My first post on perfection was one year ago on January 29th. Some of my readers may not use the labels at the bottom of the articles. Just click on those for the whole series. I pointed this out last year.
For the reasons I started this series, include the one (1) I wrote about earlier, which will be the lack of priests and sacramental life we most likely will have to endure.
Here are some of the other reasons:
2) God calls all of us to the Unitive State before we die. This is no longer taught to us laity or even some religious and that is a scandal.
We are all called to personal holiness--all.
3) Without reaching the Illuminative State, most works supposedly for the Kingdom of God are worthless at worst and only partly good at best. How many projects have Catholics started only to either have these not bear fruit or lead others astray? Such successful projects, as in Priests for Life, indicate an arrival at the Illuminative State. Works do not save and external works not done in grace are only done for our own benefit and not for Christ Alone.
4) Families suffer when parents are not responding to these graces of perfection and even worse, do not pass these on to their children. Children can be saints............see previous posts.
5) God is waiting for you all to be all He created you to be in His plan, not only for our individual salvation, but for the good of the Church, the Kingdom of God.
6) If you love someone, you want to be like them and be with them, right? If one loves Christ, one wants to be like Him and put on the Mind of Christ, which is perfection.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. DR 1 Corinthians 2:16
Someone asked me when all this started for me. The Purgation Stage can be very, very long, as I was afraid of suffering and fought it. I was so protestantized that I believed for a long time that suffering meant I was damned and that God did not love me. Do not fight suffering. Do not be afraid.
But, your will has to be broken. Not your spirit, your will...............
Everything changed quickly and the process speeded up when I had cancer in 2009...and poverty immediately as a result.
And, also, because of an episode of unrequited love...
These things caused great humiliation in my life, as there were consequences...........Praise God.
These things caused great humiliation in my life, as there were consequences...........Praise God.
All that I had been reading for 40 years popped into reality. But, I had good training as a child and the discipline of seven years in community. The journey began a long time ago and continues daily.
When I decided to give up most things and stop desiring and leave "normal" middle-class life, the path became smoother and faster.........if we give up, God can do anything. I am so far from the end, which is union with God, but I have had small glimpses of that Love. One becomes focussed.........God shows the way and even if we make huge errors, He helps us and works within our gross limitations. The entire process is a great adventure.
If you are young and single, join the Benedictine nuns in Kansas City or the men in Clear Creek. If you are old, go with nature and respond to what God gives you. If you are married, see Christ in your spouse and children and serve Him. God gives us suffering. We do not have to look for it, but in that suffering is joy and more love than one can ever imagine.
And, Love is the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.
(Ok, a male friend of mine just complained about all the roses, so see the post one after the next)
(Ok, a male friend of mine just complained about all the roses, so see the post one after the next)