Category Archives: Musings

It Is I

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In this stage of my life, when I can say with some confidence that I have done all the hard stuff, one simple truth still needs to be explored. That the obvious sometimes goes unnoticed and what we take for granted isn’t always what we expected it to be.

We have often heard it said, that God will never give us more than we can handle. As reassuring and comforting as this sounds, it’s simply not true. It’s more that, God will never give us more than what He can’t handle. In every moment of every moment we have a choice. We can cry out to our Lord God or we can try it on our own. We can turn to Him for Providence, Protection and Guidance or we can turn away in ignorance or bitterness. We can put more faith in our Faith, than faith in ourselves. We can turn to our Lord God and listen in the silence of our hearts for these simple words…..It Is I.

Spirituality

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My personal rending of spirituality is in stark contrast with what our authors will develop as Christian Spirituality. I would compliment Catholicism with a big dose of spirituality as our authors clearly intend to do, however I am more inclined to discuss spirituality as a point of departure when discussing religion. In our society today, spirituality plays the essential role in popular mysticism. I will credit these spiritual people with experiences, visions and aspirations as they develop in their growth as individuals and broadcast their ideas into what they would consider building a better society. The spirituality aspect allows this goodness without the constraints of traditional religions with their creeds, absolute values, faithfulness and obedience. The “spiritualist” can be much grounded in their beliefs and convictions while enjoying the open “endedness” of our infinite universe. For them, just as the scientific truths are forever changed with each scientific breakthrough, their spirituality is deepen with each epiphany, whether through study and contemplation of a particular discipline or serendipity. However, having said all this, it’s time to turn our attention to “Christian Spirituality”, where this “core” is Christ centric, deeply Apostolic and rooted in Universal Christianity which has developed through the ages.

Whispers of St. Faustina

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These are the 25 Secret Whispers of St. Faustina. They begin with this simple statement from Jesus; “My daughter, I want to teach you about spiritual warfare”

  1. Never trust in yourself but abandon yourself totally to My will.
  2. In desolation, darkness and various doubts, have recourse to Me and to your spiritual director. He will always answer you in my name.
  3. Do not bargain with any temptation; lock yourself immediately in My Heart.
  4. At the first opportunity, reveal the temptation to the confessor.
  5. Put your self-love in the last place, so that it does not taint your deeds.
  6. Bear with yourself with great patience.
  7. Do not neglect interior mortifications.
  8. Always justify to yourself the opinions of your superiors and of your confessor.
  9. Shun murmurs like a plague.
  10. Let all act as they like; you are to act, as I want you to.
  11. Observe the rule as faithfully as you can.
  12. If someone causes you trouble, think what good you can do for the person who caused you to suffer.
  13. Do not pour out your feelings.
  14. Be silent when you are rebuked.
  15. Do not ask everyone’s opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank and simple as a child with him.
  16. Do not become discouraged by ingratitude.
  17. Do not examine with curiosity the roads down which I lead you.
  18. When boredom and discouragement beat against your heart, run away from yourself and hide in My heart.
  19. Do not fear struggle; courage itself often intimidates temptations, and they dare not attack us.
  20. Always fight with the deep conviction that I am with you.
  21. Do not be guided by feeling, because it is not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will.
  22. Always depend upon your superiors, even in the smallest things.
  23. I will not delude you with prospects of peace and consolations; on the contrary, prepare for great battles.
  24. Know that you are on a great stage where all heaven and earth are watching you.
  25. Fight like a knight, so I can reward you. Do not be unduly fearful, because you are not alone.

For me, the key word is “teach”. What was said at any particular time, was said to a particular audience, however what is being taught is timeless.

you can’t take it with you

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I’m sure there was a time, more than one, when common knowledge was something other than the current musing’s of the pop culture. Hard to say when these times were or how long they might have lasted. I say this not so much for the lies we were told, more for the sayings we generally accepted as the way things are. One of these is, you can’t take it with you. Nothing could be farther from the way it really is.

God’s grace, goodness and gifts are ours for all eternity.