 |
| Author | Post |
|---|
JillD
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Visalia, California USA |
| Posts: | 600 |
| First Name: | Jill | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | heathen, EvFree, Messianic, LC-MS, Catholic 2007 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 25th, 2007 11:19 am |
|
At my confirmation this past Easter, a friend gave me a most wonderful little book called "My Daily Bread." It is the best little spiritual advisor I have right now; often it seems to challenge me right where I need to be challenged. It's given me encouragement to grow spiritually like I never have before - and it's so simple and plain.
In a recent lesson, it 3 times mentioned "mortification" as a way of bringing the flesh in line with the spirit. In Catholic practice, what might this mean? Fasting, I suppose. But other things? I picture those movies that show men whipping themselves or sleeping half-naked in the snow. I'm reading a book about St. Ignatius of Loyola and he certainly did not pamper his flesh! wow.
It was a timely message for me because it decried sadness as coming from us not getting what we want. This past week I have been extremely sad as both my daughters just went off to college. I miss them so much that it is surprising to me, and makes me wonder if I don't somehow 'idolize' them.
Any thoughts?
Last edited on Sat Aug 25th, 2007 11:20 am by JillD
____________________
"The alternative to obedience is to turn the conversation into a cacophony of Christians making it up as they go along." - Fr. Richard John Neuhaus
|
|
|
CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 25th, 2007 01:35 pm |
|
JillD wrote: This past week I have been extremely sad as both my daughters just went off to college. I miss them so much that it is surprising to me, and makes me wonder if I don't somehow 'idolize' them.
The way we miss our children is a natural consequence of our desire to take care of them when they are little. How would they survive if we did not feel that devotion to family? We can't just turn that off. In essence, it is a "little death" when they move away, although quite minor compared to the pain of the actual separation of death.
We mourn and grieve when we separate from those we have loved, whether it is our pets or spouses or children or parents or friends or co-workers. It doesn't matter if the separation is due to growth or death or divorce, it is still painful.
Have you ever lost a tooth? Even if it was decayed and painful, you still miss it. Those who have lost limbs will tell you they can still "feel" them years later. It's all natural.
How does "mortification" fit? We offer these "little deaths" to God, and ask for help in dealing with them. Mary is especially good at helping us to cope, as she had to deal with the death of her Son as well as his subsequent Ascension. Imagine watching him die and burying him, then having him return only to leave again 40 days later!
Idolotry? No. It's love. God is love, and he who lives in love lives in God. You love your daughters. That's from God, and it is a very good thing.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
|
|
|
JillD
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Visalia, California USA |
| Posts: | 600 |
| First Name: | Jill | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | heathen, EvFree, Messianic, LC-MS, Catholic 2007 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 25th, 2007 06:16 pm |
|
Your thoughts are incredibly encouraging to me, Rick. Thank you so much. I will take to heart all that you said.
Jill
____________________
"The alternative to obedience is to turn the conversation into a cacophony of Christians making it up as they go along." - Fr. Richard John Neuhaus
|
|
|
BettyBoopToo
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Camas/Washougal, Washington USA |
| Posts: | 538 |
| First Name: | Betty | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Fist Baptist/Calvary Babtist/Secular Confusion/ Roman Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 25th, 2007 07:37 pm |
|
Rick
Your answer was incredibly helpful to me also. I've often pondered the thought of knowing I'm supposed to put God first at all times, but yet I wonder if my son were to call on me, that I would not drop everything on the spot and run imediately to his aid.
I was away from home when my eldest son died, and have had a dreadful time forgiving myself for not being home when he and my younger son and husband needed me most.
I had volunteered to take my elderly mother to the last birthday party of a cousin dieing of cancer. Mom cannot drive herself.
Betty
____________________
Patience
"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
|
|
|
CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 25th, 2007 10:07 pm |
|
BettyBoopToo wrote: Your answer was incredibly helpful to me also. I've often pondered the thought of knowing I'm supposed to put God first at all times, but yet I wonder if my son were to call on me, that I would not drop everything on the spot and run imediately to his aid.
And what makes you think that's not exactly what God would want you to do? Does scripture tell us that the father of the Prodigal Son was too busy at worship to rush to greet his son? You and God (and your son's father) share a special bond of creation that resulted in your son, and aren't children the most precious gifts God gives us? How can you possible dishonor God by honoring God's creation?
At Confirmation a couple of years ago, our bishop reminded parents that their responsibility to their children did not end until they present them at God's Throne. Taking care of your son is putting God first.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
|
|
|
David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 1715 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 25th, 2007 10:21 pm |
|
Jill, mortification is the ascetical way of dying to ourselves and living to God. Or to state it biblically, “that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24), for “we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh — for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live” (Romans 8:12–13), so that “whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8).
I am very familiar with My Daily Bread. I used it for 20 years as a guide to meditative prayer. The manner of dying to self it preaches is not the tremendous self-punishment that one tends to imagine, but the little things that one never thinks of as useful. St. Therese of Lisieux speaks in her Story of a Soul of the many little penitential acts she enacted to crush her own will and allow God’s will to take over in her. I highly recommend this as supplemental reading.
David
|
|
|
BettyBoopToo
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Camas/Washougal, Washington USA |
| Posts: | 538 |
| First Name: | Betty | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Fist Baptist/Calvary Babtist/Secular Confusion/ Roman Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 26th, 2007 05:05 am |
|
CajunRick wrote: BettyBoopToo wrote: Your answer was incredibly helpful to me also. I've often pondered the thought of knowing I'm supposed to put God first at all times, but yet I wonder if my son were to call on me, that I would not drop everything on the spot and run imediately to his aid.
And what makes you think that's not exactly what God would want you to do? Does scripture tell us that the father of the Prodigal Son was too busy at worship to rush to greet his son? You and God (and your son's father) share a special bond of creation that resulted in your son, and aren't children the most precious gifts God gives us? How can you possible dishonor God by honoring God's creation?
At Confirmation a couple of years ago, our bishop reminded parents that their responsibility to their children did not end until they present them at God's Throne. Taking care of your son is putting God first.
Thank you Rick!
You and David are the best mods in the world
Gods Peace my friend
Betty
____________________
Patience
"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
|
|
|
Current time is 02:38 pm | |
|
|
|
|
|
