Magical Thinking AGAIN

I have written about magical thinking in the Church.

One example from past articles has been the misconception that sacraments can be given to the dead.

No.

But, something which has come to my attention in the past six months has been the fact that in some dioceses, not all, The Rite of Christian Burial is being allowed for known apostates.

Recently, a young woman committed suicide in another state after many years of living away from the Church. In fact, some of her relatives, who are truly orthodox, said she may not have even been baptized by her parents long ago.

Yet, the priest in the home parish said a funeral Mass "for the parents".  The Rite of Christian Burial is for Christians. If the woman had been a practicing Catholic and mentally unstable, and committed suicide, there would be room for doubt and a funeral could be appropriate. But, to hold large funeral for a young woman who did not want to be a Catholic and never lived an adult life as a Catholic seems to be not only hypocritical, but an insult to the dead.

She decided to fall away, or perhaps never did practice past her teens, so she chose not to be a Christian.

Why a funeral? The person who is dead gets no graces after death. Death ends the journey to heaven, hell or purgatory.

The parents should have been mourning the death of a soul long before the day of death--when a child grows up and falls away from the Church, choosing to live in a pagan lifestyle, that is a choice.

Magical thinking clouds truth.

For those who are faithful and fight the good fight daily, this confusion as to the reality of apostasy means that we have a hard time helping people fast, do mortification, pray daily, for those fallen away.

The priest made matters worse, imho, by giving in to the parents'desire for comfort. Funerals occur for three reasons: to say goodbye formally and allow grief to be shared; to give the body to God in respect for the tabernacle of the soul; and to pray for the dead person.

Magical thinking disregards not only sacramental theology, but common decency.

How far some clerics have fallen from the true understanding of death. This young woman chose a radically different lifestyle from her family. No amount of the trappings of the funeral Mass can change her decision made long ago to reject Christ and His Church.

Why, why do people choose lies? This situation was a running away of pain and suffering, which should have been faced while the woman lived.

Did anyone try to evangelize her? No, her pagan ways were accepted by her parents. "Everyone goes to heaven."

No, not everyone goes to heaven.

Perhaps the young woman repented at the last moment of life, That is possible, always, but a funeral Mass seems presumptuous.

Those diocese which have rules that a person be practicing member of a parish seem to be more obedient to reality and Church teaching on free will.

Years ago, many years ago, a grandmother who had fallen away from the Church for most of her life, came back because her grandson phoned the priest and asked him to go to the hospital. She was reconciled to the Church and she received the Last Rites.

Sadly, she did not have a Catholic funeral, as her children had fallen away, but her death was "in the Lord" and "in the Church". Her grandson acted by doctrine and good faith, not in magical thinking.

We need to be Catholics, not mushy minded relativists or universalists, and that warning must be applied to priests as well as the laity.

A Re-Discovered Jewel

Among the books I am sorting out in a friend's basement, I have found one of my favorite books, which I think is out of print. Prayer and Intelligence by Jacques and Raissa Maritain. This little book refers to the spiritual and physical life which leads to perfection.

I decided to share some of the pearls from this little book and set aside the encyclical on the Mystical Body of Christ for now.

The first section defines the relationship between Sacred Doctrine and the soul. Over and over again on this blog, I have written that one must be completely dependence on God's action in the soul and use our intellect and all our faculties "with a view to our sanctification and that our neighbour."

We must dedicate ourselves, and consecrate our intellect to the service of God.  We must move our will by our consecrated intellect to know and love God, and then to know and love our neighbor. What is behind the purification of the intellect was stated in my perfection series--and that is prayer.

Prayer leads to the purification of the senses and the spirit, as also noted by the Maritains in this book, the process leading to the clarification and purification of the intellect. One must leave the sensory world in order to grow more perfect. The Maritains state here that the intellect grows more perfect "in proportion to its emancipation from sensory image.

Prayer allows the Spirit to share knowledge with us and only prayer, "by supernaturally rectifying our faculties of desire enables us to convert the truth into practice."

Interesting is the point the Maritains make that "Prayer, particularly in the case of intellectuals, can only preserve a perfectly right direction and escape the dangers which threaten it, on condition of being supported and fed by Theology.

Of course, the Maritains mean orthodox theology.

They go on to note that the study and knowledge of Sacred Doctrine shorten the spiritual journey. Sacred Doctrine "saves the soul from a number of errors, illusions and blind alleys."

And, here is a key point--"In relation to the purgative life, it (knowledge of Sacred Doctrine) possesses an ascetic virtue which succeeds in detaching the sould from the degradations and trivialities of self-love. "

For those in the illuminative state, or life, the purfication that it beings simplifies the gaze of the soul and turns it from the human self to God alone."

I shall comment on their explanation of Sacred Doctrine and the Unitive State later....

Why Don't People Not Believe in Hell?

I am so sorry that so many people do not believe in hell. I have come to realize lately that the vast majority of people who go to Church on Sunday, or even some at daily Mass simply do not understand God's Wrath or Justice. The cult of psychology has trumped doctrine.

The priests of this land must begin to preach about the Four Last Things. They must. Here is part of St. Faustina's vision of hell.

" Today, I was led by an Angel to the chasms of hell. It is a place of great torture; how awesomely large and extensive it is! The kinds of tortures I saw: the first torture that constitutes hell is the loss of God; the second is perpetual remorse of conscience; the third is that one’s condition will never change; the fourth is the fire that will penetrate the soul without destroying it, a terrible suffering, since it is a purely spiritual fire, lit by God’s anger; the fifth torture is conditional darkness and a terrible suffocating smell, and despite the darkness, the devils and the souls of the damned see each other and all the evil, both of others and their own; the sixth torture is the constant company of satan, the seventh torture is horrible despair, hatred of God, vile words, curses and blasphemies. These are the tortures suffered by all the damned together, but that is not the end of the sufferings. There are special tortures destined for particular souls. These are the torments of the senses. Each soul undergoes terrible and indescribable sufferings, related to the manner in which it has sinned. There are caverns and pits of torture where one form of agony differs from another. I would have died at the very sight of these tortures if the omnipotence of God had not supported me. Let the sinner know that he will be tortured throughout all eternity, in those senses which he made use of to sin. I am writing this at the command of God, so that no soul may find an excuse by saying there is no hell, or that nobody has ever been there, and so no one can say what it is like. I, sister Faustina, by the order of God, have visited the abysses of hell so that I might tell souls about it and testify to its existence. I cannot speak about it now; but I have received a command from God to leave it in writing. The devils were full of hatred for me, but they had to obey me at the command of God. What I have written is but a pale shadow of the things I saw. But I noticed one thing: that most of the souls there are those who disbelieved that there is a hell. When I came to, I could hardly recover from the fright. How terribly souls suffer there! Consequently, I pray even more fervently for the conversion of sinners. I incessantly plead God’s mercy upon them. O my Jesus, I would rather be in agony until the end of the world, amidst the greatest sufferings, then offend You by the least sin. (Diary 741).


Here are some awful paintings of hell. I think we should look at these and try and evangelize those who are in darkness.

http://filesmystery.blogspot.com/2011/04/paintings-of-hell-by-korean-artist.html

Very interesting and why not in the msm?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/05/28/julian_assange_on_tpp_only_5_of_29_sections_are_about_traditional_trade_essentially_every_aspect_of_a_modern_economy.html

Another buzy backson day

Sorry for not blogging until much later today...organizing my life.

I need some help, like Rabbit's relations.

Another amazing!

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/06/01/exclusive-rand-paul-slams-establishment-republicans-declares-victory-over-nsa-thanks-matt-drudge-as-bulk-collection-shuts-down/

AMAZING!

Two priests in a diocese where I am visiting gave talks on the coming persecution of Catholics. I was surprised, as I have known both priests since the 1970s and would not have thought they would be on track, but they are.

God is inspiring many to see and get ready for what is coming.

Praise God!

Reviewing Yeats

Years ago, on this blog, I quoted William Butler Yeats.

Here is the quotation I chose again.

“Out of Ireland have we come.
Great hatred, little room,
Maimed us at the start.
I carry from my mother's womb
A fanatic heart.”

My experience of some Irish men in 2012 and last week has been the sad revelation of "Great hatred, little room."

In County Cork years ago, I met a man who went on a tirad regarding the English persecution of the Irish. I listened, and then I quoted Christ, Who told us to love our enemies and pray for those who hate us. He adamantly said that he would never forgive the English, never. I asked him whether he realized that no one gets into heaven with hate in their hearts. The Irishman looked shocked. I do not think he ever stopped to reflect on this point. God, I told him, is not Irish, but Father of us all.

The man walked away and that was the end of the conversation.

Last week, a similar thing happened after Holy Mass. Some of us were sitting around having coffee with the pastor. He has given a superb sermon on modesty and the American-Irishman became angry.

"We cannot tell people what to wear." He said, and then he went on to talk about how we had no right to judge the culture. Of course, STM would not let this go, so I jumped in and said that it was our duty as Catholics to change the culture. The man went on to say that Christ reached out to Mary Magdalen. Another woman chimed in and said that she converted and changed her ways and would not have kept her "prostitute clothes", but in repentance, became humble and modest.

Then, I spoke of the fact that modesty was a virtue, connected to temperance, adding that a woman would change over time and become modest if she really experienced conversion, as immodesty was pride, drawing attention to one's self and not humility.

Then, I made the comment, after four others began to take sides on the issue, that if one visited the Queen of England, (or the Pope), that there was an accepted dress code.

OMgoodness. The Irish-American man stood up and said, "Well, as an Irish-American, I do not care what the Queen thinks and would not go out of my way to respect her." He grew very angry and red in the face and literally stomped out of the cafe area. He had also changed the subject from modesty and dress codes to the "evil English". 

The problem of the hatred of the Irish for the English must be addressed by those who come up against hatred. My friend was shocked at the man's heated response, and informed me that he was a prominent Democrat in the city, and an Obama supporter.

Yeat's description of the "fanatic heart", a heart full of hatred and unforgiveness, a heart full of ideologies instead of Catholic truth, was revealed over coffee. I had met this in Dublin and in County Cork, and now in the Midwest. How sad that unforgiveness keeps people from rational behavior.

That was this parish's last coffee until September, and I shall most likely not be here. But, I pray for those who hate and those who do not see that the Catholic Church can change the culture, if people change their hearts and minds themselves, becoming like Christ, even at a coffee morning.

Book Begging

One of the mysteries of moving is that I have Volumes Two and Four of The Philokalia, but am missing One and Three. If anyone wants to help me get these, I would be very grateful and would do a walk through the volumes for you all.

I have the 1990 texts from Faber and Faber, which I got when living in England. These are in English.

Called: The Philokalia--The Complete Text. The two I have are in paperback. I actually gave these to STS for his birthday in 2009, although I was using them before that. However, when he left to go into the seminary, he left his books with me. He actually now has more than I do.....

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=philokalia+the+complete+text&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=29140950595&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4041729128216385830&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7hskqo5nch_b

Please continue to pray for the missing vip document.

Ta muchly.

Protestant Anti-Intellecualism

Up until the Protestant Revolt, the number of Catholic educational institutions which dotted the landscape of Europe measured in the thousands. Children from Norway and Sweden to Sicily and Malta were educated by the Benedictines, Dominicans and other orders. Adults listened to sermons on the doctrines of the Church and grew in their Faith.

The idea that the vast majority of people did not understand religion or the Scriptures is a lie perpetrated on purpose to undermine the authority of the Catholic Church. For centuries, the education of children and adults remained a priority among the Catholic hierarchy, and many reformers, such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, St. Anselm. renewed the seminaries demanding that the Trivium and Quadrivium be taught to the priests-to-be.

The high standard of education received a deadly blow of anti-intellectualism with the destruction of the authority of the Church, the destruction of the monastic schools, and the secularization of the ancient Catholic universities. The five "solas", which emphasize even today personal rather than authoritative interpretations of religious teaching, further created a new disenfranchised populace which no longer knew the Faith. Sadly, too many movies and documentaries insist on continuing, even in 2015, the lies that the Protestants created an educated mass populace, when the opposite is true.

Anti-intellectualism cannot be ever seen as a virtue. Reason and faith as gifts from God to the humans bring us to our adult acceptance of a mature stance of religion. For a study of the "solas", look at these links from wiki, which give a fairly decent explanation.

Sola scriptura
Sola fide
Sola gratia
Solus Christus
Soli Deo gloria

To ignore the intellect and the long history of Tradition in the Church makes one a Protestant. As Newman stated, one cannot study the Early Church Fathers and the Doctors of the Church and remain a Protestant. The truth converts.

It is the duty of every adult to appropriate the Faith through reading, study, watching orthodox aids, and so on. To ignore the adult responsibility of learning the Faith in a mature manner is the sin of spiritual sloth.

Today, I heard a fantastic sermon on the Trinity. The priest shared many perspectives on Church teaching in language which could be understood by most people. He also allowed for the mystery of Faith, which demands the we accept certain truths outside of our understanding.

Until adult Catholics appropriate the Faith in America, the same thing which happened in Ireland will happen here in America. Those who do not have the ability to understand the whys of Catholic teaching will fall for the majority ideologies.

As Fulton J. Sheen said a long time ago, "What do you call an ignorant Catholic? A Protestant."

Living in Fantasies

I know a woman who has recently visited a foreign country because it was filmed in her favorite fantasy movie. She has wanted to visit the scenes of the film, and now she is sending all of us friends photos of this film trip. I have other friends who have done the same thing--make pilgrimages to movie sites or to places where the actors stayed when a movie was made.

The films created a reality for these people, and they want to savor the pilgrimage to the places they have come to love through movies, a parallel movement of the heart to Catholics going on pilgrimages to Lourdes, or Fatima, or Walsingham. However, Our Lady Mary really, truly came to those places and the apparitions are considered real.

Not so with movie sites, as the film or book of the film are complete fantasies, unless the movies are documentaries. It seems that too many people live in fantasy worlds rather than the real world. This woman admits this, publicly, online. She prefers to seek out lovely places rather than face her fear of the future, which she rightly sees as one of lessened freedoms and financial setbacks. She tells all of us who know her that she wants to surround herself with beauty and light in the growing darkness she sees coming upon the West.

Her way of coping with reality is to escape it.

The Christian is not so lucky. As Christians who have been called by God to preach the Gospel and bring people to Christ, we have to face the difficulties of living in a pagan world, trying to spread the good news of Christ's salvific act, and His Divine Person, to a jaded world.

The travelling woman can stand in a green field and look at quaint houses which are all part of a story. But, the real story of sin, death, suffering, and resurrection alludes her. She admits to all of us who listen, and I do, as she wants the truth, but cannot yet accept Christ, that she will enjoy life until she no longer can do so, by living in the world of fantastical beauty. She is old enough to remember happier and more prosperous days, so she yearns for that fulfillment of grace and peace in the material world. I admire her ability to find beauty in the world, but am saddened that she cannot face suffering, which she believes is useless and unnecessary.

She, as many others do, denies the efficacy of suffering. She denies the need for the Crucifixion. Her god has never suffered or died.

Fantasies can be created easily, with the imagination taking over the senses and the intellect. To retreat into a fantastical world means that one can avoid unpleasantries and discomfort. Yet, my God calls me constantly to suffering.  My God will not allow me to substitute mountains or lakes, flowers or fantastical stories for Him and His story, which is the stuff of Redemption.

All of us seek comfort in stress, and as stress becomes more common for many reasons to the intelligent, awake human being, the retreat into fantasy becomes a strong drive. Perhaps retreating into the beauty of false worlds seems more real than the ugliness of the world. Some people create fantasies out of false apparitions, or even occult activities, which involve deceit. Some people create fantasies about their families, or even their Church communities.

God is Beauty, and there is nothing wrong with seeking out the good, the true and the beautiful. But, to suppress reality by denial, and to run away from the strife of spiritual warfare, make one less than human.

Fantasies destroy reason. Fantasies destroy real friendships. Porn is fantasy, and addiction to porn, like addiction to travelling or even reading fantasies, leads one out of reality an into the false never-neverland of denial.

To deny that we Catholics are on the edge of a great turning of civilization reveals that a person has chosen fantasy rather than reality. But, many people either are not willing to face reality, or cannot do so. Actually, none of us can face suffering with great graces from God. But, He wills to give us those graces, and to identify with our personal suffering. Christ does not lead us to anything He has not already suffered. And, He intimately shares in our own sufferings.

God is Real. He is. If we choose the worlds of fantasy over His world, we may find ourselves permanently outside His Life.

Pray for this good, but running woman. Running away from suffering denies the soul, food for growth. She admits she is doing this to many of us. But, she is not the only one. This time of hiding from suffering seems to be a common mode of living for many people.

I wish that the fantasy worlds would all disappear, freeing those inhabitants and making them seek the truth. I pray that those who are caught up in all types of fantasies will come to see that reality, even though sometimes painful, brings us closer to God.

Even evil in the world can be overcome and endured to reveal the glory of God. Such are the lives of the martyrs. These brave men and women never ran away from the truth, and, therefore, forever, not just on a vacation, they have been surrounded with Beauty, the Beauty of the Beatific Vision.

Mourning and Moving On

Some of my boxes of stuff are missing, including boxes of important and rare books.

Having to accept yet another loss is part of my life. I had first editions of Blessed Newman's works-all missing, as well as other rather rare books from England. What is most irritating is losing part of a set of things.

I am still missing a necessary document which I need immediately.


 These missing things seem odd and not in sync with the storage facility, so I am assuming things went missing in the moving of these things.

No one is to blame for such things happen, like boxes left behind or even stealing, as we had happen twice to our stuff in the past, including rare editions of Aquinas and original David Jones artwork. 

As my son says, "Life happens". But, God wants me to be more and more detached--this is part of the detachment.

When I stand before God in my particular judgement, I shall not have Newman's sermons in my hands, or anything, but my sins and hopefully, some merit.

But, losing things prepares us for death. Little deaths prepare us for big ones. 

I have also lost some papers and things from my ancestors. Well, these events break one away from the past. If I were in the convent today, I would have none of these books which I am sorting out and sharing, or preparing to store here, where I am temporarily. God has foreseen from all times these happenings. And, as I have lost so much, these losses are merely more things to give to God.

One becomes attached to things because of memory, which God wants to purify. And, He also wants us to forget many things in the past in order to concentrate on Himself. 

One becomes attached to things because they cost us something-like the first editions of Newman I am missing.

Or, one becomes attached to things because someone we love gave us such things. Again, we must become more and more detached from even those we love.

I mourn and move on, thus preparing my soul, memory, understanding, and will for a great attachment, that of being one with God Himself. Each loss creates space in the heart for God.

We give those who die to God and mourn and move on. The moving on is part of our spiritual growth, and God uses all events to give us an opportunity for receiving His grace.

Loss teaches me something about Christ. He shares in my sufferings, both large and small. He Himself allowed loss in His life on earth. We can hardly understand what His Incarnation actually means.

If I became an amoeba today, this event would not even compare with the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity becoming Man. I am reminded of this passage from Philippians.

5 For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.

8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.

Why one has to experience loss in order to gain humility has to do with the fact that we always fall into the old habit of thinking we are immortal. We carry the desire for immortality in our psyches, because our First Parents would not have died if they had not sinned. So, we try and build immortality into our lives by accumulating things which comfort us on earth, like my first edition Newman's writings, which connect me with England, my son, my past, my personal history.

We cannot face death easily because it is unnatural to us, to our real personhood, as we were always as humans called by God to be in eternal bliss with Him from the first days in Eden. When I become more and more detached, I become more and more like Christ Himself, Who emptied Himself and accepted our lot as humans. His loss was voluntary, while my losses are not. Therefore, I considered my losses a grace in disguise, teaching me to look towards the Cross again and again, and remind myself of my mortality.

I have lost so many things including house, car, reputation, friends, family, career, comfort, privacy, status, money, security, country I love, living near my son, and even the ability to use my talents, such as teaching, that I have lost count of the times of stripping down to the basics.

Yet, I am free. God can, as He did with Habakkuk, pick me up and drop me anywhere.

Daniel 14:33-36 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

33 Now the prophet Habakkuk was in Judea; he had made a stew and had broken bread into a bowl, and was going into the field to take it to the reapers.34 But the angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, “Take the food that you have to Babylon, to Daniel, in the lions’ den.” 35 Habakkuk said, “Sir, I have never seen Babylon, and I know nothing about the den.” 36 Then the angel of the Lord took him by the crown of his head and carried him by his hair; with the speed of the wind[a] he set him down in Babylon, right over the den.37 Then Habakkuk shouted, “Daniel, Daniel! Take the food that God has sent you.” 38 Daniel said, “You have remembered me, O God, and have not forsaken those who love you.” 39 So Daniel got up and ate. And the angel of God immediately returned Habakkuk to his own place.

Every time I move, I end up praying with people and giving spiritual direction about certain things. This seems to be how God is using me at this time. At least I can move by air and not by hair.

But, God is gentle with me, allowing me not to be loosened from everything at once, but in stages. This is like having a long time to die, rather than a short time. Those who lose everything in floods or tornadoes have faced far more suffering.

Each one of us has to learn that there is only one thing which matters and He is waiting for us to say this to Him.

God, you are my All.

If this happens, great news!

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/exclusive-rand-paul-i-will-force-the-expiration-of-the-patriot-act-118443.html

Bust backson day

Head in boxes of books.

Have gone through more than half the boxes of books, but am in shock (not really) at the amount of notes which are in boxes. Both my son and I are writers. So, there are boxes and boxes of poetry, short stories, essays, and so on, some pre-computer days.

Sigh.....

Pray for something I absolutely need to find- please. I need an important document and cannot find it. I remember exactly packing it but I did not find it in the box where I thought it was.

That was a packing from last summer.

Thanks for your patience and support while I do this...And pray that I find some books I cannot seem to locate.

God is good.

Hello to Readers in Russia!

Time for A Review on Providence in These Darkening Times

From Julian of Norwich:

God, of thy goodness, give me Thyself;
for Thou art enough for me,
and I can ask for nothing less
that can be full honor to Thee.
And if I ask anything that is less,
ever Shall I be in want,
for only in Thee have I all.” “...deeds are done which appear so evil to us and people suffer such terrible evils that it does not seem as though any good will ever come of them; and we consider this, sorrowing and grieving over it so that we cannot find peace in the blessed contemplation of God as we should do; and this is why: our reasoning powers are so blind now, so humble and so simple, that we cannot know the high, marvelous wisdom, the might and the goodness of the Holy Trinity. And this is what he means where he says, 'You shall see for yourself that all manner of things shall be well', as if he said, 'Pay attention to this now, faithfully and confidently, and at the end of time you will truly see it in the fullness of joy.” 
 Revelations of Divine Love

In February of 2012, the Pope Emeritus, then the active pope, stated this:

“In prayer we must be able to bring before God our fatigue, the suffering of certain situations and of certain days, our daily struggle to follow him and to be Christians, and even the weight of evil we see within us and around us, because he gives us hope, makes us aware of his nearness and gives us a little light on the path of life,” he said.

He also said that Christ in Gethsemane had to face the horror of accepting the punishment of all the sins of the world in order to overcome sin. We, too, get power to overcome sin and even death by accepting great suffering. By overcoming suffering and the anxiety suffering brings, we overcome  the limitations of our own will and become perfected through trials.

“Jesus tells us that only by conforming their will to the divine will can human beings achieve their true stature and become ‘divine.’”
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-urges-trust-in-gods-loving-providence-in-dark-times/

Because of some serious problems in my own life, I have to return to contemplating Divine Providence. One must turn against one's feelings of stress and constriction in the face of troubles and turn to God in humility.

God allows trials and sufferings which are out of our control. Sometimes we cannot understand why such a trial has happened. This is my state at this moment. An odd thing which I did not expect has occurred which is very serious. In order not to succumb to stress or anxiety, I must turn to God in His perfect will and ignore my feelings and fears.

Such is the daily choice I make in trusting in Divine Providence.

Here is a bit of Garrigou-Lagrange on this, from his famous book, which is online. My comments are in blue.

PART IV : SELF-ABANDONMENT TO PROVIDENCE

19. Why And In What Matters We Should Abandon Ourselves To Providence

The doctrine of self-abandonment to divine providence is a doctrine obviously founded on the Gospel, but it has been falsely construed by the Quietists, who gave themselves up to a spiritual sloth, more or less renounced the struggle necessary for the attainment of perfection, and seriously depreciated the value and necessity of hope or confidence in God, of which true self-abandonment is a higher form.

But it is possible also to depart from the Gospel teaching on this point in a sense entirely opposite to that of the Quietists with their idle repose, by going to the other extreme of a useless disquiet and agitation.

Many priests in the confessional do not realize that anxiety is actually a sin. It is a lack of trust in God. Agitation cannot be in the soul at peace with God's Holy Will. This practice of the presence of God demands attention.

Now, some anxiety can be a physical, chemical imbalance in the body, but the common anxiety brought on by trials and suffering mostly reveals a giving in to fear and emotional responses to things.

Today, when I was anxious about a situation I do not want to share at this time, I remembered the Scriptures wherein Christ assured us that He was with us always, and would give us the right words to deal with those who hate Him. I, as well as you, Dear Readers, are up against those who hate God.

Here as elsewhere the truth is the culminating point lying between and transcending these two extreme conflicting errors. It behooves us therefore to determine exactly the meaning and import of the true doctrine of self-abandonment to the will of God if we are to be saved from these sophistries, which have no more than a false appearance of Christian perfection.

We shall first see why it is we should practice this self-abandonment to Providence, and then in what matters. After that we shall see what form it should take and what is the attitude of Providence toward those who abandon themselves completely to it.

We shall get our inspiration from the teaching of St. Francis de Sales, [50] Bossuet, [51] Pere Piny, O.P., [52] and Pere de Caussade, S.J. [53]

Why we should abandon ourselves to divine providence

The answer of every Christian will be that the reason lies in the wisdom and goodness of Providence. This is very true; nevertheless, if we are to have a proper understanding of the subject, if we are to avoid the error of the Quietists in renouncing more or less the virtue of hope and the struggle necessary for salvation, if we are to avoid also the other extreme of disquiet, precipitation, and a feverish, fruitless agitation, it is expedient for us to lay down four principles already somewhat accessible to natural reason and clearly set forth in revelation as found in Scripture. These principles underlying the true doctrine of self-abandonment, also bring out the motive inspiring it.

The first of these principles is that everything which comes to pass has been foreseen by God from all eternity, and has been willed or at least permitted by Him.

We have a hard time understanding that God allows, permits suffering. A famous interview of a British actor who reveals hatred of God because He allows children to get diseases reminds us that the atheist does not see God's glory in overcoming suffering. When one is "in suffering", yes, it it difficult to see beyond the edge of the trench and trust in God, but we are called to this trust.

God has permitted me to suffer several set-backs lately, one after another. These sufferings do require attention, but as those who have suffered know, one becomes physically exhausted with intense suffering. But, God has seen this moment of trial in which I find myself, with something completely out of my control from all time. Yes, He has also seen past decisions which may have led to this trial such as moving or even experiencing the sins of others against me. Some of our suffering we cause and some is caused by those who sin in our lives. But, God foresaw all these happenings. He has willed everything which happens for His Glory.

Nothing comes to pass either in the material or in the spiritual world, but God has foreseen it from all eternity; because with Him there ii no passing from ignorance to knowledge as with us, and He has nothing to learn from events as they occur. Not only has God foreseen everything that is happening now or will happen in the future, but whatever reality and goodness there is in these things He has willed; and whatever evil or moral disorder is in them, He has merely permitted. Holy Scripture is explicit on this point, and, as the councils have declared, no room is left for doubt in the matter.

This next point reminds us that God is in charge daily of all small, medium, and large events in our lives. Even if incongruous or mysterious evils occur, God has allowed these for His purposes. This is our faith

The second principle is that nothing can be willed or permitted by God that does not contribute to the end He purposed in creating, which is the manifestation of His goodness and infinite perfections, and the glory of the God-man Jesus Christ, His only Son. As St. Paul says (I Cor. 2: 23), "All are yours. And you are Christ's. And Christ is God's."

In addition to these two principles, there is a third, which St. Paul states thus (Rom. 8:28) : "We know that to them that love God all things work together unto good: to such as, according to His purpose, are called to be saints" and persevere in His love. God sees to it that everything contributes to their spiritual welfare, not only the grace He bestows on them, not only those natural qualities He endows them with, but sickness too, and contradictions and reverses; as St. Augustine tells us, even their very sins, which God only permits in order to lead them on to a truer humility and thereby to a purer love. It was thus He permitted the threefold denial of St. Peter, to make the great Apostle more humble, more mistrustful of self, and by this very means become stronger and trust more in the divine mercy.

The situation which is causing me suffering, a contradiction, a reversal, has been permitted by God to lead me to more humility, (yes, this is a great humiliation), and will, if I cooperate, lead me to trust in God much more than I have. Sometimes, when we have discernment and see the bigger picture of our little suffering, this pain increases our doubts, anxieties and all we can do is make a prayer of trust to God. I have placed one at the bottom of this post.

Frequently, Americans, who are "doers" and not contemplative, think they can fix everything with effort. This is simply not true. Sometimes one must accept keen trials inflicted not by sin, but by the "stuff of life" as one seminarian called this. "Things happen". 

But, Providence demands that we do become like little children trusting Our Father, and this may involve stages of trust. Three weeks ago, I encountered one stage, then, the following week a second, then, the third week brought another, and this week brings another test. Why?

So that I can practice trusting in God in many different types of situations, especially with those who no longer love Him or serve Him. Julian of Norwich wrote:

“He said not 'Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be dis-eased'; but he said, 'Thou shalt not be overcome.” 

Garrigou-Lagrange continues.....

These first three principles may therefore be summed up in this way: Nothing comes to pass but God has foreseen it, willed it or at least permitted it. He wills nothing, permits nothing, unless for the manifestation of His goodness and infinite perfections, for the glory of His Son, and the welfare of those that love Him. In view of these three principles, it is evident that our trust in Providence cannot be too childlike, too steadfast. Indeed, we may go further and say that this trust in Providence should be blind as is our faith, the object of which is those mysteries that are non-evident and unseen (fides est de non visis) for we are certain beforehand that Providence is directing all things infallibly to a good purpose, and we are more convinced of the rectitude of His designs than we are of the best of our own intentions. Therefore, in abandoning ourselves to God, all we have to fear is that our submission will not be wholehearted enough. [54]

Fides est de non visis--living by faith and not by sight may be a challenge for many others than myself. I cannot see the end or even the middle of the trial in which I find myself. I cannot do anything but try and cooperate with the humility this trial brings. To be childlike, I must ask for grace, the grace of complete trust in God.

All I have to fear is what Garrigou-Lagrange states in the last sentence of the last paragraph here. I must fear displeasing God but not trusting Him, a sin which St. Teresa of Avila notes insults God.

God has allowed me to endure, at the end of three weeks, intense suffering which reminds me of the Desert Fathers in their search for humility. They sought the desert to find humility. I have been plunged into the desert.

Like St. Mary of Egypt, I have no protector on this earth but God Himself. He must be my help and my shield.

A prayer of trust:

Psalm 30 Douay-Rheims

30 Unto the end, a psalm for David, in an ecstasy.

2 In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded: deliver me in thy justice.

3 Bow down thy ear to me: make haste to deliver me. Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, to save me.

4 For thou art my strength and my refuge; and for thy name's sake thou wilt lead me, and nourish me.

5 Thou wilt bring me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me: for thou art my protector.

6 Into thy hands I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.

7 Thou hast hated them that regard vanities, to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord:

8 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy. For thou hast regarded my humility, thou hast saved my soul out of distresses.

9 And thou hast not shut me up in the hands of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a spacious place.

10 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am afflicted: my eye is troubled with wrath, my soul, and my belly:

11 For my life is wasted with grief: and my years in sighs. My strength is weakened through poverty and my bones are disturbed.

12 I am become a reproach among all my enemies, and very much to my neighbours; and a fear to my acquaintance. They that saw me without fled from me.

13 I am forgotten as one dead from the heart. I am become as a vessel that is destroyed.

14 For I have heard the blame of many that dwell round about. While they assembled together against me, they consulted to take away my life.

15 But I have put my trust in thee, O Lord: I said: Thou art my God.

16 My lots are in thy hands. Deliver me out of the hands of my enemies; and from them that persecute me.

17 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; save me in thy mercy.

18 Let me not be confounded, O Lord, for I have called upon thee. Let the wicked be ashamed, and be brought down to hell.

19 Let deceitful lips be made dumb. Which speak iniquity against the just, with pride and abuse.

20 O how great is the multitude of thy sweetness, O Lord, which thou hast hidden for them that fear thee! Which thou hast wrought for them that hope in thee, in the sight of the sons of men.

21 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy face, from the disturbance of men. Thou shalt protect them in thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues.

22 Blessed be the Lord, for he hath shewn his wonderful mercy to me in a fortified city.

23 But I said in the excess of my mind: I am cast away from before thy eyes. Therefore thou hast heard the voice of my prayer, when I cried to thee.

24 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord will require truth, and will repay them abundantly that act proudly.

25 Do ye manfully, and let your heart be strengthened, all ye that hope in the Lord.

Ten Years Ago

Ten years ago tomorrow, a beautiful young girl disappeared in Aruba. As a mother of a teen at the time, I was riveted by the story for several reasons. Mothers "mother" and allow their children independence in steps. We try and balance safety and common sense with allowing a young person to grow up and make some independent decisions.

Sadly, there are too many predators ready to take advantage of naivete.

Looking back at my upbringing, in a world which has long gone, I remember the amount of freedom we had as kids and teens to learn to judge situations. Prudence is a virtue which can be learned through practice. But, now, most young people are treated like "hot-house" plants because too many parents fall into fear. No doubt, the world is a more dangerous place than 1965, or 1975.

Tragically, there is a long list of missing children, and the horror stories, all true, of pedophilia in England by gangs which groom girls for sex. do mean that a parent has to train children and teens to be careful, avoid "bad places" and no out with people one does not know.

The main suspect is now in prison for twenty-eight years for a murder in Peru. That young woman was killed five years ago today, and exactly five years after the first one disappeared.

I have believed that the lack of male protector-types has led to the increased level of violent crimes against women. I pray that more boys are raised to be protectors rather than predators. Predators must be gross narcissists. They have no moral framework or ethical reference outside their own desires and passions.

Two young women, one dead and one most likely dead, needed protectors on May 30th, 2005 and 2010.

Serious Thoughts

I have written about this before, but a reader today from Down Under wrote with the hope that when the sacraments disappear from the lack of priests, he hopes he is found "on the right side".

Me, too.

I have been pondering for almost four months life without sacraments, as I could not get to daily Mass or weekly confession until recently. This lack of the sacraments could only be endured because I was praying so much during the day, trying to keep at least three monastic hours, doing my three sets of third order prayers, as well as contemplation, rosaries, and Divine Mercy chaplet.

Without the sacraments, almost constant prayer is absolutely needed. Therefore, the Benedictine way of working in the Presence of God becomes essential in a barren land without the usual means of sanctifying grace.

Think on this. How would you react without the sacraments in your area? I pray for perseverance and for courage, for long-suffering, for deep, deep patience, and for peace.

Imagine no daily Mass, no Sunday Mass, no regular confession...one must learn to repent immediately of venial sins and break habits now in order to remain in grace, as venial sins weaken the will and lead to mortal sins too often.

Think of no priests in your area, no Adoration, no sermons or meetings of parishioners who may encourage and help you.

One reason for persecution is the purification of the faithful. Many saints came out of the English suppression of the Catholic Faith, but the price to become and to stay holy could be high.

Are you ready for this scenario? Are you willing not to follow the majority who will go after the easy way out and the comfort of compromise?

Please consider these serious thoughts. One must become grounded in the daily discipline of love in order to keep the faith and hope through hard times.

I pray for fortitude and courage. I pray for perseverance and strength. Let us all pray for each other.