T
Trucker
Guest
Dose your spirituality seen a little dry sometimes? Sometimes I feel like I’m riding on air and sometimes I’m berley hanging on.
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funkyhorn
Guest
Yes, definately. But this is the way its supposed to be. How hard would it be to have faith if you were always on a spiritual high? Real faith perseveres through these tough times. It doesn’t come and go with them.
S
srkbdk
Guest
Trucker:
I hope that you know that it is never God that moves away from us just us away from him, and I found that many times when I did move away from him I did not have good people around me. I can not stress enough how hard it is to do things with out the help of other good people. I have done a lot of work related travel and it seems with you being a truck driver you do too. That makes it so hard, because it is hard to get a schedule toghter for regular prayer, but I do have a few ideas:
- Catholic Radio It is a great resource and now I believe avalible via satlitte, which would make it nice for you if you haul long distance.
- A support group the Knights work great for this.
- Tithe and not just money find a way to give a few hours a week to people who need it, you will find this will help with peaks and valleys of your faith life.
M
Monicathree
Guest
Yes …you are not alone…recitation of the Rosary helps me…as a matter of fact off I go, actually I will offer it up for you 
M
Michelina
Guest
Rosary has always worked for me too, Monica.Yes …you are not alone…recitation of the Rosary helps me…as a matter of fact off I go, actually I will offer it up for you
H
hk102003
Guest
I’ve gone through large dry spots in my faith. I’ve learned, though, that God is always calling me back to Him, I just have to listen and trust that He’s there even when I don’t feel it.
P
Pax
Guest
All of this sounds reminiscent of St John of Cross and The Dark Night of the Soul. The dry periods are there as a way of making us grow. They make us hungry for more and more of the Lord’s love and mercy. We’ve all been in dry periods spiritually, and we will probably continue to experience them.
D
Dr_Paul
Guest
Sounds to me like you are making real progress in your spiritual journey. Many of the greatest saints describe exactly what you are talking about. Some to the point that they questioned whether they were ever going to make it to heaven. I have heard this dryness explained as a gift from God. God wants us to love Him for who He is, not for the feelings this relationship brings. I have not had many periods of dryness, and certainly not to the degree that others have described. Perhaps this is a reminder to me that I have a long way to go. Continue to pray and persevere.
God Bless!
M
MParedon
Guest
You know I’ve thought about this sort of thing especially at the beginning of my CE (conversion experiance). I had this great experiance learning about the Church and I was so excited and eager and then I went to Mass…I was so confused. The reason being was that while I was young, (and was ignorant of sooo many of Catholic teachings) the Mass was great for me. I always left feeling absolutely awesome; I felt like I could take on the world, feed all the hungry children, love everybody, accept love from everybody. That excited, warm child-feeling.
Now that I’m older that feeling just didn’t come with Mass, I had a nagging suspicion that I needed to go to a cathedral-like Church like my old parish but I thought about it more. I realized the graces given to me in Baptism and 1st Communion protected me in my childhood ignorance and gifted me with those feelings.
Then the graces given to me in Confirmation protected (by helping me not be swayed into another faith) and led me to my CE. Now the bar is raised higher for me. I’m no longer in the same amount of ignorance. But I have something infinitely more precious, it’s the Full Truth of Our Lord. I can look at the cross and know what it means, I know what the Eucharist is about. Now all I have to do is to internalize that Truth, become devoted, prayerful, faithful. I have full hope that I’ll get those same great feelings that I used to, in the meantime I’ll soak up as much exciting information as I can and pray.
Oh, wow…I tend to ramble sometimes. I basically wanted to say, that I feel I know what you are going through. I really miss the way I used to feel when I went to Mass, sometimes I try to avoid it b/c it can be really disappointing. But now I know the great joys of Confession and what ‘Offering it Up’ means, so I rely on my backups
Now that I’m older that feeling just didn’t come with Mass, I had a nagging suspicion that I needed to go to a cathedral-like Church like my old parish but I thought about it more. I realized the graces given to me in Baptism and 1st Communion protected me in my childhood ignorance and gifted me with those feelings.
Then the graces given to me in Confirmation protected (by helping me not be swayed into another faith) and led me to my CE. Now the bar is raised higher for me. I’m no longer in the same amount of ignorance. But I have something infinitely more precious, it’s the Full Truth of Our Lord. I can look at the cross and know what it means, I know what the Eucharist is about. Now all I have to do is to internalize that Truth, become devoted, prayerful, faithful. I have full hope that I’ll get those same great feelings that I used to, in the meantime I’ll soak up as much exciting information as I can and pray.
Oh, wow…I tend to ramble sometimes. I basically wanted to say, that I feel I know what you are going through. I really miss the way I used to feel when I went to Mass, sometimes I try to avoid it b/c it can be really disappointing. But now I know the great joys of Confession and what ‘Offering it Up’ means, so I rely on my backups
D
DVIN_CKS
Guest
“Nobody ever had a rainbow until he had the rain”. -Jim Croce
I find listening to inspirational music helps get me grounded again. That and a nice long walk by myself.
You are not alone.
I find listening to inspirational music helps get me grounded again. That and a nice long walk by myself.
You are not alone.
M
MParedon
Guest
You know I’ve thought about this sort of thing especially at the beginning of my CE (conversion experiance). I had this great experiance learning about the Church and I was so excited and eager and then I went to Mass…I was so confused. The reason being was that while I was young, (and was ignorant of sooo many of Catholic teachings) the Mass was great for me. I always left feeling absolutely awesome; I felt like I could take on the world, feed all the hungry children, love everybody, accept love from everybody. That excited, warm child-feeling.
Now that I’m older that feeling just didn’t come with Mass, I had a nagging suspicion that I needed to go to a cathedral-like Church like my old parish but I thought about it more. I realized the graces given to me in Baptism and 1st Communion protected me in my childhood ignorance and gifted me with those feelings.
Then the graces given to me in Confirmation protected (by helping me not be swayed into another faith) and led me to my CE. Now the bar is raised higher for me. I’m no longer in the same amount of ignorance. But I have something infinitely more precious, it’s the Full Truth of Our Lord. I can look at the cross and know what it means, I know what the Eucharist is about. Now all I have to do is to internalize that Truth, become devoted, prayerful, faithful. I have full hope that I’ll get those same great feelings that I used to, in the meantime I’ll soak up as much exciting information as I can and pray.
Oh, wow…I tend to ramble sometimes. I basically wanted to say, that I feel I know what you are going through. I really miss the way I used to feel when I went to Mass, sometimes I try to avoid it b/c it can be really disappointing. But now I know the great joys of Confession and what ‘Offering it Up’ means, so I rely on my backups
Now that I’m older that feeling just didn’t come with Mass, I had a nagging suspicion that I needed to go to a cathedral-like Church like my old parish but I thought about it more. I realized the graces given to me in Baptism and 1st Communion protected me in my childhood ignorance and gifted me with those feelings.
Then the graces given to me in Confirmation protected (by helping me not be swayed into another faith) and led me to my CE. Now the bar is raised higher for me. I’m no longer in the same amount of ignorance. But I have something infinitely more precious, it’s the Full Truth of Our Lord. I can look at the cross and know what it means, I know what the Eucharist is about. Now all I have to do is to internalize that Truth, become devoted, prayerful, faithful. I have full hope that I’ll get those same great feelings that I used to, in the meantime I’ll soak up as much exciting information as I can and pray.
Oh, wow…I tend to ramble sometimes. I basically wanted to say, that I feel I know what you are going through. I really miss the way I used to feel when I went to Mass, sometimes I try to avoid it b/c it can be really disappointing. But now I know the great joys of Confession and what ‘Offering it Up’ means, so I rely on my backups
T
Trucker
Guest
WOW! I’m overwhelmed thank you all. It seems the more I learn about our faith and what our Lord expects from me the harder it is to be a good Catholic and the more distractions are thrown at me, and yes I sometimes wonder if I’ll make it to Heaven.
J
JackPaul
Guest
Like someone else said, you are in good company. Some of the best known Saints went through the same “Dark Night of the Soul”. If you are feeling pulled away, you need to spend more time with God. Get some new music, Get that satelite radio, get to Mass, get involved and go spend an hour or two in front of the Blessed Sacrement. Try living your faith through your actions in the most meaninful way that you can. Spend the afternoon serving in the local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. This kind of thing is a double edged sword for me, but if I do it, it seems to make me stronger in my faith.
E
Edwin1961
Guest
Trucker,
Spirituality is what the Byzantine (Eastern) Catholic Church is all about. We get our spirituality mostly from the monanstic desert fathers for the second-sixth centuries of Alexandria and the MIddle East.
The Eastern Catholic perspective suggests the EVERYONE should live some form of monastic life: whether that is being deeply rooted in a prayer life to extreme callings of giving aid to those who need it.
The dryness which you experience, like ALL of us do, is another sign of having FAITH in God and his love for us. Remember St. Paul said: “I have fought the good fight, I have run the race. I have percieved till the end.” (Parphrasing here). But the race is LIFE and FAITH, that is what I get out of this.
The book ‘Imitation Of Christ’ I would suggest, and read more about the Desert Fathers. My pastor here has a radio program on Sundays and he talks about the life in the Byzantine Catholic Church and the Saints. The program is on Sundays at 6:30 AM and repeated 11:00PM EST. You can streamlink and listen to it at: www.welw.com. I have learned a lot from my pastor and hope you can listen to the program and learn as well.
Go with God!
Edwin
Spirituality is what the Byzantine (Eastern) Catholic Church is all about. We get our spirituality mostly from the monanstic desert fathers for the second-sixth centuries of Alexandria and the MIddle East.
The Eastern Catholic perspective suggests the EVERYONE should live some form of monastic life: whether that is being deeply rooted in a prayer life to extreme callings of giving aid to those who need it.
The dryness which you experience, like ALL of us do, is another sign of having FAITH in God and his love for us. Remember St. Paul said: “I have fought the good fight, I have run the race. I have percieved till the end.” (Parphrasing here). But the race is LIFE and FAITH, that is what I get out of this.
The book ‘Imitation Of Christ’ I would suggest, and read more about the Desert Fathers. My pastor here has a radio program on Sundays and he talks about the life in the Byzantine Catholic Church and the Saints. The program is on Sundays at 6:30 AM and repeated 11:00PM EST. You can streamlink and listen to it at: www.welw.com. I have learned a lot from my pastor and hope you can listen to the program and learn as well.
Go with God!
Edwin
R
ralphinal
Guest
Praying is a part of our spiritual journey. Have you ever been on a trip or a hike, and it seemed that you are no closer than you were one hour ago? What do you do? You keep on going. Spiritual dryness is normal. You must keep on going, and it will pass. Never forget the goal or the others on the journey with you. Besides the fact that you have dryness says to me that you are at a point where you can have dryness. Just keep on!
E
Edwin1961
Guest
Dryness=faith
Dryness=hope
Dryness=closer walk with our Lord
Dryness=love
Keep going!
Edwin
T
Trucker
Guest
Thank you all you all helped a lot.
T
Trucker
Guest
A
Agnes
Guest
I just recently discovered St. Faustina’s “Divine Mercy Chaplet” which is said with a regular Rosary. It takes about 5 minutes, very short. Something about it is uplifting to me, especially if I include the prayers taken from her diary. Let me see if I can go find a brochure and post some info here:
OK, just found it. Put out by Marians of the Immaculate Conceptioin, Association of Marian Helpers. Website: www.marian.org. Phone 800-804-3823. Maybe there is other info online too if you look under Divine Mercy Chaplet.
If you want to get more in depth, read, “The Long Dark Night of the Soul”…whew!
OK, just found it. Put out by Marians of the Immaculate Conceptioin, Association of Marian Helpers. Website: www.marian.org. Phone 800-804-3823. Maybe there is other info online too if you look under Divine Mercy Chaplet.
If you want to get more in depth, read, “The Long Dark Night of the Soul”…whew!
M
mommyof4
Guest
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