Chatting about: Virtue

Ruth (Guest): Hello Sister, I’m on time for a change. But not really. I should be jumping up to do some cooking –– for myself and for an SSJ Harvest Dinner that I have to leave for around 7:30 AM tomorrow.

Ruth (Guest): Yes. I meant that I would probably be interrupting my participation in the chat from time to time. But I should know better. That doesn’t work. Even if I have an apple or something by my side to munch on I don’t do it ‘til we are finished.

Ruth (Guest): Hi Lisa!

Ruth (Guest): I am currently reading a novel by Ann Rice called The Young Messiah. I’d never read anything else she’s written and Dr. Maura (theology prof.) said she is a convert to Christianity, that she used to write about vampires and such!

Ruth (Guest): I think the story is well written –– sort of a historical novel, in that you get a sense of family life and the upheaval in the national environment (constant war) of the time.

Ruth (Guest): I mentioned the book because Rice has Joseph –– who speaks not a word in the Bible –– turn down work shortly after they get to Nazareth –– in a nearby burned out village, because he has to first fix up the old family home in which “Old Sarah” and the extended family they travel with.

Ruth (Guest): Yes, after reading the first 200+ pages of the novel I get a much better sense of how CULTURE contributes to the formation of people –– what they value, what they strive for.

Ruth (Guest): Dawn, I think this one used to be called Christ the Lord Out of Egypt. That is the period it treats, anyway. Jesus is 7 years old going on 8.

Ruth (Guest): Yes, I have seen from some of your comments in the past, what a special experience it was for you attending the Visitation Monastery School.

Ruth (Guest): I am glad to hear that Dawn. I did not go to a Catholic School until I was already in 11th grade. A neighbor helped get me admitted –– and my summer work helped pay for it. I am glad I went. But at my 50 year reunion and since, I discovered that a great number of my classmates were no longer practicing Catholics. Only one –– a person who even then saw herself as an “outsider” revealed herself to be really interested in living a life leading to eternal life.

Ruth (Guest): And there are so very many people who say they were “raised Catholic.“ Meaning they do not now regard themselves to be Catholic.

Ruth (Guest): Maybe it was a good thing that I had constant challenges to my developing interest in learning THE TRUTH. The answers to “WHY?“ questions.

Ruth (Guest): Good, but also hard. And sometimes lonely.

Ruth (Guest): I had to step away for a minute or so, too, to put the meat I was defrosting into the refrigerator.

Ruth (Guest): Saint Francis says that, “You have no obligation to make any vow at all, yet make some....“ What kind of vows should we be expected to take? What should we aim for here?
Going out of your way to help strangers, like Abraham did, is virtuous. However, how can we go out of our way when, in today’s world, we must be careful about personal safety?

Ruth (Guest): Daniel in the Lion’s Den.

Ruth (Guest): It’s like even the Lions knew he was a man of peace.

Ruth (Guest): Lisa, I wish that I experienced that protection. Sure, I am still alive, but this century, already, has more martyrs than during the Roman persecutions.

Ruth (Guest): I feel that that is what Brian does, too.

Ruth (Guest): I am so glad to hear that about the Srs in Minneapolis.

Ruth (Guest): Are they partly active?

Ruth (Guest): At least I twice I was robbed, once at gunpoint, when I was really, really thinking positive thoughts about the person who became my assailant.

Ruth (Guest): Hi Brian.

Ruth (Guest): I was just trying to see if I could share a sermon from FB to this site. Not sure how. It addresses the issue of not taking the “easy” path but the one that is in tune with God’s will

Ruth (Guest): Not sure how to share it outside that platform.

Ruth (Guest): And God’s Love is who he is. He is present EVERYWHERE. That, too, is part of his nature.

Ruth (Guest): I often think, however, that it is only the in the Next Life that we can count on these blessings. He never promised us a rose garden. (book title and reflection about outcomes.

Ruth (Guest): There were a lot of ‘em and a long piece. And we didn’t have Judy to keep us on pace.

Ruth (Guest): Just tried to copy and paste Mother Theresa’s reflections from my photo file ==that fit in well with our theme. Platform doesn’t allow it. If I had the link. . . Maybe I

Ruth (Guest): Thank you Sister.

Ruth (Guest): Safe travels!

Ruth (Guest): Maybe I can find a link. Here’s one http://www.prayerfoundation.org/mother_teresa_do_it_anyway.htm

Ruth (Guest): I have some cooking to do . . . partly for myself, partly for the Harvest Dinner tomorrow. Peace. A blessed week.