I feel broken and overwhelmed

[Trishie]

Becoming as little children
Jesus says, “I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” [Luke18: 17]
Therese of Lisieux elucidates how to live as child before God.
**“The only way to advance rapidly in the path of love is to always remain very little” “‘Remaining little’ means—to recognise ones nothingness, to await everything from the goodness of God, to avoid being much troubled at our faults; finally, not to be worried about amassing spiritual riches.” **

**“There is but one means of compelling God not to judge us, and it is—to appear before Him empty-handed…spend your treasures as you gain them…All my earnings [merits] are spent immediately on the ransom of souls…Our Lord is justice Himself, and if He does not judge our good actions, neither will He judge our bad ones.” **

In response to a novice who was discouraged by her faults, Therese said, **“You make me think of a little child that is learning to stand but does not know how to walk. In his desire to reach to top of the stairs to find his mother, he lifts his little foot to climb the first step. It is all in vain, and at each renewed effort he falls.” “Well, be like that little child. Always keep lifting your foot to climb the ladder of holiness, and do not imagine that you can mount even the first step. All God asks of you is good will. From the top of the ladder, He looks lovingly upon you, and soon, touched by your fruitful efforts, He will Himself come down, and taking you in His arms, will carry you to His Kingdom never again to leave Him. But should you cease to raise your foot, you will be left for long on the earth.” **

To another, Therese said, “You want to climb the mountain, whereas God wishes you to descend it. He is awaiting you in the valley of humility.” “It seems to me that humility is truth (honesty).” “If the greatest sinner should repent at the moment of his death, and draw his last breath in an act of love, neither the many graces he had abused, nor the multiplied crimes he had committed, would stand in his way. Our Lord would see nothing, count nothing, but the sinner’s last prayer, and without delay He would receive him into the arms of His mercy.”

 

[Trishie]

Therese Martin (St Therese of Lisieux) has inspired generations of individuals to live the gospel way of spiritual childhood, including her family. In Celine Martin’s “Counsels and Reminiscences”, we note that while Therese died a saint at twenty-four, Celine strove against her imperfections until her holy death in her ninetieth year. Celine remained pupil of her young sister. When Therese, as her novice mistress, warned Celine what form her spiritual struggle would take, she might have been speaking any of us.

“**You must never believe, when you don’t practice virtue, that it is due to some natural cause like illness, time, or grief. You must draw a great lesson in humility from it and take your place among the little souls, since you are able to practice virtue only in such a feeble manner.” Therese added, “What is necessary for you now is not to practice heroic virtues but to acquire humility. For that, your victories must of necessity always be mixed with failures, so that you cannot take any pleasure in thinking about them.” **

Celine wrote of her struggle “**with the faults that constantly kept me in a state of humiliation, for, due to my impulsive temperament, I often had little outbursts with the sisters that afflicted me a great deal on account of my self-love. I thought my exterior was deceiving, that I was better than I appeared to be: from that, I developed a certain frustration at not being judged at my true worth. Then my little sister endeavoured, by her penetrating instruction embellished with symbolic stories adapted to my circumstances, to make me love the shame I was in.” “She made me find my joy in believing that I was a ‘very little soul’ whom God constantly had to support because it was nothing but weakness and imperfection.” **

 

[Trishie]

Therese’s “little way” of spiritual childhood was summarised by her Carmelite sisters, Celine and Pauline. It is the way of unselfish love, recognising that the “indescribable condescension” of Jesus is open even to the poorest of souls. It is the way of “joyful humility, passionate trust in Merciful Love, total abandonment to the divine will.”

It is in “hidden sacrifices full of love and fidelity to every-day duties” with a “deep and experiential understanding of the Fatherhood of God.” It is in **“zeal for souls.” **It is lived with trust in our loving God. Such simplicity of heart is not of a childish nature, but childlike in its trust. **“It is love alone that counts,” **wrote Therese. “And love is total abandonment, the blind trust of a little child in its heavenly father, which cannot work without a profound humility and which becomes, without anyone suspecting it, a natural virtue as it is in all little ones.”

On the fiftieth anniversary of Therese’s death, the Pope sent Celine the following message regarding the little way of spiritual childhood. “Many think that it is a special way reserved to the innocent souls of young novices in order to guide them in their first steps, and that it is not suited to already mature individuals who need much prudence because of their great responsibilities. That is to forget that our Lord Himself recommended this way to all children of God, even to those who have, like the apostles He formed, the greatest of responsibilities, that of the care of souls."

 

[Trishie]

What I’ve posted comes out of my journal, “a handful of wildflowers”

Something I wrote also on holiness, on being a saint, Alison…

Regarding holiness

Dear Jesus, please reveal brilliantly to all, that You do not require that individuals need to be regarded as Saints, in order to be Your saints.

Assure them that holiness is Your action, not ours! Let them read the gospels and reflect on what they read, discovering that You were truly human, that you wept, felt pain, joy, and exasperation, “How long do I have to put up with this faithless generation!”) [Mark 9:19]

You became angry [in the Temple]. You were sometimes disappointed, sometimes weary. You felt the need to be alone, and the desire to escape a dreadful ordeal (“let this cup pass from me”). [Luke 22:42] Then in the depths of suffering, You found faith difficult, (“My God, why have You abandoned me?”) [Psalm 22:1]
Why did not the evangelists record Your laughter! How sober of them! However, they do record as Your lyrical delight over little children, (“Blessed are You, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth! You have revealed to little ones, the mysteries of Your Kingdom!” [Matthew 11:25]

Jesus, ask Your people to observe that You lived the ordinary life for about thirty years. If You had not wanted to make such an issue about being vulnerably human, You could have come as a glorious, fully developed human Personage. Jesus, truly human, truly God, help us to become fully human, fully whole.

 

[Trishie]

I fogot to add stuff St Therese shared with her sister Leonie who was in some sense the black sheep of the family, if you can have a black sheep in a familiy that has parents, Zelie and Louis Martin who have been Beatified this very year!..and Loenie hersel has had her cause for the process intorduced also!

Least little one
Leonie was regarded as the ‘difficult child’ who led her dying mother to grieve, “I just don’t know what to do with her.” Racked with terminal breast-cancer, Zelie Martin prayed that God would spare her life to continue her efforts to ‘straighten out’ Leonie. Saint Therese of Lisieux compassionately called her ‘poor Leonie’. The sisters of Saint Therese in Carmel assuredly became holy. Yet it is “poor Leonie” who is being considered for beatification by the Church! Leonie was promoted for beatification because of the favours and miracles she has obtained for those who asked her intercession, not because her Religious community of Visitation Sisters at Caen requested it.

Whether or not Leonie is beatified, her witness shows that God can effect holiness in anyone who cooperates with divine grace, no matter how poor his or her nature. The call to holiness is to every individual, even to those least expected to succeed. She offers hope for those insignificant and damaged individuals who may be marginalised and overlooked. She encourages us to trust in the loving mercy of God and the Little Way of spiritual childhood regardless of our strengths or weaknesses. Leonie also represents hope for parents who are at wits’ end in the guidance of their ‘difficult’ children.

I do have some detail about Loenie but will try to pick out a few…Therese wrote to her, “Jesus is well pleased with you; I know it; although He still allows you infidelities in your heart. I am sure that the actions of love, which He gathers up, outnumber them by far…Let us not refuse Him even the smallest sacrifice; everything is so important in religion, that even picking up a pin, if it is done through love, can convert a soul. What a great mystery! It is Jesus alone who can give such value to our actions; let us love Him with all our hearts.”

In 1896, Leonie wrote to Therese, “You, my darling, are ready to go to meet God. You will surely be well received.” In a spirit typical of Therese, Leonie continued, “But I will face Him empty-handed; yet I have the temerity not to be afraid. Do you understand that?” Then sweetly inquiring about Therese’s health Leonie humbly continued, “And tell me about God, and about everything that can make me grow in virtue; these are the only things that truly make me happy… If you only knew how much help that I need… Dear sister, you will prevent me from making my old mistakes, won’t you? I am so weak… I beg of you to ask God very specially to deliver me from my scruples; I am always turning in on myself, and this does me terrible damage, and hinders my attempts at perfection. You may be sure I’m showing you my wounds as clearly as I can.”
Therese wrote back, “If it were necessary to do great things we should be deserving of pity, but we are happy beyond measure, because Jesus lets Himself be captured by the smallest action… With you dear Leonie, little sacrifices are never lacking. Is not your life made up of them? I rejoice to see you in the presence of such wealth, especially when I remember that you know how to make profit thereby, not only for yourself but also for poor sinners. It is so sweet to help Jesus to save souls which He has ransomed at the price of His Precious Blood, and which only await our help to keep them from the abyss.

 

[Trishie]

Alison, maybe you might lkie to ask the Martin family in heaven to help you become an authentically holy person…they sure got something right!
They were deeply Catholic, truly human. They knew the value of living our ordinary life well and of using the smallest things as grace because they understood that all goodness and holiness comes from God. And they knew the value of trust in God, and really believed in God’s love, no matter what happened.
They had ordinary trials. Louis ended up with some kind of dementia. Zelie died of breast cancer. They lost four infants in early childhood. St Therese died of tuberculous. The other sisters, Marie, Pauline, and Celine lived long lives…as did Leonie, but although the others were healthy, Leonie wasn’t…
Again from my journal…

"Leonie’s position always remained humble, however she was happy with “little sacrifices known only to Jesus”, her “little nothings” that she offered for the salvation of souls “as little as I am myself.” She had special compassion for anyone in sadness or difficulty, having experienced these from infancy.
“I have suffered greatly from my inferiority,” she wrote, “I have felt keen isolation of heart—of every kind. I experience the same difficulties again and again; worries, dislikes and weariness of all sorts. But I feel that all these kinds of torments are a purification —that God is at work; and I thank Him for all of it.” “I know well that Jesus asks nothing of His lowly little one except effort; and so I am far from being discouraged, for I want to remain in my complete helplessness, which is my strength. By this childish ruse I touch the heart of God.” Clearly, Leonie had learned well to put into practice the Little Way of spiritual childhood witnessed by Therese.

Leonie’s Carmelite sisters continued to write encouraging letters… Her sister Pauline wrote, “**How God has loved you, and how surprised you will be in Heaven by the glory and love you enjoy! It’s all the same to God if one has a bumpy forehead and crooked teeth!” **Leonie was aware of her lack of soundness, as she endured itchy eczema, scalp dermatitis, loss of her ‘crooked teeth’, migraines, nausea, intestinal inflammation, ingrown toenails, and frequent colds that developed into bronchitis or pneumonia. In 1930, her knees required surgery, and henceforward she was unsteady, her condition exacerbated by painful, crippling rheumatism.

You see, Alison, ordinary lives, ordinary problems lived in love and trust, therein lies true holiness.

 

[Trishie]

The Purgatory worry. Perhaps this might help? The following isn’t one of my prayers, but this is the story behind it:
A Poor Clare nun, who had just died, appeared to her abbess, who was praying for her, and said to her, “I went straight to heaven, for, by means of this prayer, recited every evening, I paid my debts.”

Prayer for daily neglects

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with all its love, all its sufferings, and all it’s merits

First: To expiate all the sins I have committed this day and during all my life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Second: To Purify the good I have done badly this day and during all my life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Third: To supply for the good I ought to have done, and that I have neglected this day and during all my life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

 

[xAlisonx]

Hi Alison,

I don’t have a lot to add, but wanted to respond. Welcome back to the Church and you appear to be on the right track. I hope you can make it to Confession where you’re find great peace and strength. Your journey sounds incredible, but thank God, he was there to help you out of so many troubled times. Thank you for sharing this with us. I found your story very inspiring.

About purgatory, I pray that when my time comes, that’s where our Lord will send me, that means that Heaven is not too far away.

About becoming a Saint. That, my friend, is (or should be) what we all aspire to be.

God Bless and Take Care

Praying that your journey is filled with joy and peace…

thank you so much, Simon X, for taking the time to read and to respond. thank you so much, also, for such a warm welcome back to the Catholic Faith – it’s been a dark few years, and while the past year has been filled with light as a nondenominational evangelical Christian, i never saw the beauty or assurance of Truth in it that i see and feel now in Catholicism. thank you so much beyond words for your beautiful support and encouragement. i have been healed of so much and saved of so much, and i owe God everything completely and forever – my life, my soul, my happiness. i do my best to share my story with everyone i encounter in some way, especially those i feel particularly drawn to, for i feel that everyone’s testimony has a lot of power, especially if it shows the glorious transformation from darkness into light that God brings into people’s lives, as my story shows. i actually recently witnessed to a girl using my testimony, and her agnostic thoughts are fading as she’s beginning to believe in God more and more, praise Jesus! many people have found my story inspiring, not because of anything in me, but because of the way God works in their hearts and has prompted me to share it. i didn’t do anything right over the past three years, so it’s not like i can claim any goodness or bravery or strength of my own. i know that it is only God’s goodness that caused Him to intervene when i tried to kill myself, only His goodness that makes my testimony so powerful and only His goodness that has inspired many through my story of hope and healing after deep darkness. i’m so glad that it inspired you, though – that’s definitely what i want, not only to bring the lost to the Lord through my story, but to strengthen and encourage the faithful.

i actually am no longer plagued by fears about Purgatory, to be honest with you, as after reading all of the absolutely incredible responses i’ve received – i was not expecting so many posts! – i’ve been strengthened, encouraged and filled with hope to overflowing. i felt as if God was working in my heart as i was reading what people were telling me, and i felt a huge burden fall away – as if something demonic had been removed. i honestly feel that the devil was manipulating my old strongholds, my old fears of not being good enough for God, and applying them to a fear of Purgatory to keep me stuck and scared, and to prevent me from moving forward in my spiritual life. i should have recognized it as a spiritual attack, or at least an attempt at one, but i’m so grateful to God for intervening yet again and giving me strength. even when i fail, He’s always there for me with His mercy, grace and love, and it’s so amazing. i love Him so much, with all my heart. so not only am i encouraged about Purgatory, but i thank God from the bottom of my heart that Purgatory isn’t a reason to fear, but another testament to His mercy and grace, which is a perspective i’d been blind to before, but i feel that He was speaking to me and opening my eyes through these amazing responses. i am grateful for Purgatory now, and my prayer is now one of gratitude and for the graces to avoid it, that i never fall deep enough into sin to need cleansing before Heaven, but i also pray now that if it’s His will that i go there, i accept it completely and i accept my need to be cleansed before i can live with Him forever. i’ve come to a place of encouragement and acceptance, and it’s incredible.

i’m having trouble with the idea of me, of all people, being able to become a saint, because of my past, especially with issues like attempted suicide and homosexuality, which God healed me of completely. for some reason St. Paul came to mind this morning, who definitely did not have a beautiful or perfect past, but i still just feel uncomfortable with the idea of me being considered special and holy. i don’t consider myself a holy person, i feel that i still have a very long way to go, i know that God will get me there, but i don’t feel that i’m even close at the moment. then again, i’ve only been a true Christian for a year, and Catholic again for about a week! so i need to be patient and give myself – and God – time. i do aspire to be a Saint, and i pray that God will grant me the graces to become one. i pray that with all my heart, and i trust that He will hear my prayer and answer it in His Own time and way, according to His Will. i’m still uncomfortable, but i know i’ll come to a place of acceptance and encouragement with this as well sometime soon.

God bless you, too, Simon X, and please take care as well. know that if you ever need anything at all, or would just like to talk, please don’t hesitate to message me, and i will always be here for you. know that i will be keeping you, and everyone else on here, in my constant thoughts and prayers.

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

 

[xAlisonx]

Alison, you want to be holy, be a saint…so here are the word of one of the most popular saints of the 20th century…

Saint Therese of Lisieux encourages us in our attempts towards holiness in our vocation to love and serve. Of her own response to the call to be holy/a saint, she wrote,

**“This desire could certainly appear daring if one were to consider how weak and imperfect I was, and how after seven years in the religious life, I am still weak and imperfect.

I always feel, however, the same bold confidence of becoming a great saint because I do not count on my own merits since I have none, but I trust in God who is Virtue and Holiness. God alone, content with my weak efforts, will raise me to Himself and make me a saint, clothing me in His infinite merits. I didn’t think then that one had to suffer very much to reach sanctity, but God was not long in showing me this was so and in sending me the trials I have already mentioned.” **Therese remarked that such holiness may “not be evident to the eyes of mortals.”

We draw hope from this saint of ‘the consecrated ordinary’, whom Pope John Paul 2 declared a Doctor of the Church on October 19, 1997. Many Sisters in her Carmelite community were unaware of the holiness of her ‘ordinary’ deeds of kindness, and doubted that anything worthwhile could appear in her obituary circular. I implore God for ‘everyday’ love and trust such as Therese maintained before temptations of doubt and suffering. Like her, in ordinariness made holy by union with Jesus our God who lived ‘the ordinary life’, we must become shining lights in an era when disbelief, humanism and self-absorption prevail.

We ask God to give us dynamic confidence that holiness is not reserved for a favoured few. As Saint Paul taught, “each soul is God’s favourite” and God desires fulfilment of each person’s call to love God above all and others as self. Every person has a unique vocation and purpose, intended to enrich each other person’s soul for all eternity.

thank you so much, Trishie, for taking the time to read and to respond, and for sharing these beautiful quotes with me. they are definitely encouraging, and i will save them and most likely put them in my prayer journal. i do aspire to be holy and to be a saint, and while i don’t feel holy right now, i trust that God will bring me there, but i also know that it will take time and effort - and patience - and trust. i am still uncomfortable with the idea that i could ever become a saint, because it feels so unattainable for me, since i feel like my past has ruined any hopes of me ever being considered someone special in the Kingdom of God. still, i will definitely save these quotes and pray for the graces to overcome my doubts, fears and discouragement, and to be all that God wants, needs and calls me to be - including a saint. thank you so much again, Trishie - i truly appreciate it - and i will definitely respond to the rest of your posts, which i am sure are just as beautiful and encouraging. God bless you, and please take care.

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

 

[xAlisonx]

Becoming as little children
Jesus says, “I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” [Luke18: 17]
Therese of Lisieux elucidates how to live as child before God.
**“The only way to advance rapidly in the path of love is to always remain very little” “‘Remaining little’ means—to recognise ones nothingness, to await everything from the goodness of God, to avoid being much troubled at our faults; finally, not to be worried about amassing spiritual riches.” **

**“There is but one means of compelling God not to judge us, and it is—to appear before Him empty-handed…spend your treasures as you gain them…All my earnings [merits] are spent immediately on the ransom of souls…Our Lord is justice Himself, and if He does not judge our good actions, neither will He judge our bad ones.” **

In response to a novice who was discouraged by her faults, Therese said, **“You make me think of a little child that is learning to stand but does not know how to walk. In his desire to reach to top of the stairs to find his mother, he lifts his little foot to climb the first step. It is all in vain, and at each renewed effort he falls.” “Well, be like that little child. Always keep lifting your foot to climb the ladder of holiness, and do not imagine that you can mount even the first step. All God asks of you is good will. From the top of the ladder, He looks lovingly upon you, and soon, touched by your fruitful efforts, He will Himself come down, and taking you in His arms, will carry you to His Kingdom never again to leave Him. But should you cease to raise your foot, you will be left for long on the earth.” **

To another, Therese said, “You want to climb the mountain, whereas God wishes you to descend it. He is awaiting you in the valley of humility.” “It seems to me that humility is truth (honesty).” “If the greatest sinner should repent at the moment of his death, and draw his last breath in an act of love, neither the many graces he had abused, nor the multiplied crimes he had committed, would stand in his way. Our Lord would see nothing, count nothing, but the sinner’s last prayer, and without delay He would receive him into the arms of His mercy.”

thank you so much again, Trishie, for these beautiful, encouraging, heartfelt and inspiring posts. to respond to the message of this one, that message from Jesus has often discouraged me, not only because i feel that i lost my innocence long ago, but because of the things that St. Therese of Lisieux mentioned, i struggle with. i will simply have to keep them in mind, as i will definitely save all of your posts and keep these quotes in my prayer journal, and pray for the grace to be more like a child before God, as i know that He will help me to be all that He wants, needs and calls me to be. thank you again, Trishie, and God bless you. please take care.

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

 

[xAlisonx]

What I’ve posted comes out of my journal, “a handful of wildflowers”

Something I wrote also on holiness, on being a saint, Alison…

Regarding holiness

Dear Jesus, please reveal brilliantly to all, that You do not require that individuals need to be regarded as Saints, in order to be Your saints.

Assure them that holiness is Your action, not ours! Let them read the gospels and reflect on what they read, discovering that You were truly human, that you wept, felt pain, joy, and exasperation, “How long do I have to put up with this faithless generation!”) [Mark 9:19]

You became angry [in the Temple]. You were sometimes disappointed, sometimes weary. You felt the need to be alone, and the desire to escape a dreadful ordeal (“let this cup pass from me”). [Luke 22:42] Then in the depths of suffering, You found faith difficult, (“My God, why have You abandoned me?”) [Psalm 22:1]
Why did not the evangelists record Your laughter! How sober of them! However, they do record as Your lyrical delight over little children, (“Blessed are You, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth! You have revealed to little ones, the mysteries of Your Kingdom!” [Matthew 11:25]

Jesus, ask Your people to observe that You lived the ordinary life for about thirty years. If You had not wanted to make such an issue about being vulnerably human, You could have come as a glorious, fully developed human Personage. Jesus, truly human, truly God, help us to become fully human, fully whole.

i just want to thank you so much, Trishie, for your past few posts, especially this one. i wasn’t sure exactly what to say in response to some of the quotes, but know that all of them are beautiful, inspiring and encouraging, and will definitely be saved and kept in my prayer journal. this is an absolutely beautiful prayer, and i will definitely save it and begin to pray it myself. thank you so much for all of this, and please know that i will keep you, and everyone else on here, in my constant thoughts and deepest prayers. God bless you, Trishie, and please take care.

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

 

[xAlisonx]

I fogot to add stuff St Therese shared with her sister Leonie who was in some sense the black sheep of the family, if you can have a black sheep in a familiy that has parents, Zelie and Louis Martin who have been Beatified this very year!..and Loenie hersel has had her cause for the process intorduced also!

Least little one
Leonie was regarded as the ‘difficult child’ who led her dying mother to grieve, “I just don’t know what to do with her.” Racked with terminal breast-cancer, Zelie Martin prayed that God would spare her life to continue her efforts to ‘straighten out’ Leonie. Saint Therese of Lisieux compassionately called her ‘poor Leonie’. The sisters of Saint Therese in Carmel assuredly became holy. Yet it is “poor Leonie” who is being considered for beatification by the Church! Leonie was promoted for beatification because of the favours and miracles she has obtained for those who asked her intercession, not because her Religious community of Visitation Sisters at Caen requested it.

Whether or not Leonie is beatified, her witness shows that God can effect holiness in anyone who cooperates with divine grace, no matter how poor his or her nature. The call to holiness is to every individual, even to those least expected to succeed. She offers hope for those insignificant and damaged individuals who may be marginalised and overlooked. She encourages us to trust in the loving mercy of God and the Little Way of spiritual childhood regardless of our strengths or weaknesses. Leonie also represents hope for parents who are at wits’ end in the guidance of their ‘difficult’ children.

I do have some detail about Loenie but will try to pick out a few…Therese wrote to her, “Jesus is well pleased with you; I know it; although He still allows you infidelities in your heart. I am sure that the actions of love, which He gathers up, outnumber them by far…Let us not refuse Him even the smallest sacrifice; everything is so important in religion, that even picking up a pin, if it is done through love, can convert a soul. What a great mystery! It is Jesus alone who can give such value to our actions; let us love Him with all our hearts.”

In 1896, Leonie wrote to Therese, “You, my darling, are ready to go to meet God. You will surely be well received.” In a spirit typical of Therese, Leonie continued, “But I will face Him empty-handed; yet I have the temerity not to be afraid. Do you understand that?” Then sweetly inquiring about Therese’s health Leonie humbly continued, “And tell me about God, and about everything that can make me grow in virtue; these are the only things that truly make me happy… If you only knew how much help that I need… Dear sister, you will prevent me from making my old mistakes, won’t you? I am so weak… I beg of you to ask God very specially to deliver me from my scruples; I am always turning in on myself, and this does me terrible damage, and hinders my attempts at perfection. You may be sure I’m showing you my wounds as clearly as I can.”
Therese wrote back, “If it were necessary to do great things we should be deserving of pity, but we are happy beyond measure, because Jesus lets Himself be captured by the smallest action… With you dear Leonie, little sacrifices are never lacking. Is not your life made up of them? I rejoice to see you in the presence of such wealth, especially when I remember that you know how to make profit thereby, not only for yourself but also for poor sinners. It is so sweet to help Jesus to save souls which He has ransomed at the price of His Precious Blood, and which only await our help to keep them from the abyss.

i want to thank you for this post as well, Trishie, which i find incredibly encouraging and extremely inspiring, since i find the idea of aspiring to be a Saint rather uncomfortable for me, due to my chaotic, broken past and all of my imperfections. this encourages me, that anyone can become a Saint due to God’s grace, and that yes, if i strive for holiness and perfection, even i can become all that God wants, needs and calls me to be. thank you so much for this, and for everything. God bless you, and please take care.

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

 

[xAlisonx]

Alison, maybe you might lkie to ask the Martin family in heaven to help you become an authentically holy person…they sure got something right!
They were deeply Catholic, truly human. They knew the value of living our ordinary life well and of using the smallest things as grace because they understood that all goodness and holiness comes from God. And they knew the value of trust in God, and really believed in God’s love, no matter what happened.
They had ordinary trials. Louis ended up with some kind of dementia. Zelie died of breast cancer. They lost four infants in early childhood. St Therese died of tuberculous. The other sisters, Marie, Pauline, and Celine lived long lives…as did Leonie, but although the others were healthy, Leonie wasn’t…
Again from my journal…

"Leonie’s position always remained humble, however she was happy with “little sacrifices known only to Jesus”, her “little nothings” that she offered for the salvation of souls “as little as I am myself.” She had special compassion for anyone in sadness or difficulty, having experienced these from infancy.
“I have suffered greatly from my inferiority,” she wrote, “I have felt keen isolation of heart—of every kind. I experience the same difficulties again and again; worries, dislikes and weariness of all sorts. But I feel that all these kinds of torments are a purification —that God is at work; and I thank Him for all of it.” “I know well that Jesus asks nothing of His lowly little one except effort; and so I am far from being discouraged, for I want to remain in my complete helplessness, which is my strength. By this childish ruse I touch the heart of God.” Clearly, Leonie had learned well to put into practice the Little Way of spiritual childhood witnessed by Therese.

Leonie’s Carmelite sisters continued to write encouraging letters… Her sister Pauline wrote, “**How God has loved you, and how surprised you will be in Heaven by the glory and love you enjoy! It’s all the same to God if one has a bumpy forehead and crooked teeth!” **Leonie was aware of her lack of soundness, as she endured itchy eczema, scalp dermatitis, loss of her ‘crooked teeth’, migraines, nausea, intestinal inflammation, ingrown toenails, and frequent colds that developed into bronchitis or pneumonia. In 1930, her knees required surgery, and henceforward she was unsteady, her condition exacerbated by painful, crippling rheumatism.

You see, Alison, ordinary lives, ordinary problems lived in love and trust, therein lies true holiness.

how encouraging this is! thank you so much beyond words, Trishie, for all of these incredibly inspiring and beautiful messages and quotes. i want so much to attain holiness and perfection, and you’ve inspired me to keep working with all of my heart and to pray even more fervently for the grace from God. i will definitely consider praying to the Martin family, and i will definitely pray for the grace to do all of my actions, thoughts and words in love and holiness. thank you so much for the incredible inspiration - with all of my heart, i appreciate it. thank you so much.

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

 

[xAlisonx]

The Purgatory worry. Perhaps this might help? The following isn’t one of my prayers, but this is the story behind it:
A Poor Clare nun, who had just died, appeared to her abbess, who was praying for her, and said to her, “I went straight to heaven, for, by means of this prayer, recited every evening, I paid my debts.”

Prayer for daily neglects

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with all its love, all its sufferings, and all it’s merits

First: To expiate all the sins I have committed this day and during all my life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Second: To Purify the good I have done badly this day and during all my life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Third: To supply for the good I ought to have done, and that I have neglected this day and during all my life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

thank you so much, Trishie! due to the incredible amount of amazing, beautiful responses i’ve received on this post, i’m no longer worried about Purgatory, but instead i’ve been filled to overflowing with hope, peace, joy and gratitude for what Purgatory truly means - not a reason to fear, but a manifestation of God’s beautiful Love, mercy and grace. a heavy, possibly demonic burden has fallen away, and i feel very encouraged and inspired, and your posts have helped me so much to feel this way, so i want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. i will definitely pray this prayer every night, and keep you, and everyone else on here, in my constant thoughts and deepest prayers as well. God bless you, Trishie, and please take care. if you ever need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

 

[AveSantaMaria]

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

i don’t want to sin anymore! i hate it when i sin – i end up hating myself, which is a sin in itself, and it’s a constant cycle! please help me.

2) i wish i was good enough to be a saint. i love God with all that i am, but i’m not holy and i’m not perfect and i feel like i have to be. “be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” i’m a perfectionist by nature, and even in that i sin! i have too horrible a past to be a saint. i feel like there’s some demonic oppression in my life right now, trying to bring me down and depress me so that i can’t move forward in my spiritual life and in my healing. i just love Jesus and feel like i’m not good enough for Him, like if i died my worst fear – Purgatory – would come true, and that He would reject me because i’m not good enough like the saints or like so many holy and amazing people on here. it’s not exactly jealousy that i feel, it’s more of a hatred for myself, which i know is a sin, and that makes me hate myself more! please help me. can someone please help me?

please … i need some help … i trust that someone will answer this post. would you mind keeping me in your thoughts and prayers? i will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers as well, i promise you, and continue to pray for the graces i need to make it to Heaven. i just really need help right now, as i’m in a very stressful place, and my view of how i think God sees me is becoming distorted. please help me …

God bless you all.
love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

Devoting this post to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Maybe you can do True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis Mary de Montfort. This devotion was practiced by His Holiness Pope John Paul II and was a “decisive turning point” in his life that he “read and reread” in seminary. Reflections on True Devotion to Mary by His Holiness Pope John Paul II http://www.michaeljournal.org/montfort.htm

Free links and reading related to devoting onself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
Online Adoration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
louisville-catholic.net/WebCameras/AdorationChapel/tabid/825/Default.aspx
True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin montfort.org.uk/Writings/TrueDev.html
**Secret of the Rosary ** montfort.org.uk/Writings/Rosary.html
Preparation for 33 day consecration to the Blessed Virgin saintlouisdemontfort.com/consecration.cfm
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - Wikisource, the free online library

en.wikisource.org

On the Dolors of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, one of the 33 Doctors of the Catholic Church, explains the sufferings of Our Lady http://writer.zoho.com/public/immaculate/Seven-dolors
Cathechism of the Catholic Church vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm
Litany of Humility ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/humility.htm
Divine Mercy Chaplet ewtn.com/Devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm
Rosary Confraternity Enrollment rosary-center.org/nconform.htm

Maybe I should also post the excerpt from True Devotion to Mary on why this devotion should be followed:

**5. It leads to union with our Lord. **
**152. ** This devotion is a smooth, short, perfect and sure way of attaining union with our Lord, in which Christian perfection consists.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *

 

[AveSantaMaria]

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

1. This devotion is a smooth way. It is the path which Jesus Christ opened up in coming to us and in which there is no obstruction to prevent our reaching him. It is quite true that we can attain to divine union by other roads, but these involve many more crosses and exceptional setbacks and many difficulties that we cannot easily overcome. We would have to pass through spiritual darkness, engage in struggles for which we are not prepared, endure bitter agonies, scale precipitous mountains, tread upon painful thorns, and cross frightful deserts. But when we take the path of Mary, we walk smoothly and calmly.

It is true that on our way we have hard battles to fight and serious obstacles to overcome, but Mary, our Mother and Queen, stays close to her faithful servants. She is always at hand to brighten their darkness, clear away their doubts, strengthen them in their fears, sustain them in their combats and trials. Truly, in comparison with other ways, this virgin road to Jesus is a path of roses and sweet delights. There have been some saints, not very many, such as St. Ephrem, St. John Damascene, St. Bernard, St. Bernardine, St. Bonaventure and St. Francis de Sales, who have taken this smooth path to Jesus Christ, because the Holy Spirit, the faithful Spouse of Mary, made it known to them by a special grace. The other saints, who are the greater number, while having a devotion to Mary, either did not enter or did not go far along this path. That is why they had to undergo harder and more dangerous trials.

**153. ** Why is it then, a servant of Mary might ask, that devoted servants of this good Mother are called upon to suffer much more than those who serve her less generously? They are opposed, persecuted, slandered, and treated with intolerance. They may also have to walk in interior darkness and through spiritual deserts without being given from heaven a single drop of the dew of consolation. If this devotion to the Blessed Virgin makes the path to Jesus smoother, how can we explain why Mary’s loyal servants are so ill-treated?

**154. ** I reply that it is quite true that the most faithful servants of the Blessed Virgin, being her greatest favourites, receive from her the best graces and favours from heaven, which are crosses. But I maintain too that these servants of Mary bear their crosses with greater ease and gain more merit and glory. What could check another’s progress a thousand times over, or possibly bring about his downfall, does not balk them at all, but even helps them along their way. For this good Mother, filled with the grace and unction of the Holy Spirit, dips all the crosses she prepares for them in the honey of her maternal sweetness and the unction of pure love. They then readily swallow them as they would sugared almonds, though the crosses may be very bitter. I believe that anyone who wishes to be devout and live piously in Jesus will suffer persecution and will have a daily cross to carry. But he will never manage to carry a heavy cross, or carry it joyfully and perseveringly, without a trusting devotion to Our Lady, who is the very sweetness of the cross. It is obvious that a person could not keep on eating without great effort unripe fruit which has not been sweetened.

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *

 

[holyrood]

Alison, I skimmed because I have a dozen things I should be doing, but I didn’t see anyone mention St. Augustine. He lived a less than holy life for many years, but when he turned around, he REALLY turned around, and became one of the greatest saints.

 

[ConservativeOne]

Dear Alison -You are blessed and have been given a gift - at age 16 to voice the spiritual desires you have - are admirable.* God loves you.

1.* I’m afraid of going to hell - not purgatory.* Remember, purgatory is a state that cleanses your soul in preparation for entering Heaven…In other words, if you get to purgatory, YOU’RE SAVED !* However, my greatest fear, as regards purgatory, is that even many Catholics today don’t pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.* When people die, they tell you - they’re with God - they’re not suffering.* My greatest fear - is that no one will pray for MY soul when I die - IF I reach purgatory.* So, here’s one suggestion - pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory - those of your family and friends - **and all the Poor Souls, particularly those who have been abandoned or forgotten or have no one to pray for them. **We are taught that the Poor Souls cannot pray for themselves but can pray for us, and if and when we reach purgatory - we can be assured of friends in Heaven who will pray for us, too. But more importantly - without thinking of ourselves, we should never forget those souls who have been forgotten…That’s the fear.

1. You want to be a saint? God bless you. I’d settle for just making it into the Gates of Heaven - that at the hour of my death I can die in peace knowing that Our Lady has told her Son, Jesus, about my soul - saying, “I love it.”
   Just keep trying. God bless you, and please keep us all in your prayers. Remember - one day at a time.

 

[BlestOne]

thank you so much, Trishie! due to the incredible amount of amazing, beautiful responses i’ve received on this post, i’m no longer worried about Purgatory, but instead i’ve been filled to overflowing with hope, peace, joy and gratitude for what Purgatory truly means - not a reason to fear, but a manifestation of God’s beautiful Love, mercy and grace. a heavy, possibly demonic burden has fallen away, and i feel very encouraged and inspired, and your posts have helped me so much to feel this way, so i want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. i will definitely pray this prayer every night, and keep you, and everyone else on here, in my constant thoughts and deepest prayers as well. God bless you, Trishie, and please take care. if you ever need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison xx

Does this mean I don’t get my cheesesteak and soft pretzel???

 

[AveSantaMaria]

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by menas of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Remember, O Most gracious Virgin Mary that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee O Virgin of virgins, my mother. To thee do I come, before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petitions but in thy mercy hear and answer them.

**155. ** 2) This devotion is a short way to discover Jesus, either because it is a road we do not wander from or because, as we have just said, we walk along this road with greater ease and joy, and consequently with greater speed. We advance more in a brief period of submission to Mary and dependence on her than in whole years of self-will and self-reliance. A man who is obedient and submissive to Mary will sing of glorious victories over his enemies. It is true, his enemies will try to impede his progress, force him to retreat or try to make him fall. But with Mary’s help, support and guidance, he will go forward towards our Lord. Without falling, retreating and even without being delayed, he will advance with giant strides towards Jesus along the same road which, as it is written, Jesus took to come to us with giant strides and in a short time. (Psalm 18:6)

**156. ** Why do you think our Lord spent only a few years here on earth and nearly all of them in submission and obedience to his Mother? The reason is that “attaining perfection in a short time, he lived a long time” (Wisdom 4:13) even longer than Adam, whose losses he had come to make good. Yet Adam lived more than nine hundred years!

Jesus lived a long time, because he lived in complete submission to his Mother and in union with her, which obedience to God his Father required. The Holy Spirit tells us that the man who honours his mother is like a man who stores up a treasure. (Ecclus. 3:5) In other words, the man who honours Mary, his Mother, to the extent of subjecting himself to her and obeying her in all things will soon become very rich, because he is amassing riches every day through Mary who has become his secret philsopher’s stone.

There is another quotation from Holy Scripture, “My old age will be found in the mercy of the bosom.” (Ecclus 3:5) According to the mystical interpretation of these words, it is in the bosom of Mary that people who are young grow mature in enlightenment, in holiness, in experience and in wisdom, and in a short time reach the fulness of the age of Christ. For it was Mary’s womb which encompassed and produced a perfect man. That same womb held the one whom the whole universe can neither encompass nor contain.

**157. ** 3) *This devotion is a pefect way * to reach our Lord and be united to him, for Mary is the most perfect and the most holy of all creatures, and Jesus, who came to us in a perfect manner, chose no other road for his great and wonderful journey. The Most High, the Incomprehensible One, the Inaccessible One, He who is, deigned to come down to us poor earthly creatures who are nothing at all. How was this done?

The Most High God came down to us in a perfect way through the humble Virgin Mary, without losing anything of his divinity or holiness. It is likewise through Mary that we poor creatures must ascend to almighty God in a perfect manner without having anything to fear.

God, the Incomprehensible, allowed himself to be perfectly comprehended and contained by the humble Virgin Mary without losing anything of his majesty. So it is also through Mary that we must draw near to God and unite ourselves to him perfectly, intimately, and without fear of being rejected.

Lastly, He who is deigned to come down to us who are not and turned our nothingness into God, or He who is. He did this perfectly by giving and submitting himself entirely to the young Virgin Mary without ceasing to be in time He who is from all eternity. Likewise, it is through Mary that we, who are nothing, may become like God by grace and glory. We accomplish this by giving ourselves to her so perfectly and so completely as to remain nothing, as far as self is concerned, and to be everything in her, without any fear of illusion.

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *