A
Aloysium
Guest
Seriously, some of the stuff you are asking for has to come from all of us.
We have to establish a loving community.
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Seriously, some of the stuff you are asking for has to come from all of us.
We have to establish a loving community.
R
roselily
Guest
True!:angel1:
**Psalm 119
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path. **
Colossians 3
6Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
:heaven:–I know that Holy Angels, too, can be sent by God appear as human you could not know;
Tobit 5:4-6
4 So Tobias went out to look for a man to go with him to Media, someone who was acquainted with the way. He went out and found the angel Raphael standing in front of him; but he did not perceive that he was an angel of God. 5 Tobias said to him, “Where do you come from, young man?” “From your kindred, the Israelites, he replied, “and I have come here to work.” Then Tobias** said to him, “Do you know the way to go to Media?” 6 “Yes,” he replied, “I have been there many times; I am acquainted with it and know all the roads. I have often traveled to Media, and would stay with our kinsman Gabael who lives in Rages of Media. It is a journey of two days from Ecbatana to Rages; for it lies in a mountainous area, while Ecbatana is in the middle of the plain.”
Hebrews 13
13Let mutual love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
** :angel1::angel1:
N
Neoplatonist
Guest
But a good father has to do more than just know what is best for his children; he has to help them understand it, too. How can a child feel like they are learning from their father if they never see him and he never calls? In this case he left a note saying that he hired a teacher to help them, though the child never sees the teacher either.—I know that God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created human; but God is not human he is Father Almighty that only He know what is best for His children.
I should be happy, could I look everything and know everything, but I am weak that I do not know many things and can not see the whole picture, humankind is blind in front of God. I hope I could be strong and see.
**Deuteronomy 31
8It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’
Isaiah 42
16 I will lead the blind
by a road they do not know,
by paths they have not known
I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I will do,
and I will not forsake them.
Deuteronomy 31
6Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.’
**
Now you can “say” the words that it is good, and we can imagine some ways that it might turn out to be good later, and we can hope that one of those imaginary scenarios turns out to be true, but until that point when some new experience or information is added, as far as the child knows, it is not good.
R
roselily
Guest
O Neo, Christ Himself died on the cross to save us and give us eternal life. Sometimes parents know if something would not good to children they will from much deep love to do they can to take away it or do something even they know this will make child feel not happy and suffering at moment; still otherwise if they do not do will have a very very bad result for child, so they must do to protect child for good even this would make the child not happy and suffering at the moment. And even a child with out a earthly dad to take care the child, our Heavenly Father will never forsake the child. And our Redeemer, kind and merciful. He will give His children eternal life and happiness. And then there is no death and suffering any more. think, then, how happy we shall be.
**
Psalm 27: 10’ If my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will take me up.**’
**
‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life–John 3:16; **
D
Dorothy
Guest
Yes! God uses us as his instruments. May we glorify You O Lord!
Seriously, some of the stuff you are asking for has to come from all of us.
We have to establish a loving community.
N
Nita
Guest
What do you mean “silent”? He’s giving you all of us on CAF!!
N
Neoplatonist
Guest
An interesting point.Having my brothers or sisters in the stands at my soccer game is not quite the same as dad coming, though. I mean, come on, he could at least have inspired one of us with a comment that would boggle my imagination enough to fall out of my chair (or had one of our guardian angels inspire us). Dad would know tons of stuff my siblings wouldn’t, so if one of them gave me a note that reminded me of one of those things, I’d surely know it was written by dad, not just by my brother trying to make me feel better about dad never coming to any of my games.
N
Nita
Guest
Are you just upset that God made some things extraordinary (supernatural; invisible beings; …) for us on earth – rather than making it all part of ordinary earthly life?
Having my brothers or sisters in the stands at my soccer game is not quite the same as dad coming, though. I mean, come on, he could at least have inspired one of us with a comment that would boggle my imagination enough to fall out of my chair (or had one of our guardian angels inspire us). Dad would know tons of stuff my siblings wouldn’t, so if one of them gave me a note that reminded me of one of those things, I’d surely know it was written by dad, not just by my brother trying to make me feel better about dad never coming to any of my games.
Why exactly do you think you should be granted extraordinary treatment/graces - granted gifts (visions, visitations…) that God has not made an ordinary part of our life on earth? I wonder if you realize that your comments criticize God? judge Him/His decisions? You seem to imply that humans are better parents than God.
N
Neoplatonist
Guest
Because he told us if we asked for it, if we prayed and were good and hoped for it, he would grant it. Because we are given a Bible and the lives of the saints claiming all of these examples where that is what happened. That makes the rest of us into some kind of Cinderellas.
Consider the game-pizza places where you trade in tokens for prizes. All around are pictures of people who supposedly won the super, mind-blowingly awesome stuff on the top shelf. No one you’ve ever met, mind you, and no one they have ever met personally. Well, how long until we lose hope and feel like there’s a bait-and-switch scenario?
Yes, I’ll be honest, I do fail to understand how some peasant children in the middle of nowhere, or some black-hearted guy persecuting Christians, or some emperor covered in blood from the infidels he’s slain can be granted a moment with their angels but not some of the remarkable people I’ve known. Any rational person would start to wonder if those cases were functions of poor mental health care in the middle ages.
No, I’m glad there are extraordinary things and that they should only be available to those who have worked and prayed and lived good lives and served others and so on. However, I think if they’re too extraordinary, then our hope and our motivation must needs be eroded. If the most tickets earned at the pizza place by anyone you’ve ever met is, like, 1,000 or 5,000, but the stuff on the top shelf takes, like, 2 million tickets, why keep at it? (And the pizza place should definitely take down the stupid sign that says anyone who asks for a prize on the top shelf in just the right way can have one!)
P
pianistclare
Guest
So dying on the cross for you isn’t enough? Wow, tough crowd. The Bible is full of situations where God manifested His love for us. Ask any Christian in general how God shows His love. Ask a thousand people get a thousand varied answers.I think the posters here have spent a lot of time trying to get you to see the merit of FAITH. The teaching of the church that have stood the test of time, countless hours of scrutiny within herself, and the scholarship of countless theologians, Popes, mystics and saints. They have looked into it and answered the questions of others just like yourself. But…
Having my brothers or sisters in the stands at my soccer game is not quite the same as dad coming, though. I mean, come on, he could at least have inspired one of us with a comment that would boggle my imagination enough to fall out of my chair (or had one of our guardian angels inspire us). Dad would know tons of stuff my siblings wouldn’t, so if one of them gave me a note that reminded me of one of those things, I’d surely know it was written by dad, not just by my brother trying to make me feel better about dad never coming to any of my games.
This constant desire to see, touch, a “proof” is like the child who constantly says “why? why? why?”. Thank God He is patient with us, his children. God IS with you. Your guardian angel IS with you. I don’t have to SEE you to know you are out there not accepting any answer, but I can feel your desire to argue true enough.
It’s not something that I can tell you to go and touch. But in a similar way, you can’t tell me you never felt the presence of God. In any situation? In any aspect of your life or anyone else’s? You never saw something amazing? Never saw a sunset? Never looked at a newborn child? Never saw people heads bowed in prayer? Never been to a Mass? Never read the creation story? Never heard of the Big Bang? Never read the lives of any of the Saints? Never read anything of Padre Pio and what He suffered and the miracles worked by God through his intercession and sacrifices?
Really?
Angels by definition are “non-corporal spiritual beings, who possess free will” Non-corporal. No bodies. Nothin to see. Free will=we can’t manipulate them. When we get to the other side, true enough, we’ll see them. In the meantime they are here to help you. They are assigned to you at your conception. They remain yours forever. They are to be respected.
The answer you seek is within yourself…and you my friend seem afraid of the truth. And maybe I’m wrong, and you just like a good argument.
God indeed loves you very deeply. In His heart is where you will find the answers.
God’s peace to you. I don’t say this to annoy or infuriate you, but you seem angry at God for some reason. My prayer is that you take a step back, close your eyes in prayer and let the Lord show Him what you need…which is not necessarily what we desire. Be at peace.
I really do wish the best for you…
Sincerely,
Pianist
N
Neoplatonist
Guest
So you think St. Thomas the Apostle was a child because he needed to touch the wounds of Christ even after the miracles he had witnessed and the time they had spent together?
As mentioned earlier, Aquinas and others in the Church argue that angels CAN make themselves visible to us physically and in dreams.
Since when is asking someone for comfort in your time of sorrow or doubt merely “manipulating them”?
Yes, you know I’m out here because I keep responding to your questions and comments. That’s exactly the point! If my guardian angel wants to e-mail me, I’m fine with that.
Being unwilling to rest easy with apparent contradictions and vagueness in our understanding is not the same as fear. Being afraid of the truth would not explain my sincere efforts to work past those seeming contradictions or points of unclarity. Surely you appreciate the strong Catholic tradition that the intellect is central to our faith?
As mentioned earlier, Aquinas and others in the Church argue that angels CAN make themselves visible to us physically and in dreams.
Since when is asking someone for comfort in your time of sorrow or doubt merely “manipulating them”?
Yes, you know I’m out here because I keep responding to your questions and comments. That’s exactly the point! If my guardian angel wants to e-mail me, I’m fine with that.
Being unwilling to rest easy with apparent contradictions and vagueness in our understanding is not the same as fear. Being afraid of the truth would not explain my sincere efforts to work past those seeming contradictions or points of unclarity. Surely you appreciate the strong Catholic tradition that the intellect is central to our faith?
N
Nita
Guest
He said He granted “good things”. God has obviously decided that currently, for you, it would not be a “good thing”. He’s the wise and omniscient One who knows what is best/good for you.
Find me one example where the saint told God He should do it because he/she was entitled to it (better somehow than ordinary people who did not receive visions). Find me one who was critical of God for not doing it in the time that transpired before God gave them a vision.
.No. It just makes you an ordinary human being. You are the one who has decided you’re being demeaned or mistreated (like Cinderella) because you’re not treated as more than ordinary,
I presume you’re talking about Cinderella prior to meeting and marrying the prince. Cinderella was not treated with ordinary respect; she was mistreated. God is not doing this to you.
A
Aloysium
Guest
If you can narrow everything down to one question you would ask your guardian angel, what would it be?. . . If my guardian angel wants to e-mail me, I’m fine with that.
Being unwilling to rest easy with apparent contradictions and vagueness in our understanding is not the same as fear. Being afraid of the truth would not explain my sincere efforts to work past those seeming contradictions or points of unclarity. Surely you appreciate the strong Catholic tradition that the intellect is central to our faith?
You have to be specific: we are all stuck in our ignorance; there is no point just complaining about that.
N
Nita
Guest
You seem to be presuming that those who receive/ed visions got them as a result of asking for them!!! I have yet to come across an instance where that has been the case. (I’m not saying it hasn’t happened, just that in any reading of the lives of saints or Bible characters that I’ve done, I can’t recall a single one where their vision/s originated because they had requested one. If you know of some, let me know their names.
(BTW, I consider Thomas’ words in John 20:25 as a declaration to the other apostles of his unbelief – not as a request addressed to God for a vision of Jesus.)
N
Neoplatonist
Guest
I’m not talking about just me. I’m hardly the purest or most good-hearted or prayerful person I know. I’m talking about anyone I’ve ever met or anyone they’ve ever met personally (how far out, I wonder?). I’m not saying this person or that person is entitled, I’m saying apparently no one is ever deserving anymore. How are we to make sense of that? Why keep telling people to live like Mother Teresa or like the Pope? Why not, instead, tell people to persecute Christians, wage holy wars, and be illiterate peasants? Those apparently are more deserving of special help to their faith.
Let’s connect back to the original question of why they stay hidden. Is your theory that they only appear to certain specially deserving people? Clearly then we should try to understand what was special or different about those people so we can use them as role models. Juan Diego but not Mother Teresa? Really?
If we just chalk it up to mystery and blind faith, then fine, but in that case we should stop pretending we know how to tell people to live their lives because the reasoning is inscrutable.
N
Nita
Guest
Because their normal state is invisible/hidden.
Absolutely not. They appear to whomever (good or bad) God determines He wants them to appear to – for His purposes (which are always for some “good”).
N
Nita
Guest
Exactly what would be “chalked up to mystery and blind faith”?
- that angels exist
- that angels are invisible/hidden by nature and/or why God chose to make them that way
- the purposes for which God on rare occasions allows angels to assume forms that can be seen by humans.
I fail to see the connection.
N
Neoplatonist
Guest
Because in this model, we have no concrete idea why God gives some of his children these gifts and not others. Presumably they have done something wondrous, but we don’t know what.
N
Nita
Guest
As I said, if God chooses not to reveal why, then it remains a mystery.
You shouldn’t presume that. Most visions come BEFORE the person does something wondrous.
(Eg. Moses and the burning bush;
Joseph, Mary, Zechariah, Elizabeth;
children at Fatima;
Padre Pio;…)
N
Neoplatonist
Guest
Excellent point.
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