Sanctity: Giving God His Job Back

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Listen to this astounding quote on the definition of a saint:
“In fact, a saint is not one who carries out great feats based on the excellence of his human qualities, but one who allows Christ to penetrate their soul, to act through their person, He being the real protagonistof all their actions and desires, who inspires every initiative and sustains every silence. To let oneself be led by Christ in this way is possible only for one who has an intense life of prayer.“ Pope Benedict XV . St. Thérèse’s thoughts on prayer help clarify; intense prayer does not mean OUR efforts are intense. No, it is God’s efforts in us that are intense. In fact, sometimes the most intense prayer times are when we are SLEEPING because then we do not get in the way while God works in us.
. “I should be distressed that I drop off to sleep during my prayers and during my thanksgiving after Holy Communion. But I don’t feel at all distressed. I know that children are just as dear to their parents whether they are asleep or awake and I know that doctors put their patients to sleep before they operate. So I just think that God ‘knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.’”

St. Thérèse understood and embraced a spirituality that is similar to mine. Life in Christ is all about surrender, letting go of control, giving God permission to act through us. We are simply the aqueduct or pipe which the Spirit flows through. It is child’s play.

Matthew 18:3: and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

I pray now by simply resting in Him, looking into the light and His eyes and He looks at me. l simply bask in the light and heat of His presence. As St. Thérèse said,“I say nothing to him; I love him”

He looks at me. He smiles and immediately fills me with a surge of joy. When I can simply be still and know that He is God; He will do the rest of the work in me.

melaniejeanjuneau.wordpress.com/2014/06/18/sanctity-giving-god-his-job-back/
 
Hi Motherofnine,
I enjoyed your post, and I think I know what you were driving at. But if I may, I have another side of the story too that adds another idea to compliment yours.

Suppose a father, before going to work, asked his son to mow the lawn that day. And the son says “ok dad”. And the father comes home that evening and sees that the lawn has not been mowed. Then he asks his son, “why isn’t the lawn mowed son?”. To which the son replies, “I’m sorry dad, but I was so tired when I came home I fell asleep.” And this happens in a similar way that month several times. What will his father think? If the son made this excuse infrequently, the father may be more understanding. But when the son keeps coming up short? And should the son receive the same allowance that week?

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.
 
good point… my first reaction is to say that once we are standing on the foundsation of humility, realizig that our actions do not save us but Jesus does, then, in the position of a son, we are expected to do what he tells us . God is still the one who takes the initiative we simply respond.
 
Isn’t this the paradox? Its all grace. But we must accept and cooperate with grace. But we cannot do this without grace…
 
exactly…well said. Our plight as egotistical humans is really hilarious. Thank God for confession and His mercy.
 
exactly…well said. Our plight as egotistical humans is really hilarious. Thank God for confession and His mercy.
Amen! But there is much truth in your initial post. We too often try to take the lead in this dance of life and grace!
 
christofirst Pope Francis just discussed that exact point in his Wed, audience…I would love to use your words and make a Catholic sort of meme with them, digging up an image…may I?
 
christofirst Pope Francis just discussed that exact point in his Wed, audience…I would love to use your words and make a Catholic sort of meme with them, digging up an image…may I?
With my blessing! It certainly cannot be my own original thought. I no doubt heard or read it somewhere, but happy to pass it along.
 
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