My Spiritual Journey

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jbsmith:
Thank you, Rebecca. I still have a question, though: Catholics do pray for healing, though, don’t they?
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Oh, yes, absolutely.

In my own words, my understanding of the ideal attitude . . .
–fully trust God while you make your petitions known to Him for healing (yours or someone else’s): not knowing whether He will, will but after a time, or won’t heal you on this earth.
–to desire that His will be done, even if that includes suffering on your part.

Now I KNOW this is much much easier said than done. I know this is the ideal, and I wish I could more fully surrender my will to God’s perfect will (or permitting will, which is the case with suffering. He does not truly desire us to suffer, but uses evil and the suffering caused by it to achieve good). God may allow our suffering for a greater good. From being close with people that have endured acute suffering and loss, this can be understood to be cruel.
All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might’st seek it in My arms.
The Hound of Heaven, by Francis Thompson
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Here’s a link to the whole poem
 
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krysianka:
Oh, yes, absolutely.

In my own words, my understanding of the ideal attitude . . .
–fully trust God while you make your petitions known to Him for healing (yours or someone else’s): not knowing whether He will, will but after a time, or won’t heal you on this earth.
–to desire that His will be done, even if that includes suffering on your part.

Now I KNOW this is much much easier said than done. I know this is the ideal, and I wish I could more fully surrender my will to God’s perfect will (or permitting will, which is the case with suffering. He does not truly desire us to suffer, but uses evil and the suffering caused by it to achieve good). God may allow our suffering for a greater good. From being close with people that have endured acute suffering and loss, this can be understood to be cruel.
Here’s a link to the whole poem
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Thank you. This has helped me understand better. I’m struggling tonight so badly. I’m finding it difficult to put my feelings into words. I feel a black cloud hanging around me tonight. A sense of despair. I think it might be because of the spiritual battles I’ve had with these Baptists lately combined with my physical pain. Please pray.
 
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Dorothy:
Yes, we do pray for healing and leave the decision to God. He gives us what He knows is best for us at the time.
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Thank you for your explanation.
 
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jbsmith:
Thank you. This has helped me understand better. I’m struggling tonight so badly. I’m finding it difficult to put my feelings into words. I feel a black cloud hanging around me tonight. A sense of despair. I think it might be because of the spiritual battles I’ve had with these Baptists lately combined with my physical pain. Please pray.
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May Our Lord surround you with His peace, healing, and wisdom.
 
Okay, When I think of suffering, I always think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene

Matthew 26:36
36
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37
He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress.
38
Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.”
39
He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, **“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” ** 40
When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?
41
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

This is the prayer that I try to pray when I am suffering. Most of the time I keep praying “thy will be done” over and over. Isn’t it beautiful that the same thing is in the Lord’s prayer–The Our Father-- that Jesus taught is to pray?
 
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jbsmith:
I know that infant baptism is for the removal of original sin and adult baptism removes pre-baptismal sins. But I also know that a person isn’t baptized until they’ve completed RCIA, so what about the person’s salvation before baptism? Also, what about the sins of the child before he/she makes a first confession?
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“Baptism of desire” is the first thing that popped in my head from the scenarios you were given. Here’s a link that contains the definition, also more info on baptism itself: ewtn.com/library/DOCTRINE/BAPTISM.TXT
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jbsmith:
I’ve researched this, but I haven’t found a definite answer. How is one saved in the Catholic Church? … I haven’t been able to find a clear answer on salvation from my research, and my Baptist friends/acquaintances really want to know. They keep reminding me that they all have a clear time when they were saved, but Catholics don’t.
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As a Catholic, I am not presumptous of my salvation. Here is a scripture passage that may be helpful:
Phi 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (2:13) for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

You know Karl Keating’s “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” that has been suggested? Well, wouldn’t you know, in my research I found an excerpt from this book on the EWTN Library. This particular excerpt deals with salvation.
ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/CATHFUND.HTM

Hopefully some of this info will be helpful. I’ll let you know if I find anything else. Praying for you, brother!!! ❤️
 
From my cheat sheet…
Past Event(I have been saved)
Rom 8:24 -for in hope we are saved
Eph 2:5,8 - by grace you have been saved through faith
2 Tim 1:9 - he saved us, called us, according to his grace
Tit 3:5 - he saved us thru bath of rebirth, renewal by holy spirit
Present Process (I am being saved)
Phil 2:12 - work out your salvation with fear and and trembling
1 Pet 1:9 - as you attain the goal of your faith, salvation
Future Event (I will be saved)
Mt 10:22 - he who endures to the end will be saved
Mt 24:13 - he who perserveres to the end will be saved
 
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jbsmith:
Thank you. This has helped me understand better. I’m struggling tonight so badly. I’m finding it difficult to put my feelings into words. I feel a black cloud hanging around me tonight. A sense of despair. I think it might be because of the spiritual battles I’ve had with these Baptists lately combined with my physical pain. Please pray.
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Jeff:
I locked on the word despair and had an inspiration. St Jude has been celebrated as a special intercessor for those on the brink of despair. I will pray that he may bring my prayer for you to our adorable God . . .

“O most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, people honor and invoke you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for Jeff, for he feels so helpless and alone. Please help to bring him visible and speedy assistance. Come to his assistance in this great need that he may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all his necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, (particularly his painful hip, back and neck) and that he and I may praise God with you always. Amen”

“St. Jude, you witnessed the healing power of our Lord Jesus. You saw His compassion for the sick and dying. You yourself touched the sick, shared the sorrows of the mournful, and encouraged the despairing. You received this authority and healing power to work wonders, to cure the incurable, to make people whole. We ask you to intercede with our Brother, Jesus, to send His saving grace to heal the sickness and suffering of Jeff, to uplift his despondent spirit, and to instill hope in his heart. Amen.”

stjudenovena.org/stjudeprayers.html
 
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beckyann2597:
From my cheat sheet…
Past Event(I have been saved)
Rom 8:24 -for in hope we are saved
Eph 2:5,8 - by grace you have been saved through faith
2 Tim 1:9 - he saved us, called us, according to his grace
Tit 3:5 - he saved us thru bath of rebirth, renewal by holy spirit
Present Process (I am being saved)
Phil 2:12 - work out your salvation with fear and and trembling
1 Pet 1:9 - as you attain the goal of your faith, salvation
Future Event (I will be saved)
Mt 10:22 - he who endures to the end will be saved
Mt 24:13 - he who perserveres to the end will be saved
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Hey Becky: isn’t that cheat sheet cool! I have the same one. Thanks for reminding me to use it!
 
On the flip side of the coin, most Protestants don’t know (or want to believe) that a Christian can also LOSE their salvation as well…I guess it’s the ‘happy happy’ attitude they take.

A Christian can lose their salvation when Jesus talks about Him being the vine and the Christian as the branches. If there is no fruit on that branch, it is CUT OFF and thrown away to be BURNED. And when Jesus talks about Him Abiding in us, that represents people who accept Jesus (I.E. Christians).

But, concentrate on your salvation topic frist and then ask them if they can Lose their salvation?
Anyone else want to chime in on this?

As for salvation: Get a copy of Jimmy Akin’s book, Salvation Controversy
 
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Edwin1961:
On the flip side of the coin, most Protestants don’t know (or want to believe) that a Christian can also LOSE their salvation as well…I guess it’s the ‘happy happy’ attitude they take.

A Christian can lose their salvation when Jesus talks about Him being the vine and the Christian as the branches. If there is no fruit on that branch, it is CUT OFF and thrown away to be BURNED. And when Jesus talks about Him Abiding in us, that represents people who accept Jesus (I.E. Christians).

But, concentrate on your salvation topic frist and then ask them if they can Lose their salvation?
Anyone else want to chime in on this?

As for salvation: Get a copy of Jimmy Akin’s book, Salvation Controversy
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I think it is because they are not reading certain passages in context with the whole bible. With our free will we are capable of rejecting what the Lord has given us. There are plenty of warnings in Scripture about this.

Edwin, the book you recommended sounds like it would be very good to cover all the questions about this topic.
 
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beckyann2597:
Okay, When I think of suffering, I always think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene

Matthew 26:36
36
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37
He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress.
38
Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.”
39
He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, **“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” ** 40
When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?
41
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

This is the prayer that I try to pray when I am suffering. Most of the time I keep praying “thy will be done” over and over. Isn’t it beautiful that the same thing is in the Lord’s prayer–The Our Father-- that Jesus taught is to pray?
Click to expand...
I had forgotten about this passage of Scripture. Thank you for reminding me of it.
 
krysianka said:
“Baptism of desire” is the first thing that popped in my head from the scenarios you were given. Here’s a link that contains the definition, also more info on baptism itself: ewtn.com/library/DOCTRINE/BAPTISM.TXT

As a Catholic, I am not presumptous of my salvation. Here is a scripture passage that may be helpful:
Phi 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (2:13) for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

You know Karl Keating’s “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” that has been suggested? Well, wouldn’t you know, in my research I found an excerpt from this book on the EWTN Library. This particular excerpt deals with salvation.
ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/CATHFUND.HTM

Hopefully some of this info will be helpful. I’ll let you know if I find anything else. Praying for you, brother!!! ❤️
Click to expand...

I read the excerpt from Karl Keating’s book. It caught my interest right away. I really need to get my hands on that book as soon as possible. Thank you.
 
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beckyann2597:
From my cheat sheet…
Past Event(I have been saved)
Rom 8:24 -for in hope we are saved
Eph 2:5,8 - by grace you have been saved through faith
2 Tim 1:9 - he saved us, called us, according to his grace
Tit 3:5 - he saved us thru bath of rebirth, renewal by holy spirit
Present Process (I am being saved)
Phil 2:12 - work out your salvation with fear and and trembling
1 Pet 1:9 - as you attain the goal of your faith, salvation
Future Event (I will be saved)
Mt 10:22 - he who endures to the end will be saved
Mt 24:13 - he who perserveres to the end will be saved
Click to expand...
Thank you. I’ll write these references down so I can look up these passages tonight or tomorrow.
 
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krysianka:
Jeff:
I locked on the word despair and had an inspiration. St Jude has been celebrated as a special intercessor for those on the brink of despair. I will pray that he may bring my prayer for you to our adorable God . . .

“O most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, people honor and invoke you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for Jeff, for he feels so helpless and alone. Please help to bring him visible and speedy assistance. Come to his assistance in this great need that he may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all his necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, (particularly his painful hip, back and neck) and that he and I may praise God with you always. Amen”

“St. Jude, you witnessed the healing power of our Lord Jesus. You saw His compassion for the sick and dying. You yourself touched the sick, shared the sorrows of the mournful, and encouraged the despairing. You received this authority and healing power to work wonders, to cure the incurable, to make people whole. We ask you to intercede with our Brother, Jesus, to send His saving grace to heal the sickness and suffering of Jeff, to uplift his despondent spirit, and to instill hope in his heart. Amen.”

stjudenovena.org/stjudeprayers.html
Click to expand...
Thank you. That means a lot to me. I think I’ll try praying this prayer tonight.
 
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