Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality

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28th December

Feast of The Holy Innocents

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Deuteronomy Chapter 15

Nay, more! since the LORD, your God, will bless you abundantly in the land he will give you to occupy as your heritage, there should be no one of you in need. If you but heed the voice of the LORD, your God, and carefully observe all these commandments which I enjoin on you today, you will lend to many nations, and borrow from none; you will rule over many nations, and none will rule over you, since the LORD, your God, will bless you as he promised.

If one of your kinsmen in any community is in need in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand to him in his need.

Instead, you shall open your hand to him and freely lend him enough to meet his need.

[Guest]

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/2008/ns_lit_doc_20080203_suor-nicoli_en.html

"After her death at the age of 61, on 31 December 1924, a handwritten prayer was found tucked in the hollow of the Crucifix she had received at her first vows. In this prayer she had written: "I want to serve you faithfully, practicing poverty, chastity and obedience, and for love of you to serve the poor".

 

 

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Fathers who were Saints

through Parenthood

HERE

As with all our saints, our own circumstances may not be the same in any way whatsoever, but in all the lives of the saints, there will be an underlying dynamic that can be isolated and well worth imitating.   There are members here on Phatmass who also quietly exhibit consistent qualities worth imitating.  That reminds me of what the nun who taught me in college said: "Never be afraid to imitate good example".

 

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[Guest]

On ‎29‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 6:51 PM, BarbaraTherese said:

 

Deuteronomy Chapter 15

Nay, more! since the LORD, your God, will bless you abundantly in the land he will give you to occupy as your heritage, there should be no one of you in need. If you but heed the voice of the LORD, your God, and carefully observe all these commandments which I enjoin on you today, you will lend to many nations, and borrow from none; you will rule over many nations, and none will rule over you, since the LORD, your God, will bless you as he promised.

If one of your kinsmen in any community is in need in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand to him in his need.

Instead, you shall open your hand to him and freely lend him enough to meet his need.

 

With reference to the above quotation from Deuteronomy, I think of the land God has given to me not only as the country in which I live and can live in freedom and Peace (Australia), but also of my own personal circumstances with which I journey and those I come across in my journey.  These too are God's Gifts to me, my 'land of existence'  - and where a situation or situations may be negative, I am yet to experience one where I cannot find something positive.  In negative situations, I have the honour of being united to The Cross and its merits.  St Paul to the Colossians Chapter 1 "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking 14 in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church"

What follows is an extract only an excellent text to read on Suffering
 

Quote

 

SUFFERING CAN LEAD TO SALVATION

"Colossians 1:24 brings together all that has been said thus far. It summarizes Paul’s view that when he suffers he does so for Christ and for others. We see in this passage that when Paul speaks of suffering for Christ, it necessarily includes suffering for others, namely the church. Here Paul’s teaching on the mystical body is linked most profoundly to his teaching on suffering when he says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.”

"John Paul II notes concerning the notion of making up what is lacking: “This good in itself is inexhaustible and infinite. No man can add anything to it. But at the same time, in the mystery of the Church as His Body, Christ has in a sense opened His own redemptive suffering to all human suffering. Insofar as man becomes a sharer in Christ’s sufferings…to that extent he in his own way completes the suffering through which Christ accomplished the Redemption of the world” (SD, 24).

We must realize that making up what is lacking in Christ’s suffering does not mean that redemption is not completed by Christ. Rather, “it only means that the Redemption, accomplished through satisfactory love, remains always open to all love expressed in human suffering” (SD, 24)."

 

 

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 1st January 2018

Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God

PRAYER IN PRAISE OF MARY

Grant that I may praise thee, O Holy Virgin!
Give me strength against thy enemies!

1. Blessed be the Great Mother of God, Mary Most Holy!
2. Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception!
3. Blessed be her Glorious Assumption!
4. Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother!
5. Blessed be her Immaculate Heart!
6. Blessed be her Virginal Purity!
7. Blessed be her Divine Maternity!
8. Blessed be her Universal Mediation!
9. Blessed be her Sorrows and her Tears!
10. Blessed be the graces with which the Lord crowned her Queen of Heaven and Earth!

Glory be to Mary, Daughter of the Father!
Glory be to Mary, Mother of the Son!
Glory be to Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit!

My Mother,
I love thee for those who do not love thee;
I praise thee for those who blaspheme thee;
I surrender myself to thee
for those who will not recognize thee as their Mother.

[Guest]

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Kind mother of our Redeemer,  the way to heaven for us, now and always.

 Star of the sea,  come to our help as we fall and strive to rise.

All nature stood still in wonder when you gave flesh to your own flesh’s Creator.

Virgin at Gabriel’s greeting, Virgin now and always –

  take pity on us sinners.

[Guest]

 

Quote

 

As a comment and my tuppence- on the documentary as it progresses.  It is evident that it is not science and its advances we depend on in any area whatsoever.  What we are dependant on in all things material are those that maintain what we do have - i.e. maintenance people.  In many instances it is regarded as a lowly occupation for unskilled labourers often - but without them we are doomed.  It does remind me of "Management by Objectives" (MBO), in which my boss back then posed a question to all of us "Where would we be if our rubbish tins were never emptied each night?".  MBO stressed the vital importance of every occupation in the organisation, none exempted, to keep everything running smoothly and profitably. 

Every single employee on every level was highly valued as was their particular brief - and as being interconnected and reliant.  That got me thinking about The Church as The Mystical Body of Christ and all St Paul has said about it.

The documentary offers heaps of food for thought on the spiritual level with only a little imagination.

 

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

I KNOW WHAT I MEAN ANYWAY

...WELL I THINK I MIGHT

I do like some content in  commentaries on Thomas Merton by Dr James Finley; however, it is the sound of Dr Finley's voice that puts me off, it just grates on me like fingernails on a blackboard and I can find it very difficult not to switch off from what he is stating and sometimes I just have to hit pause and go away from the video for a time.

In his metaphor (or simile? ) of the Red Sea crossing, Finley reminded me of a quotation from St Peter Fourier HERE

I do, however, like the sound of Bishop Barron's voice.

These two videos by Dr Finley and Bishop Barron are linked and are an interpretation of Merton only.  They are both (at least in part) about meaning in the unfolding rather than to identify and strive towards some personal goal as one's meaning.   It is to invest in the conviction that The Holy Spirit is actively doing the formation whatever it might be in finality and the unknown - it is to not actively form myself with a particular goal in mind.  Something like that anyway.  The example of the difference between an artist and a work of art as opposed to a work of craft is an excellent one I thought.  The videos reflect on the meaning of contemplation, the contemplative experience.

Bishop Barron does comment on the seemingly pervasive at times reluctance to read Merton - and just how people can get two major events in Merton's life wrong.  Bishop Barron does state that Thomas Merton is probably not a saint, but he is a spiritual master.  My tuppence: I do agree...although I used to think Merton was a saint.

The thing is, to me, in reading the writings of anyone or any source material at all is to be selective and not drink-in every word, taking it all on board without reflection - and prayerful reflection.  And if I find I have been wrong, to be open minded enough to willingly change without hitting myself all over the place for my mistake - I am a faulted weak human being after all, prone to mistakes.  For me, it is a search for truth that has no beaten ready made path, other than Jesus, His Gospel and His Church - His Mystical Body - mindful that :

John Chapter 14: "I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name - he will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you. Peace  I leave with you; My Peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."

It is the great adventure, the very greatest adventure worthy of any explorer.

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

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MY BROTHER AND I

With all the rushing around and preparation Christmas can be, as well as Buddie being unwell, it has been a wonderful gift on the Solemnity of Our Lady, Mother of God, to be able to really relax.  I really forced myself yesterday to get everything done to pave the way for this great feast and Solemnity.  It has been sheer relief after the visit to the vet yesterday to know that Buddie has nothing obviously seriously wrong.  Although he does not at all thank me for a continual diet of bland chicken and rice.

Here is a bit of an exchange between my brother and I :

Brother: I will pay the vet bill, Barb (or Barbs as he calls me)

Me:  No, I can pay it

Brother: I said I will pay it and no argument.  Just ring me and I will pay the bill over the phone.

I gratefully accepted his offer and with much relief and I had even reminded him that vets can be very expensive, but he still insisted.

At the vet with much relief about Buddie, I rang my brother to pay the bill and then cut him off twice.  So I paid the bill myself out of my utilities budget ... not due until the end of February.

My brother rings me later and asks about the bill.  I apologised for cutting him off twice and told him the amount - $80... and a huge relief it wasn't much more.

 Brother: It will take a couple of days for my bank to transfer the $200 to your bank.

Me: No, it is only $80.

Brother: Yes, I know, $200

Me: But it is only $80.

Brother: Yes, the $200 will be in your bank this week some time.

Then I caught on and said "Thank you for the $500"

We both had a good laugh. 

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I am truly blest in my brothers after my initial fears when I told them about the Home Mass to renew life private vows, that they would not be in favour.  It all unfolded that they are in favour.  I did have a chat a while back with my psychiatrist about me being paranoid.  She replied that it was quite possibly so.  She added that all humanity is not perfect and that if something is not upsetting to their lives, she does not concern herself with it.

Am I not blest too in my psychiatrist.

 

Mary, Mother of God, we thank you and praise you for your Fiat

Laudate Dominum

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As long as I see any thing to be done for God, life is worth having: but O how vain and unworthy it is, to live for any lower end!
   - David Brainerd (1718-1747) ... Protestant missionary to native Americans.

 

Short biography (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brainerd

Gold is wherever it is found

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Abba Anthony said, “A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, ‘You are mad, you are not like us.'”

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SIXTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD 

30th December

We all have a role to play

Anna is one of nine female prophets noted in the Bible. She was also a widow who spent most of her life in the work of worship and proclamation at the temple. This was unusual, because in Hebrew tradition, widows were more often looked upon as problems: Who would marry them, support their children, and feed them? In the early church, the fortunes of widows were reversed. The holy office of widows became an honored station in life. Those formally consecrated as widows became ministers of charity, freed from accountability to men as they used their own wealth, traveled, and played a vital public role in the community. How might your station in life be “consecrated”?

Take Five For Faith https://www.takefiveforfaith.com/

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The Shepherd does not ask of thee, faith in thy faith, but only faith in Him: and this He meant in saying, ‘Come unto me’. In light or darkness seek to do His will, and leave the work of faith to Jesus still. - Anonymous

 

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Subscription: http://flocknote.com/catechism

8. What are the next stages of God's Revelation?

God chose Abram, calling him out of his country, making him “the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:5), and promising to bless in him “all the nations of the earth” (Genesis 12:3). The people descended from Abraham would be the trustee of the divine promise made to the patriarchs. God formed Israel as his chosen people, freeing them from slavery in Egypt, establishing with them the covenant of Mount Sinai, and, through Moses, giving them his law. The prophets proclaimed a radical redemption of the people and a salvation which would include all nations in a new and everlasting covenant. From the people of Israel and from the house of King David, would be born the Messiah, Jesus.

Further reading: CCC 59-64, 72


9. What is the full and definitive stage of God's Revelation?

The full and definitive stage of God’s revelation is accomplished in his Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the mediator and fullness of Revelation. He, being the only-begotten Son of God made man, is the perfect and definitive Word of the Father. In the sending of the Son and the gift of the Spirit, Revelation is now fully complete, although the faith of the Church must gradually grasp its full significance over the course of centuries.

“In giving us his Son, his only and definitive Word, God spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word, and he has no more to say.” (Saint John of the Cross)

Further reading: CCC 65-66, 73