How right you are! Trying to be quiet to hear God speaking to me in my conscience…I used to think just about suppressing/eliminating all the external noises of life…but have found that those inner noises of “self”…“rationalization of self” in particular…really are my greatest stumbling blocks…more like brick walls. And your thought about rejecting immoral thoughts…is right on target…immoral as being defined by God and His Church…not by my “self rationalization” of what is moral and immoral…because without that specific mind-set/heart-set change/action…my ability to experience hearing God’s voice (that whisper of the breeze that Elijah heard at Mount Horeb)… in my conscience is all too easily…too often “drowned out”.I just had a dream where my thoughts are definitely controlled, and that my spirituality is definitely being raised by my acting on moral thought and rejecting immoral thoughts. I believe this to be a profound revelation. We must listen to our consciences. Sins are often subtle.
III Kings 19: 11-13 (Knox Bible)
[1 Kings 19 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE)]
Thinking about self-rationalization…I always remember this scene from the movie:11 Then word came to him to go out and stand there in the Lord’s presence; the Lord God himself would pass by. A wind there was, rude and boisterous, that shook the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, the whisper of a gentle breeze. 13 Elias** [Elijah]**, when he heard it, wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out to stand at the cave door. There a voice came to him, Elias [Elijah] , what dost thou here? 14
The Big Chill (1983)
Quote:
Michael: I dont know anyone who could get through the day without
two or three juicy rationalizations. Theyre more important than
sex.
Sam Weber: Ah, come on. Nothings more important than sex.
Michael: Oh yeah? Ever gone a week without a rationalization?
Thanks for your post and quotes. CAF needs more posts like these, but strangely, they do not get many replies.How right you are! Trying to be quiet to hear God speaking to me in my conscience…I used to think just about suppressing/eliminating all the external noises of life…but have found that those inner noises of “self”…“rationalization of self” in particular…really are my greatest stumbling blocks…more like brick walls. And your thought about rejecting immoral thoughts…is right on target…immoral as being defined by God and His Church…not by my “self rationalization” of what is moral and immoral…because without that specific mind-set/heart-set change/action…my ability to experience hearing God’s voice (that whisper of the breeze that Elijah heard at Mount Horeb)… in my conscience is all too easily…too often “drowned out”.
Thanks for sharing.
Pax Christi
Thinking about self-rationalization…I always remember this scene from the movie:
That’s for sure. To take it a step further, some of those really subtle sins are the ones that can destroy your faith if you don’t catch them. Thanks for this reminder.Sins are often subtle.