and in the strength of that love to let God heal us.

Then we can get on with life.

Full Carmelite Text on THE LITTLE WAY - Fr. Ernest E. Larkin O.Carm

 

 

Daily Reflection – September 30 - St Vincent de Paul Society FAMVIN

Sep 30, 2017

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“Instead of measuring your difficulties with your strength you must measure them with the powerful help you have a right to expect from God.”
– St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

(My comment:  Sometimes the daily reflection quotes are addressed obviously to priests and/or religious.  I do not post these here.)

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CHAT

I received Holy Communion again this morning here in Bethany; however, we have worked out a way I can use my walker to get to Mass as often as I can on a Sunday.  The fact that I need to travel to and from Mass by cab means that I will be unable to attend every week - unless something unexpected happens in my budget.  My walker is a large one I bought very cheap and it would be too heavy to ask anyone but a cab driver to accommodate in the boot of a car.

I am also considering finding another GP in this area who will bulk bill (meaning I pay nothing) and also who will prescribe psychiatric medication whenever necessary (some GP's will not).  I am going to ask him or her to refer me to a private orthopaedic surgeon for a second opinion.  My current GP has made a few worrying mistakes over the years and I tend to think my orthopaedic situation just could be another one.  I have cast aside her advice as well as any need for hip replacement surgery and am making efforts slowly to do a bit more each day.  So far, so good.

God's Will is often so far from my will and His Will is forever and in all things so good transcending mine.

A bit of a PS here.  Whenever I read that choosing the single celibate state under private vows to the evangelical counsels is the easy way, it always makes me laugh and the laughter overcomes any anger at the misjudgement and false concepts of my own call and vocation.

Edited October 1, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

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The truth of the matter is that even if one digs ditches all ones life, delivers newspapers, collects the rubbish weekly, the most menial and 'lowly' tasks there are - in fact anything done for love of God can make a great saint, not because of what is done but because of why it is done united with God's Grace.  As one co-operates with Grace doing whatever one does for love of God, other Graces flow - all kinds of Graces including the totally unexpected.  Doing all for the love of God can begin in childhood, teaching children in very simple ways, from there it will bear great Graces and much fruit indeed.

Our Lady, mentor and mother, please pray for all parents.

Edited October 1, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

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THE MERCIFUL HEART OF JESUS AND HIS CHURCH

My tuppence worth: One can be probably as assured as one can be on earth for most of us (mystics possibly excepted) that one is in close Union with God if one is in the state of Grace - i.e. free of mortal sin and unhindered by habitual venial sin.   Praying without respite is not of necessity hours on one's knees, while for some it might be.  Prayer has many faces - St Therese said that prayer for her was a loving glance at Heaven.  She often went to sleep during the long thanksgiving time after Holy Communion and reasoned that little children do fall asleep in their parents arms.  She had distractions when she tried to pray and would offer up those distracting times as her prayer.

What her life speaks to me about is her total focus on God in all things, including her weaknesses.  Her focus was continually on God's Love and His Understanding Mercy.  The genius of St Therese is that in all things without exception in her life, she saw and embraced the Hand of God.  This does not mean that there was no deeply felt suffering for very often there might be much suffering - for Therese, certainly very severe in her final 18months.  The heart of the spiritual life is in the will, not in the feeling level, the emotions.  Sometimes some consolation might affect the feeling level in a very positive manner, perhaps even be carried quite aloft at times -  and St Teresa of Avila wrote that we should be grateful and thankful for such consolations, but not invest in them, nor actively desire them.   Consolations might be gifted to strengthen one in Faith.  "You believe because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen yet believe".

Of course, St Therese of Lisieux, would have prayed in community several times during the day.  She would also have participated in the penances in Carmel.  Carmel is certainly no easy life.  What this tells me (called to the temporal and secular and not religious life) is the importance of formal prayer and penance and the living out of one's particular vocation lovingly and faithfully - for God.  We can bring our own efforts to our spiritual life, while all success and increase is God's Domain alone.  Even in failure, it is God who has permitted it and most often to us most mysterious reasons.  How I respond to failure must be my co-operation with Grace knowing that God has His Good Reasons.

What does "co-operation with Grace" in difficulties mean.  It means that in suffering and difficulty one does one's best, what one can, and acknowledge that God has His Good Reasons for what He Permits in life which is distasteful and suffering to oneself - and one appreciates this in one's will even when it does not bring about one iota the alleviation of the suffering.  These are very broad statements permitting much personal creativity.

Mea maxima culpa

Blessed Jan Beyzym http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20020818_beyzym_en.html

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Excerpt only: "Fr Beyzym's (Jesuit) inner life was marked by a profound bond with Christ and the Eucharist. The Mass was the centre of his life; he deplored the fact that the little church near the mission did not even have a permanent tabernacle and that during the rainy season the water dripped down onto the altar during Mass. He was greatly devoted to Mary and attributed his successes to Mary seeing himself as her instrument. He was a man of action and an untiring worker, but also a man of prayer - He attributed to prayer an essential role in the apostolic life, underlining its importance to achieve sanctity.

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Fr Beyzym was a contemplative in action in the style of St Ignatius. He had daily problems and battled against a thousand worries and sufferings, but was above all a man of prayer. Prayer was the source of his strength. Not having much time for quiet prayer, he prayed everywhere all the time. He often repeated that his prayer was not worth much and that he had trouble praying. This was why he asked the Carmelite nuns to pray for him

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Edited October 2, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

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CONSOLING WORDS

FROM

ST THERESE OF LISIUEX

Aleteia.org - 1st October 2017

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HOLINESS IN AN INSTANT

The good God does not need years to accomplish His work of love in a soul; one ray from His Heart can, in an instant, make His flower bloom for eternity.

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TIMES OF ARIDITY

In times of aridity when I am incapable of praying, of practicing virtue, I seek little opportunities, mere trifles, to give pleasure to Jesus; for instance a smile, a pleasant word when inclined to be silent and to show weariness. If I find no opportunities, I at least tell Him again and again that I love Him; that is not difficult and it keeps alive the fire in my heart. Even though this fire of love might seem extinct I would still throw little straws upon the embers and I am certain it would rekindle.

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HUMILITY AND PEACE

How sweet is the way of Love! True, one may fall, one may not be always faithful, but Love, knowing how to draw profit from all, very quickly consumes whatsoever may displease Jesus, leaving naught but humble and profound peace in the innermost soul.

 

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St Therese wrote about her faults and weaknesses and did not hide them.  While being dissatisfied with herself, she knew that something greater than her dissatisfaction with whatever at all was present - and that was The Lord and His Love and Mercy and that was her prime focus with love and with gratitude.  If my faults and failings disturb me taking away Peace, my primary focus is weak and faulted me.

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2nd October

Memorial The Guardian Angels

Jimmy Akin Apologist CA - 8 Things to Know and Share about Guardian Angels

 

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here,
ever this day, be at my side,
to light and guard,
rule and guide................Amen.