I really felt it

[NathanCarson]

After finally going with my loooong list I met Jesus with the priest in confession. I hadn’t dug myself a hole that big for a long time. Even after the sacrament of confession I didn’t feel much better. Which is strange because usually I feel wonderful afterwards. So a little later I made a holy hour. Which is exactly what I needed to do. I felt the holy spirit again. Oh how I can’t live without feeling close to God…

anyway.

Afterwards I went to a new years eve party. This man (who has a problem with christianity) commented on my attitude. He very clearly had a problem with me. I didn’t understand. I wondered what I had done. Was I acting like a jerk? Later it hit me. I was filled with the holy spirit and it really offended him. It really hurt that *that *was what was bothering him. I felt a slight feeling of persecution. Giving me a hint of what Jesus went through. I’d never quite felt it like that. Normally I’m so into my walk of faith I don’t notice things like that or let them bring me down. I consider it a blessing actually to have experienced that. It was a strange/sobering realization (I was not drinking last night by the way).

Anyway, just thought I’d share that. Not out of pride/vanity. Just thought people would relate.

 

[cardenio]

I have a friend who hates that my other friend and I wear crosses (I can’t find a crucifix anywhere! except the kind you hang on the wall), so we wear them, mostly to annoy him. Although, this, I don’t think, is persecution, as we enjoy angering him. (All in good fun, though: he is our friend.)

 

[mgarstin]

You should not enjoy making people angry that is against the Gospel. You shouldn’t consider him your enemy either because you will be held accountable on the day of judgement for all the things you may have done to him to drive him away from the Church.

I would try to act with a little more prudence my friend and not be so superficial with sacramentals.

God bless.

 

[cardenio]

It’s more of a teasing thing - it annoys him, and he thinks we’re stupid for it, but we’re friends and we know our limits. He’s not an enemy at all, but a close friend. I would never do anything to drive somebody away from the Church, and if I thought that was happening, I would stop. I think, actually, we may be planting seeds.

Thank you, though, mgarstin.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

NathanCarson:

After finally going with my loooong list I met Jesus with the priest in confession. I hadn’t dug myself a hole that big for a long time. Even after the sacrament of confession I didn’t feel much better. Which is strange because usually I feel wonderful afterwards. So a little later I made a holy hour. Which is exactly what I needed to do. I felt the holy spirit again. Oh how I can’t live without feeling close to God…

anyway.

Afterwards I went to a new years eve party. This man (who has a problem with christianity) commented on my attitude. He very clearly had a problem with me. I didn’t understand. I wondered what I had done. Was I acting like a jerk? Later it hit me. I was filled with the holy spirit and it really offended him. It really hurt that *that *was what was bothering him. I felt a slight feeling of persecution. Giving me a hint of what Jesus went through. I’d never quite felt it like that. Normally I’m so into my walk of faith I don’t notice things like that or let them bring me down. I consider it a blessing actually to have experienced that. It was a strange/sobering realization (I was not drinking last night by the way).

Anyway, just thought I’d share that. Not out of pride/vanity. Just thought people would relate.

Those feelings of goodness and comfort, and even feeling God’s presence are all graces. We cannot turn those graces on and off, rather it is God who controls that switch. It is a gift and something we accept in gratitude.

It is inevitable that he will turn off the switch, at times when you become most prayerful or most virtuous. This is a test to see if you will remain with Him if he does not give you the spiritual comfort that drew you to Him in the first place.

Be careful of the trap of associating that “feeling” with God’s presence in you and around you. He is constantly there, for if he were not, you would cease to exist.

There is something called spiritual dryness. While God indeed may have wanted you to experience the emptiness for a short time due to sin, more than likley one of these days you will experience it when you are not in the state of sin. Be prepared to press on with your prayers and adoration regardless. This is called unconditional prayer and worship, of which God so deserves. Mother Teresa endured it for some 15 years.

monksofadoration.org/johnof.html