Why do you think patience is so important for achieving the abiliity ot “possess” ourselves? What exactly doe this mean to possess one’s self? And why might it be so important in our modern, fast-paced age? What do you think of Saint Francis’ advice to give “due respect to truth”? In the closing paragraph, Saint Francis asks us to consider our sufferings in light of the sufferings of others, to help give us perspective that others often have greater sufferings than we do. However, how might we tem

Oct 6 2016, 10:32 AM

VisitationSiste: However, how might we temper this advice so as to avoid being happy simply because “I’m not him,” or “At least I’m not going through that”? How do we find the fine line?

Lisa C: I liked that the topic is patience since I chose that one to grow in

Oct 9 2016, 7:36 PM

Dawn L: would it be correct to see this ( Kasper) as a sort of trial where we could, after stating our injuries, practice patience?

Oct 9 2016, 7:36 PM

VisitationSiste: Hmm

Oct 9 2016, 7:37 PM

 

Oct 9 2016, 7:37 PM

Lisa C: I did think of patience as a bit different from what St. F gave as an example

Oct 9 2016, 7:37 PM

Carol Ann: Dawn, that is great

 

Dawn L: me too. He goes deeply into patience

Oct 9 2016, 7:37 PM

VisitationSiste: for ex Call often to mind that our Saviour redeemed us by bearing and suffering, and in like manner we must seek our own salvation amid sufferings and afflictions; bearing insults, contradictions and troubles with all the gentleness we can possibly command.

7:38 PM

Carol Ann: Which for me sometimes is about zero

Oct 9 2016, 7:38 PM

Lisa C: I was thinking of patience as staying patient with people and he is describing as patience with trials from God

39 PM

VisitationSiste: Insults can be from people

Oct 9 2016, 7:39 PM

 

VisitationSiste: the injuries or contradictions we endure from good people are much harder to bear than any others. , 7:40 PM

Lisa C: I was thinking of it as staying calm when people do things that just seem stupidM

VisitationSiste: Yes that type of patience needs to be cultivated7:40 PM

Carol Ann: That is the truth, Sr. 16, 7:41 PM

VisitationSiste: How many times I have “outward patience” if one can call it that- but not inward41 PM

Lisa C: That is the one I need. I am patient with trials from God even if they are painful. PM

VisitationSiste: We know God does not make mistakes but with others we are more demanding because they do? 6, 7:43 PM

Dawn L: Patience with ourselves sometimes, I think of this4 PM

Guest1 (guest): I must say, I am starting to understand that a very unkind person I am bound to by duty, is, I believe a trial sent to me by God to help me grow. Is this possible? And any recommendations for interior prayer as I engage with is person in a constantly stressful caregiving person?

Oct 9 2016, 7:44 PM

Lisa C: I think sometimes it is hard work to deal with things people do and it takes away from things we prefer to do. Maybe that is what I mean. I am way better at it than I was.

Oct 9 2016, 7:44 PM

Amy Cochran: in our fast paced world, the virtue of patience is disappearing. we want everything NOW

Oct 9 2016, 7:44 PM

Guest1 (guest): Situation

, 7:45 PM

VisitationSiste: God does allow us to help one another grow- so to speak, by conflicts6 PM

VisitationSiste: I recommend the Jesus Prayer

Oct 9 2016, 7:46 PM

Carol Ann: Which means we must pray for discernment in this us well, to know what He wants us to fux, and leave the other to h

Oct 9 2016, 7:46 PM

Dawn L: then if each person ( in conflict) can see it this way, this is good? beneficial

Oct 9 2016, 7:46 PM

Lisa C: self possession… I think it means being able to control ourself to be ruled by God. Giving God possession of ourself

47 PM

Guest1 (guest): Thx Sister. I will remember.

Oct 9 2016, 7:48 PM

Amy Cochran: to give yourself totally to God requires a great amount of faith and trust

Oct 9 2016, 7:48 PM

Lisa C: The opposite of being possessed by evil and not doing what we were made to do…know God, love God, serve God.

PM

Dawn L: by possessing our souls, we allow, accept and give thank God for the means of working out our salvation ( what I wrote eariler)

Oct 9 2016, 7:49 PM

Lisa C: 2 Peter 1 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8

Oct 9 2016, 7:50 PM

Dawn L: thank you Lisa!

1 PM

Lisa C: 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Oct 9 2016, 7:51 PM

Ruth (guest): I find that the hardest person for me to be patient with, much of the time, is myself! I am often frustrated by Ruth!

Oct 9 2016, 7:52 PM

Lisa C: 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Oct 9 2016, 7:52 PM

Carol Ann: Me too, Ruth, with myself

Oct 9 2016, 7:52 PM

Ruth (guest): Good selection Lisa.

Oct 9 2016, 7:53 PM

Lisa C: I should have put earlier part too

53 PM

Lisa C: The self control he talks about I think is the self possession St. F mentions

Oct 9 2016, 7:54 PM

VisitationSiste: The fact is I think that if we are not patient with ourselves we will not truly be patient with others

7:55 PM

Guest1 (guest): That is a great point, Sister. I notice that the more patient I can be with my own past mistakes especially, the more patience I can exercise with others. 7 PM

VisitationSiste: All comes from within us, from our soul

 

Dawn L: we can then have compassion for others

Oct 9 2016, 7:57 PM

Carol Ann: That is true. But how do we learn to be patient with ourselves

Oct 9 2016, 7:57 PM

Ruth (guest): That may be so, Sister. But I do find that it sometimes helps me to tell myself: Be at least as kind to yourself as you would be to a patient or a friend . . . God loves you. . .

Oct 9 2016, 7:58 PM

Guest1 (guest): I think maybe we pray specifically for the grace we need to do that, Ruth

:58 PM

VisitationSiste: Yes we always need to ask for grace

Oct 9 2016, 7:58 PM

Lisa C: Thinking about what you said, Mother. What about people who do things unconsciously due to subconscious conflict?

Oct 9 2016, 7:59 PM

Lisa C: Is that their soul or their injury?

Oct 9 2016, 8:00 PM

Carol Ann: Sometimes I recognize that subconscious conflict in others and try to endure. But we cannot just make excuses for

Oct 9 2016, 8:00 PM

Ruth (guest): Just spilled my drinking water into my power supply!

Oct 9 2016, 8:00 PM

Carol Ann: Bad behavior either

Oct 9 2016, 8:00 PM

Dawn L: are you ok Ruth?

Oct 9 2016, 8:00 PM

Lisa C: I do not think they can control that. If something is coming from a soul they should be able to control it since the soul has free will. If they cannot control it I wonder how it can be from their soul.

Oct 9 2016, 8:00 PM

Carol Ann: Because then we are enabling in a sense.

Oct 9 2016, 8:01 PM

Ruth (guest): Clumsy. . . No fireworks though!

2 PM

Lisa C: When people cannot control things that is when it is really hard for me to be patient.

Oct 9 2016, 8:03 PM

Guest1 (guest): Carol Ann, I am struggling with much the same issue with someone. Very bad, continual life long bad behavior that seems completely intractable. I am trying to carry it as a cross/trial sent by God. It is the only way I can maintain any kind of patience at all.

Oct 9 2016, 8:03 PM

VisitationSiste: There is a certain amount of healthy integration within people that is necessary for free decisions but Lisa I am not a pyschologist nor theologian so I don’t want to mislead you

4 PM

Lisa C: I was just thinking that behavior can only be considered culpable if we are aware of it.

Oct 9 2016, 8:05 PM

Carol Ann: If it were just between the two of us, probably, but the other here is forcing the parish to choose sides

Oct 9 2016, 8:05 PM

Carol Ann: That may be Lisa

Oct 9 2016, 8:05 PM

Guest1 (guest): Lisa, that is a good point and one I agree with. It helps to maintain patience with that person as well.

8:06 PM

Lisa C: Then I think humility would be the next step when the behavior is pointed out as bad the person should be willing to listen and change.

Oct 9 2016, 8:06 PM

Carol Ann: Yes, well….they mostly are not

:07 PM

Ruth (guest): I think that sometimes one can have TOO MUCH tolerance of others’ bad behavior. It can allow it to go on. I can think of many examples where actions though professional licensing offices or through legal channels — even police or attorney general would have been appropriate, but I do not want to act in anger, so I wait until I can be more in “possession” of myself and miss the most appropriate time. , 8:10 PM

Lisa C: Doesn’t your doctor patient relationship preclude that

Oct 9 2016, 8:10 PM

Carol Ann: Are you soeaking of something criminal Ruth? 4 PM

VisitationSiste: Saint Francis asks us to consider our sufferings in light of the sufferings of others, to help give us perspective that others often have greater sufferings than we do.

Oct 9 2016, 8:15 PM

Ruth (guest): Carol Ann, that sounds like an awful situation. I’ve seen things like that. Splitters! So hard to be an effective PEACE maker when dealing with someone with borderline personality disorder. Not criminal patients. Criminal doctors, police, business administrators . . . I’ve had criminal patients, of course; the only time that my profession allows “action” — such as to call police with specific information is when it is to PREVENT a serious crime. Then it REQUIRES the notification of authorities.

Oct 9 2016, 8:15 PM

Carol Ann: The law is a crazy beast, isn’t it?

 

8:16 PM

Carol Ann: And it’s true, I can think of a parish or two that can use sermons in why gis s up is a sin

Oct 9 2016, 8:16 PM

Carol Ann: Gossip

Oct 9 2016, 8:16 PM

Dawn L: Mother, this question so how do we find the fine line. I thought it is by realizing any suffering could fall upon us as well as another

Oct 9 2016, 8:17 PM

Dawn L: Good things happen to all, bad things happen to all.

:18 PM

Lisa C: However, how might we temper this advice so as to avoid being happy simply because “I’m not him,” or “At least I’m not going through that”? How do we find the fine line?….I think we can thank God for how good our situation is in comparison. Then when we see suffering do what we can to alleviate it, or if we cannot then accompany someone through it. 8:18 PM

Lisa C: i.e. compassion and charity

Oct 9 2016, 8:19 PM

VisitationSiste: The fine line- the Holy Spirit leads us but often we make mistakes by our anticipating His answers, his leadings, ie our impatience

9 2016, 8:19 PM

Dawn L: I agree Lisa. perhaps this is one good that can come out of bad

Oct 9 2016, 8:19 PM

Carol Ann: That is me, Sr.

Oct 9 2016, 8:19 PM

Lisa C: Maybe that is where a spiritual director comes in

Oct 9 2016, 8:20 PM

Ruth (guest): It is relatively easy for me to ACT appropriately and promptly when it is for the sake of a patient. EVEN, when, sometimes, a business officer of the institution wants to wield power against me for doing so. It is when I, personally, am victimized that I tend to be too slow, I think.

0 PM

Guest1 (guest): Sister, excellent point. I am finding that exactly. And when the Holy Spirit does not answer immediately it is when I exercise the

Oct 9 2016, 8:20 PM

VisitationSiste: Yes a directr or good confessor

8:21 PM

Guest1 (guest): Patience to wait that I am more successful

Oct 9 2016, 8:21 PM

VisitationSiste: or good spiritual friend

Oct 9 2016, 8:21 PM

Ruth (guest): I think it would be interesting to be in a situation where it is reasonable to assume that others mean well.

Oct 9 2016, 8:22 PM

Ruth (guest): Yes, a good spiritual friend . . . so precious. I miss Sr. Charlotte Keith a lot, still, now years after her death.

Oct 9 2016, 8:22 PM

Dawn L: helpful point…to wait upon the Holy Spirit

3 PM

Dawn L: so it is ok if we do not know an answer or a direction to take. but waiting…I like how St F talks about waiting for the Birth

Oct 9 2016, 8:24 PM

Lisa C: Trusting that God will let us know when it is time to know

Oct 9 2016, 8:24 PM

VisitationSiste: Yes Dawn, and then our trust and confidence in Him grows and He wants that of us too

PM

Ruth (guest): Please pray that I find a good, regular confessor or spiritual director or spiritual friend — nearby. My former pastor is wonderful, but it would be an all-day drive to get to see him even for a short visit now that he’s been moved.

Oct 9 2016, 8:25 PM

Carol Ann: The waiting can be terrible when you cannot speak

Oct 9 2016, 8:26 PM

Ruth (guest): Cannot speak?

16, 8:26 PM

Carol Ann: Not one word , 8:26 PM

Ruth (guest): Do you mean that to speak about a certain person would be uncharitable, or gossip.”

Oct 9 2016, 8:27 PM

VisitationSiste: Does speaking to Our Lord help? He knows all- entrusting it all to Him

Must pray for deliverance again

Oct 9 2016, 8:28 PM

VisitationSiste: That seems like a good choice!

Oct 9 2016, 8:29 PM

Carol Ann: Except I am more detached, unless my nose is directky rubbed in it

Oct 9 2016, 8:29 PM

Guest1 (guest): I know she is not Salesian, but Sister Faustian records in her diary that He wants us to pour out our hurts and concerns to him in detail. Carol Ann, perhaps if you can find a regular hour to do this at adoration it will help you?

Oct 9 2016, 8:29 PM

Guest1 (guest): Faustina

 

Ruth (guest): Sometimes when I speak to the Lord about a problem — often in writing — he asks me questions. Sometimes he makes me laugh. But sometimes years can go by and the pain, deep inside, can remain almost unbearable. But only almost. When we look to the cross, and to the Way of the Cross, and unite our sufferings with His we can trust that good will come of it.

Oct 9 2016, 8:30 PM

Carol Ann: Oh yes, that helps immensely, and then I nail it to the crOSS

Oct 9 2016, 8:31 PM

Lisa C: Yes, I have noticed that uniting it with Jesus’ suffering will provide grace to bear pain

31 PM

Lisa C: You have to consciously give it to Him and it helps 8:32 PM

Ruth (guest): Yes, I am sure that that is so.

Oct 9 2016, 8:32 PM

Dawn L: this:…St F says and we have no greater opportunuty of making acts of patience and meekness than wilst

3 PM

Dawn L: whilst we are eating the bread of bitternessand living in the midst of suffering

Oct 9 2016, 8:33 PM

Lisa C: It makes it make sense when it is united to His suffering

Oct 9 2016, 8:34 PM

Ruth (guest): Yes, even if we do not “see” the sense of it.

Oct 9 2016, 8:34 PM

Carol Ann: All so very true. And then I go and oick up the wrong cross again. Must practice patience with self….

35 PM

Lisa C: 1 Peter 2
19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e]

Oct 9 2016, 8:35 PM

Lisa C: 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Oct 9 2016, 8:36 PM

VisitationSiste: I think we all have trouble with this. For a smidgen of growth suppose next week before we begin new topic we share one incident from this coming week where we could exercise or have exercised patience with ourselves

http://stephenharding.college/ 36 PM

VisitationSiste: I think we all have trouble with this. For a smidgen of growth suppose next week before we begin new topic we share one incident from this coming week where we could exercise or have exercised patience with ourselves

Oct 9 2016, 8:36 PM

Carol Ann: Tgat’s brilliant

Oct 9 2016, 8:37 PM

Dawn L: great idea Mother.

8 PM

Ruth (guest): Yes.

Oct 9 2016, 8:38 PM

Guest1 (guest): Good night all. God Bless you and please pray for me this week as I have a gravely challenging week ahead.

Oct 9 2016, 8:38 PM

Lisa C: Please pray for the debate to make sense tonight

Oct 9 2016, 8:38 PM

Carol Ann: That will require extra Lisa

Oct 9 2016, 8:39 PM

Carol Ann: Have A Blessed Week everyone!

PM

VisitationSiste: I think we trust each other enuf!

Oct 9 2016, 8:38 PM

Ruth (guest): Yes.

Oct 9 2016, 8:38 PM

Guest1 (guest): Good night all. God Bless you and please pray for me this week as I have a gravely challenging week ahead.

Oct 9 2016, 8:38 PM

Lisa C: Please pray for the debate to make sense tonight

Oct 9 2016, 8:38 PM

Carol Ann: That will require extra Lisa

Oct 9 2016, 8:39 PM

Carol Ann: Have A Blessed Week everyone!

Oct 9 2016, 8:39 PM

Ruth (guest): Guest 1; do you have a first name for us. Maybe I missed that.

Oct 9 2016, 8:39 PM

Lisa C: The country is in trouble, seriously please pray

Oct 9 2016, 8:39 PM

Guest1 (guest): Alyce!

Oct 9 2016, 8:39 PM

Carol Ann: Yes, it is very serious and I am too

Oct 9 2016, 8:39 PM

VisitationSiste: Oh yes prayers for each of you and our nation- these are unprecedented times. May you each have special grace! God bless