Revealing Himself to the childlike

[ncjohn]

I will be leaving in a couple hours for the weekend, and will get to spend a good part of it by myself as my wife is taking her horse lessons with her trainer.

These beautiful thoughts from you all have helped put me in the perfect state of mind to be able to spend some of that alone time just resting in God. After a lot of recent “head” stuff, that will be more than a welcome change.

Please keep me in your prayers for safe travel, but more that I will be able to keep my focus so that He might be able to get some more of the message through to me. And of course you will all be in my prayers also.

 

[InLight247]

Have a good weekend.
You all are in my prayers!

 

[Joysong]

I always want to reach the state of total surrender and total obedience, that “even if He slaughter me, I will still worship and love Him.” But it is a long way to freedom.

Love will be the wings to carry you there, InLight, and the surrender will give both you and the Lord an impulse of joy that is better left to experience than explain. The prayer of St. Ignatius was a trigger for me to realize how impossible it was for me to pray it and mean the words. But the wonder of it was that it bothered me that I couldn’t enter the prayer. One day, at mass, I did pray it with my entire being, and so far, I don’t ever remember regretting it a bit.

You may remember the difficulty Abraham must have had as he prepared to follow God’s direction to sacrifice Isaac. Yet when God saw how resolute he was in carrying it out, he stopped him, and knew then that Abraham loved Him above everything most dear to him. God may test our love for Him, but as you said, “even though He slaughter me, I will still love and worship Him.” That is a great blessing already approaching the perfection of love. AMEN!

Carole

 

[DBT]

Joysong:

But isn’t that a joy, too, Dave? When God sends light to correct us, I have always noticed He does not condemn us, but with the light comes a peaceful humility and a quiet desire to embrace the teaching. Never does it cause us despair or distress, and if it does, I have discovered those are false lights that are not from Him.

So very true!

It’s so good to see you again too, Carole! I’m glad our “periodic return” to these forums came at the same time and in the same place

Peace to all . . .

Dave

 

[nobody]

Please forgive me - I feel like I am budding into your living room and a private discussion among friends, but I wanted to thank all of you for sharing your wisdom, and to ask for a favor. I am so far from where you are. I feel I am weary and burdened, and can’t get to Jesus for the rest. I am the cripple who can’t walk to Jesus on my own - please pray for me - please be my friends that lower me down on a mat from the hole in the roof to meet Jesus.

God bless you.

 

[InLight247]

Love will be the wings to carry you there

Are you happening to think of the song I was thinking?
There is a song I love so much when I was in college.

It’s a long road to freedom, a winding steep and high,
But when you walk in love with the wind on your wings
And cover the earth with the songs you sing,
the files fly by……

and the surrender will give both you and the Lord an impulse of joy that is better left to experience than explain.

Just came back from exposed Eucharist Adoration tonight for three hours.
At first, there were only two others there. I have been thinking about prostrating in front of the Lord for long time, but never had the courage to do so with people around.
Tonight, thinking about St. Teresa’s emphasis on “loving much”, and her teaching about doing whatever to make you love more, I walked to the side isle and prostrated for long time. That is my surrender in physical form.

About Abraham‘s sacrifice of Isaac, it is good God stopped Abraham at the last moment. But what if God didn’t stop him? That is my obstacle. But you are right, love, an action of will, is the key. I pray everyday asking God to keep me in the center of His will, keep me away from sin, enhance my trust, increase my faith and help me love Him more and more. I am always a work in process. But what a blessing to have spiritual companions on this pilgrimage!

 

[InLight247]

Please forgive me - I feel like I am budding into your living room and a private discussion among friends, but I wanted to thank all of you for sharing your wisdom, and to ask for a favor. I am so far from where you are. I feel I am weary and burdened, and can’t get to Jesus for the rest. I am the cripple who can’t walk to Jesus on my own - please pray for me - please be my friends that lower me down on a mat from the hole in the roof to meet Jesus.

God bless you.

Glad to see you come in. There is no intention of private discussion at all. We are all in this forum, in the thread, and in our Lord together. Don’t we all feel weary sometimes? We all need each other’s support.

In my prayers, God bless!

 

[Joysong]

InLight:

Are you happening to think of the song I was thinking?
There is a song I love so much when I was in college.

Wow! Do you remember in St. Therese’s book that the novices had asked her if she had read their mind? She replied that it was evidence of the Lord working in their behalf, for she had no special idea or inspiration to say what she did. I have goosebumps, for I see how well my few chance words opened up the thought God was sending you. I never heard the song, to be honest. And we think our thoughts are are own, huh?

But what if God didn’t stop him? That is my obstacle.

If I had not made the surrender, InLight, I doubt I could have accepted trials when the test came. But knowing I gave all to God, when the trial was keenest, I still had peace. Otherwise, maybe not, maybe despair or anger towards God? The Lord always prepares the way to help us, going ahead of His sheep, leading into “verdant” pastures. Even though we walk in the dark valley, He is there.

St. Teresa of Avila said she received her greatest mystical blessings when her trials were the most severe, almost as if God was sending these gifts to enable her to persevere. I can say that God enabled me too, for when they subsided, so did the “blessings.” (Please don’t think these were comparable in any way to St. Teresa’s, but I can say I did have graced help.)

It seems unlikely that any christian will walk through life without some suffering, and we are not spared, unfortunately. I think of Christ’s suffering in the garden, and afterwards, scripture tells us angels came and ministered to Him. That special ministration was probably His “enabling” for what followed the next day.

Carole

 

[Joysong]

Hello and welcome, Nobody! Please join us any time and sit at table with us in our CAF living room!

Over these many months, some of us have developed bonds through interacting in certain threads, and for special seasons of refreshment, God seems to bring us together for strengthening and encouragement. These people are “Barnabus” to one another. To quote Moses, “I wish that ALL God’s people had the Lord’s spirit!” (Num. 11:29)

So, the more the merrier, and I pray you will always feel invited to share and be refreshed, not only here, but with all God’s people in this forum.

Prayers going up…

(*) St. Barnabus was well-known as the Son of Consolation to the other apostles.

Carole

 

[Joysong]

Interesting follow-up in today’s meditation from Word Among Us, more or less on the same theme of this thread:

wau.org/meditations/meditations.asp?month=7&day=20&year=2007

 

[DBT]

Please forgive me - I feel like I am budding into your living room and a private discussion among friends, but I wanted to thank all of you for sharing your wisdom, and to ask for a favor. I am so far from where you are. I feel I am weary and burdened, and can’t get to Jesus for the rest. I am the cripple who can’t walk to Jesus on my own - please pray for me - please be my friends that lower me down on a mat from the hole in the roof to meet Jesus.

God bless you.

Hello nobody -

I’m very glad to see you here! Please know you are in my prayers too.

God bless you
Dave

 

[InLight247]

So, the more the merrier…
Carole

Unbelievable!
This morning, I was still thinkig about Nobody’s post last night, and I was saying exact the same words in my heart - the more the merrier, the more the merrier…

Wow!

 

[InLight247]

It seems unlikely that any Christian will walk through life without some suffering, and we are not spared, unfortunately.

Suffering is a reality.
Christian or not, none can walk through life without his own share.
Talking about surrender, actually, surrenders or not, when the trials come, they come. We can face the trial with total trust in the Lord, offering them up, keeping a silence attitude by imitating Christ’s suffering, or we can whining, lamenting, complaining all the way with bitterness. Either way, we have to take the suffering came upon us. Which attitude is more beneficial is evident.

My concern is when one gives his total surrender, he means to accept whatever trials sent to his way. His capacity of receiving suffering is willingly increased. Our Lord won’t give us what we cannot take. But when we profess our willingness of taking whatever, then the trials originally won’t be sent is now more possible to be sent. For example, thinking of the girl got killed in the Columbine massacre, I would pray God never allow me for such a trial - that someone holds the gun at my head and asks me to deny my Lord. I will pray “lead us not into temptation” instead of “give me strength to say NO to such denial”.

There should be no fear in perfect love. Perfect love with perfect trust drives out fear. My concern is due to my imperfect love, my self love that holds a piece of my heart with reservation.

Even though I often express my love to Jesus, even I keep on saying I give my heart and my life to Him, even I am doing my best working on my virtues and following his commands, I know I am not there. That is why I need frequent repentance.

 

[Joysong]

But when we profess our willingness of taking whatever, then the trials originally won’t be sent is now more possible to be sent.

Oh, now I think I see what you were saying about your reservations. Hmm, I wonder. I must pray on this, as to whether my prayer brought about the trial, or whether God prepared me ahead of time, knowing that the trial was right around the corner. I would never ask for suffering like some of the saints did - too chicken for that, I’m afraid.

It was not the physical aspect that disturbed me about St. Ignatius’ prayer, but all the other things … including my memory and my understanding. Scary. What if He takes me at my word???

Just in case our other readers aren’t familiar with it, here is the wording.

Back in the older days, this prayer was on the inside cover of the missalette in the pews for mass, and I never was able to pray it. God uses the oddest means to get our attention!

 

[DBT]

I must pray on this, as to whether my prayer brought about the trial, or whether God prepared me ahead of time, knowing that the trial was right around the corner. I would never ask for suffering like some of the saints did - too chicken for that, I’m afraid.

I’ve been busy at work and haven’t been able to keep on all the posts so this may be way offline, but I seem to recall St. Therese saying in “Story of a Soul” that God places the desire in our heart for either trials or favors prior to their coming our way so we are prepared to accept them. This is one of the ways she used to describe how the union of wills works.

Like you, I’ve never had the guts to wish for something big - like making myself an offering to Merciful Love - but I have noticed that there have be certain times in my life when I’ve been more “open” to accepting the numerous “little” trials and sufferings that come to each of us every day. So in that sense, I see where St. Therese is coming from – “openess” is a reflection of “desire.”

Dave.

 

[Joysong]

Dave, thank you so much.

I found a couple of interesting comments when I researched St. Therese’s “Story.”

(Pg. 218) For a long time I have not belonged to myself since I delivered myself totally to Jesus, and He is therefore free to do with me as He pleases. He has given me the attraction for a complete exile and He has made me understnd all the sufferings I would meet with, asking me if I would want to drink this chalice to the dregs; I wanted to seize this cup immediately when Jesus presented it, but He withdrew His hand and made me understand that my RESIGNATION alone was pleasing to Him.

[Ah, isn’t this the same quality the Lord saw in the heart of Abraham when He withdrew the direction to sacrifice his son?]

(Pg. 250) He has always given me what I desire or rather He has made me desire what He wants to give me.

Gee, I think I saw a little deeper into the idea of surrender today, only because you pointed out a way. Deep food for thought, huh?

Carole

 

[DBT]

Joysong from Story of a Soul by St. Therese:

(Pg. 250) He has always given me what I desire or rather He has made me desire what He wants to give me.

Bingo, that’s the one I was thinking of

It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it, that out of a 300 or so page book you zero’d right in on the one sentence I had in mind

Dave

 

[Joysong]

Dave, there was nothing supernatural about it, or even coincidental. I used the index at the back where it said “Suffering, desires for.” There were only six references to look up, and thankfully they were not too hard to find. I spent a little time in the prayer section first, thinking it might be there, and providentially glanced upon something a lady needed in another thread. The Holy Spirit is a good guide. You were also very helpful in pointing me to the “desire.”

It seems St. Therese has been instrumental in our sharing deeper insights a few times already. Carmel bonds, I’m sure.

Carole

 

[DBT]

Dave, there was nothing supernatural about it, or even coincidental. I used the index at the back where it said “Suffering, desires for.”

Holy Spirit . . . . . . . good index . . . . . . . . . . Regardless how you found it – I’m glad you found it!

Signing off for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend

Dave.

 

[InLight247]

Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will.

This is a prayer of total surrender. The person basically gives himself completely up to God.

Free will is the most precious gift from God to human beings. By praying the above, and mean it, it is like giving the gift of free will back to God.

In other words, one is saying to God, “Whatever you want, I give, whatever you give, I want.”
If this is sincerely prayed without reservation, like Abraham, one has to be prepared giving up his son; like Job, one has to be prepared willingly loose everything, if God so demand.
Such a person is on his way to sainthood.

I wanted to seize this cup immediately when Jesus presented it, but He withdrew His hand and made me understand that my RESIGNATION alone was pleasing to Him.

Our loving God probably will withdraw His hand, and mainly be pleased with our resignation. However, we may also just get what we ask for. That’s what makes it pleasing to God, that’s also what makes it hard to give the pledge.