To live by faith

[Snowy]

Thank you for your lyricism and support, friends. I’m not going to complain about not having found God earlier, I’m too grateful for what I have now. This morning, right out of bed and on my way to the bathroom, I just had to drop on my knees in the hallway and thank the Lord. I must be the prodigal son, because I’m just a regular guy who hasn’t done much to deserve God’s blessings and who doesn’t even pray that much, and yet God keeps blessing me so much, I cannot help but wonder if the faithful who struggle for years with their sinning natures have really found the true God. I’m on my fifth day as a non-smoker, and it is ridiculous how easy my Lord Jesus is making it for me. (I’m not pressing my luck, Lord, just evangelizing.) In these days I have been tempted to get a cigarette not even once. I have never felt like smoking again. Today I got a bit irritable for the first time since I quit, and a fresh Eucharist took care of that. I hope I don’t sound like I’m bragging; I’m just your regular sinner paying homage to his Lord.

This is what I can say about the forgiving of sins: Five weeks ago, having just become a wilful Christian, I was working on my first true confession and went to bed with the intention of remembering all my sins and doing an act of contrition. I remembered as best as I could, repented (“Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”), and dozed off into sleep. Then I started dreaming a “slide show” of sins I had failed to remember before because they have been erased from my memory; I was awake enough to remember having commited those sins, but now they are again forgotten and couldn’t tell you what they are. As the “slides” moved from one sin to the next, the voice I recognize as the Holy Spirit’s told me: “You are forgiven, my son.”

If I hadn’t been a de facto atheist for most of my life, I would not understand how most people can live without God’s communion (no one can live without God, whether they acknowledge it or not). I feel like hitting people upside the head with my Bible until they come to their senses! Nothing they obtain from their misplaced pride compares with what they would obtain by rightfully disowning themselves to their Father! It only takes 3 seconds to do that, and God takes care of the rest.

 

[Cinette]

SNOWY!

Your grateful heart is a wonderful thing and you must continue to thank God every day for that. This is something which we have experienced, my husband and I, and it gives us immense joy.

One of the most fundamental things to realise about God is his love for us. That is something I learned late. It is crucial that we understand that. See John 3:16-17:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Gor God sent the Son into the World, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

This sends such a strong message. That God should go to such lengths for US?

I gave up smoking just like that! No problem at all. Yet it is said that giving up smoking is more difficult than giving up drugs and drink!!!

 

[twb1621]

To the OP,
In the past, after my very early years of financial struggle beginning as a father at age 18, I established over time a comfortable life for myself. I got “cocky” with my status and fed an ego based on authority, control and so on, working in many aspects and levels of law enforcement, and as a business owner, professional investigator and a trainer of investigators and of protection personnel (Body guards). In fact I had a team of bodyguards, fugitive recovery personnel and many investigators employed on my payroll in my agency at that time. Went on cruises whenever I wanted and bought new cars about every 12 to 18 months, all the good stuff money gets you. I lived several hours away from my now grown daughters and had been separated from my faith for a long time. One morning In March 2001 (march 19th, 2001 to be exact, my daughter Meghan’s birthday) I received a call from a police officer I trained as a rookie many years earlier who became familiar with all my family. Too make a long story short, he told me on the phone how my Daughter Meg had been fatally shot, shot three times in the back trying to run from her ex-husband of two years. How he laid hiding in wait for her to return to her apartment on her birthday and took her life the same date of her birth.

After time had passed and I had pulled myself back together and learned to live with the lose of my daughter, I left my profession and began questioning seriously what if anything life was about. I realized it had nothing to do with worldly success or materialism because it truly meant nothing at all. I began a professional investigation into the history of Christianity and the many “Christian churches” to see if it all really was about God and if so which Christian Faith was in fact the true Church of Christ. Here I am today trying to provide direction for those seeking the Truth. Through all this I was amazed at what I learned and continue to learn and ashamed of myself for not seeking sooner. We control nothing but the choices we make and the direction we choose. Nothing should ever be more important or a higher priority than a relationship with God and at times things happen good and bad because we live in a world that is dictated by the choices of all man good and bad alike. If we do not hold God dear in our lives, we live at the discretions of man alone.
Different life, another son returned…

 

[Cinette]

To the OP,
In the past, after my very early years of financial struggle beginning as a father at age 18, I established over time a comfortable life for myself. I got “cocky” with my status and fed an ego based on authority, control and so on, working in many aspects and levels of law enforcement, and as a business owner, professional investigator and a trainer of investigators and of protection personnel (Body guards). In fact I had a team of bodyguards, fugitive recovery personnel and many investigators employed on my payroll in my agency at that time. Went on cruises whenever I wanted and bought new cars about every 12 to 18 months, all the good stuff money gets you. I lived several hours away from my now grown daughters and had been separated from my faith for a long time. One morning In March 2001 (march 19th, 2001 to be exact, my daughter Meghan’s birthday) I received a call from a police officer I trained as a rookie many years earlier who became familiar with all my family. Too make a long story short, he told me on the phone how my Daughter Meg had been fatally shot, shot three times in the back trying to run from her ex-husband of two years. How he laid hiding in wait for her to return to her apartment on her birthday and took her life the same date of her birth.

After time had passed and I had pulled myself back together and learned to live with the lose of my daughter, I left my profession and began questioning seriously what if anything life was about. I realized it had nothing to do with worldly success or materialism because it truly meant nothing at all. I began a professional investigation into the history of Christianity and the many “Christian churches” to see if it all really was about God and if so which Christian Faith was in fact the true Church of Christ. Here I am today trying to provide direction for those seeking the Truth. Through all this I was amazed at what I learned and continue to learn and ashamed of myself for not seeking sooner. We control nothing but the choices we make and the direction we choose. Nothing should ever be more important or a higher priority than a relationship with God and at times things happen good and bad because we live in a world that is dictated by the choices of all man good and bad alike. If we do not hold God dear in our lives, we live at the discretions of man alone.
Different life, another son returned…

Thank you for sharing that with us Twb. Certainly, nothing can compare to the gift of God’s love for us and we need to respond to that great love and yield to the will of God. Only then can we find meaning in our lives.

I have become increasingly aware of the immense resources provided by God to enable us to achieve salvation - we need but to listen and obey. The structure of the Church and the guidance of the Holy Spirit enables its leaders identify heresay and combat evil which constantly creaps into the world.

We are told to love and sure, “love changes everything”. All things material have a lifespan whereas God’s Kingdom is eternal.

Blessings
Cinette

 

[twb1621]

Thank you for sharing that with us Twb. Certainly, nothing can compare to the gift of God’s love for us and we need to respond to that great love and yield to the will of God. Only then can we find meaning in our lives.

I have become increasingly aware of the immense resources provided by God to enable us to achieve salvation - we need but to listen and obey. The structure of the Church and the guidance of the Holy Spirit enables its leaders identify heresay and combat evil which constantly creaps into the world.

We are told to love and sure, “love changes everything”. All things material have a lifespan whereas God’s Kingdom is eternal.

Blessings
Cinette

“…we need but to listen and obey” With this statement you are most accurate. Said another way, “we need to listen to obey”… The problem with many people today is they’re too “busy”. They just don’t take the time to pay attention to what God is telling them through whatever means He chooses to use. He does respond to us but we often are not paying attention. We can ask for His guidence but what good is it to ask if we are not going to be attentive to His response.

 

[Cinette]

“…we need but to listen and obey” With this statement you are most accurate. Said another way, “we need to listen to obey”… The problem with many people today is they’re too “busy”. They just don’t take the time to pay attention to what God is telling them through whatever means He chooses to use. He does respond to us but we often are not paying attention. We can ask for His guidence but what good is it to ask if we are not going to be attentive to His response.

Experience cannot be taught nor purchased - we have to live our own experiences. We have to sometimes “suffer” our own experience. It is true however that we can avoid making certain mistakes, we can avoid certain pain…by listening. Listening is an art - not just listening by paying attention but listening through action.

For me, the realization of God’s love is a huge step towards acting out our Faith. This is basic. From there we go on to learning more about our Faith. The scriptures are loaded with meaning for our instruction. We can read a passage many times only one day to suddenly see something new. We just have to pay attention always. Fellowship is important because, since we are all priests, we support one another and through our love we lead and strenghten one another. By going to Daily Mass we encounter new meaning, new life lessons, new wisdom every day. And we receive the precious gift of the Eucharist - how can we resist not going to Mass every day if we are able!

Life can be so simple if we avoid complications, if we listen…

One day I shared on another thread how, when we were first married, I used to indulge in “play play” fights with my husband and sometimes these would lead to real arguments. I looked for attention all the time and would stir… Until one day my husband looked at me and said, “Happiness is boring…” I looked at him and laughed and understood how right he was! When everything is running smoothly we feel the need to stir. It was a childish thing but it taught me a lesson and I stopped “stirring”… We sometimes do that in other circumstances. I don’t think I was alone in this.

We do need each other. I understand what Jesus meant by “Love one another”. What wise words!

 

[benedictus2]

“…we need but to listen and obey” With this statement you are most accurate. Said another way, “we need to listen to obey”… .

“We need to listen to obey.”. Well, the etymology of obedience is from latine “oboedire” which means to listen.

I have been pressed for time the past two days and have missed your beautiful posts.

Snowy, I was so moved by your experience of feeling the great urge to kneel on your way to the bathroom. I can relate to that. In my case, it would be this desire to clasp my hand in prayer, close my eyes and sing “I love you lord and I lift my voice to worship you.” And this would happen any time even when I am having a rather mundane conversation.

Tom your story is so touching. I have been so blessed here at CAF to hear of how the Hound of Heaven has finally overtaken them.

I am reminded of these lines in a song “ I believe in miracles, I’ve seen a soul set free. Miraculous the change in one redeemed through Calvary”

I don’t have a conversion story as such. I never left. I have always been a daughter of the Church and always grateful for it. God has seen it fit to give me a very devout woman for a mother, who by her example has shown her children how to live a life of faith.

Still, one does not remain stationary. One has to grow.

The biggest change for me came with the realization of the immensity of God’s love for me which came about whle meditating on the Prodigal Son.

At the back of my mind, I always had the thought that God was somehow always there to check up on my sins. Like he is always there to tally up my trespasss and look disapprovingly every time I transgress. As a result I disliked intensely Psalm 139.

Then one day I decided to go on a 6 day silent retreat on the theme of the God of Surprises by Gerald Hughes. Each day, we were given passages to meditate on and the first 5 days though peaceful and inspiring were quite uneventful.

On the last day though, the assigned reading was the Prodigal Son. I set myself up on the balcony of the retreat house to get as much quiet as I can and proceeded to meditate.

In imaginative contemplation, one puts one’s self in the passage as a participant. The passage has to come alive in your imagination as if you are living in it. And then you allow the passage to lead you where it will.

So there I was. I could really see myself in that scene, period costumes and scenery and all. At first I was the younger son wasting away all that money, but I couldn’t really relate to him. I had grown up a dutiful and responsible daughter. Then the coming home and voila!, I realized that I was the older son. I really connected with the older brother such that I was the older brother. I was sanctimonious.

When the Father killed the fatted calf and threw that party I felt very hurt and angry.

Because this is imaginative contemplation, the story did not end there. It was as if it had taken on a new life of its own.

Then the Father came out to ask to me join in the party but I brushed him off . By now I was really angry and without saying a word I left. But I was too proud. I thought to myself, I will show him that I don’t need him nor his money so I left with nothing. Because of this I ended up in the same state as the younger brother, hungry in a foreign land and muddy in a pig sty.

But unlike the older brother I told myself, I would rather starve to death than return home.

It was then that something that my mother had told me when I was young penetrated my consciousness. She had said that of all the sins, the only sin that God cannot forgive is pride. Because with pride, you are consciously removing yourself from God.

Then I thought, that is true, the younger son was forgiven because he returned home. But here I am in this pig sty, willing with all of my will not to go back home. And then the realization hit: “Oh, my God, I am doomed. I am damned”

And I started crying. I sobbed at the hopelessness of my state and the knowledge that this was the end for me and what a terrible end. So afraid of ending up in hell, but too proud to go back home. I am truly doomed. I cried like I’ve never cried before.

Then, still in my imagination, as I sat there sobbing, from the corner of my eye I could make out the figure of a man walking purposely towards me. The scene has changed now because the man was dressed in jeans and a denim jacket. As he came closer, I realized that it was Jesus. I looked at him half afraid and he kept walking. When he reached the sty, he jumped over the fence and walked right in the mud . Then, without saying a word He climbed unto the fence and sat next to me. I had stopped crying then and was a little bit confused and awed at the same time. Still remaining silent, he reached inside his jacket and slowly pulled out a piece of bread and offered it to me. As I took the bread, he pulled me in His arms and held me. I had started crying again.

It was on that day that I realized that there is truly no sin, greater than God’s mercy. He is the Hound of Heaven who will seek us out. God truly loves us very much.

Now my favourite Psalm is Psalm 139. I glory in the knowledge of Him knitting me in my mother’s womb.

 

[benedictus2]

I cannot help but wonder if the faithful who struggle for years with their sinning natures have really found the true God.

Yes they have. But God works differently with each of us. To some He gives enormous grace, what St Thomas called efficacious or irresistible grace.

To some He gives less but still enough.

In one of Thomas Green’s books, he wrote of being spiritual director to a group of nuns. There was a nun whom everyone disliked and everyone complained to him about her, saying things like “I wonder if her prayer life is working at all. She does not seem to be changing.”

And yet Thomas Green who is privy to the state of their souls said, that the nun they were talking about had made much more progress spiritually than the rest of them.

It is like in the track and field, the goal is the same, but some of us are lame, so will get there much more slower.

We only see the outside. God sees right through.

We have to bear in mind as well that when we have been given much spiritually, much will also be asked of us.

If I hadn’t been a de facto atheist for most of my life, I would not understand how most people can live without God’s communion (no one can live without God, whether they acknowledge it or not). I feel like hitting people upside the head with my Bible until they come to their senses! Nothing they obtain from their misplaced pride compares with what they would obtain by rightfully disowning themselves to their Father! It only takes 3 seconds to do that, and God takes care of the rest./

I think this is when our prayers make all the difference. It is by a great grace of God that you are where you are today. In this forum, there are many who are where you were. Remember them everyday at your prayers and everytime at Mass.

I feel so sad for them. For what can be sadder than to be so poor and not realize your poverty when at hand is plenitude beyond measure.

 

[benedictus2]

For me, the realization of God’s love is a huge step towards acting out our Faith.

How true. God loves us first so we are able to love. To look at the Cross and realize that He hung there because of me…

The one thing that I realized very early on is that I cannot love on my own. There is too much self centredness. So I always ask Him to help me love those whom He loves.

A few posts ago I wrote about John and Peter. John being the disciple whom Jesus loved and Peter being the disciple who loved Jesus.

In my journey, I have realized that I am John first before I could be Peter. I needed to know that He loves me so greatly before I could love Him back. There is nothing so wonderful as to known that we are truly loved warts and all.

 

[AveSantaMaria]

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

I think that actual empirical evidence is also great reason to convince people if they won’t believe because of faith: Did you guys know that there is an actual New York Times report of the Virgin Mary apparitions that prophesied the Rwandan genocide as a “river of blood” to several school children if they did not repent, pray the Rosary, the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady.
query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E4D81738F93BA35757C0A96F958260

I want to share this with everyone I know so that they can come to believe as well

It is truly a blessing to hear all of your witnesses, benedictus2 - to hear you as the older son and Snowy what you said about the Mother of God - “No commands for the Mother of God” Amazing, wonderful, AMEN

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!
Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *

 

[KingAlfred]

Hi,

I am a Protestant but I have a deep respect for genuine Catholics.

I am interested in creating a discussion and obtaining full responses from Catholics under the theme:

‘What does it mean for a Catholic to live by faith?’

In other words, what is at the heart of a genuine Catholic spirituality? What practical things constitute living by faith for a Catholic? How does living by faith for a Catholic differ from living by faith for a Protestant?

I look forward to your well-informed thoughts, ideas and observations.

May God bless you,

In Christ

Craig

I couldn’t answer this question. As a Catholic, I try to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Church is my medium for doing so.
I’m curious as to what you mean by ‘genuine’ Catholics. How do you envision ‘genuine’ Catholics, as a Protestant?

 

[benedictus2]

I couldn’t answer this question. As a Catholic, I try to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Church is my medium for doing so.
I’m curious as to what you mean by ‘genuine’ Catholics. How do you envision ‘genuine’ Catholics, as a Protestant?

Hi King Alfred,

I am thinking that you have not read through the thread. I just want to let you now that Craig has bowed out of the thread sometime agoj. But the exchange has been quite good. Well worth reading.

 

[Cinette]

Gosh - we now have a King among us! Welcome your “Majesty” LOL!

As you can see we have been discussing the Eucharist. I have just been on another thread and in talking about Mass and concentration and reverence I suddenly remembered all those beautiful stained glass windows and statues. How the images remind us of the Kingdom of God and thus help our concentration.

Thank God ladies don’t wear hats at Mass as in the old days because some of the hideous hats could really affect one’s concentration!!

 

[benedictus2]

Did you guys know that there is an actual New York Times report of the Virgin Mary apparitions that prophesied the Rwandan genocide as a “river of blood” to several school children if they did not repent, pray the Rosary, the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

I saw the documentary on this. It was part of a video on Marian aparitions.

 

[benedictus2]

HAPPY ADVENT TO EVERYONE ON THIS THREAD.

Finished my tree and wreath last night so all geared up for the big day.

Just a thought on the Eucharist and Christmas.

I found this out just two years ago, but did you know that Bethlehem means house of bread.

Also, that Jesus was born in a manger, a feediing trough, signifies what He will be for us, Food for the life of the world.

---

His birth was already pointing to the Eucharist.
Not sure how that hits you folks but when I learned that I was completely floored,dumbstruck, awed (okay I am running out of superlatives here).

So as I pointed a few posts back, those who drew Eucharistic conclusions from John 1 is not that far off the mark after all.

 

[Snowy]

HAPPY ADVENT TO EVERYONE ON THIS THREAD.

Finished my tree and wreath last night so all geared up for the big day.

Just a thought on the Eucharist and Christmas.

I found this out just two years ago, but did you know that Bethlehem means house of bread.

Also, that Jesus was born in a manger, a feediing trough, signifies what He will be for us, Food for the life of the world.

---

His birth was already pointing to the Eucharist.
Not sure how that hits you folks but when I learned that I was completely floored,dumbstruck, awed (okay I am running out of superlatives here).

So as I pointed a few posts back, those who drew Eucharistic conclusions from John 1 is not that far off the mark after all.

Have you tried giving birth in a manger? I think that the manger was used as our Lord’s crib.

Remember how smug I was a couple of weeks ago about not being in a hurry to take the Eucharist? On Saturday morning I went to an early Mass with a couple or two peccadilloes in my conscience, so I decided to abstain until I got reconciled in the afternoon, and when I looked at all the people in line for Communion… I started to cry like a baby! I felt like we were all children and I was the only one without a present!

I love you all! Don’t forget to enjoy God’s love, even if that means leaving some purges for their proper place: Purgatory! Trust that your sins are forgiven! Be a happy Christian, not a sourpuss! I love you all, but especially you! Yes, you!

 

[KingAlfred]

“Gosh - we now have a King among us! Welcome your “Majesty” LOL!”

I possess no illusions of self-grandeur. King Alfred was the Charlemagne of England – a truly great Christian hero of the Middle Ages.

 

[Cinette]

“Gosh - we now have a King among us! Welcome your “Majesty” LOL!”

I possess no illusions of self-grandeur. King Alfred was the Charlemagne of England – a truly great Christian hero of the Middle Ages.

Would you be British then Sir!!

 

[benedictus2]

Have you tried giving birth in a manger? I think that the manger was used as our Lord’s crib.

You’re right. Loose English there.

 

[benedictus2]

“Gosh - we now have a King among us! Welcome your “Majesty” LOL!”

I possess no illusions of self-grandeur. King Alfred was the Charlemagne of England – a truly great Christian hero of the Middle Ages.

I’ve comes across some of your posts from other threads. Good work!