Passion for the Divine, St Francis de Sales and the new evangelization
Some discussion points for Sunday’s chat:
1.How does St. Francis de Sales’ perspective encourage you?
2.What is your passion for our faith?
3.How can we encourage each other to enter more fully into the spirit of the new evangelization?
4.How does one come to possess this “divine passion”? Is it a gift, or something that we can get somehow?
5.St. Francis looks to mission work in foreign lands. Where is the new mission land?
Sister : Passionate faith. That’s what we need to be able to share it! Does passionate faith describe yours?
What did you think of St Francis de Sales- I found his quotes heart-stirring and I realize what happens in my own little evangelizations now
Not enuf zeal!
Rob: We can think about doing things,want to do them but if we do not put them into action…it does not happen
Sister : A person who has zeal inspires me- but if they don’t have faith- they deflate me. So I do not share as well, esp with family
Feb 24 2013, 7:40 PM
Rob: Yes, I know that well.
Sister : So how does one get to the point of being zealous independently
Sister : Sometimes I want to go on a rooftop overlooking Manhattan and shout-(metaphorically speaking)
you are all missing the best of life
Rob: Imagine
Like eating the crumb instead of the whole loaf
Sister : But face to face with one lacking faith the so called zeal evaporates
Rob: people who do not have faith often defend their point of view and are not open to listening:
Sister : I guess Jesus faced that too- he could work no miracle in places because of the lack of faith
J: its’ so easy to be angry and snarly when you don’t have God’s love in you:
Sister : That’s it- the lack of love
Rob: I have heard affirmations, promises from one daughter and one son that they would get their children Baptized…mine who were baptized at 3 or 4 weeks old…at 5, 9. 6 and 13 months are still not baptized
Rob: all sorts of reasons why….no matter what we say…up come the reasons
Sister : That must be so hard for you- all you can do is keep on loving them and prompting and witnessing
Rob: Jesus, Himself, could not convert many on earth while HE was here…so it is not wonder why we cannot.
J: There is a noticeable contrast in me when I am walking in faith and when walking away from God. My negative emotions like anger are so much stronger
Sister : That’s an angle to use in faith witnessing J, others mite experience it
I think the love is all we can give them and pray for the grace. But I do know that an honestly zealous (not fanatic) person can be inspiriing to others
Guest519 (guest): I try to evangelize tactfully
Sister : How can we retain whatever passion for the faith we have without being drained with the lack of faith of others, in conversation with them?
Sister : tactfully- that’s intriguing
Passion vs tact!
Guest519 (guest): As tactfully as possible- so as not to scare them away
Guest519 (guest): Ralph Martin is great!!
Sister : What can you highlite about his talk on evangelization?
Guest519 (guest): I have read some of his books
Feb 24 2013, 7:55 PM
Guest519 (guest): Fulfillment of All Desire
J: He kept talking about the tsunami of securlarism and how hard it is becoming to penetrate that. Also how clearly the bible speaks of the narrow path to heaven where the world sees a wide easy path to heaven: that we have to make them see what it really says very clearly from Jesus
J: Luke 13:24
Guest519 (guest): Secularism=pervasive
Guest519 (guest): Most of my friends=atheists
Rob: so sad that so many do not believe.
they spend so much time and energy fighting a God they claim does not exist.
J: and it becomes even harder when so many of our Shepard’s keep following into bad stuff…the world says…see…how can you believe what that Church teaches..they are disfunctionally..hard to break through that sometimes with people
Jim I: falling
Guest519 (guest): Yes- many have barriers to belief
Rob: Sad there have been many shepherds that have run off the cliff with the sheep. People do fail to realize the fact that sheperds are also human
Guest519 (guest): Tact & friendly apologetics can be effective though
Rob: and as humans they do have a fallen nature as well.
Sr. M: Hello! I just came from a dinner party honoring Fr. James Schall, SJ – well know author and professor who just retired and is moving to CA.
Feb 24 2013, 8:05 PM
Sister : In Georgetown U?
Guest519 (guest): Fr Schall is a great political philosopher
Sr. M: Yes, GU. We love and admire the man!
Guest519 (guest): Hope he still decides to write the occasional article
Sister : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN1rFyYbKak
“The Final Gladness” – A Last Lecture by Father James V. Schall – YouTube
Sr. M: In one of SFdS’s conferences, he said: “The more we humble and abase ourselves through the knowledge of what we are of ourselves and through the small esteem in which it holds all that is in us and of us, so much the more does it unite us to God by grace.”
Guest519 (guest): Jesus meek & humble of heart
Sr. M: We are dust and back to dust we return.
Rob: many fail to realize that
Sr. M: But dust graced by God
Guest519 (guest): Yes
Rob it is so important that we accept and cooperate with HIS graces
Sr. M: Dust energized by Our Lord can serve Him well1
Guest519 (guest): …make our hearts like unto Thine
Guest519 (guest): On fire w/Holy Spirit!
Sr. M: Yes, we get glimpses, like today’s Gospel, of what Christ’s heart really is.
Our priest called Christ the “thinnest” being ever, in that He was so transparent to God’s realm.
Guest519 (guest): Makes sense
Sr. M: When have you experienced God’s glory? That’s where the veil is thinnest.
That’s what Celtic spirituality is all about.
Sister : So when we do all for the glory of God you are “thinning” the spiritual atmosphere?
Sr. M: Every moment is saturated with God’s being – cf. Gerard Manley Hopkins poems.
Guest519 (guest): Yes, I agree w/Fr. Gerard
Guest519 (guest): Jesuit spirituality too
Sr. M: We’re allowing God’s presence and glory to shine through, so it’s not we who live but He’s living in and through us.
Guest519 (guest): Like St Paul
Sr. M: We’re His instruments, channels of His grace.
Guest519 (guest): That’s a high ideal
Guest519 (guest): Can only attempt
Feb 24 2013, 8:23 PM
Sr. M: Yes, I know I get in the way of His shining through me all the time!
Rob: we all do….that is the human side of us…
Sr. M: Confession cleans our lenses.
Guest519 (guest): Yes
Sr. M: It’s all about trying our best – in the midst of all kinds of suffering and heartaches – ours and others’. PM
Guest519 (guest): Never give up
Guest519 (guest): Hope
Rob: persevere
Sr. M: As Blessed Teresa of Calcutta says, “We’re not called to be successful; we’re called to be faithful.”
Rob: yes
Feb 24 2013, 8:26 PM
Sister : And as brought up before- the Holy Spirit is the One who propels us to holiness, to witness, to zeal
Guest519 (guest): I need to remember that one
Sister : I think the insight on the Holy Spirit really gave me an answer about the zeal with the ones lacking faith. If one gets deflated in their presence keep calling on the Holy Spirit and do all for the Glory of God!
Feb 24 2013, 8:35 PM
Sr. M: I’m convinced if I stay deeply grateful for everything, then I praise God best.
guest): As majorem Dei gloriam
Guest519 (guest): Ad
Sr. M: Gratefulness allows the Spirit to shine through, I think.
Guest519 (guest): Eucharistia