Saints: How Would They Live In Today's World?

[Jeanette_L]

I thought that some of you would like to hear this. At mass this morning, the Brother who preached the sermon spoke about St. Faustina and how she would live out her ministry today. It was very beautiful. Actually, he even brought humour into it.

He explained that St. Faustina was given a very special mission, to remind the world about God’s infinite mercy. He tied it in with today’s Gospel where Jesus says tells the Apostles to forgive sins, etc.

What really impressed me is that he called St. Faustina the saint of the confessional, because there is not place where God’s mercy is so clearly visible than in absolution.

As he was saying this, one of the Easter plants that was by the podium fell and hit his head. He looked up and said, “Ok Faustina, which part did I get wrong?”

He continued to explain that this is the mission that she left to all Christians, to share with the world that God’s mercy is available and that people should walk around being anxious about their mistakes, but take advantage of the mercy that is available to us. He said that Faustina would probably be the kind of woman who would be there to console troubled souls by pointing them in the direction of God’s mercy. He reminded us that there are many such souls in the world and that we often walk past them, because we believe that we don’t have anything to offer. Faustina had one word to offer, “Mercy”.

I though this was so beautifully put and made so much sense.

JR

St. Faustina was one of the first Saints I was drawn to, she is my patron. I loved her simplicity and her obedience to her Beloved. I hope that someday I can reach such heights!

Mercy is the one thing we all need everyday, for we all have our weaknesses and we all fail. The message she brought to us, this awesome reminder from our Savior, is that his Mercy never fails and we need to always avail ourselves of it. Despair is so easy to fall into, and there is no need, he has provided the remedy.

Thanks for sharing JR.

 

[JReducation]

I thought I would bring St. Faustina and her message to the table today since it’s Mercy Sunday.

As I read some threads on CAF, I am so saddened by the lack of mercy that some people show toward others, especially toward non Catholics.

St. Faustina reminds us that God’s mercy is for everyone. That somehow in his infinite wisdom, God will find a path to show mercy to those who want it, even those who are not fully united to us.

What is remarkable about this woman is that she trusted in this message with simplicity. She didn’t go out and dig up old encyclicals and councils and ask God a bunch of questions about mercy for this one or that one.

She literally saw Christ’s mercy flowing from his sacred heart and that was all the truth that she needed.

I have to ask my own conscience, whether I am capable of seeing Christ’s mercy flowing over the world and whether I believe that Christ’s mercy will find a way to bring back sinners or must it always be my way?

I have to confess, that I have been guilty of this kind of arrogance of thinking that it has to be the way that I believe it, rather than the way that Christ wishes to do it. I have been guilty of making up rules for Christ to follow in dispensing his mercy to those who are not in communion with me, not with Christ and the Holy Spirit, but with me.

This is where Faustina teaches us all such a powerful lesson. Humanity did not have to be in communion with her or her understanding of the faith. Humanity had to be in communion with the Holy Spirit in whatever way the Spirit chooses. With that, Christ’s mercy will flow to the point that not only are our sins forgiven, but we are made capable of forgiving as Christ forgives.

As simple as Faustina may appear on the outside, her understanding of Christ’s mercy is deeper than any of us can imagine.

Maybe that’s why she looked at the painting of Divine Mercy and said “It’s not beautiful enough.” Because words just can’t describe God’s mercy, just like the painter couldn’t capture the image of Mercy.

JR

 

[CentralFLJames]

Thanks JR - very apropos to talk about Saint Faustina today. Not enough Catholics are getting the message still that there are PROFOUND graces available on Divine Mercy Sunday for those who go to confession, receive communion and pray for the Pope’s intentions this day. The theologians are telling us now that Divine Mercy Sunday when celebrated according to the terms of the devotion (confession, Eucharist, act of mercy, trusting in Jesus’ Mercy and praying for the pope’s intentions) gives us TOTAL forgiveness and TOTAL remission of ALL punishment for our forgiven sins. The Divine Mercy grace is equal to that of baptism. This is PROFOUND. With the linkage of Divine Mercy to the Eucharist it is “like” getting a 2nd baptism (NOT creating a new sacrament). See this document for more info: Understanding Divine Mercy Sunday. If anyone missed fully participating in Divine Mercy Sunday don’t ever miss this opportunity again.

I started the Divine Mercy devotion about 5 months ago. It’s one of my very favorites. It is a profoundly powerful and simple devotion but is really best said in a small or larger group if possible. This devotion really emphasises the universal nature of God’s Mercy being for ALL of humanity. It is especially suited for appeasing God’s wrath on a sinful world and to bring ALL of the world closer to Jesus. I think of it as an elite and “special-op” sort of spiritual warfare that gives Catholics amazing spiritual force-multipliers to super-leverage their prayer intentions by drawing directly on Jesus’ divinity and infinite merits won on the cross.

It is also supposed to have a profound evangelizing grace. So, I say it especially for non-Catholics and fallen away Catholics for conversions to/back to the truth faith as well as for when they are on their death beds or gravely ill. So I recommend that Catholics especially say this devotion for their non-Catholic friends.

Jesus warned us through Saint Faustina “If a soul does not in some way practice mercy it will not receive His mercy on the day of Judgement.” God help the person who has to face God’s exacting Justice with out His Mercy is all I can say.

The Church teaching that I received through my diocese bulletin highlights the following key points to the Divine Mercy Devotion:

1. The devotional practises are less important than the constant, daily practise of mercy (through action, words and prayer)
2. Those doing the devotional are expected to actually fulfill at least one act of Mercy daily (prayer can satisfy this but the preference seems to be an active deed when possible).
3. More than an exterior action it calls for spiritual maturity, a trusting abandonment to God rather than a program of good works.
4. A new relationship between Justice and Mercy is manifest on the cross. Mercy prevails over Justice (Jas 2:13) as the greater Divine Nature. People now have the absolute right to ask God’s forgiveness and be confident that God will forgive them. There is only one condition: We must TRUST in God’s mercy and not be ruled by fear of being punished by Him. This is not to say that there is a concept of “universal salvation” though without true commitment to God.
5. The person trusting in God’s mercy and learning mercy changes himself as well as those around him.
6. All the evil we see around us should be not an occasion for despair but an occasion for motivating us to manifest and invoke Divine Mercy. We Catholics in Divine Mercy have access to a greater grace and a greater Good than all the evil on the planet and can utterly put down evil and transform the planet with this devotion.

Peace.

James

 

[JReducation]

Thanks JR - very apropos to talk about Saint Faustina today.

Jesus warned us through Saint Faustina “If a soul does not in some way practice mercy it will not receive His mercy on the day of Judgement.” God help the person who has to face God’s exacting Justice with out His Mercy is all I can say.

The Church teaching that I received through my diocese bulletin highlights the following key points to the Divine Mercy Devotion:

1. The devotional practises are less important than the constant, daily practise of mercy (through action, words and prayer)
2. Those doing the devotional are expected to actually fulfill at least one act of Mercy daily (prayer can satisfy this but the preference seems to be an active deed when possible).
3. More than an exterior action it calls for spiritual maturity, a trusting abandonment to God rather than a program of good works.
4. A new relationship between Justice and Mercy is manifest on the cross. Mercy prevails over Justice (Jas 2:13) as the greater Divine Nature. People now have the absolute right to ask God’s forgiveness and be confident that God will forgive them. There is only one condition: We must TRUST in God’s mercy and not be ruled by fear of being punished by Him. This is not to say that there is a concept of “universal salvation” though without true commitment to God.
5. The person trusting in God’s mercy and learning mercy changes himself as well as those around him.
6. All the evil we see around us should be not an occasion for despair but an occasion for motivating us to manifest and invoke Divine Mercy. We Catholics in Divine Mercy have access to a greater grace and a greater Good than all the evil on the planet and can utterly put down evil and transform the planet with this devotion.

Peace.

James

Thanks Jim

I truncated your message, because these last six points are so important to us today that I wanted to make sure that we all see them.

They are truly another example of Faustina alive and well in today’s world.

JR

 

[CradleCath]

Thanks so much for sharing this. It really moved me, because I run a ministry to adolescents, which involves both education and pastoral care. I would like to borrow those quotes from St. Sophie for our teachers. They often have such a difficult time with some of these points that St. Sophie makes.

You are more than welcome to borrow those quotes. Any time I can pass the beliefs of St. Madeliene Sophie Barat on, I want to.

This is the kind of thing that I was referring to when I started this thread. The saints (the canonized ones and those in the making) can still teach us a great deal. We don’t have to be members of religious order or diocesan priests to be saints or to learn from them.

Great post, keep them coming!

Thank you. What I learned from those who learned from St. Sophie?? Oh my…so much. I was blessed with parents who encouraged me & believed in me. They sent my 4 brothers & sisters & I to Catholic schools…grades 1 through 12. They sacrificed for us & their sacrifices brought me into the world of the Sacred Heart order & their many stories about this great woman.

I tried to raise my children using her as an example. I didn’t always live up to her, but I tried & it works. My children are all grown now & they are good adults & parents…responsible people who give of themselves to their family, to their parishes & to their communities. I’m really not boasting, really I’m not. I just want everyone to know that St. Sophie’s philosophy on raising children works.

One thing I always remembered… was her advice re “try to catch the children doing something RIGHT”. Often times the people who become part of our lives, whether they are our children, our spouses or someone at work just need someone to believe in them.

PS. Because of my parents & my teachers, I’d pretty much absorbed the philosophy of St. Sophie by the time I met my husband. He says that it was my enthusiasm (God within) & my encouraging ways that made him pick me “out of ALL those other girls”!!

 

[catharina]

This year because of the timing of Easter, the Feast of the Annuciation was moved to today. This is the feast when Daughters of Charity all over the world renew their vows. Their motherhouse is in Paris, France. If you ever get to Paris, drop in to 140 Rue du Bac. You’ll find the chapel where St. Catherine Laboure (a Daughter of Charity) had the visions of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. The Daughters in Israel, in Paris, in Emmitsburg MD, in Haiti, all over the world, (even in China and Vietnam), are renewing their yearly vows.

To you: Happy Feast!

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

 

[Jeanette_L]

This year because of the timing of Easter, the Feast of the Annuciation was moved to today. This is the feast when Daughters of Charity all over the world renew their vows. Their motherhouse is in Paris, France. If you ever get to Paris, drop in to 140 Rue du Bac. You’ll find the chapel where St. Catherine Laboure (a Daughter of Charity) had the visions of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. The Daughters in Israel, in Paris, in Emmitsburg MD, in Haiti, all over the world, (even in China and Vietnam), are renewing their yearly vows.

To you: Happy Feast!

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Thanks for that tidbit Catharina. I learn something new everyday, especially if I hang with you guys.

 

[Jeanette_L]

I was just reading a bit more today on St. Elizabeth Ann, and something that surprised me was that she remained very attached to her son, William, all the way up until her death.

Now, for myself, I wouldn’t be surprised, but I had the notion that the Saints usually came to a place where they were able to achieve a great level of detachment here. I actually found it comforting to see that she was able to attain great holiness and still have a profound attachment to her son. It only seems natural to me for it to be that way, but what’s natural isn’t always what’s taking us into union with God.

Now, I haven’t made it through the whole biography, but this was a point that was made early on.

Any thoughts anyone?

 

[JReducation]

You are more than welcome to borrow those quotes. Any time I can pass the beliefs of St. Madeliene Sophie Barat on, I want to.

Thank you. What I learned from those who learned from St. Sophie?? Oh my…so much. I was blessed with parents who encouraged me & believed in me. They sent my 4 brothers & sisters & I to Catholic schools…grades 1 through 12. They sacrificed for us & their sacrifices brought me into the world of the Sacred Heart order & their many stories about this great woman.

I tried to raise my children using her as an example. I didn’t always live up to her, but I tried & it works. My children are all grown now & they are good adults & parents…responsible people who give of themselves to their family, to their parishes & to their communities. I’m really not boasting, really I’m not. I just want everyone to know that St. Sophie’s philosophy on raising children works.

One thing I always remembered… was her advice re “try to catch the children doing something RIGHT”. Often times the people who become part of our lives, whether they are our children, our spouses or someone at work just need someone to believe in them.

PS. Because of my parents & my teachers, I’d pretty much absorbed the philosophy of St. Sophie by the time I met my husband. He says that it was my enthusiasm (God within) & my encouraging ways that made him pick me “out of ALL those other girls”!!

Hubby forgot to mention your good looks too.

JR

 

[JReducation]

I was just reading a bit more today on St. Elizabeth Ann, and something that surprised me was that she remained very attached to her son, William, all the way up until her death.

Now, for myself, I wouldn’t be surprised, but I had the notion that the Saints usually came to a place where they were able to achieve a great level of detachment here. I actually found it comforting to see that she was able to attain great holiness and still have a profound attachment to her son. It only seems natural to me for it to be that way, but what’s natural isn’t always what’s taking us into union with God.

Now, I haven’t made it through the whole biography, but this was a point that was made early on.

Any thoughts anyone?

The theological understanding of detachment is to disconnect from anything that is unnecessary for salvation, even if it is good and from those things that are a danger to salvation.

Being a mother Elizabeth’s attachment to her children was very necessary to her salvation. This is the primary moral obligation of anyone who brings a child into the world, to protect and to provide for that child. If one cannot protect or provide for that child, one has the moral obligation to find other parents who can (i.e. adoption).

Elizabeth is fulfilling her first vocation, to be a mother. In many respects, she is very much like Mary. She dedicated her life to her children and to the mystery of the Church and God’s people. Like Mary, she saw her children suffer and had to helplessly watch and accept the will of God.

In keeping with this thread. this is a woman for all women today. We have too many children with parents, but without real mommies and daddies. There is a difference. Anyone man and woman can make a baby, but to be a mommy and a daddy is something else. Too often our children are raised by technology and by their teaches in school. They get more attention from a teacher, than they do at home. When they’re at home, they are more attached to the computer, video game, and cell phone, than to their parent, even from an early age.

Often you hear women say that they cannot hold a job, do ministry and raise a family, but this is what Elizabeth Ann did and would do in today’s world. She was a single mother. Her job was to lead the Sisters of Charity. Her ministry was to teach, love, pray and guide others. How she juggled so many balls at once is what made her a saint. She trusted Christ, the Blessed Mother and the Church. She even sent her boys to boarding school to make sure that they had a good education, but one night a week they came do the Sisters’ house to spend the evening with their mother. That night she took a breat from being a Sister and was just good old Mom.

Elizabeth Ann is a symbol of Catholic parenting for all of us. I know that I feel ashamed when I look at her courage and how she distributed her time and energy between all of the duties that God gave her. She had less resources than we have today.

People often feel that life today is more complicated. Tell that to a widowed mother of 5 kids, who is bankrupt and can’t even move from one town to the next without wagons and boats and mules, etc. No telephones, no cars, no TV to entertain the kids, no school bus, no electric appliances, no hot and cold running water. What are we complaining about, the inconveniences that we create for ourselves? These are the things from which the saints detach, the inconveniences that society creates.

Does this make more sense now?

JR

 

[Jeanette_L]

Well, I knew you’d have a good answer.

I knew it didn’t seem right to me, the way I was interpreting this. I guess I haven’t quite gotten the concept of detachment down yet. It seems a bit tricky, like you could get out of balance very easily if you didn’t have very good spiritual guidance.

 

[JReducation]

Well, I knew you’d have a good answer.

I knew it didn’t seem right to me, the way I was interpreting this. I guess I haven’t quite gotten the concept of detachment down yet. It seems a bit tricky, like you could get out of balance very easily if you didn’t have very good spiritual guidance.

Detachment is a very dangerous road to travel alone. This is what go the Catholics of the 16th century into trouble. They wanted to detach in order to simplify and get away from the corruption around them. They detached from the wrong things and instead of becoming mystics they became Protestants.

JR

 

[Jeanette_L]

Detachment is a very dangerous road to travel alone. This is what go the Catholics of the 16th century into trouble. They wanted to detach in order to simplify and get away from the corruption around them. They detached from the wrong things and instead of becoming mystics they became Protestants.

JR

Exactly! I was thinking about that today. I have been thinking a lot about the patterns of the Saints, and some of what we see, the detachments, the mortifications…sounded so Puritanical to me, and I wasn’t able to figure out the difference; but then I noticed it was in spirit that there was a difference. The Puritan tried to force these things starting from the outside moving inward, if it ever made it that far, the Saint grew into these things starting from the inside moving outward.

 

[JReducation]

Our Holy Father St. Francis taught us a very valuable lesson in this area. As he was dying he confessed to the Brothers that there was one more act of contrition that he had to make. He asked forgiveness of his body for having been so cruel to it.

The deeper he went into prayer, solitude, charity and community living, the more he realized that trying to keep faithful to these practices was a penance. There was no need to punish the body.

For this reason, the only penance that he prescribed were fasting, abstinence and the culpa.

One note on the culpa, even though it involved self-flagelation, it was to be only a symbol. Too much was just as bad as too gentle. He gave his successors permission to eliminate any of these penances if they became an obstable to true prayer and charity.

Today, the Franciscans do not practice the culpa. It eventually became a form of self-abuse and pride for some. They felt that the more they mortified their body the holier they became, but then they became proud of their achievement. This took them back to square one.

The fasting and abstinence are still in the rule. Those have not been taken away, but have taken on a different form. The friars donate the money they save on food to soup kitchens and other charities. Fasting and abstinence are not ends in themselves, the perfection of charity is the goal.

This is how Franics continues to live in this century and this Church, by finding new ways to live what he was called to live in 1221, the perfection of charity as practiced by Christ on the cross.

To embrace the cross is to embrace charity. It is not just a matter of dying, but a way of giving out love until it hurts. Love is not the same as as weakness or idiocy. Love is powerful. It is willing to suffer for the benefit of those who are in need.

We who want to be saints have to restore this tradition to the world today. Our other Holy Fahter John Paul II taught us this at the end of his life. While many were suggesting that he resign because of the toll that the papacy was taking on his health, he insisted that suffering for the sake of the Church and service to others was also a vocation. Therefore, he was willing to respond to the call.

JR

 

[Jeanette_L]

The extreme mortifications always puzzled me, I didn’t get how that could help you spiritually. I would think it would lead to spiritual pride very easily. So many things do, it’s something we have to constantly be looking out for.

 

[JReducation]

The extreme mortifications always puzzled me, I didn’t get how that could help you spiritually. I would think it would lead to spiritual pride very easily. So many things do, it’s something we have to constantly be looking out for.

With all due respect to those who espouse traditionalism, we have to be careful that we do not embrace pride at the same time. The saints teach us to be faithful to God and to the Church, but to be careful that our fidelity doesn’t become a source of pride. We should view our fidelity as a response to a call from a loving God, not as another gem in our crown.

St. Teresa of Avila warned against this. She always taught to be faithful in all things, large and small. She taught to be disciplined too. One of her most interesting quirks if one may say so, was her dislike for women.

She always said that women had a tendency to be viscious when they believed they were right. When this happened, whatever it is you were right about, went right out the window too, because you had lost your inner discipline.

Her idea was that the virtue ought to be discipline, not self-abuse or abuse of others. Virtue was not about being right, but about being humble. True discipline as Christ practiced it was selfless. It was for the common good. In her monasteries she insisted that her nuns practice and teach discipline in all things, including the practice of virtue. She felt that when one had too much of a desire to practice virtue, there was something wrong somewhere and THAT something was usually pride and too much confidence on oneself instead of God.

We need to learn some of that self-control and place more confidence in God and less in us. This does not mean that we go around second-guessing ourselves. Teresa never did that. What she did do was to get feedback on her ideas from others who knew more than she did (or so she tought they did, I’m not so sure). Once she got the feedback, she went with it. She figured that if she went in the wrong direction, it was not her fault. She tried. She had gotten feedback from the best person around at the time. It was God’s job to make sure that person gave her good advice.

She was very practical. She often said to God, “I want to do such and such.” God would say to her “Go speak to such and such.” She would respond, “If he sends me in the wrong direction, it’s your fault, because you chose him for me.” Then she went. There was a complete surrender of confidence over to God’s good judgement. I love that concept, God’s good judgment.

JR

 

[Mickey_Jackson]

Hello to all of you:

First of all, thank you to JR and Caterina (sp? sorry!) for inviting me to this thread. I suppose I’ll start by listing some of my favorite saints and describing how I think they are relevant in today’s world:

1. Saint Faustina: I really can’t add to what has already been said so eloquently by others on this thread. Many times, I fall into the trap of excessively criticizing others, and even questioning their faith and good intentions; it is crucial that we all continue to remind ourselves that those whom we have called heretics and sinners have souls that are so precious to Christ that He offered His life, His dignity, and everything that He had for them. Remembering this fact is the first step towards reconciliation with our neighbors, particularly our brothers and sisters in the Faith.

I have also found the message of this Apostle of Mercy relevant in the way that I treat myself. Being a teenage boy, I face many temptations, and often (too often) I give into these temptations. But one thing I have noticed is that when I meditate upon Divine Mercy, as opposed to wallowing in self-hatred and guilt, the temptations become less powerful, and I find myself strengthened in my resistence to them. Truly our late, great Pope John Paul II spoke the truth when he said that the primary weapon that Christ gives us in our fight against evil is our knowledge of His Mercy and Love.

1. Saint Francis of Assisi: What more can be said about him? If every Catholic prayed and lived by his humble supplication to his Divine Master - Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace - our world would change remarkably for the better, and the Church would be held in much higher esteem by those separated from her. There is enough hatred in our world; we don’t need to add to it with our name-calling, our condescending attitudes towards those who have not yet found the true Faith. It is enough to bring hope where there is despair, faith where there is doubt, pardon where there is injury, and joy where there is sadness, and trust in the Good Lord to do the rest.
2. St. Philip Neri: He understood the value of humor in the virtuous life. He used to read joke books before saying Mass, to avoid going into ecstasies (of which he, in his humility, considered himself unworthy). At solemn Papal ceremonies, he would often go up to the Swiss Guards and pull on their beards to try to make them crack smiles. He truly believed that to be holy is to be happy, and he lived this maxim every day. We are sinners, but we have been redeemed, and our joy from this knowledge should overpower every other emotion, every worry, every fear, every feeling of guilt.

Finally, though he is not a saint (yet!), I think it is necessary to say a word about Pope John Paul II. I have my doubts about some of the things that he did, particularly in the practice of ecumenism (although, with the help of an extremely wise and generous member of this forum, I am beginning to overcome these doubts), but no one can deny that he was fearless in proclaiming the name of Christ to every man, woman, and child upon this Earth. Until the very hour of his death, he remained firm in his belief in the immortal words of the Gospel and the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church lies the only road to true peace and brotherhood among men. He was a giant, and I think the true measure of his impact is contained in this story: one hundred years ago, most Protestants were convinced that the Pope was the Antichrist himself, and the Church the Whore of Babylon. But John Paul II was so obviously holy, so devoted to the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, that even the Protestant evangelist Billy Graham could say, “I firmly believe that Pope John Paul II was the greatest man of the 20th century.” He did more than anyone else in recent memory to bring our separated brethren closer than ever to the Church. Intercede for us, Holy Father, at the throne of Heaven, as we pray for the day when you are raised to the glory of the altars!

 

[catharina]

Mickey - that was a beautiful post.
My favorite lines:

“But one thing I have noticed is that when I meditate upon Divine Mercy, as opposed to wallowing in self-hatred and guilt, the temptations become less powerful, and I find myself strengthened in my resistence to them. Truly our late, great Pope John Paul II spoke the truth when he said that the primary weapon that Christ gives us in our fight against evil is our knowledge of His Mercy and Love.”

Thank you. Glad you’re here.

 

[Mickey_Jackson]

Mickey - that was a beautiful post.
My favorite lines:

“But one thing I have noticed is that when I meditate upon Divine Mercy, as opposed to wallowing in self-hatred and guilt, the temptations become less powerful, and I find myself strengthened in my resistence to them. Truly our late, great Pope John Paul II spoke the truth when he said that the primary weapon that Christ gives us in our fight against evil is our knowledge of His Mercy and Love.”

Thank you. Glad you’re here.

Glad to be here! Thanks for inviting me. With so many negative threads on these forums, it’s nice to see one with such an uplifting tone. My only concern is that I won’t be able to add anything of interest to it, since so much has already been written! At the very least, I promise that, henceforth, I will spell your name right!

 

[CradleCath]

Hubby forgot to mention your good looks too.

JR

I’ve told him that more than a time or two!!