H
Harri_Laaksonen
Guest
A blessed All Souls Day,
I am very much impressed with St. Teresa and her outlook on theology. It seems that this thread has gotten away from her and gone over to justifying “gloomy saints”.
As a son of the Scandinavian Reformation, I can say that I am very familiar with “Gloomy Saints”. It can almost be said that we invented the prototype.
This is one place where I think even Traditional Catholics can resonate with Martin Luther; " Love God and Sin boldly but believe even more boldly". We should not allow ourselves to become parelized with fear of sinning. We will make mistakes no matter how hard we try to avoid them. It is grace that saves us and we need to believe in Christ who provides that grace.
Scruples are good, concise is good. But when we become afraid to live because we may sin, we are out of the will of God.
Jesus said that He came that we might have life, and have it abundantly. No stinting about it. We are to live in Christ and enjoy the gift that He has granted us. Not gloom and fear that is the result of trying to live up to some norm that is impossible for mere human flesh, but drinking of the abundant water of life that Christ offers to us.
Building bridges,
Harri
I am very much impressed with St. Teresa and her outlook on theology. It seems that this thread has gotten away from her and gone over to justifying “gloomy saints”.
As a son of the Scandinavian Reformation, I can say that I am very familiar with “Gloomy Saints”. It can almost be said that we invented the prototype.
This is one place where I think even Traditional Catholics can resonate with Martin Luther; " Love God and Sin boldly but believe even more boldly". We should not allow ourselves to become parelized with fear of sinning. We will make mistakes no matter how hard we try to avoid them. It is grace that saves us and we need to believe in Christ who provides that grace.
Scruples are good, concise is good. But when we become afraid to live because we may sin, we are out of the will of God.
Jesus said that He came that we might have life, and have it abundantly. No stinting about it. We are to live in Christ and enjoy the gift that He has granted us. Not gloom and fear that is the result of trying to live up to some norm that is impossible for mere human flesh, but drinking of the abundant water of life that Christ offers to us.
Building bridges,
Harri