How can I be more in line with God?

[AveSantaMaria]

The first list is more than enough. I haven’t even finished the first list myself and it should actually take you a few years to go through the first list, but I might as well list other wonderful spriritual works if anyone else is interested and has finished the ones above.

The Teaching of St. Therese of Liseux on Purgatory: franciscan-sfo.org/ap/litfwrpu.htm

Confessions of St. Augustine newadvent.org/fathers/1101.htm

Ascent of Mount Carmel: ccel.org/ccel/john_cross/ascent.ii.vii.html

Dark Night of the Soul: ccel.org/ccel/john_cross/dark_night.html

Spiritual Canticle: karmel.at/ics/john/cn.html

The Living Flame of Love: karmel.at/ics/john/fl.html

Practice of the Presence of God: ccel.org/ccel/lawrence/practice.html

St. Francis de Sales “Introduction to the Devout Life” ccel.org/d/desales/devout_life/devout_life.html

Abandonment to Divine Providence: ccel.org/ccel/decaussade/abandonment.html

Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius: nwjesuits.org/JesuitSpirituality/SpiritualExercises.html

The Life of St. Teresa of Avila: catholicfirst.com/TheFaith/CatholicClassics/StTeresa/life/teresaofavila.cfm

The Way of Perfection catholicfirst.com/TheFaith/CatholicClassics/StTeresa/way/wayofperfection.cfm

Interior Castle: sacred-texts.com/chr/tic/index.htm

Theology of the Body: ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM

Love Conqures All: vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

Spe Salvi: On hope: vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html

Commentary on Jonah: litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Jonah+Chapter+3

Interior Castle: catholicfirst.com/thefaith/catholicclassics/stteresa/castle/interiorcastle.cfm

Catechesis of the Popes: averagejoecatholic.blogspot.com/2008/12/catechesis-of-popes.html

 

[AveSantaMaria]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=289062
An excerpt from one of the above listed books: Opus Dei- writings of the founder (Meditations by St. Josemaria Escriva)

1. How can I really love the Holy Cross of Jesus?.. Long for it! Ask Our Lord for the strength to implant it in every heart throughout the length and breadth of this world. And then… make atonement with joy; and try also to love him with the beating of all those hearts that as of yet do not love him.

 

[BRZ]

Thanks AveSantaMaria, you are a big help! All of this information seems daunting but I will try to read it and follow it. Thanks for your help. Also let me ask you something. I am with someone who I consider marrying, but she is not a Catholic, actually she does not believe in anything. I hope to help her realize the beauty of God but it is difficult since I don’t want to sound like I am preaching to her. How could I go about it?

 

[AveSantaMaria]

I would ask her to look at the logical and scientific aspects of Christianity. These don’t tend to 100% convince people but, in my experience, tend to crack the door open to Christ and Mary and a seed may be able to grow over time. My step to devout belief came from reading Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, a Yale law graduate, former Chicago Tribune legal editor, and former atheist’s logically and rigorously conducted investigation for the historical Jesus. He wanted to prove Christianity wrong and instead converted, became a Protestant minister. amazon.com/Case-Christ-Journalists-Personal-Investigation/dp/0310209307 It was only after reading this book that I truly saw Christianity as a necessity instead of a private subjective choice and had any logical reason to believe.

** Remember, be as patient with her as possible. ** Elisabeth Lesuer was a married French woman who lived in Paris until her death in 1914. She silently offered all her sufferings for the conversion of her atheist husband, Felix. After her death, Felix read her spiritual diary, was converted, and decided to become a priest. St. Augustine of Hippo (one of the 33 Doctors of the Church, chaired the Synod of Hippo in A.D. 393, the first time a council of bishops approved and listed a canon of Scripture) had a mother, Monica, who was the only Christian in her family for a while. She prayed and prayed and prayed. Her husband converted on his deathbed. St. Augustine of Hippo led a wild life, enjoying watching the lions eating people in the Colosseum, having a child out of wedlock, he was forced to be a Bishop but still didn’t believe, then one day he converted. He prayed the famous prayer - “Lord, give me chastity, just not yet!”

Sadly, enough, conversion does not always happen well. St. Rita had a husband who converted on his deathbed, but her sons didn’t convert and wanted to avenge their father’s murder. Rather than have such a serious sin on their soul, St. Rita prayed that God kill her sons. God did, they died within the year of natural causes.

Sharing these articles with her might help crack the door open. It has when I’ve shared it with people in the outside world.

In Kibeho, Rwanda prior to the genocide, the Mother of the Word appeared. She said a “river of blood” would happen if people did not convert, repent,pray the Rosary, the Chaplet of Seven Sorrows, and stop committing various moral sins, such as the girls sleeping with certain men. Did a river of blood happen? This New York Times Article on the Rwandan genocide documents the apparitions of Mary prior to the genocide. query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E4D81738F93BA35757C0A96F958260

Then we look at Fatima, Portugal. See some of the messages from Mary to the three little children: The war [World War I was still raging] is going to end. But if people do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI… When you shall see a night illuminated by an unknown light [on January 25-26, 1938 from 9PM to 2AM there appeared over the Northern Hemisphere a very unusual light that scared many people. The New York Times devoted almost an entire page to the event. Scientists attributed it to an exceptional aurora borealis] “know that this is the great sign that God gives you that He is going to punish the world for its many crimes by means of war, hunger and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father” [Within two months of the sign, in March of 1938, Hitler invaded his first country, Austria.] http://www.loveandmercy.org/loveandmercy/fatima.htm

New York Times article: January 26, 1938
Aurura Borealis Startles Europe; People Flee in Fear, Call Firemen; Britons Thought Windsor Castle Ablaze–Scots See Ill Omen-Snow-Clad Swiss Alps Glow–Short-Wave Radio Halts The most brilliant display of an aurora borealis in fifty years held Britons spellbound over a wide area of this country tonight. From 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. the people of London watched two magnificent arcs rising in the east and west, from which radiated pulsating beams like searchlights in dark red, greenish blue and purple. [End of First Paragraph] Buy This Article, Single Article $3.95 select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00817FB355A157A93C4AB178AD85F4C8385F9

Other articles
Los Angeles Times, Jan 26, 1938 Aurora Borealis Upsets Europeans pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/743927742.html?dids=743927742:743927742&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&date=Jan+26%2C+1938&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Aurora+Borealis+Upsets+Europeans&pqatl=google

Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan 26, 1938Aurora Borealis Glows in Widest Area Since 1709Abstract (Document Summary) Radio and telegraphic communication was disrupted and persons in many parts of the world were awed tonight as the aurora borealis [northern lights] flamed brilliantly farther south than the phenomenon ever has been seen by this generation.
pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/441756312.html?dids=441756312:441756312&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jan+26%2C+1938&author=&pub=Chicago+Daily+Tribune&desc=AURORA+BOREALIS+GLOWS+IN+WIDEST+AREA+SINCE+1709&pqatl=google

One can check news.google.com to verify these articles for oneself.

 

[AveSantaMaria]

Lanciano Eucharistic Miracle
This miracle was first studied scientifically in 1970-1971 by Dr. Edoardo Linoli, professor of anatomy, pathological histology, chemistry and clinical microsocpy, and the former head of the Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy at the Hospital of Arezzo, published in pub med: **Quad Sclavo Digan. 1971. Sep; 7(3): 661-74. Histological, immunological and biochemiccal studies on the flesh and blood of the eucharistic miracle of Lanciano (8th century) ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4950729?ordinalpos=28&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum **
(Pubmed is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health that includes over 18 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to the 1950s. PubMed includes links to full text articles and other related resources)

Findings:
"* The Flesh is real Flesh. The Blood is real Blood.

• The Flesh and the Blood belong to the human species.
• The Flesh consists of the muscular tissue of the heart.
• In the Flesh we see present in section: the myocardium, the endocardium, the vagus nerve and also the left ventricle of the heart for the large thickness of the myocardium.
• The Flesh is a “HEART” complete in its essential structure.
• The Flesh and the Blood have the same blood-type: AB(Blood-type identical to that which Prof. Baima Bollone uncovered in the Holy Shroud of Turin)
• In the Blood there were found proteins in the same normal proportions (percentage-wise) as are found in the sero-proteric make-up of the fresh normal blood.
• In the Blood there were also found these minerals: chlorides, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium.
• The preservation of the Flesh and of the Blood, which were left in their natural state for twelve centuries and exposed to the action of atmospheri and biological agents, remains an extraordinary phenomenon.

therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/lanciano.html

 

[AveSantaMaria]

As for Catholicism instead of other denominations, research the history of the Church. Scripture is infalliable because it was listed at the Synod of Hippo chaired by St. Augustine in the 300A.D.s and then later listed and disputed at the Synod of Rome and Synod of Carthage. However, during the Council of Trent during the Protestant Reformation it was first declared and made infalliable. Here is a link to the Council of Trent declaration that makes it infalliable. ewtn.com/library/councils/trent4.htm If it is the Magisterium that tells us that Scripture is infalliable and rejects other Scriptures that propose to be true then how can we then reject the Magisterium and still lay claim to our belief in Scripture as infalliable. I understand the Magisterium to be a continuation of the Church that Christ established chaired by Peter that he said would not fail, which is what gave it the authority to declare something infalliable or not, such as Scripture.

The vicar of Christ is believed to be established from the living Church that Christ founded. We trace him directly to Peter - this means that just like a new apostle was chosen to replace Judas, with every death of the Bishop of Rome, Peter, a new Pope has been chosen from the earliest of times to replace the old Pope. The Pope leads the Church and is the one who has the moral authority to declare something like Scripture infalliable or not. He has the authority to choose the canon of Scripture and refute such as the Gospel of Peter or Gospel of Mary Magdalene. (other Gospels that exist)

The fact that there are disputes between Protestants and Catholics may just be an accumulation of division that we inherit because of people who left the Church that Christ established. Luther established a new Church and dispute certain books. **He tried to remove Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelations. ** - all popular Christian denominations of today accept these books. These books are called Luther’s Antilegomena and Luther stated that Revelation is “neither apostolic nor prophetic” and stated that “Christ is neither taught nor known in it.” Anglicans established a new Church when they didn’t like the rules on divorce in England. Mormons established a new Church. Seventh Day Adventists established a new Church. Muslims established a new Church under Muhammed. Now the gay bishop is establishing a new Church, splitting the Anglican church even further.

A papal timeline. faithfirst.com/html/popeJohn/timeline/timeline.html We have His Holiness St. Peter ca. 64, His Holiness St. Linus 67-76, His Holiness St. Anacletus (Cletus), 76-88, His Holiness St. Clement I, 88-97, His Holiness St. Evaristus, 97-105 and so on to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI . Catholicism can trace His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI all the way back to Adam and Eve by backtrakking thorough the Popes and then looking at the lineage of Christ. Luke 3:23 - Luke 3:38

 

[AveSantaMaria]

Despite all this, all the evidence in the world can still mean nothing if the heart is not willing to accept. Prayer is key! Really work at perfecting yourself - start off with Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, The Secret of the Rosary, and True Devotion to Mary to learn the quickest way to perfection.

Some saints read True Devotion to Mary. Other saints did not. Yet, most of the greatest saints followed the same shortcut to Christ. In some sense, if they didn’t read the book - Christ revealed it to them anyways.

Something that might be very interesting about the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Divine Mercy devotions are that they are devotions that give deep, intimate, and passionate insight on the desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but both of the women who received these devotions were extremely devoted to Mary prior. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. St. Mary Faustina.

Excerpt from Vie par elle-meme by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, to whom was revealed the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “The Blessed Virgin has always taken great care of me. I had recourse to her in all my necessities and she has preserved me from great dangers. I did not dare address myself to her divine son, but only to her, and I often presented her with the little crown of the rosary, which I said on my bare knees, or genuflecting and kissing the ground at every Ave Maria.” episcopalacademy.org/drum/trea/TREA5-06/Wrighttrea06a.pdf To the best of my horribly imperfect knowledge, she like St. Therese of Liseux devoted their lives to Christ after being healed by Mary of childhood illnesses.

St. Faustina’s Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul Notebook #1, #32 Another time I heard these words, Go to the Superior and ask her to allow you to make a daily hour of adoration for nine days. During this adoration try to unite yourself in prayer with My Mother. Pray with all your heart in union with Mary, and try also during this time to make the Way of the Cross. I received the permission, though not for a full hour, but for whatever time was left me after I had carried out my duties. saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS1.shtml She also started off by the direct leading of God in a Marian convent, the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

"I myself, in the years of my youth, found reading this book a great help. “There I found the answers to my questions”, for at ope point I had feared that if my devotion to Mary “became too great, it might end up compromising the supremacy of the worship owed to Christ” (Gift and Mystery). Under the wise guidance of St. Louis Marie, I realized that if one lives in the mystery of Mary in Christ, the risk does not exist. In fact, this Saint’s Mariological thought “is rooted in the mystery of the Trinity and in the truth of the Incarnation of the Word of God”
Reflections on True Devotion to Mary by His Holiness Pope John Paul II http://www.michaeljournal.org/montfort.htm

This is true as well for Mother Teresa.

See here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4721027&postcount=52
and here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4721030&postcount=53 for information on the influence of Mary in Mother Teresa’s life.

 

[Sheeniac]

Being on fire for God is good. However, before you jump into anything, I think it best to wait to hear His voice. There’s so much we could do for Him, but don’t fill up your schedule with so much that when He does tell you, you have no room for what He wants.

You come across as very anxious about doing His will. Patience … it will come to you. In the meantime, don’t go overboard and do enjoy His presence.

 

[cheeto1]

Another thought is, don’t neglect the obvious. If you have parents, honor them. You have a girlfriend: are you behaving
properly toward her. Do you have a job? Are you working
“as unto the Lord”? Does someone need your help? Are you helping them? Does anyone have something against you? Then “leave your gift at the altar, go and be reconciled with them.” Remember the Pharisees prayed a lot, and devoted large sums of money to the temple, yet Jesus chastised them for not supporting elderly parents. He was furious about that.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

I guess the title is rather broad but it is very difficult to know the answer to this for me. I don’t believe myself to be in a state of Mortal sin. I go to confession once or twice a month. I go to church every Sunday and I try to avoid even small sins if I can. I realize I am not doing enough for others and I am trying to figure out how I can do more. There are still a lot of things I do not know what to do or how to do. I read the bible daily for a short time and I have been studying the Catechisms. I havent started doing the Rosary yet but I intend to start doing the Rosary soon. I think I can be a little scrupulous and I daily question if what I am doing is right and yet I still worry it is not enough. I read a speech which was given by a saint on the matter of hell and how most christians will go to hell and few will be saved and I was really scared. I don’t know what is enough or what I should do to be more in line with God. Must I give everything up for God? I would if that is asked of me but is that necessary? Should I give up my desire to be married and have children? Should I give up my hobbies and interests and only focus on religious study? Must I forego any and all wordly connections and think only of God? What is necessary for me to be true to God and my faith?

Hi, where you are is where God wants you to be. You don’t have to give everything up to serve God. God is no doubt calling you to a deeper relationship with him and filling you with holy aspirations. You are confused because you have no sure plan of how to go about your relatioship with God. How much should I do? Should I do this or that? Am I doing too much or too little and which are the right things to do? And on it goes. The best solution is to get involved with a form of spirituality that appeals to you and get a good spiritual director and follow their advice to the letter. It’s a mine field for us in this situation. I found Opus Dei to my liking and you may too, but there are many ways to satisfy this longing you have. Pray for guidance and search for the answers. God bless:thumbsup: