Salvation

[ThomasPeter]

how must we live to truly children of God? i hear so much (from the saints and other Catholic resorces ie the bible) about all these things that we must live out. i think i tend to be (and i think my spiritual adv. Fr Dan, whom i believe BLAZr knows, feels the same) that i can be over scrupulous. yet i read things such as Mathew that talk about every "idle word" at our judgment. and i think maybe i should just be quiet more (Trapist monk prehaps.... )
i have also gone over reports of the visions of Medj. (cant spell it). in it Mary is reported to have said that we should pray all the mystries of the rosary each night, that would take me about 2hrs i calculate. i know that great spritual grace could come from it... but thats a lot of time.
hopfuly soon to be saint Fulton Sheen says to become more holy we should spend atleast an hr in adoration a day... i dont know of any churches that have adoration during the week here (i ould look more i guess). though i do go to one that has it sat night for an hour with confession and benediction.
the list could go on.
my question is what must we do. i know "Christian life is a sacrafice", but some of this seems like quite a lot to do. i fear doing it would become more of a labor then a labor of love. yet, why are we told to do these and other things? any direction i could be pointed in would help. Thank You Very Much.
Tom

Edited June 17, 2004 by ThomasPeter

[cappie]

I'm not sure what you are after, but for me the spiritual life is made up of some simple truths from which all my prayer, study, work and life flows. Life itself can get complicated and we can get bogged down in the small things while overlooking the great truths.

1. God created me out of love and always loves me (Gn 1:27-31; 1 John4:10)

2.God is completely faithful to his promises (Gn 17:4-7; Jer 31:31-34)

3 God sent Jesus to give me life (Jn 3:16; Eph 2:4-6)

4. Jesus died and rose, conquering sin and death ( Rom 5:12-18; 1Cor15:20-26)

5. Jesus promised to be with me and sent the Holy Spirit to fill my heart and
guide the Church. (Jn 14:16,26; Acts 2:33)

6. Jesus intercedes for me in Heaven (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; 1Jn 2:1)

From this basic belief then flows my devotion to the rosary, stations of the cross Sacred Heart.

It is a little like my religious vocation as a Capuchin Friar. " The Rule and Life of the Friars Minor is this,namely to observe the Holy Gospel of Our Lors Jesus Christ
living in obedience without property and in chastity". So wrote St Francis. From these opening words of the Rule flows all my religious life and my fidelity to my vocation. It is the foundation all else helps.