Dear Ones:
The grace that sustains us in not off and on, capricious or sparse. The grace that flows from Calvary is with us today. As you begin this new week, having partaken of Christ in the Eucharist on the first day of the week, yesterday, walk in faith today. Love our Lord Jesus with all your heart in EVERYTHING you do today. Make everything count, even the most mundane of tasks, as love to Christ. And may the God of Peace be with you today. Enjoy our dear brother Michael W. Smith and "Agus Dei." Pax!
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4 comments:
I have tried and tried to watch this video. I cannot watch it. I try and I have to stop it. My heart feels as though it will burst from sorrow...and I just can't stop crying over it.
I just can't...tons of thoughts and can't put them down tonight. That's different for me.
I'm sorry that you can't.
Sometimes when I have emotions that are overwhelming, I take time to settle down, to count to '10' and then look at why I feel the way I do. I'll ask the following:
1. What thoughts are coming to mind?
2. Are these thoughts based on reality, or imagination?
3. What is the core belief behind these thoughts?
Once I establish what the core beliefs are, I compare them to what is real, true, doctrinally sound etc.
Are your feelings those of guilt? Horror at the scenes?
JAB
Sorrow. It is not so much sorrow that we continue sinning ...it's more that people don't even think about his love...sometimes not at all throughout the course of a day. That saddens me. I pray a lot about that. I don't like to think of Him seeing us with every Blessing He has given us and then...nothing. No thanks but particularily, not even a thought toward Him. To see pictures of what He went through for us and then encounter, 'lukewarmness' toward Him just makes me cry and ask for forgiveness.
I've been thinking a lot lately. Sorry this got a bit long.
No problem! This is why I have this site up, to give vent to the thoughts that well up inside.
When you see videos like I have on this site, we can get caught up in others rejection of Jesus, which is tremendously sad. But also, let your love of Jesus be fanned to a flame, so white, so hot that it becomes like a cutting torch that cuts through the irons and chains that capture and hold others around you. Let your first love out!!!
Also, if you don't mind, I'd like to encourage you on something else, but it will take some explaining, and for you to look at with a spiritual director.
We all need to balance out the sorrow and suffering we endure for Christ with joy, or else we will be crushed by the burden, which doesn't give praise to Christ at all. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, the writer describes Christ's cross-bearing this way:
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
We are to bear the sorrows of the sins and violations against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, but with God's strength and joy. You get NO BROWNIE POINTS BY BEING OVERLY MAUDLIN!
So, when you see offenses, draw near to Christ who is the recipient of these offenses. But know that Christ is not diminished by them, the offenders are and we are to pray for them. Focus on the joy of uniting your heart with Christ and Mary, focus on the joy of winning these dear folks to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Focus on the mystical effects your reparation is doing in your suffering with Jesus.
I guess what I'm saying is, balance your suffering with the joy of the resurrection, so that you are sustained by the grace of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Joy will sustain us, and will also draw others to Christ. Refusing to allowing ourselves to be joyful may be a type of disordered thinking that somehow glories in the sorrow; that somehow we benefit by not being joyful or that others may see that we are sorrowful. The grace of the Holy Spirit does not inspire this. It may be fleshly and needs to be rooted out.
Remember the sayings of Jesus concering fasting which touches on sorrow: "When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have their received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
All in all, don't take my word on this, think about it, pray about it, and find a spiritual director to help you in this. If you think Fr. Jim would be helpful, talk to him. Priests have a charism to do spiritual direction. I'm like one on the roadway, pointing to where you can get help.
God bless you on your sensitivity to the sorrows of Christ and Mary. Don't squelch these, but allow God's grace to be channeled through them and look to the joy set before you...
Sam
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