Grateful2God
Since Dec 4, 2014
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Grateful2God
Since Dec 4, 2014
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Give me the grace, Good Lord
To set the world at naught. To set the mind firmly on You and not to hang upon the words of men's mouths.
To be content to be solitary. Not to long for worldly pleasures. Little by little utterly to cast off the world and rid my mind of all its business.
Not to long to hear of earthly things, but that the hearing of worldly fancies may be displeasing to me.
Gladly to be thinking of God, piteously to call for His help. To lean into the comfort of God. Busily to labor to love Him.
To know my own vileness and wretchedness. To humble myself under the mighty hand of God. To bewail my sins and, for the purging of them, patiently to suffer adversity.
Gladly to bear my purgatory here. To be joyful in tribulations. To walk the narrow way that leads to life.
To have the last thing in remembrance. To have ever before my eyes my death that is ever at hand. To make death no stranger to me. To foresee and consider the everlasting fire of Hell. To pray for pardon before the judge comes.
To have continually in mind the passion that Christ suffered for me. For His benefits unceasingly to give Him thanks.
To buy the time again that I have lost. To abstain from vain conversations. To shun foolish mirth and gladness. To cut off unnecessary recreations.
Of worldly substance, friends, liberty, life and all, to set the loss at naught, for the winning of Christ.
To think my worst enemies my best friends, for the brethren of Joseph could never have done him so much good with their love and favor as they did him with their malice and hatred.
These minds are more to be desired of every man than all the treasures of all the princes and kings, Christian and heathen, were it gathered and laid together all in one heap.
Amen
The most important point for me is, Catholicism is what I believe. I was away from the Church for awhile when I was young. I explored other denominations, other faiths, even had friendly acquaintances who were Born-Again Christians try to, for lack of a better word, recruit me. I looked at Eastern religions: I tried the route George Harrison took with Hindu meditation. I still have a great respect for Buddhists and their ascetic lifestyle, as well. My Mom told me she couldn't put Jesus in my heart (although I had never stopped believing in Him).
My parents never pushed me to remain Catholic: I would have been obstinate back then. I even had some of the same gripes some express here in forum. If I had known about Messianic Jews, I would have definitely tried to become one: I was taught respect for God's Chosen People from day 1.
Well, I'm going to be frank and mean no disrespect to anyone. I found over a period of several years that:
1. I couldn't renounce Jesus as the Messiah;
2. I couldn't believe that Yahweh was not the One True God;
3. I couldn't find myself with a group that claimed to love Jesus, but showed no respect for His Mother;
4. I couldn't reconcile the idea that people who committed sins as we all do, thought themselves incapable of sin and going to Heaven simply because they believed-and thought everyone else was going to hell but themselves. They'd pass right by someone in the gutter, on the way out at night, but praise the Lord all day long. Not for me.
I went through a lot of bumps in the road, and it was a really difficult time in my life. I was hurt and angry and disillusioned on nearly everything in my life.
There was a Mass for the repose of the soul of my Grandfather, and I went, simply out of respect for him. I sat alone, that is, I went separately from my parents- I went at the last minute and the only place to sit was in the choir loft. I sat down, and, as Mass began, I began to cry. I sobbed the whole time, because for the first time in years, I was at peace. I went home that day, and never looked back. I made a commitment to learn my Faith, and it has given me a joy and peace which are among the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. My time away taught me tolerance, and love and respect for what others genuinely believe.
One answer to all your questions: Yes!, I believe! I am a Catholic of the Roman Rite; I chose to be, was not pushed; I love my God on a One-to-one level, and through His Church! I've opened my heart to all of you to show why I believe as I do, as you ask questions of me regarding what I believe and why. I pray God all may come to Him in one way or another! May all of us find joy and peace and all the Gifts and Fruits the Holy Spirit has to offer! May God bless all of you!
To sum it up:
An Act of Faith
O My God, I firmly believe That Thou art one God in three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, And died for our sins, And that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths Which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, Because Thou has revealed them. Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
An Act of Hope
O My God, relying on Thy almighty power And infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, The help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, Through the merits of Jesus Christ, My Lord and Redeemer.
An Act of Charity
O My God, I love Thee above all things, With my whole heart and soul, Because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, And ask pardon of all whom I have injured. AMEN!
116 posted on 1/12/2015 2:19:53 PM by Grateful2God (And Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.)