Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

[Guest]

SPOT ON, PAX!  I am convinced we shall see even greater saints in Heaven than we have canonized now and in the future.   It is a great lesson from the life and teachings, canonization, of St Therese of Lisieux - i.e. it is not what one is about,but why one is about whatever one might be about.

1 hour ago, Pax17 said:

I have often thought that the bravest people are the most ordinary people, whose struggle is hidden...those who work three jobs to put food on the table, others who make it to work every day despite anxiety/depression/cancer treatment, etc.

 The above are the hidden trials and sufferings presented by Divine Providence to many who do respond quite heroically.  The hidden and humble greatness and sanctity in our midst.

[Guest]

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.....and MORE CHAT....

Just had a thought I should and would add that at 72yrs of age I am on the far end of my journey, however long "far end" might be.  However, in the early years of my illness I tried to work in my field (secretarial work) despite the illness.  In my well times it was fine, even in the early stages of bipolar though quite difficult, I continued to work in the workforce until I really had to go into hospital.  After that, I would not return to my job.  It was hard enough being the boss's secretary without word going round that I had been in a psychiatric hospital.  That was back in the days when mental illness was regarded as completely disgraceful.  Hence when I got out of hospital, I would look for another job.  My hope back then had been that I would be able to return to good health and get my children back.  It never happened, in fact my mental health situation worsened and I could no longer work.  I had to sell my car, could not afford rental accommodation, I was almost continually ill and abandoned, broke and homeless.  My hopes too were dashed as I knew that because of my situation, I would not be able to get my children back.

When my then husband forced me out of our family home and subsequently divorced me, I was very ill indeed and that lasted for a while in ill health, abandoned, broke and homeless until I rallied somewhat and found work in my old field.  I was then buoyed with hope that I was on the improve.  It unfolded that I was not and that in fact I was headed for the same situation as before - only this time, it was to be more serious health wise meaning more serious in my social circumstances wise..........my hopes I was getting on top of the illness were dashed....... I was to have a 20year journey of serious psychotic mental illness ahead of me...........I even tried temporary work for an agency for a short while, working when I could only since with temporary work one could choose........eventually even that I had to abandon, too ill................

Yep, I can remember the days when and so much more from those days............

Edited October 13, 2017 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

In the days of my mobility and a traveller by bus - and back then, it was an hour's journey into the city, I would often be chatting with the person sitting next to me.  I was amazed at the stories and journeys others were travelling.  After a while, I developed a maxim for myself:

You just never know who you might sit next to on the bus

Meaning that the stories and journeys of any person at all I might see or encounter in some way could be amazing, even mind boggling, and to be mindful of it and that no one in life whatsoever at all gets by without suffering and difficulty.  And to stay mindful of that too.

 

[Guest]

....and...even...MORE CHAT...

Here is a bit of a funny one.  On my home phone in those years, I would always put a message on my message bank.  One day the message was "Take care, those are real bullets out there.  Keep your head down and don't stick your chin out - that's my department".  One day a police detective had a reason to ring me but first he said "Do you mind if we put your message on our phones?"  I replied in the affirmative.  But after we hung up, I deleted that message immediately and never used it again.  It occurred to me then just how much that message would apply to our Police and that our Police really do face mortal dangers daily and very real bullets.

What I meant by "real bullets" was not the literal, rather that the words of others can devastate and be cruel.

I had a lot to do with the teenagers in our suburb back in those years and initially the police did not like me one bit, that was to change eventually.  I had told my babies (as I used to call the teenagers) that some things are just what I call "street mischief" - but other things, if I found out, I would be the first to dob them in to the Police and pronto.  I never had to do any dobbing, but we all certainly went through some traumatic experiences at times.

[Guest]

POETRY OF ST JOHN OF THE CROSS

"With a Divine Meaning"

Part 2 of 6 (not 3)

I walk along a shadowed way

of suffering in this life of night,

and yet although I see no light

my sorrow's not without allay:

I know the heavenly life burns bright.

The blinder love is, I can say,

the greater is the life that, flows,

holding the soul in Peace that grows,

darkness around, no light of day.

 

Since Love began to work in me

his touch transforms me, this I know.

I see my soul translucent grow,

for at his pleasure, equally

both good and bad are changed and glow.

Filled with delight to be Love's prey

I feel his flame consume and see

nothing is left for rapidly

the whole of me is burned away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

__________________

 

Shalom Place

Dominican Sisters of Peace

"God is our true Friend, who always gives us the counsel and comfort we need. Our danger lies in resisting Him; so it is essential that we acquire the habit of hearkening to His voice, or keeping silence within, and listening so as to lose nothing of what He says to us.

We know well enough how to keep outward silence, and to hush our spoken words, but we know little of interior silence. It consists in hushing our idle, restless, wandering imagination, in quieting the promptings of our worldly minds, and in suppressing the crowd of unprofitable thoughts which excite and disturb the soul."
- François Fénelon

[Guest]

POETRY OF ST JOHN OF THE CROSS

"With a Divine Meaning"

Part 3 of 6 (not 3)

For all the beauty that men sing

I'll never lose my way, if not

for some unknown I don't know what

that some most lucky chance may bring

 

To find in worldly goods delight

is at the most a weariness

and satiated appetite

and tired palate, more or less:

For all life's sweets that have their sting

I'll never lose my way, if not

for some unknown I don't know what

that some most lucky chance may bring

 

The noble hearted never turns

aside or flags while there are tasks

or something hard to overcome

to conquer, that is all he asks.

Nothing can stay his hungering,

his faith so ardent that his lot

will be to taste - I don't know what

that some most lucky chance may bring

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

 

 

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St Vincent de Paul Society

Daily Reflection – October 13

 

Quote

 

“God is all powerful, while we are weak.

We make virtue consist in what it is not; it cannot be found in excesses.

How little the Son of God achieved; it was the apostles who had the greater results.”
– St. Vincent de Paul

 

Reflection "When I am tempted to put too much stock in success and find myself not getting the recognition I think I deserve, Lord, let me find comfort in the example of your life."

 

[Guest]

Poetry of St John of The Cross

"With A Divine Meaning"

Part 4 of 6

The one who suffers from the touch

of God grows strangely ill from love

too great.  His likings change so much,

and unsought longings through him move

while like a fevered man he'll cling

to this, loathe that, both cold and hot,

craving for some I know not what

that some most lucky chance may bring.

 

Don't be amazed that this is so

or that the taste should suffer change,

because love's sickness is most strange

and how it comes we hardly know.

Parted, estranged from everything

which seems to him as if it's not,

yet he tastes that I know not what

that some most lucky chance may bring.

 

For if the soul has ever known

one touch of the Divinity,

it's held in thrall and his alone

and only he can set it free.

But this bright beauty is revealed

to faith, and only faith can see

and find it - in some mystery

that lucky chance still holds concealed.

[Guest]

Oh so very true! Pope Francis warns re Satan

If Satan cannot win a person over with sin and temptation, it can change its modus operandi and be sweet and even seemingly enlightening :

Quote

2nd Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 11 :   " 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness."

This is one reason why obedience to The Church is of great importance.  One can come to think one knows better than The Church especially when others are like minded.  When one discovers the subterfuge, if one does, the temptation can be to deep discouragement even despair.

[Guest]

 

 

 

St Vincent de Paul Society

Daily Reflection October 14

Quote

 

 

"The will of God cannot be made known to us more clearly than when events happen without our concurrence or contrary to what we had asked."
St. Vincent de Paul

Reflection:  "When things dont go as I planned, Lord, help me to see with the eyes of faith, that what did occur is indeed your plan."

 

 

[Guest]

Quote

"Reflect that your guardian angel does not always move your desire for an action, but he does always enlighten your reason."

Saint John of the Cross http://www.carmelite.com/

 

 

[Guest]

 

I really took to the way these videos are introduced as "A Climbing Monk Production".  The image is of a Carmelite monk who walks a path and takes the first few carved steps towards the wild, but then he branches off into the wild where there is no path to walk nor carved steps to climb.

Carmelite videos (by Carmelite priests): http://www.carmeliteprioryoxford.com/carmelitemedia.asp

• St John of The Cross and The Living Flame of Love
• Scripture through the eyes of St Teresa of Avila (video below)
• 3 videos on St Teresa and the Adventure of Prayer (Parts 1, 2 and 3)

I found the above link on Catholic Answers in the Spirituality Forum I think it was.

Many more Carmelite videos on You Tube : HERE

 

A few things really struck me in the above video on St Teresa and Scripture:

1. The word of God (Scripture) cannot fail one.
2. St Teresa would see herself in Scripture.  She would put herself actively into the situations.
3. The subtle obstacle to passive prayer can be the failure to allow Love to overcome reason

St Teresa in the years of her maturity found a real Peace in being unable to do what she was want to do.  St Teresa of Avila please pray for those of us in advancing years.....especially me - I struggle with it, other than in passing times all too brief.  My core problem is, I think, that I am struggling to detach myself from the opinions of others, not as a known reality, rather only in my imagination.  Hence, possibly at the heart of my "core problem" is the fact that I listen to my imagination far too often.  But then I look at it as a bit of a (constantly) re-occurring suffering to endure as I can since, to date, I cannot overcome it.

This is one of the things that really appeals about our spirituality, there is no negative that cannot become a positive.

Perspective and Attitude

Deo Gratius Laudate Dominum. Fiat Voluntas Tua.

 

[Guest]

Another great Carmelite saint, Edith Stein - very easy to follow. 

 

 

[Guest]

[Guest]

Interested in Edith Stein?

St Teresa Benedicta of The Cross (Carmelite OCD)

 

From the video.  Our baptism calls us to be saints.  We are all called to be saints.