1. We have the power to reject God’s grace, His inspiration. The ruin is our doing, but God who is all good, never forsakes unless forsaken; never takes away his gifts unless we take away our hearts from Him. Man has the power to reject, no matter how much grace is given or how little. From what source comes the attraction to love God? How are we able to resist it?
  2. Does God want our love? How can we demonstrate this?
  3. Although God awakens us without our cooperation, He will not make us rise without it. What is our part in growing in the love of God?

21, 7:26 PM

Judy (Guest): This was another tough read, but the questions were not that hard and my responses are uncommonly brief.

Jan 21, 7:27 PM

Lisa C: Hi Carol Ann

Jan 21, 7:27 PM

Carol Ann: Hi Everyone!

Jan 21, 7:27 PM

Judy (Guest): Hi Carol Ann! How are things going in your neck of the woods?

Jan 21, 7:28 PM

Lisa C: Hi Caroll

Jan 21, 7:29 PM

Judy (Guest): Hi Carroll!

Jan 21, 7:29 PM

Carroll V (Guest): Hi everybody!

Jan 21, 7:30 PM

Judy (Guest): Mother appears to have disappeared.

Jan 21, 7:30 PM

Carol Ann: Well, they finally unburied the freeway, though the county and city roads will t ake much longer. They still have not found two missing children, one of whose families I know

Jan 21, 7:30 PM

Judy (Guest): How tragic!

Jan 21, 7:31 PM

Judy (Guest): There must be such a pall hanging over the whole state.

Jan 21, 7:31 PM

Carroll V (Guest): Our continued prayers for you all, Carol Ann –

Jan 21, 7:32 PM

Carol Ann: We have lost6 children under 12, two under 5, with more injured. Yes, please keep praying

Jan 21, 7:33 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Hi Lisa , Carol Ann , CarrollV , Judy , and Sister Susan ! God Bless You ! Brian

Jan 21, 7:34 PM

Lisa C: Hi Brian

Jan 21, 7:34 PM

Judy (Guest): Well I’ll start question 1. Where does the attraction to love God come from and how are we able to resist it The attraction to love God comes from God Himself Who inserts holy inspirations to move one’s affections toward divine love. Since God has given us the gift of free will, we can choose to resist His inspirations. Hi Brian!

Jan 21, 7:34 PM

Dawn (Guest): Hi everyone!

Jan 21, 7:35 PM

Judy (Guest): Hi Dawn!

Jan 21, 7:35 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Hi all Just switched computers

Jan 21, 7:35 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Soo Sorry Carol Ann many prayers for you and your community with such great losses !

Jan 21, 7:36 PM

Dawn (Guest): Hi Judy Lisa, Carol Ann, CarrollV And Mother. many prayers for you and those , well everyone down there

Jan 21, 7:36 PM

Carol Ann: Thank you

Jan 21, 7:36 PM

Lisa C: Hi Dawn

Jan 21, 7:36 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Thanks Dawn!

Jan 21, 7:36 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Hi Dawn !

Jan 21, 7:36 PM

Dawn (Guest): Brian! hello

Jan 21, 7:37 PM

SrSusan (Guest): It is amazing that God loves us so much as to give us the freedom to reject Him.

Jan 21, 7:37 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Sister ! True Love !

Jan 21, 7:37 PM

Judy (Guest): It seems that so many people are resisting God’s inspirations. Look at all the abortion supporters, supporters of same sex marriage, and perpetrators of so many kinds of evils.

Jan 21, 7:38 PM

SrSusan (Guest): To know God’s Love, to believe it, to feel it, different stages maybe? and is the grace different?

Jan 21, 7:39 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Big sins vs little resistances every day- all leaves us “unfree”

Jan 21, 7:39 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Without God you can actually think that what you are doing is good when it is in reality the farthest thing from good !

Jan 21, 7:39 PM

Judy (Guest): Wouldn’t big sins be big resistances?

Jan 21, 7:39 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): God opens our eyes gradually !

Jan 21, 7:39 PM

Dawn (Guest): yes, self justification is a lie from the enemy

Jan 21, 7:39 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Yes I think so

Jan 21, 7:40 PM

SrSusan (Guest): True, gradually but still we need to be open

Jan 21, 7:40 PM

Carol Ann: Little resistances open the door to larger sins

Jan 21, 7:40 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Did you hear about Hawaii? How many people went to Church and confession when they thoght that missile was coming their way?

Jan 21, 7:40 PM

SrSusan (Guest): What does that say about grace, resistance and fear?

Jan 21, 7:41 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Remember 911

Jan 21, 7:41 PM

Judy (Guest): This is why we need prayer in our lives, to give us the strength to respond positively to God’s inspirations and to turn away from resistance.

Jan 21, 7:41 PM

Lisa C: Ephesians Chapter 4

Jan 21, 7:41 PM

Carol Ann: That we go our own way until a crisis, putting off repentance, until we get reminded we do not know our day or hour

Jan 21, 7:42 PM

Dawn (Guest): God can use circumstances in our life to make himself present....the kind where there is such an alienation from people and the world and suddenly one can see him and you just know how much he loves you. nothing in the world that claims to be able to save you, can. Jesus saves us!

Jan 21, 7:42 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Judy !

Jan 21, 7:42 PM

Lisa C: 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:“When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”[b]9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his peo

Jan 21, 7:43 PM

Lisa C: 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Jan 21, 7:43 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Ah yes Lisa very appropriate

Jan 21, 7:43 PM

Carroll V (Guest): I can’t find the exact quote right now, but I took great consolation in a statement that I understood to be saying that even in the midst of little resistances, as long as we love God with all our heart, He will continue to change us... continue to give graces making it possible for us to respond more completely and more consistently...

Jan 21, 7:43 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Dawn !

Jan 21, 7:44 PM

Lisa C: Jesus sends everyone the grace we need to achieve the ultimate plan of God

Jan 21, 7:44 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Yes if we are pointed in the right direction, God’s, He holds on to us and even if we are not he is holding us or we would cease to exist

Jan 21, 7:44 PM

Lisa C: It says the plan is to reach unity in faith

Jan 21, 7:45 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Lisa !

Jan 21, 7:45 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Unity wth God and each other?

Jan 21, 7:46 PM

Dawn (Guest): unity in faith, his perfect will

Jan 21, 7:46 PM

Lisa C: Yes the whole Church with God

Jan 21, 7:46 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Beautiful reality!

Jan 21, 7:47 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): When we truly seek to know God ! God reveals himself to us !

Jan 21, 7:47 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): In Soo Many Ways !

Jan 21, 7:48 PM

SrSusan (Guest): God wants our Love but how do we demonstarte it

Jan 21, 7:48 PM

Judy (Guest): In the priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17, Jesus prays that “all may be one as You Father are in Me and I am in you.

Jan 21, 7:49 PM

Dawn (Guest): Amen...when we come to a point of really surrendering he reveals himself. I believe he also reveals himself before that point, patiently calling

Jan 21, 7:49 PM

Lisa C: Romans 12...3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If you

Jan 21, 7:49 PM

Lisa C: If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Jan 21, 7:49 PM

Carol Ann: We show it by spending time with Him and by trying to be like Him in our lives

Jan 21, 7:50 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): That’s demonstration, yes and the Scriptural quotes give specifics even as they are also gifts or charisms from God

Jan 21, 7:50 PM

Judy (Guest): God does want our love. By the very fact that he inspires us with the affections to love Him, we can know that He desires our love. If He did not desire our love, He would not place these inspirations within us.

Jan 21, 7:52 PM

Judy (Guest): We can demonstrate this by responding in a positive manner to His inspirations, in giving ourselves totally to Him and in giving ourselves in service to others.

Jan 21, 7:52 PM

Lisa C: Isn’t anything good we do a manifestation of the Holy Spirit working though us? Can we do anything good on our own other than allow God to work through us?

Jan 21, 7:52 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Tonight at our talking meal we were speaking of love and pain and how they are associated

Jan 21, 7:53 PM

Carroll V (Guest): How do we demonstrate our love for Jesus? ... By showing loving care to others and offering any hardships that we encounter to God for the salvation of souls

Jan 21, 7:53 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): As our relationship grows we become available to God to serve Him from moment to moment and we truly know what He wants us to do and how He wants us to serve ! Simple things with great Love ! Listen Listen Love Love!

Jan 21, 7:53 PM

Judy (Guest): We can see the association of love and pain in the Passion of Jesus. His great love for us led Him to accept the terrible sufferings of His passion and crucifixion to save us.

Jan 21, 7:54 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Make a Friend , Be a Friend , introduce that Friend to Christ !

Jan 21, 7:55 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): When you do that Brian how do you begin?

Jan 21, 7:56 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Just very naturally getting know somebody wherever they are at !

Jan 21, 7:57 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): It’s the leading to the next place that can cause stumbling sometimes

Jan 21, 7:57 PM

Judy (Guest): That’s the make a friend part. What about the be a friend part?

Jan 21, 7:58 PM

Carol Ann: Because we often run ahead of the Holy Spirit and push people before they are re a dy

Jan 21, 7:58 PM

Dawn (Guest): as Jesus met others, where they were in all their mess and pain. He saw beyond the surface, of course!

Jan 21, 7:58 PM

Ruth (Guest): Hello everyone. Sorry I’m so late. A high school friend called me from Florida – and then my personal computer was “Waiting for Visitation Spirit” for ten minutes, so I came into the office – what used to be my medical practice. This one is newer.

Jan 21, 7:58 PM

Dawn (Guest): Hi Ruth!

Jan 21, 7:58 PM

Carol Ann: Hi Ruth

Jan 21, 7:58 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Hi Ruth! Glad you are here I switched computers too

Jan 21, 7:58 PM

Judy (Guest): Hi Ruth!

Jan 21, 7:59 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): I like to relate to people in some way that I have some understanding or experience I think they feel connection that I truly have some understanding of what they are going through !

Jan 21, 8:00 PM

Judy (Guest): I think that there is more to it than that. To be a friend is to provide assistance in whatever the individual needs, and to offer encouragement and sometimes correction when needed.

Jan 21, 8:00 PM

Dawn (Guest): that would be so helpful Brian when we can relate from personal experience

Jan 21, 8:01 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): and love and pain are also related in human relationships

Jan 21, 8:02 PM

Judy (Guest): E.G the pain that a mother experiences in giving birth to a child.

Jan 21, 8:03 PM

Dawn (Guest): thinking of the Scripture Lisa wrote, each our gifts. maybe it is thru those gifts that the Holy Spirit talks to others

Jan 21, 8:03 PM

Judy (Guest): Or the mother who stands by a sick child come what may. She would gladly take his or suffering on herself to save her child.

Jan 21, 8:03 PM

Lisa C: Pain will be gone in Heaven

Jan 21, 8:03 PM

Carroll V (Guest): ... or, even the pain I experience when I let go of something because I realize it has become a distraction from giving myself completely to Our Lord

Jan 21, 8:03 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Hi Ruth ! I think the be a Friend we can mess up on . We may try too hard to bring them to Christ ! We must remember to serve them , that is true friendship that is what Jesus taught us ! Listen Listen Love Love . I used to and sometimes still struggle with too much talk !

Jan 21, 8:04 PM

Lisa C: Rev 21....3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”…

Jan 21, 8:04 PM

Dawn (Guest): Yes Carroll!

Jan 21, 8:04 PM

Dawn (Guest): Listen Listen Love Love

Jan 21, 8:05 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Love is made perfect in heaven

Jan 21, 8:05 PM

Judy (Guest): And give as it has been given to you.

Jan 21, 8:06 PM

Lisa C: I wonder whether Heaven will be like the Garden of Eden

Jan 21, 8:07 PM

Ruth (Guest): No snakes, anyway!

Jan 21, 8:07 PM

Ruth (Guest):

Jan 21, 8:07 PM

Lisa C: Good snakes

Jan 21, 8:07 PM

Lisa C: Good everything

Jan 21, 8:07 PM

Carol Ann: Or at least snakes as they were originally meant to be

Jan 21, 8:07 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Great mystery! Eye has not seen...

Jan 21, 8:07 PM

Ruth (Guest): Very good observation.

Jan 21, 8:07 PM

Judy (Guest): The last question is what our role in growing in the love of God is. Our part in trowing in the love of God is to open our hearts and minds when His inspirations come to us, and choose to accept them, and to move on then giving our love go God

Jan 21, 8:08 PM

Carol Ann: What about all the people who

Jan 21, 8:08 PM

Judy (Guest): Oops. growing in the love of God.

Jan 21, 8:08 PM

Carol Ann: Have d ied and come back. Most have had a glimpse of heven

Jan 21, 8:08 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): i was contemplating the martyrs who have given their lives peacefully trusting in God that He would eternally care for them ! Soo many have come to know God through their sacrifice . I think of the 21 Coptic Christian Men who gave their lives for Soo many !!!

Jan 21, 8:10 PM

Judy (Guest): That again is the association of love and suffering.

Jan 21, 8:10 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Their sacrifice will bring revival to all the Meditaranian Region !!!

Jan 21, 8:10 PM

Ruth (Guest): I think that we probably could not even open our hearts and minds were it not for His grace in the first place.

Jan 21, 8:10 PM

Judy (Guest): Right on Ruth!

Jan 21, 8:11 PM

Carol Ann: Without love we are unable to suffer correctly. It is just pain.

Jan 21, 8:11 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Ruth !

Jan 21, 8:11 PM

Dawn (Guest): ...for apart from me, you can do nothing

Jan 21, 8:11 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): True Carol Ann

Jan 21, 8:12 PM

Judy (Guest): Jesus is the source of any and all good that we do. We cannot do it on our own.

Jan 21, 8:12 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Growing in love of God means our giving our time to Him also

Jan 21, 8:12 PM

Ruth (Guest): That is why, Carol Ann, it is not only good for the Church, it is good for us – gives purpose, meaning to suffering – when we “offer up” our sufferings for the good of others.

Jan 21, 8:13 PM

Carol Ann: Unless it is united to the cross, it is worse than useless

Jan 21, 8:13 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): In Soo Many Martyrs You See That Deep Love Of God which is expressed perfectly in the Peace they have before their Life is taken away !

Jan 21, 8:13 PM

Judy (Guest): Yes, we want to spend time with the one we love. And so we must spend time with Jesus every day.

Jan 21, 8:14 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Presence shows love and helps to keep love growing

Jan 21, 8:15 PM

Judy (Guest): It is also in spending time with the Lord that we come to know Him better.

Jan 21, 8:15 PM

Ruth (Guest): Yes, I thought of that Sister Susan Marie. How good it is, even when we feel that we cannot pray, to spend time with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament or in reading Sacred Scripture, or even just one phrase from the Bible.

Jan 21, 8:15 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Judy !

Jan 21, 8:16 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Ruth !

Jan 21, 8:16 PM

Ruth (Guest): Here I am, Lord, I come to do Your will.

Jan 21, 8:17 PM

Judy (Guest): In His will is our peace!

Jan 21, 8:17 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): I think of it as inreach and outreach- mutuality and then a widespread sharing

Jan 21, 8:18 PM

Carroll V (Guest): Presence is such a good word! ... A challenge for me has been in striving to pray without ceasing, staying present and connected to those who I am with, rather than “retreating” even in their midst...

Jan 21, 8:18 PM

Judy (Guest): We should cast ourselves into Jesus’ loving arms and just “be” with Him.

Jan 21, 8:18 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): My friend Ralph would spend hours in adoration ! God changed His Family and His Community in many powerful ways ! He reminded me of Saint Francis !

Jan 21, 8:18 PM

Carol Ann: By spending time with Christ we a Re transformed from within and how we are with others changes too

Jan 21, 8:19 PM

Ruth (Guest): You know, somehow it seems to me that I can often handle the BIG stuff – keep my peace through serious trials – more easily that the little things that seem to “knaw” at us, the little injustices.

Jan 21, 8:19 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): So our role in growing in the love of God is an essential role

Jan 21, 8:20 PM

Carol Ann: Me too Ruth

Jan 21, 8:20 PM

Judy (Guest): Like that story from the Cure of Ars. He always saw the same man sitting in the church. He asked the man what he was doing. He responded,Oh I look at Him and He looks at me.

Jan 21, 8:20 PM

Ruth (Guest): It’s enough to be; its enough to be. Just You in me and I in thee” lines from one of my old poems.

Jan 21, 8:20 PM

Dawn (Guest): reminds me of the little book....and its all small stuff

Jan 21, 8:21 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): We all have triggers Ruth ! That’s why we need to stay in Community with our Lord Jesus and help each other !

Jan 21, 8:22 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Judy that story always touches me and I hear it from vrs sources

Jan 21, 8:22 PM

Dawn (Guest): Amen.

Jan 21, 8:22 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): When we get triggered our temptation is too isolate instead run to Jesus and our friends in Christ !

Jan 21, 8:22 PM

Judy (Guest): Yes, Mother, our role in growing in the love of God is an essential role. He will not force us to love Him. We must respond in love to all of His advances toward us.

Jan 21, 8:22 PM

Dawn (Guest): so true Brian!

Jan 21, 8:23 PM

Dawn (Guest): just had this experience...!

Jan 21, 8:24 PM

Carroll V (Guest): Community is SOOOOO important!

Jan 21, 8:24 PM

Dawn (Guest): so it is going thru these trials repeatedly that we learn

Jan 21, 8:24 PM

Ruth (Guest): Yes, Brian – how important it is to have such friends, and to BE such a friend who can Listen, listen. Love, love. Pray, pray.

Jan 21, 8:25 PM

Judy (Guest): Just like we have to continue to add wood to keep a fire going, so we need to add kindling to our love of the Lord-prayer, spiritual reading, sacrament of Reconciliation, the Eucharist.

Jan 21, 8:25 PM

Carroll V (Guest): Listen, listen, Love, love, Pray, pray – a new theme song

Jan 21, 8:26 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Judy !

Jan 21, 8:26 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): And always, trying to know and do His Holy Will for us

Jan 21, 8:26 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Caroll V!

Jan 21, 8:27 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Soo true Sister !

Jan 21, 8:27 PM

Judy (Guest): His love for us is so powerful that it can take our breath away, and sometime does.

Jan 21, 8:27 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): More than anything because His plan is perfect for us

Jan 21, 8:27 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Hi Amy!

Jan 21, 8:28 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Amen Sister Susan !!!

Jan 21, 8:28 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Hi Amy !

Jan 21, 8:29 PM

Ruth (Guest): I heard a priest preaching to youth say that if you will continue to go to Confession and to attend Mass at least weekly, everything else will work out. That is how he was drawn to the priesthood even though he thought that that was the last thing in the world he would wind up doing or becoming.

Jan 21, 8:30 PM

Judy (Guest): There is a book entitled “The Silence of Surrendering Love” by George Maloney. Let us enter into that silence of surrendering love and yield ourselves entirely to that great love of God. We will know the greatest joy and peace if we do so. Have a blessed week everyone!

Jan 21, 8:30 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): God Knows Best !!!

Jan 21, 8:31 PM

Carol Ann: Thank you everyone, and may God bless e a chance of us this week

Jan 21, 8:31 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Thank You Judy !

Jan 21, 8:31 PM

Dawn (Guest): thank you Judy and everyone.

Jan 21, 8:31 PM

Ruth (Guest): LISTEN, LOVE, PRAY has been the motto of the Christian Healing Ministry (Francis and Judith McNutt). It is truly amazing what changes that approach can bring about.

Jan 21, 8:31 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): Yes the Power of Silence by Cardinal Sarah is another book to help with silence. Bless each of you!

Jan 21, 8:31 PM

Lisa C: “The Lord Does Not Abandon His Church”. Pope Benedict

Jan 21, 8:32 PM

Sister Susan Marie (Moderator): With prayer for all

Jan 21, 8:32 PM

Carroll V (Guest): Thanks everybody- Good night!

Jan 21, 8:32 PM

Dawn (Guest): thank you , my prayers and goodnight

Jan 21, 8:33 PM

Guest5792 (Guest): Many Prayers for you alll ! Be Strong and Courageous for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go !!! God Bless You All ! Brian

Jan 21, 8:35 PM

Ruth (Guest): Blessing to each of you as you strive to grow in the Love of Our Lord and the people whose care He entrusts to each of us. Thank you for this chat community.

Jan 21, 8:36 PM

Ruth (Guest): Amy, hi. Sorry I did not greet you. Peace!