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holybull
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All solid advice but am also relying on our Lady tough to do on our own
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Reuben_J
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Good choice. You can never go wrong with the Mother of God.
More importantly, holiness comes from a desire to do so. When we have that desire, grace will come into play, one way or another, as Jesus said, nothing is impossible with God.
More importantly, holiness comes from a desire to do so. When we have that desire, grace will come into play, one way or another, as Jesus said, nothing is impossible with God.
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guanophore
Guest
I was not trying to nitpick at the words, but was thinking about the concept. Yes, we are all sinners, but we are also all already saints. Scripture refers to the baptized as saints, because that is our ultimate destiny. When we get to heaven, we will all be made into saints, so you will get there!I will probably NOT get even close
Becoming the saint God wants us to be has as much to do with leaning into His grace as it does “striving”.
Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one fall by the same sort of disobedience.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2
When I read your post, this verse came to mind with regard to the word “strive”. There is a world of difference between working “out’” and working “on”. When we strive to enter His rest, we align ourselves with the grace of our baptism. We cooperate with His grace that is at work in us to will and to do. It is something that is already in us that is to be “worked out” in our lives.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— 9 not because of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them…” Eph. 2
When you read Ephesians, it is clear that we are already positionally in Christ and made saints by His sacrifice. The “striving” is to stay in the grace He has placed us in Him. It is not our own doing, but His gift. When we manifest sainthood by doing the good works He has in mind for us, we are walking in His grace.
So in answer to your question, you have already had many good posts on this thread. To that I would add to immerse yourself in Scripture, so that you have clarity about who you already are in Christ. You are right, humility is the key.
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Edward_H
Guest
Takes a life time.
We must use well “the means” and the graces that the Church gives us: reading and prayer with Holy Scripture, the Sacraments, forms of prayer, spiritual direction, resolutions, develop and use the human virtues, delving into Church Doctrine and teaching (to help us learn about Him and His will for us), practicing charity, hope, and faith, beginning again every day, maintaining a presence of God during the day so that Our Lord can influence how we live, prayer, offering sacrificing, practicing acts of denial or mortification so as to rightly order our passions and appetites. etc.
All of these little practices should be considered “approaches to God”…and what happens over time is that one begins to have a more “continuous” conversation with God, a more lively friendship with God referring to Him all or more and more circumstances of our daily life, allowing a more intimate “union with Him” (and His will for us) to occur. His will and charity and joy will more frequently be spilling out of us, drawing more and more souls in our path toward Him! We’re the instrument of His quiet apostolate working within us.
So holiness and apostolate go hand and hand; one fuels the other. The interactions with others should often further refine us, shaving off our rough and ungenerous or arrogant edges, making us more useful and pleasant instruments of His work.
This is a good book.
From another good set of books/meditations:
“The degree of effort our Lord asks to keep his disciples afloat in the face of a difficult situation may vary from time to time, but the remedies are the same for all throughout history: intensify prayer; be more sincere and docile in spiritual direction; flee from dangerous occasions; obey promptly and with docility of heart; together with prayer, use the human means – however small – we have available … With Christ, in all battles, we will emerge victorious, but we need to have complete confidence in him. Pray resolutely, using the words of the Psalmist: ‘Thou Lord, art my refuge and my strength. I trust in thee.”
― Francis Fernandez, In Conversation with God
We must use well “the means” and the graces that the Church gives us: reading and prayer with Holy Scripture, the Sacraments, forms of prayer, spiritual direction, resolutions, develop and use the human virtues, delving into Church Doctrine and teaching (to help us learn about Him and His will for us), practicing charity, hope, and faith, beginning again every day, maintaining a presence of God during the day so that Our Lord can influence how we live, prayer, offering sacrificing, practicing acts of denial or mortification so as to rightly order our passions and appetites. etc.
All of these little practices should be considered “approaches to God”…and what happens over time is that one begins to have a more “continuous” conversation with God, a more lively friendship with God referring to Him all or more and more circumstances of our daily life, allowing a more intimate “union with Him” (and His will for us) to occur. His will and charity and joy will more frequently be spilling out of us, drawing more and more souls in our path toward Him! We’re the instrument of His quiet apostolate working within us.
So holiness and apostolate go hand and hand; one fuels the other. The interactions with others should often further refine us, shaving off our rough and ungenerous or arrogant edges, making us more useful and pleasant instruments of His work.
This is a good book.
From another good set of books/meditations:
“The degree of effort our Lord asks to keep his disciples afloat in the face of a difficult situation may vary from time to time, but the remedies are the same for all throughout history: intensify prayer; be more sincere and docile in spiritual direction; flee from dangerous occasions; obey promptly and with docility of heart; together with prayer, use the human means – however small – we have available … With Christ, in all battles, we will emerge victorious, but we need to have complete confidence in him. Pray resolutely, using the words of the Psalmist: ‘Thou Lord, art my refuge and my strength. I trust in thee.”
― Francis Fernandez, In Conversation with God
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HeDa
Guest
Go to Confession and not sin afterwards.:hugs:
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holybull
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holybull
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