Outsourcing Jesus from your life

[curious_cath]

Recently, I got a most appreciated advise to visit an adoration chapel and pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I did it and, boy, was I shocked to realize how long was I away from my Jesus! I mean, I used to attend a church group that I don’t want to name here, because it is not about them. It is only me who can be blamed for being separated, even without noticing, from the Holy Hour of adoration.

I would like to ask the reader to share how she or he experienced an “outsourcing” of Jesus from your spiritual life, when you are made so busy with other things, perhaps in the name of Christ, that you became completely detached from Jesus himself.

After much comtemplation, I have decided to part with my church group. Jesus is so much more important for me than my attachment to a community whose members have Jesus already outsourced from their lives. Every minute, really, that I spend apart from beholding Jesus my beloved Savior with my spiritual eyes, becomes an outsourcing, a deprivation of my life from Him.

 

[awesomecatholic]

I outsourced Jesus when I didn’t pray. I completely stopped caring and that really damaged my emotional and spiritual self. I also started going to adoration and love it, it made a huge difference in my life.

 

[Here-I-am-Lord]

Too much church activity will outsource Jesus from your life. Organizing, fund raising, etc. will often make you forget that everything you do is for Him.

Or an improperly led Bible study, when you get bogged down too much in Old Testament readings and you forget that every word the prophets said is actually a reference to Jesus. I had studied the Pentateuch for 2 years when I realized that whatever you find there can be overridden and more clearly revealed by two sentences from the Gospels! It is advisable to apply the Word of God on Jesus in every the context to truly appreciate its content.

I share your enthusiasm for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament! In quiet prayer in front of Him it sinks to me that whatever I wish Jesus is sufficient for me. Welcome aboard, curious_cath!

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

Sure.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking about Jesus or talking about Jesus or just being really glad that He’s “Out there”…sorta.
To like the idea of Jesus.
Rather than actually taking to Him.

 

[mrsdizzyd]

Anytime we feel we have made Jesus take a back seat to what we are doing, however noble it is, it’s time for a break.

 

[curious_cath]

I outsourced Jesus when I didn’t pray.

For me too, praying to the Lord Jesus and to his Virgin Mother, blessed be her Loving Heart forever, is the best remedy against outsourcing Jesus from my life.

I had studied the Pentateuch for 2 years when I realized that whatever you find there can be overridden and more clearly revealed by two sentences from the Gospels!

Alleluia! Jesus has spoken on our language of love. That’s why we understand Him!

it sinks to me that whatever I wish Jesus is sufficient for me.

I am on my path to get this realization. Even if many earthly things bind me to my current situation, eventually everything will dwarf when I am able to raise my eyes on Jesus my Lord!

To like the idea of Jesus.
Rather than actually taking to Him.

Oh, how much I wish I would have known this in my past! I took it for granted that whoever talks to me about Jesus is of Jesus. I have hungered and thirsted his Words so much that I was satisfied with superficial references on Him. Because I trusted people, especially my brothers. Now I see how wrong I have been! Jesus is a shine in my heart, a light of my soul, a nourishment for my spirit. Nobody can take His place!

Anytime we feel we have made Jesus take a back seat to what we are doing, however noble it is, it’s time for a break.

I am taking my break right now! In front of my Lord in the Blessed Sacrament I know how much time I have wasted without His shining presence, believing in those “back seat” people, who don’t hunger and thirst His grace, so they won’t even know Jesus is outsourced from their lives. I keep praying for them.

 

[Here-I-am-Lord]

Even if many earthly things bind me to my current situation, eventually everything will dwarf when I am able to raise my eyes on Jesus my Lord!

What holds you back, then… ?

 

[Mary888]

How do you know your spiritual revelation wasn’t just a gift for all the meek effort you put in together with your church group, despite the lack of the lovely feeling to just feel Jesus, while doing so?
Are you sure you should just leave them? You sound quite judgemental of them.

 

[curious_cath]

How do you know your spiritual revelation wasn’t just a gift for all the meek effort you put in together with your church group

I would like to give you detailed response in the hope that you see I am only judging myself. The spiritual experience in the Holy Presence of Jesus was not only apart from my group but despite of my belonging to them. My church group has never encouraged me to attend the Blessed Sacrament for adoration or pray the Rosary. Even more, we have never done these very Catholic things as a Catholic church group during the years I have been attending their meetings. It feels quite technical, but both Adoration and Rosary have been outsourced from my group for some reason I don’t know. They have never told me why.

If I sound judgmental, then I am first of all judgmental of myself. I have missed my Lord Jesus for years without realizing. I was told I have to give my time to God and be with my community for long-long hours. So I did. I had the conviction that all the time I can offer to God should be spent in my group. That is why I neglected Adoration and Rosary, because during that time in my community we had never done those things.

God for me includes Jesus, the Son, the Christ, my Savior. Often, we used to sing that Hear oh Israel, your God is One (Shema Israel). I used to be elated, happy even exuberant singing the Hebrew words of this song over and over again up to extasy. Then, apart from my community, at a recent Lenten parish mass the Hymn book was opened at O sacred Head now wounded and the whole congregation started to sing. It was like being hit by unexpected electrical current! An old song filled the sacred space of the church while I knew that we have never sung that beautiful song in my community. Ever. I gave myself to the music and let my voice be heard. People around me looked at me with a happy face and we were just singing out our hearts… At the end of that song I was weeping like a kid, my tears flowing down on my face. I just started to cry bitterly, my shoulders shaking. People thought it was the impact of the music. Yes, it was, but it was also the stinging pain in my heart that how much I have missed this song throughout the years, how long I have missed my Jesus, how much I was apart from Him in making myself busy with nonsense. I felt like Jesus was stolen, completely outsourced from my spiritual life and now I have to come back with deep regret to Him!

This was how it all started. Then I had my conflict with the leaders of my group and they accused me by being under the influence of the devil. I needed clarity and now I found it at the Adoration chapel. There is nobody to blame here other than myself. I was blind, but now I start to see.

 

[Mary888]

This was how it all started. Then I had my conflict with the leaders of my group and they accused me by being under the influence of the devil. I needed clarity and now I found it at the Adoration chapel. There is nobody to blame here other than myself. I was blind, but now I start to see.

I know he’s a nonecumenical saint, but St. Ignatie Brianicinov said that “the man who believes is not under any deceit is the most deceited of all.”
Now I understand what you say, your group simply thinks they are right all the way, and all the rules they make, the prayers they choose to say and those they choose not to say are absolute truth. This can’t be unless they are all saints.
I too have been silenced all these years being influenced on what some EO blogs say we must do despite this painful little heart of mine saying otherwise.
Every time I go to the liturgy God feels close to me and I feel encouraged to just pray for what I mean despite all these nitpickers are telling us.
I pray for the end of the Great Schism and may Christ reveal Himself and help all Jewish people and the Eretz Yisrael. These things I do wish for with all my heart.
These bloggers I am speaking of have kept me in the silent mode, all filled with guilt and all turned inside out.
There is a way out. There is Light and Resurrection not only blind darkness.

 

[fide]

Hello C_C - this second, further description of your witness brought two passages from Scripture to me:

1. Mat 26:75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Maybe this passage, in actual context, and in the spiritual wisdom that it communicates, can speak to you and further deepen the meaning of your own experience.

Secondly, 2) Joh 9:34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.
Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of man?”
Joh 9:36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Joh 9:37 Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you."
Joh 9:38 He said, “Lord, I believe”; and he worshiped him.

This passage, in the context of the whole chapter of Jn 9, also comes to mind. Being “out-synagogued” (they “cast him out”) needed to happen, to draw this man into the full glory with Christ to which he was being called.

This also may be helpful to you. Both passages, and your experience and testimony, have been helpful to me - I thank you for that! Blessings and grace to you.

 

[curious_cath]

These bloggers I am speaking of have kept me in the silent mode, all filled with guilt and all turned inside out.

I guess you may talk about the Educational Opportunities group. I don’t know them. Perhaps many things they say is nice and commendable. But if you feel Jesus is somehow became outsourced from you life, then something must be deeply wrong.

There is a way out. There is Light and Resurrection not only blind darkness.

Go for it, dear Mary888. All I can tell you if the dynamics around you outsource your spiritual life away from the Lord, if you feel Jesus is someplace else, then find that place until you are sure He is close. Go for it, never give it up for anyone or for any group experience!

 

[curious_cath]

This also may be helpful to you. Both passages, and your experience and testimony, have been helpful to me - I thank you for that! Blessings and grace to you.

Thank you, dear Fide! What you say means a lot to me at this moment. I’ll pray, meditate and contemplate over the 2 readings you gave me. I need more strength to go forward out of my current situation. I feel blessed and emboldened by the Gospel message. You have found me the best Scripture to relate the feelings I have right now. Let God’s blessing be in your heart always!

 

[curious_cath]

Two more things that I just found out.

1. When Jesus is outsourced from your life, those people who do this try to take over His place and authority in dominating you. It is a competion for power that is coming from the gift of faith in the Savior that was freely given to you by God. No wonder some group leaders announce that they represent Jesus, kinda replace Him in the position of authority for the group just to claim His power over you.
2. People who talk too much about the devil have nothing to say about Jesus. It reveals their mindset when they elaborate in details on the plan of Satan and describe demonic influence as if they are unquestionable experts of the trans-spiritual. The simple reason they are so much into Satanic speculation is that this is the center of their spiritual life. The center of their life is not Jesus. They become furious if yours is! They want to outsource Jesus from your life by being silent about His true teaching. They have nothing to say about Jesus and the all-encompassing saving grace of Christ, because power for them is not coming from the Lord. Power for them is coming from talking to you incessantly about the devil.

 

[Here-I-am-Lord]

Wow, curious_cath, you have come a long way! If I am correct, your comment is a criticism of your (former?) church group. Although you did not share the details, I have a picture already.

It is somewhat scary that under the guise of New Evangelization, questionable church groups with dubious ideology and practice, like your group, come afore to represent Catholicism for the world. They should be prevented from misusing whatever authority they claim to have.

May our Lord Jesus Christ go before us to guide us;
Stand behind us to give us strength;
And watch over us to protect us as we travel on our journey of life.

 

[Here-I-am-Lord]

1. Mat 26:75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Maybe this passage, in actual context, and in the spiritual wisdom that it communicates, can speak to you and further deepen the meaning of your own experience.

When I am depriving myself from Jesus, either by “outsourcing” Him as curious_cath called it or by simple neglect, then I am up for a bitter weeping one day. When I realize that I am without Him, I have to break out my shackles at once to return. Returning to Jesus in tears… perhaps this is the true Catholic path. Both for individuals and for church groups.

 

[fide]

Yes, it is a great and merciful blessing from the Lord, when He “looks” into the conscience of a soul that has drifted away from Him in sin or in neglect, as He “looked” at Peter:

Luk 22:61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”
Luk 22:62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

Proverbs observes,

Prov 24:16 for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

 

[JoeShlabotnik]

We must all come around to the way of thinking that we MUST do what God wants.
It is not about us, it is about God.
We get caught up in the day to day stuff, and forget that God will show us the way, if we open our head and our heart to Him.

 

[curious_cath]

It is somewhat scary that under the guise of New Evangelization, questionable church groups with dubious ideology and practice, like your group, come afore to represent Catholicism for the world.

I would not say that. New Evangelization is a great thing in the Catholic Church for the 21st century! Pope Francis is supporting New Evangelization and church groups should line up to respond to the challenge. What is important for me is that the true spirituality of Jesus be present all the time. A spiritual quality, like the presence of Jesus in every minutes of our lives, cannot be placed to the back burner.

Catholic faith is an Abrahamic religion, but it is Jesus who shines forward and not an Ancient, mysterious partiarch of a different religion! In New Evangelization one cannot evangelize for Abraham, one should evangelize for Jesus!

When I realize that I am without Him, I have to break out my shackles at once

It is impossible to free yourself. Only Jesus can free you.

Returning to Jesus in tears… perhaps this is the true Catholic path. Both for individuals and for church groups.

What can be done by individual prayer and devotion is much harder to achieve for whole groups. Church groups have their internal dynamics that is resistant to any change. For me praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament helped! I wish I could have taken my whole group with me to the Adoration Chapel, but they did not want to come. Group leaders follow a pre-programmed ‘itinerary’ and reject everything that does not fit.

 

[curious_cath]

Proverbs observes,

Prov 24:16 for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again ; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

On His way on the Golgotha, Jesus also fell. He needed help to stand up again and carry His cross further. Oh, I could not be there for Him to help! I keep meditating on my failure, the cruel abandonment of the most precious being by me who ever walked of earth! Lord, I know you are with me to lift me up by grace when I fall. How can I be there for you, my precious Jesus? How much I wish to ease and soothe your pain by sharing in your suffering! To take at least a tiny little weight of your heavy cross on my shoulder. Lord, you have risen to raise us from mysery! Let me be there for you always.

We get caught up in the day to day stuff, and forget that God will show us the way, if we open our head and our heart to Him.

Yeah, we need to open our heads as well as our hearts to Him! How often we duck our heads in the sand so that we don’t need to think. But Jesus gave light to both our heads and hearts. I have to grasp His teaching with educated intellect, just the same was as I want to love Him with burning emotion! How often we play the dumb and exhibit puppy love for our Lord. But He wants the full package from us, our whole being, not only a dummy smile or clapping hands.