Sister Susan Marie: we discussed some of these points: Christ said, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it.” How can a focus on saving one’s life lead to losing one’s soul? What is the purpose of our lives? Should our focus be solely on the spiritual? Are you conscious of the meanings of your everyday actions? How can we be more aware of their eternal significance? What saints lived to save their eternal lives, even at the cost of losing their life for Christ’s sake? How are they role models to us?
From Fr. DeLillio’s article, Is Life All About “Saving or Losing?
Jul 14 2013, 7:31 PM
Guest16 (guest): I enjoyed the article; his approach reminded me of St. Thérèse
Jul 14 2013, 7:32 PM
Sister Susan Marie: That’s interesting- in what way?
Jul 14 2013, 7:33 PM
Guest16 (guest): Like her ‘Little Way,’ but I’m no expert !
Jul 14 2013, 7:34 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Well St Therese has alot of resemblance to St Francis de Sales spirituality
Jul 14 2013, 7:35 PM
Guest16 (guest): I’m probably out of my league in comparing them!
Jul 14 2013, 7:35 PM
Guest16 (guest): Emphasis on kindness, etc?
Jul 14 2013, 7:35 PM
Sister Susan Marie: St Therese’s aunt was a Visitation Nun and her sisters went to a Vis boarding school
Jul 14 2013, 7:36 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Ordinary life, simplicity
Jul 14 2013, 7:36 PM
Guest16 (guest): No kidding? I didn’t know that
Jul 14 2013, 7:36 PM
Sister Susan Marie: gentleness, humility
Jul 14 2013, 7:36 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Oh yes!
Jul 14 2013, 7:37 PM
Sister Susan Marie: I think it was St Therese’s mom’s sister who was the Visitandine so the influence was there
Jul 14 2013, 7:38 PM
Guest16 (guest): That ‘s amazing, but maybe ? Strong tradition from St. Margaret Marie?
Jul 14 2013, 7:39 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Sacred Heart- St Margaret Mary
Jul 14 2013, 7:39 PM
Guest16 (guest): Yes
Jul 14 2013, 7:39 PM
Guest16 (guest): That’s who I meant
Jul 14 2013, 7:39 PM
Sister Susan Marie: I’m not sure actually about that influence
Jul 14 2013, 7:40 PM
Guest16 (guest): That’s ok- I was just ‘throwing it out there’
Jul 14 2013, 7:40 PM
Sister Susan Marie: One of the points that struck me in the article was that sense of life vs soul
Jul 14 2013, 7:41 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Life needs soul
Jul 14 2013, 7:41 PM
Guest16 (guest): So true-
Sister Susan Marie: Yet there can be a dichotomy too
Jul 14 2013, 7:42 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Temporary life vs eternal soul
Jul 14 2013, 7:42 PM
Guest16 (guest): Better than ‘mindless’ zombie lifestyle
Sister Susan Marie: A vocation though is exactly where life vs soul can come into play
Jul 14 2013, 7:45 PM
Guest16 (guest): Could I ask you to explain a bit more?
Jul 14 2013, 7:46 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes I’ll try. A group of friends are really close, even spiritually perhaps. They are in the world, living and supporting one another
Jul 14 2013, 7:47 PM
Sister Susan Marie: One feels a call to religious life. It is essential to the person’s soul
Jul 14 2013, 7:48 PM
Sister Susan Marie: But the temptation to “regular life” and the companionship of those friends, pull at the person
Jul 14 2013, 7:48 PM
Sister Susan Marie: So it’s life vs the soul, so to speak
Mary Roberta Viano: You’re talking about conversion that goes on for a lifetime.
Mary Roberta Viano: Faith – like faith in one’s spouse, grows together with love. They can never really be separated when it comes to faith in God, too. , 8:09 PM
Sister Susan Marie: How does one handle different rates of conversion between spouses?
Sister Susan Marie: I imagine patience has a big part to play there
Mary Roberta Viano: Yes, patience, which is SFdS’s “gentleness” and lots of prayer, too.
Guest16 (guest): Like the Hahns- but I don’t know them personally!
Mary Roberta Viano: If we keep company with those who don’t care about faith, our faith starts dwindling, not growing, as it should.
Mary Roberta Viano: Again SFdS in TREATISE: “O sweet Jesus, draw me always deeper into your heart so that your love may consume me and I may be swallowed up in its sweet joy.”
Mary Roberta Viano: – loving my brother (like today’s Good Samaritan Gospel) as myself or more than myself
Mary Roberta Viano: That’s what being a saint ultimately means, I think.
Jul 14 2013, 8:22 PM
Guest16 (guest): Yes,
Guest16 (guest): I always thought that was the essence of being a Christian-
Jul 14 2013, 8:23 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: That’s why living in community (and marriage, too) are such good schools of love! Guest16 (guest): Yes I know- single life can be rough , too
Jul 14 2013, 8:25 PM
Some friends of mine find loneliness too much to bear
Jul 14 2013, 8:25 PM
Guest16 (guest): Yes, I try to focus on others!
Jul 14 2013, 8:25 PM
Sister Susan Marie: It’s the FOCUS that helps
Jul 14 2013, 8:25 PM
Guest16 (guest): The loneliness is semi-bearable because of Jesus!
Mary Roberta Viano: Self-sacrifice (focus away from myself and my needs) happens in any life style. That’s the universal call to holiness.