Posted on 03/24/2013 7:16:01 PM PDT by Salvation
Congratulations on your decision. If the desires are overwhelming, however, I will suggest AA. There is also a Catholic counterpart, but I don’t know what it is called.
I had a father-in-law who was an alcoholic and I thought for awhile that my husband was headed that way too, so I went to Al-Anon.
Excellent!
2. Impatience
I’m reminded of the early bits of “Screwtape Letters” where wormwood advises him to get petulant and annoyed about little things.
Also reminds me of Bob Marley’s lines in Rastaman Vibration:
“You get down and you quarrel every day
You’re saying prayers to the devil I say
Why not help one another on the way
Make it much easier
Say you just cannot live in a negative way”
EVERYONE needs to read the Screwtape Letters! What a book!
I have to tell you this story.
I used to work in a factory, and we would goof off and hide somewhere and read the papers, magazines whatever.
There was this guy Jerry, wore a slouch hat, leather vest, long hair, talked in a gravelly voice, would regale us with tales of his run-ins with the law.
One day at lunch, I said I was getting ready to go off and hide somewhere and was looking for something to read. He told me to follow him to his locker, he had something for me. I figured it was going to be a Hustler magazine or something, but he gave me a copy of Plato’s Republic. The next book he gave me was “Screwtape Letters”.
I’m forever in his debt.
We can’t tell by appearances, can we??
Great story!
And we can never tell by which form angels will appear to us. The Lord works in mysterious ways, indeed.
Beware of resentment. The shortest route to spiritual and emotional ruin is a passion for resentment.
At least take confort, once those same children get out into the real world, the faith becomes real again.
My prayer is that as the parish churches get really busy this week, starting yesterday with Palm Sunday, may God work in the hearts of those Catholics who have fallen away. Amen.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS POST!!! I NEED THEM ALL!!!
Couldn't have said it better myself.
I understand that God's plan is good in the end, but I do oftentimes wonder if the tribulations of his people can and possibly will be universally bad for a time before we see the light.
People of faith are becoming fewer by the years. We are losing the youth to Liberalism and this fanciful belief that you only have this one life to live and you should live it like a rockstar on cocaine.
In my best Forest Gump voice: “My momma always done tole me to look for the cloud’s silver linins...”
I have learned to love criticism b/c if I look long enough at any of the ‘bad stuff’ I can almost always find a silver lining. It matters not how the message was sent but much much more in how the message is received - perceived even.
Way back when my kids were young [< 5yo] and I was newly divorced I began a very personal war on hypocrisy b/c I didn’t want my kids to emulate my bad traits [ nor those of my ex ]. A few battlefield victories, yet the war rages on still, but I have an inner peace, thanks to Christ, that reminds me to allow for - even to celebrate - free-will!
It is often the worst things in life which build up our faith if we keep searching for the silver linings.
I’m still far from perfect but I do know I’m much better -in countless ways - than I used to be. The bad stuff ultimately helps us break our love affairs with the material things of this world and long for the things yet unseen, the eternal glories awaiting us all in Heaven.
“Where your heart is, there your treasures will be also.”
And it’s also why I love the true saints here on FreeRepublic - iron sharpens iron
Thank you.
“The bad stuff ultimately helps us break our love affairs with the material things of this world and long for the things yet unseen, the eternal glories awaiting us all in Heaven.”
I absolutely agree with that statement, and that sentiment, but I think there is something else to point out here that is very important. People can be extremely selfish and hurtful, and some will try to destroy you. Most of us here can likely attest to this personally. It is very important not to let these people push you away from your own spirituality, but in a more secular sense it is also very important not to let these people steal your worldly happiness.
There is a difference between being serene and comforted by your spirituality and being truly joyful in the moment because you are genuinely happy in your life. I truly believe that God wants you to have both most of the time, and didn’t intend for us to live our lives as doormats for those who would hurt us without remorse or empathy.
I’m reminded of “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”. To God we are all ‘little ones’, and when people are destructive in their criticism and have no compunction about stealing your joy, trying to diminish you, and shaking your confidence in yourself and who you are, they are in a big way stealing your joy that you could be spreading to others.
Criticism is often wielded like a dagger, with similar intent.
Very well stated and something else I strongly needed repeated - both my sister, Jane and my cousin, Patty, think I’m too much of a doormat when it comes to my romantic interests.
Another place to apply some sandpaper...
I have found that going to daily Mass and praying the Rosary daily are very effective in combating sin. Catholicism provides so many tools to use in this effort.Wonderful post! We are in the same "club" as well...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.