Looking more at Genesis 18

Tiepolo, Abraham and the Three Angels

17 And the Lord said: Can I hide from Abraham what I am about to do:

18 "Seeing he shall become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed?

19 For I know that he will command his children, and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord, and do judgment and justice: that for Abraham's sake the Lord may bring to effect all the things he hath spoken unto him.

20 And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous.

21 I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is come to me: or whether it be not so, that I may know. 

22 And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.

I am struck by verse 21 today, which indicates to some unbelievers that The Holy Trinity did not know what was happening in the Five Cities. However, as we know, God is All-Knowing. Two points. One, God, I think, wanted to reveal Himself to the inhabitants of the cities to see if any would repent. God always give all people a chance for salvation, for conversion. The seeing of God was the last chance of those sodomites who had offended both men and God. Seeing Him could have caused repentance, but as we know from Chapter 19, the inhabitants demanded from Lot unnatural relations with his guests, a manifestation of the Son and the Holy Spirit, while the Father remained behind with Abraham, who was bargaining with Him. These "men" who were not men, went to find humble hearts which could turn to God at the last moment. This did not happen. God has all knowledge, but He wanted to share real love with the inhabitants, so He went into the city.

Secondly, who was crying out to God against Sodom , Gomorrah and the other three cities? Lot and his small family? I would think that many, many people were crying out to God for vengeance, as the sin of sodomy is one listed as crying out to God for vengeance.

Do we cry out to God for vengeance, which is justice? Are we so accepting of sin that the Trinity is not hearing any prayers for justice? Wait and see what will happen...

One can see my previous posts on this subject under the tags. I love the painting above, but the bread reminds me of a Big Mac. I guess I need some dinner.

Catechism Online Link: A Reminder: The Four Sins Which Cry Out to ...

31 Jan 2013

Catechism Online Link: A Reminder: The Four Sins Which Cry Out to God For Vengeance. Posted by Supertradmum. Free online edition http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/The%20Douay%20Catechism%20of%201649.pdf.

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Reminder from the CCC

08 Jun 2013

Because of a note on another blog when I had to look up this reference, here is a reminder of the Four Sins Which Cry Out to God for Vengeance. 1867 The catechetical tradition also recalls that there are “sins that cry to ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: I cannot hardly believe this; Potus, gay pride and ...

15 Jun 2013

Sin has no rights, period. Pedophiles, murderers, abortionists all sinners without rights, and homosexual acts are in the list of the four sins which cry out to God for vengeance in our catechism. Love the sinner, hate the sin.

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Shame in America's Capitol

09 Jan 2013

God will not ignore His Commandments being mocked. The sin of homosexuality is one of the four or five, depending on the list, which cries out to God for vengeance. Check out the the older catechisms on this point.

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

A Modern Fairy Tale, Part Four

The prince sat by the fire as the night covered the cottage. The cats and mice came in an sat with the woman, who continued her tale. The young prince took the three items out of his bag and placed them on the floor in front of the fireplace, where the flames lit these gifts up and made them look like things from heaven.

"The angels told me that the golden rose was real love, love not tainted by selfishness or pride, but sacrificial love, given only when asked and humbly. I did not know that type of love until many years passed, but now you have that love, and I give you the golden rose so that you will love another truly and for the sake of God, not yourself. You must always love someone as you love your own self, and always put their comfort before yours. When you find that princess, you may give her the rose.

The amethyst is both humility and truth. Wear it on your finger to never forget that it is only in God that we find our true selves. It is only in truth that we are made humble. Make it into a ring and wear it as king, to remind yourself that self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom." The woman placed the gem in the prince's hand and picked up the scroll. "This," she said slowly, "is the story of my life. When you take it back, you must read it to your children, to remind them of the sins youth can commit, and the need for forgiveness and purification. You will be able to read the characters when your own heart is pure."

The woman placed the scroll in the prince's hand, and then told him how to finish his tasks.

"You must go back up into the mountain and destroy the bird-dragon, the puma-snake, and the false queen-monster. These are sins which must be destroyed not by violence, but by prayer and fasting. I shall give you water and bread. You will climb, and sit by the bird until it withered and dies, and do the same with all three evils. And so, I am freed and you are freed of the sins of the past, and for you, you will gain some purity of heart. And, when you come down, you will have knowledge which I shall give as to how to gain back your kingdom."

So, the next morning, when the yellow bird woke up the two, sleeping like brother and sister on the floor of the cottage, the young man left. He did exactly as told, and after the first 10 days, sitting, praying, and fasting by the bird which talked incessantly, the prince overcame the creature, and the bird-dragon withered and died. The desire for revenge and the nursing of anger died in the prince's heart.

The prince climbed up the path to the puma, and it jumped in front of him and sat, as before on its haunches. The prince knelt down and prayed and fasted for ten days. All that time, the puma stared at him, waiting to pounce. On the last day, the puma-snake withered and died. The wind blew away the carcass and nothing was left. The desire for power and status disappeared from the prince's heart.

Then, the prince knew the last task would be the most difficult. He climbed up to the stone where the beautiful silver queen sat. She looked at him with a strange smile. The prince did not want to look at the beauty of this queen. So, he turned his back on her and knelt down on the stone. He prayed and fasted, while she sang odd songs about love. But, the songs changed and became ugly, until on the tenth day, the lady turned into the black, ugly monster, stood up and died, choking on an ugly song. The prince continued up the mountain and realized that love for love had disappeared, along with self-pity. His heart was full of a new love,

He found the rope and went back to the cottage along the same path, but when he got to where the cottage should have been, it was gone. The woman was gone, the garden was gone, the pear tree and the yellow bird was gone. Nothing was left not even the three gifts in the basket. Then, the prince sat down on the grass and was anxious. He did not know how to win his kingdom back, as the woman had left in a mystery.

Suddenly, the prince looked up and saw four men standing at the far side of the river. They were the very nobles who had desired his death. The prince was no longer afraid, "What do you want?" He cried loudly as the river was full.

"Lord, we repent. Hear us. Look we have no weapons, no dogs. Yesterday, a strange and beautiful woman came to the castle. She sought us out and gave us this basket of mysterious things. Then, when we asked her why she had come, she said that you were the rightful king and we needed you. All at once, we could feel our hearts melting within us, and we concurred that we had been wrong. Then, in front of us, she disappeared. We knew then that she was some heavenly creature.

In the castle was an old serving maid of your mother's. She cried aloud when she saw the woman disappear. The servant knew her for your father's first love. We are changed. Please, we beg you to come back."

Then, suddenly, the river lowered and all the men were amazed that the prince could walk across without getting wet. When he reached the shore, the four nobles knelt and called him lord and king. The prince went back and was crowned king. He grew in wisdom and humility, and when he was a bit older, he found a lovely women to be his bride. She was the daughter of a poor man, but gentle as the breeze which blows across the green grass at the edge of the forest.where the cottage once stood and where a yellow bird sang from a pear tree long ago.

copyright 2013

A Modern Fairy Tale, Part Three

The prince noticed red rope tangled on the tree and when he went to touch it, it seemed strong and new. The prince unravelled the rope and then noticed that the other side of this flat top of the mountain was a straight cliff down to the green river. He then decided to use the rope to climb down the steep face of the cliff and into the river, as he hoped he could swim at least part of the way back to the cottage.

Within a half-hour, the prince was at the bottom of the cliff, but instead of the river coming up to the edge, a small path with stairs led down to the bank. And, the bank was flat and green with new grass. The prince was delighted and stepped onto the grass. Then, he proceeded south on the path along the green river. The distance to the cottage was a day of hard walking, but by nightfall, the prince could see the small smoke coming from the chimney of the old woman's hut.

She heard him coming and came out to meet him. The prince was startled, as instead of an old woman, there was a beautiful girl of about twenty in front of him.

"I am the woman, yes, and you have done well to follow my instructions. Now, let us go in for food and drink, and I shall tell you what these things are and how you are to regain your kingdom.:

The prince felt bashful at the woman's beauty, simple, yet true. He was bewildered by all the things which had happened.

The woman began her story.

"I am the daughter of a nobleman your grandfather loved. My father was your grandfather's steward and when I was the age I am now, your father fell in love with me. However, your grandfather, then king, had arranged a marriage for your father with as wealthy queen beyond the mountains. At first, your father promised me that he would marry me for love, but when he thought more hand more about the queen's wealth and power, he allowed his father to take me away at midnight to this small place. The guards who brought me here were killed so that no one knew where I was. Because of the faithfulness of my father, the steward, I was not killed. However, the old king told everyone that I had run away. My parents died quickly of grief as I was there only child. Only three cats and two mice I had fed daily followed the trail and found me here.

I was miserable, and full of hate and anger. My anger became so real that it turned into a bird of fantastic colours and flew up into the mountain. It was full of lies and resentment and pretended to be something other than anger.

I was also grieving for my lost love, but, also, selfishly, for the status and power I had lost as well, as my young love for the prince, your father, was immature and shallow. That grief and resentment turned into a puma-serpent, racing up the mountain, pretending to be power and to give power.

Lastly, I mourned for my lost beauty and youth, and wept that no man loved me, letting sorrow and self-pity seep into my soul until it became as hard as metal,. That false pity turned into a lovely queen with a heart of stone and she, too, fled up the mountain to tempt and lie. But, self-pity is a dark monster, as you saw.

But, after many years, I forgave your grandfather's power and your father, now king's weakness. And, as I forgave, two angels sent from God healed my heart and soul and brought me a basket with a few gifts. The first was the golden rose, the second the amethyst, and the third the scroll. The angelic beings told me that the day a prince would come to find these things for my sake and his, he would regain his throne. Then, the angels took the gifts and placed them on the mountain, as you found them.

Now, prince, let me tell you the meaning of the gifts and how you are to claim your kingdom."

To be continued....copyright 2013

A Modern Fairy Tale, Part Two

As the prince entered the forest, he looked back at the old woman standing in her garden. For a moment, he was confused, as she looked forty years younger, as if he could see her as her father did. But, the clouds covered the sun, and rain pushed him in to the trees. Now, this forest was made of pine and fir, as the woman's cottage was high in the foothills, across a plain which the river in older days had flattened with flooding. The prince lifted his satchel and began to climb up the hills of fir, then pine, then light birch, until, finally, he was on rocky ground, beyond the tree line. For a moment, he looked back and could see nothing but the green darkness of the trees. He realized the rain has stopped and that he was hungry.

Sitting on a rock, the young prince, open his satchel to find a complete dinner, including wine, bread, cheese and eggs. He marvelled at the luncheon and ate at once. As he was finishing, the prince heard a scratching noise to his left, just at the edge of the line of trees. He stood up, a bit afraid, as he had no sword or armour.

In a high branch of a yellowing birch, the prince could see an large, bright bird. This bird was one he did not recognize. The plumage of the bird was of rainbow colours, and its tail was as long as the prince's arm. But, most amazing, is that it spoke.

"Prince, do not be deceived by this old woman. She is really a witch and I am a young man she put under a spell years ago. I, too, am a prince, but I only need the golden rose from the cleft in the rock to be free from my spell. Will you help me?" The bird's voice was like velvet, and for a moment, the prince thought of bringing the rose to the bird-man. But, the prince remembered the woman's words, and that she had saved him from death. He decided not to answer the rainbow bird, but move up higher into the rocky cliffs ahead.

"You will regret not helping me," said the bird, but the prince carried on. He stopped for a moment on a stone ledge and looked back towards the bird, but it had changed shape and seemed like a dragon to him. The young prince was frightened, but continued his quest. After walking most of the day, and it was a hot day, the prince sat down by a small stream to drink some of the cool mountain water. When he bent over to reach the water, he saw the golden rose. The flower was the most beautiful rose he had ever seen. As he bent over to pick it, he caught some movement from the corner of his eye. The prince snatched the flower and put it in the satchel. But, as he stood up, he saw a puma sitting on its haunches and staring at him.

The prince now was definitely afraid. His hands shook, but he stared back at the puma, whose coat shimmered in the setting sun. The puma spoke and its voice was like the sound of water, cool and comforting.

"I smell your fear, Prince, but I want something of you. I want the purple stone which lies in the stream above us. I cannot get it myself, but if you give it to me, I have the power to make your enemies fear you for the rest of your life. I shall give you power."

The prince did not answer the puma but he did something very brave. He turned away from the large cat and resumed his climb up the mountain. He decided to trust the old woman. When he had climbed about twenty feet, the prince looked back at the sunlit puma, but the animal had changed into a large serpent, coiled and red. The prince continued his climb, and as he put his had on top of the next rock jutting out, his hand felt cold, cold water. The prince threw himself up on the large, flat rock above and saw a tiny stream coming out of the ground. Where the stream came out of the small hole in the ground lay an oval amethyst as beautiful as the dawn. The prince picked it out of the mud and put it in his satchel.  As he stood up, he saw the most incredible sight of all. A beautiful woman in silver sat on a throne with animals surrounding her. She was as white in skin as the silver in her dress, and her shoes were made of silver. She spoke, and her words were like the tinkling of bells in a valley. Her hair was as bright as the sun. And her eyes were as sparkling as dew on the grass in summer.

"Why do you believe a hag, a wretched woman when I can tell you the real tale. I can give you devotion and love if you would only bring me the scroll which is on top of the mountain which I cannot climb. I can make you happier than you can imagine, for happiness is in my gift."

The young prince was almost, for a second or two, taken in by the beauty of this woman. But, his heart trusted the old woman, and as he passed her and her retinue of animals, one a large bear which growled at him when he passed, he began to climb the steepest cliff of all. He struggled hand by hand to the top and when he reached the small ledge, he turned and looked back to see the bright queen, as he thought she was, but instead, he only saw a horrid monster with black tentacles and large empty eyes.

The prince turned and saw a withered tree the size of a shrub and in the branches was the white scroll with odd black characters. He took the scroll, and put it in his satchel. Then, he sat down and wondered how he would get past the monsters left behind, down the path.

To be continued....copyright 2013

A Modern Fairy Tale in Four Parts, Part One

Once upon a time, in a cold climate, there lived an old woman with grey hair and sad eyes. She lived in a very small cottage by a small river. Behind the cottage was a dark and thick forest. Behind the forest were tall, cold mountains. The old woman knew the forest and would gather things to eat there. She gathered berries, leaves for soup, and wild carrots. She gathered mint, and rue, and hickory for tea.

The old woman was not ugly, but plain. She had two sets of clothing-one for winter and one for summer.

The summer set of clothing was pale rose, like an old rose, with light sleeves made of a light material, as light as the breeze. Her winter clothing was dark, dark blue, like the sky at night and was made of sturdy wool. Both sets of clothing responded to her wishes, like live creatures.

The old woman had a small garden and a pear tree.

She had three cats and two mice, who were allowed to live in the garden, and as they were dormice, the creatures were content with seeds and water.

The old woman had a small fireplace, one cup, one plate and one set of silver ware. She also had two books.

But, one day, her quiet life was interrupted by the braying of hounds. She left her small room and went out into the front of the cottage and peered over the green river. There, she could see a young man with coal black hair, like a raven's, running for his life.

Behind the young man, who the woman recognized as a prince from his clothing and demeanour, and from a hollow feeling in her heart, were a pack of dogs, howling and attempting to reach the young man.

Now, the old woman was not a witch, but she did have some secrets. One secret was that she could make the river level lower by a prayer taught to her a long time ago by an angel, so she prayed, and, for a few minutes, the green river became a stream. The young prince was astonished, but plunged away reaching the other side just as the river became a rushing torrent, as it was spring, and the winter snows were melting on the mountains above the forest. The dogs could not cross the river and remained on the far shore.

The young man, whose brown and green clothing were hardly wet said to the woman, "Hid me, for the men who are behind the dogs want my life." So, the old woman placed her summer rose coloured cloak over him and he disappeared from sight. Just then, four men arrived at the edge of the river and shouted,
"Old woman, have you seen a young man running this way?" The old woman answered, "I see no one like that, sirs, do you?"

The men looked at the dogs panting for breath on the river's edge and answered, "No, we do not see anyone. And no one could cross this river as it is today." They turned and dragging the dogs with them, left.

The woman could see them travelling for about a half-mile of the plain behind. Then, she went into the cottage where the prince was waiting inside.

"Here is your cloak, old mother, and I thank you for saving me.What can I do for you?"

"Prince, as I see you are, you must be honest and tell me why they are chasing you to kill you?"

The prince sat down on a small wooden chair carved like a swan. He stared at the strange woman.

"My father abandoned the kingdom years ago to sail away in a ship for southern lands. Word came back to us that he is long dead. I am his rightful heir. But, these lords, seeing that I was not yet a man, wanted to kill me and share the kingdom for their own. My mother and my sister are gone as well, so I am alone."

"Are you a witch, as you do not feel like a witch?"

The old woman smiled. "No, I am a Christian long exiled from your own kingdom by your own father many years ago. He was to marry me, but wanted another, wealthy wife, your own mother, and to rid himself of my presence, which reminded him of his broken promises, he exiled me. I was forgotten by all, and I forgave him and his people. One the day I forgave him, angels came to me and gave me a few gifts. I use these gifts rarely.  As you are the son of one I loved, I shall help you, but you must obey my small instructions. You are full of anger and revenge and pity for yourself. These things must be addressed."

The prince marvelled at the old woman's words and was ashamed, but remembered a tale spoken of by some of the servants of a beautiful maiden, as poor as a church mouse, but loved by the king, who disappeared a long time ago. As she had no family, no one searched for her, except some mice and a few cats, who found her finally on the other side of the river,

Their descendants, the cats and mice, lived with the old woman as her only companions, except for one small yellow bird, who woke her every morning.

The woman looked at the prince for a long time. She made some tea for him. Then, she spoke, "You are to undo the injustice of your own father by helping me so that you will be king as you should be. But, you must follow some simple instructions and climb the mountains behind the forest to find three things.

The first is a golden rose, never seen before, but growing in a cleft in the rocks. The second is an amethyst, as pure as dawn, lying in a small stream. And the third is a white scroll with words unknown to you written in black characters hanging from a tree at the top of the highest mountain. Bring these to me and you will be king, overcoming your enemies. But, you will have distractions and you must ignore all things and persons or creatures which will try and dissuade you from this task."

The young prince eagerly agreed to all these things, being young and adventurous, and a bit naive. But, none the less, the next morning, with a satchel of food and drink from the old woman, he set off for the mountains of snow and ice.

To be continued...copyright 2013

Spiritual Authenticity

Jesus is called the Lion of Judah. Jesus is the Word Incarnate. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

John 14:6

Douay-Rheims 1

6 Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.

The Protestant Minister Charles Spurgeon wrote the phrase above on the meme. God's Word, the Gospel is Truth, and one can live by the Word, or not do so. To not live by the Word is to fall into lies and darkness. And, to depart from the Teachings of the Church is to depart from the Lion of Judah.

In the past several weeks, here in Ireland, I have been pondering the question of spiritual authenticity. Now, many people say to me, "So and so is such a saint," or "She is so holy, she works so hard for the Church." And so on.

I am perplexed when people see saintliness or goodness in others who demonstrate vices which are opposite virtue. I am concerned when good works are confused with holiness. And, I am most perplexed when good people are led astray by small or quiet manipulations which they do not see. This has happened in my own diocese. What was seemingly good was not. Many people were hurt by psychological manipulation which was hidden in a so-called healing and deliverance group, which charged for services.

The problem is one of discernment. We must pray for purity of heart, as that is how we are protected. When we allow God to purify us, we no longer have to defend ourselves. God defends us. The Truth defends us.

Recently, a good friend of mine realized that some people who talked the talk were not walking the walk. The men were saying they loved Christ and His Church, but in reality, daily, were involved in New Age groups, and prayer groups disobedient to the teaching of Rome. My dear friend had an epiphany. If these good people did not want to know about the real teaching of the Church, but only chose what they wanted to believe, they had departed from the road to perfection.

The result is that this friend is finding people who walk the talk in the TLM communities. He is trying to get to the Latin Mass frequently, and finds his spiritual life deepening because of the TLM.

He cannot explain it. Nor can he explain why several of his friends involved in the prayer groups he use to attend hate the TLM, and do not want to join him in going. He says that sadly, these old friends of his are moving themselves out of the Church. They have gone from seeking Christ to seeking other gods, gods which do not demand dying to self.

How can I determine is someone, even myself, is spiritually authentic?

One merely has to ask two questions: do I and the others I see in my groups pursue Truth first and foremost in their own personal lives both in action and in prayer? And, two, am I and those in my group self-critical and take responsibility for their own actions, rather than passing the buck?

The spiritually authentic person is consistently honest and accountable for his actions.

My old friend is sad to leave his friends, but he has chosen spiritual authenticity over friendship-a brave move for an older person. I am sure God will reward him.

Voris says it better than I would--and what would St. Nicholas do?

Someone asked me custody of the eyes was? Custodia Occulorum.

From the Book of Job, Chapter 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? Custody of the eyes means not looking at a good-looking man or woman. It means not staring and letting one's self fall into sins of lust or envy. It means focusing on God and His Love.

Custody of the eyes means not going to movies which will increase lust or ruin your imagination. It means not reading gossip or indulging in porn. Custody of the eyes is a discipline a child can learn.

It means minding one's own business. It means paying attention to goodness.

On the myth of why the Church is unpopular

On a famous blog today (not Fr. Z's), there are many comments which indicate that people believe that the horrible child abuse scandal has caused the Church to be unpopular.

This is a myth. The Church has ALWAYS been unpopular. The Catholic Church has endured over 2,000 of hatred and persecution, and not necessarily because of the sins of Her members.

As many of you know, following this blog. several members of my family were abused by a priest for years and years as very young children.

All four never gave up the Church, married good Catholics, raised their children Catholics and are still Catholics. They forgave the priest, even though his despicable actions caused them pain their entire lives in one way or another.

Catholics have been treating people badly for a long time. Some Catholic priests have embezzled thousands if not millions of dollars. This happened in my own diocese, which also went bankrupt because of paedophilia and homosexuality among priests.

The sex scandals are not new, folks. And there have always been scandals in the Church.

There is only one reason why the Church is unpopular-because the Fullness of Truth lies within the Church. The true Gospel is taught by the Catholic Church.  Truth, Who is a Person, is Present on every altar daily, in the Eucharist.

The Church is not popular because She speaks the truth in season and out of season. The Church will prevail because it is Christ's Mystical Body and the institution created by Christ to lead us all to salvation.

Those who leave the Church or do not join it because of evil priests, evil bishops, evil cardinals, are not looking at themselves. We are all sinners. Look at Christ, not men.

All of us have failed God and brought disrespect to the Church by some action or another. There is no person on earth who is without sin.

It is horrible that we have had to witness the scale of the evils in the Church. But, we are about to witness a purging of the Church not seen in decades, and witnessed by some of our ancestors hundreds of years ago.

Remember, all but one bishop went with Henry VIII and that was St. John Fisher. The rest finally repented under Queen Mary, but terrible damage was done by their apostasy.

The Church has been, is, and always will be unpopular. So what? The truth will prevail and those who want the truth, who seek it, will find it. And, those who want to continue the myth, will do so.

I find the arguments puerile. Pray for the Church, and pray for holy priests, holy bishops, holy cardinals. Pray for holy lay people.

On Conversion and Justification

 In Santa Maria del Popolo The Conversion on the Way to Damascus by Caravaggio 

In the perfection series, I placed a graph of Garrigou-Lagrange, on the steps of the spiritual life in a post towards the end of the series. As I repeated before, none of these steps can be skipped. But, the first stage merits revisiting.

This is the stage of the First Conversion. St. Thomas Aquinas describes this as an overwhelming moment of grace when one's life is changed. St. Paul is one of our greatest examples. He was murdering Catholics and then became one of the greatest of saints, an apostle to the Gentiles.

This First Conversion is pure gift from God. The CCC is clear on this grace of justification.

1989 The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."³⁸ Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man.³⁹
1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.
1991 Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness (or "justice") here means the rectitude of divine love. With justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts, and obedience to the divine will is granted us.
1992 Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life:⁴⁰

Grace heals us in ways which God chooses. We do not choose the way in which God desires to purify us. Most of the time, healing comes in and through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Paul was a harsh and fanatic man before his conversion. But, after he was knocked from his horse, he humbly had to asked for healing from a stranger. After that, he writes that for some time, he went into the desert to pray and let God work in him. This would have been Paul's time of purification and entering into the Illuminative Stage, and then, the Unitive Stage, about which he also writes.

But, the First Conversion following the immediate gift of grace, involved a giving up, a denying of self, as Paul lost all his worldly status and standing with the Jewish Sanhedrin. He had to change and become a new person in Christ.

Without the First Conversion, there is no relationship with Christ in a personal way. For many, this happens in the home, even in the grace of Baptism as an infant. For some, this happens as an adult.

To be continued....

For New Readers, Posts on Grace and Connected Topics

Grace Posts

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Etheldredasplace: A short treatise on grace, moving towards ...





Etheldredasplace: A short treatise on grace, moving towards ...

22 Mar 2013

Justification is to be derived from the prevenient grace of God, through Jesus Christ, that is to say, from His vocation, whereby, without any merits existing on their parts, they are called; that so they, who by sins were alienated ...

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Etheldredasplace: On Sufficient Grace--Part Two

22 Mar 2013

Internal helps, which are either permanent (such as infused habits, for instance, sanctifying grace, the virtues and gifts) or transient (such as supernatural movements which excite in us indeliberate acts, pious thoughts and ...

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Etheldredasplace: Grace, Part Three--Merit and Holiness

22 Mar 2013

The CCC is clear on merit and grace and this is like a summary of the perfection series! I do not think a commentary is necessary here. These selections from the CCC have been repeated in the Doctors of the Church series ...

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Etheldredasplace: On Efficacious Grace; Part Five on the Mini ...

23 Mar 2013

This grace, which is always followed by its effect, is refused to us, as we said, only if we resist the Divine, auxilium praeveniens, sufficient grace, in which the efficacious help is already offered us, as fruit is in the flower.

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Etheldredasplace: Grace Is Not Fairy Dust--Ranting on Magical ...

23 Jul 2013

Grace is not fairy dust. Grace is the life of God given to us in several ways. There are also many posts on grace. One can use the search bar or the labels or the tags. Sacramentals. Here is merely the section on sacramentals ...

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Etheldredasplace: Thoughts from St. Catherine of Siena on Grace ...

17 Jul 2013

Wherefore I beseech You, through grace and mercy, that, from today henceforward, I may never again wander from the path of Your doctrine, given by Your goodness to me and to whoever wishes to follow it, because without ...

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Etheldredasplace: On grace and free will again

07 Apr 2013

I reiterate this point today as many converts coming from the Evangelical and Lutheran, as well as Anglican communities do not understand this interplay of grace and will. Grace is not a feeling. It is not a consolation. It is the ...

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Etheldredasplace: Part Four--grace and salvation for "all" and the ...

22 Mar 2013

We differ greatly from the Protestants, as we believe that Christ wants all to be saved. Grace is available to all men and women, but God gives as He wills, not as we will...We also believe that reason is an important faculty in ...

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Etheldredasplace: Nice reminder on grace from another blog

24 Mar 2013

Nice reminder on grace from another blog. Posted by Supertradmum · http://www.stpeterslist.com/5452/sacraments-of-the-dead-12-questions-on-sacrilege-and-grace/ · Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook.

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Etheldredasplace: More Cassian-grace

21 Jan 2013

Who would be sufficient without God's grace to give continual attendance to reading and constant earnestness in work, receiving no advantage of present gain? And all these matters, as we cannot desire them continuously ...

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Etheldredasplace: Grace is given freely

22 Jan 2013

I am discovering young, intelligent, holy Millennials who far outstrip their parents' generation in virtue and knowledge. They are all converts or reverts. Grace is freely given. God is preparing a great generation. I can see this ...

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Evangelizing the Baptized-Three-on Sola Scriptura and Grace

09 Mar 2013

Sanctifying grace is an habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God, to act by his love. Habitual grace, the permanent disposition to live and act in keeping with God's ...

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Etheldredasplace: Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee

24 Mar 2012

I find that the recent plethora of false visions do not help the real concept of Mary as Mother of God, but only emphasize her role as petitioner, not even her role as Mediatrix of All Grace. The quicker Rome clarifies her position ...

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Etheldredasplace: Perfection Part Five in a Series: Children, Grace ...

16 Feb 2012

Of course, if the child has had good catechesis and good parenting, that child will have the advantage of grace building on nature-that is, the life-changing gifts of Baptism imprinted on the soul, aiding nature to move towards ...

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Etheldredasplace: By The Grace of God

03 Jun 2012

The phrase Dei Gratia, is part of the title of the monarch of Great Britain. By the grace of God, she reigns. Now, Americans have a hard time with this overlap of religion and politics. And, this weekend's amazing celebration of ...

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Etheldredasplace: Not for the few, but for all...perfection

07 Jun 2013

First of all, that sanctifying grace, called "the grace of the virtues and the gifts," is "much more excellent," as St. Thomas says,(13) than the graces gratis datae, like the gift of miracles, that of tongues, or prophecy which ...

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Etheldredasplace: Evangelizing the Baptized-Four: Two Graces

09 Mar 2013

The Protestants do not make an distinction between actual, that is, temporary grace, and sanctifying grace. Catholics believe in the Indwelling of the Holy Trinity-a grace given at baptism and throughout life in the Sacraments ...

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Etheldredasplace: On the Will and Perfection

20 Jan 2013

Further, it is creative grace which gave existence to the will ; it is saving grace which giveth it moral success ; it is the will itself which bringeth about its own moral failure. Accordingly, free choice maketh us possessed of will ...

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Etheldredasplace: I am not into "youth events" and I am not a ...

19 Jun 2013

in which he positively established the existence of original sin, the necessity of infant baptism, the impossibility of a life without sin, and the necessity of interior grace (spiritus) in opposition to the exterior grace of the law (litera) ...

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Etheldredasplace: Part 66: DoC: St. Augustine of Hippo

04 Mar 2013

Through this forgiveness of sin, we live in grace, moving towards the call to perfection. 6. Only Christ and the Church ... We are saved by grace, just at the saints of the Old Testament were saved by grace. The Commandments ...

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Etheldredasplace: True Goodness

15 Jan 2013

And, yet, experiencing Love, Who is God, had been through an other, his beloved friend, whom he wanted to marry, whom he had hurt rather inadvertently, which caused this moment of grace. This person said that his small ...

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Etheldredasplace: Being single and being on retreat

27 Aug 2012

But, she had made a vow and the vow brought grace. She also stated that because of the days in which she lived, ten years after being a religious, at an older age and some maturity, she had virtually no counsel from priests ...

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Etheldredasplace: On Baptism Again......

04 May 2012

Two: it makes us co-heirs with Christ in eternal life and in the life of God on earth, with is the life of grace. Without baptism, we do not inherit heaven, nor the life of God, the Kingdom of God within. We receive the Indwelling of ...

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Etheldredasplace: On Evangelizing the Baptized

09 Mar 2013

The Council asserted that salvation is the work of God's grace and that even the beginning of faith or the consent to saving grace is itself the result of grace. By our natural powers, we can neither think as we ought nor choose ...

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Etheldredasplace: Indwelling of the Holy Trinity Part Two-charity

13 Mar 2012

There is no other way to obtain sanctifying grace except through the Sacramental Life of the Church. There is no running around the goal post in order to score. When the Church teaches that we are all saved through the ...

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Etheldredasplace: Evangelizing the Baptized. Five

10 Mar 2013

1255 For the grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents' help is important. So too is the role of the godfather and godmother, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized - child or adult on the road of ...

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Etheldredasplace: Doctors of the Church Series and Perfection ...

20 Feb 2013

The second person born in the Holy Spirit was not conceived without Original Sin or sanctifying grace, but was given it at six months, when the Mother of God visited his mother, Elizabeth. Now, we know this is St. John the ...

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Etheldredasplace: A contentious subject and many viewpoints

16 Jan 2013

(13) God knows them individually and He wills to have them perform meritoriously acts that are required for entering heaven. He wills to give them the grace to persevere until the end, this being what St. Paul means when he ...

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Etheldredasplace: Father Jordan Aumann, again, and others.....

21 Jun 2012

Here is Leo XIII on the matter--"the Sacraments of the New Law, as sensible and efficient signs of invisible grace, ought both to signify the grace which they effect, and effect the grace which they signify" in Apostolicae Curae.

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Etheldredasplace: The Last Perfection Post: On the Beatific Vision

20 Apr 2013

At the beginning of this work, (1) we stated that the life of grace is the beginning of eternal life, according to the traditional formula: "Grace is the seed of glory." It is essentially the same life in its basis, in spite of two differences: ...

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Etheldredasplace: Part 119: Doctors of the Church and Perfection ...

15 Apr 2013

St. John of Avila says: "I believe every saint has had the desire to be higher in grace than he actually was. ... They were content with the degree of grace God had meted out for them, though actually God had given them less.

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Etheldredasplace: Predestination, again

25 Jan 2013

It was for this reason that Augustine wrote On Grace and Free Will only one year before his primary work on election, On the Predestination of the Saints. Every man has the ability to choose that which he desires; every man ...

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