Visitation Spirit

Chatting about: God’s Will and Ours

by | Dec 17, 2018 | Discernment Sundays - Chat Room, Salesian Spirituality, St. Francis de Sales

God has given us our own wills, yet desires that we follow His. How does God use our own will to lead us to His?2. If we simply follow God’s will, does that mean that we don’t have a will of our own?3. How does following the Commandments and living the counsels lead us to conform our will to that of God’s?4. Why, under the New Law, is it important to move beyond the Ten Commandments?5. In a moment of decision making, what are practical ways we can follow God’s will?6. 7. Can you imagine yourself risking

Dec 13, 8:26 AM

SrSusan (Guest): 7. Can you imagine yourself risking all, as did King David’s soldiers, to fulfill the slightest whim of God’s desires? Where do you see God’s merest desires in your everyday life?

Dec 13, 8:27 AM

SrSusan (Guest): Sun Chat Dec 16 730pm est

Dec 15, 8:32 PM

Guest5951 (Guest): Hello

Dec 16, 7:25 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Good evening!

Dec 16, 7:31 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Hi Carol Anne!

Dec 16, 7:31 PM

Carol Ann: Hi Sr Susan!

Dec 16, 7:31 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Glad you are back Blessed Gaudete Sunday!

Dec 16, 7:32 PM

Carol Ann: Thank you, you too! Sometimes I plan to come but then get called away at the last moment

Dec 16, 7:32 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Actually we are in our Advent retreat this weekend

Dec 16, 7:33 PM

Carol Ann: Last week a friend who is recovering from a broken foot asked me to come help her

Dec 16, 7:33 PM

Carol Ann: You are? And yet you are here. Thank you!

Dec 16, 7:33 PM

SrSusan (Guest): We have a Sister with a sprained ankle but now w ewonder if it is broken ssomewhere

Dec 16, 7:34 PM

Carol Ann: It might be, the stays don’t always catch the hairline breaks

Dec 16, 7:35 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Hi Ruth

Dec 16, 7:35 PM

Carol Ann: Hi Ruth!

Dec 16, 7:36 PM

SrSusan (Guest): The topic tonight is the Will of God, in various ways of expressing it

Dec 16, 7:37 PM

SrSusan (Guest): I mean theways the questions are posed is various

Dec 16, 7:37 PM

Ruth (Guest): Hi Sr. Susan, Hi Carol Ann . . . and viewer.

Dec 16, 7:38 PM

SrSusan (Guest): But all falls within that most mysterious sense of trying to know the Will of God

Dec 16, 7:40 PM

Carol Ann: Sometimes we can try to persuade someone to do something we know is good for them by making them think it is their idea. It seems a little manipulative though

Dec 16, 7:40 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Explain more?

Dec 16, 7:40 PM

Carol Ann: I don’t think God leads us to His will quite that way

Dec 16, 7:41 PM

Dawn (Guest): Hi Sr Susan Ruth and Carol Ann....!

Dec 16, 7:41 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Oh I see Yes that is A GOOD OBServation Hi Dawn

Dec 16, 7:41 PM

Ruth (Guest): Do you think God really has “slightest whims of God’s desires”? God is Love and God is constant, unchanging. Maybe WE see “events” of our lives as representing “whims” of God’s desires.

Dec 16, 7:42 PM

Carol Ann: We want someone to lose weight say, but we know they will not listen to us, so we say that we need someone to help us diet or ask them to exercise with us.

Dec 16, 7:42 PM

Carol Ann: Advertising uses all sorts of psychology to get us to buy things

Dec 16, 7:43 PM

Carol Ann: Hi Dawn

Dec 16, 7:43 PM

Ruth (Guest): Hi Dawn. Glad you came.

Dec 16, 7:43 PM

Dawn (Guest): thank you, glad you are all here too

Dec 16, 7:43 PM

SrSusan (Guest): I read something interesting from Fr Cantalemessa about the understanding of God is love

Dec 16, 7:44 PM

Ruth (Guest): Tell us about it.

Dec 16, 7:44 PM

SrSusan (Guest): He said it shows how God is Trinitybecause what is this declarartion of God based on,in an eternalway Only the Trinity of Persons in relationship

Dec 16, 7:45 PM

Ruth (Guest): The israelites grumbled in the desert, “IS God really with us?“ Moses had to ask for a sign and give them one.

Dec 16, 7:46 PM

SrSusan (Guest): You can read the sermon on Fr Cantalemessa’swebsite

Dec 16, 7:47 PM

Dawn (Guest): beautiful yet hard to fully comprehend...

Dec 16, 7:47 PM

SrSusan (Guest): But His Willis also Love

Dec 16, 7:47 PM

Ruth (Guest): That remark, as usual is response to something earlier, not to the Trinitarian nature of God.

Dec 16, 7:47 PM

Ruth (Guest): I don’t think the Trinity has “arguements” and “whims.“

Dec 16, 7:48 PM

SrSusan (Guest): He wants the best for us and His Willis always the best. But He made us free so we need to respond with our wills,our human will

Dec 16, 7:50 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Repeating questions: God has given us our own wills, yet desires that we follow His. How does God use our own will to lead us to His?2. If we simply follow God’s will, does that mean that we don’t have a will of our own?3. How does following the Commandments and living the counsels lead us to conform our will to that of God’s?4. Why, under the New Law, is it important to move beyond the Ten Commandments?5. In a moment of decision making, what are practical ways we can follow God’s will?6. 7. Can you imagin

Dec 16, 7:52 PM

Ruth (Guest): Yes. I believe that. But we are all so broken, so “messed up” –– even the most saintly among us. Starting by following the Commandments and the Counsels –– spiritual and corporal works of mercy is a good beginning. And LISTENING prayer . That helps keep us honest.

Dec 16, 7:52 PM

Carol Ann: Oh, if we are actively trying to discern His voice He can use the prompting and urging of our hearts to guide us

Dec 16, 7:53 PM

Dawn (Guest): 1, one way may be presenting circumstances where our will will conform to his

Dec 16, 7:53 PM

SrSusan (Guest): I think by following the commandments and examining our responses toliving them gives us insight into the peace to be gained by doing what God lays out for us

Dec 16, 7:57 PM

Ruth (Guest): Oh, and thanks for the reference to Fr. Catalemessa’s sermon. I just looked him up.

Dec 16, 7:57 PM

SrSusan (Guest): The evangelical counsels move us past the ten commandments but is everyone supposed to live them? I do not think so

Dec 16, 7:57 PM

SrSusan (Guest): It was a great insight for me- that sermon

Dec 16, 7:58 PM

Ruth (Guest): I need to read/listen to it, still.

Dec 16, 8:01 PM

SrSusan (Guest): What other ways can we move beyond the 10 commandments.I am stck on this one!

Dec 16, 8:01 PM

SrSusan (Guest): stuck

Dec 16, 8:01 PM

Dawn (Guest): Contemplating Trinity helps overcome division, is this the sermon you refer to Sr?

Dec 16, 8:01 PM

Carol Ann: By reading the lives of the saints and trying to do what they did?

Dec 16, 8:02 PM

Ruth (Guest): Carol Ann, that “IF we are actively trying to discern his voice” is important to his using the “promptings and urgings of our hearts” to guide us, but without His LAW and counsels –– his WORD and words –– we are in danger of going astray like the so ubiquitous in our culture “relativists.

Dec 16, 8:03 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Its the Second week of advent one, Dawn That might be it I do not remember the title

Dec 16, 8:03 PM

Carol Ann: Well, yes

Dec 16, 8:04 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Saints are great guides, esp today

Dec 16, 8:04 PM

Dawn (Guest): ok, thank you

Dec 16, 8:05 PM

Ruth (Guest): Daily Sacred Scripture readings.

Dec 16, 8:05 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Off topic- by the way we are upgrading the website with a new look and chat too. I willlet you all know ahead of time in case there are glitches

Dec 16, 8:06 PM

Ruth (Guest): Thank you.

Dec 16, 8:06 PM

Carol Ann: I can’t wait to see it!

Dec 16, 8:07 PM

Dawn (Guest): me too!

Dec 16, 8:07 PM

SrSusan (Guest): I am reviewing it and need to send to the Federation Council foropinion but it looks good so far

Dec 16, 8:08 PM

SrSusan (Guest): I think it is important to move beyond the 10 commandments to show our LOVE

Dec 16, 8:10 PM

Dawn (Guest): Jesus said Love God and Love One Another, on these two commandments all the others rest.....not direct quote, but it was like he was urging us to move beyond the 10. Is this what you mean?

Dec 16, 8:10 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Yes but I did not think of it the way you put it- great!

Dec 16, 8:11 PM

Carol Ann: It is like the 10 Commandments and the Counsels and the Torah are all concrete instructions on how to do it

Dec 16, 8:12 PM

SrSusan (Guest): The practical ways yes

Dec 16, 8:13 PM

Ruth (Guest): That’s it.

Dec 16, 8:14 PM

SrSusan (Guest): In the convent members are asked to look not only at a Superior’s direct commands but also to read her sentiments and followthoseIt must be similar with the Lord

Dec 16, 8:15 PM

SrSusan (Guest): To followeach other’shearts

Dec 16, 8:16 PM

Ruth (Guest): I just checked back for an e-mail from Judy. Sometimes I don’t even open my computer. It was six days ago. She is feeling better, but is in need of an aide; has been without one for a month. Wants prayers that that work out.

Dec 16, 8:16 PM

SrSusan (Guest): to know each other’s hearts

Dec 16, 8:16 PM

SrSusan (Guest): So glad to know what is happening with Judy

Dec 16, 8:16 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Let’s pray for this intention for her

Dec 16, 8:17 PM

Carol Ann: Yes, I will pray

Dec 16, 8:17 PM

Dawn (Guest): praying

Dec 16, 8:17 PM

Ruth (Guest): I am impressed with our local Methodist Community’s DOING the works of love –– but a little unhappy that they are drawing membership from the Catholic Church.

Dec 16, 8:19 PM

SrSusan (Guest): What is the Methodist community doing

Dec 16, 8:21 PM

Ruth (Guest): A convert to Catholicism –– one who went through the “Formation for Ministry” program –– 2 years –– in our Diocese and was leader of song at a local Catholic Church –– someone who loves/loved the Blessed Sacrament –– and his wife, also a convert –– are now active member of the Methodist Church and also serving in, I think Bill said, the local Episcopal Church.

Dec 16, 8:22 PM

Carol Ann: They serve in all 3 churches?

Dec 16, 8:24 PM

SrSusan (Guest): What are the works of love they are doing

Dec 16, 8:24 PM

Ruth (Guest): The most obvious loving service the Methodist Church provides for the Community is a free “Community Dinner” almost every Wednesday night. Everyone is welcome. And it is done with such whole-hearted generosity.

Dec 16, 8:25 PM

Ruth (Guest): I’ve helped in the kitchen and been totally impressed by how peacefully so many people with such different backgrounds not only share the work but share their life stories while they do.

Dec 16, 8:27 PM

SrSusan (Guest): That is beautiful Don’t the Catholic Churches do similarly in the area?

Dec 16, 8:28 PM

SrSusan (Guest): Wellit is the 3rd week of advent and the o antiphonsLet us keepeach other in prayer Blessed week!

Dec 16, 8:29 PM

Carol Ann: Thank you Sister! May God bless us, every one

Dec 16, 8:31 PM

Dawn (Guest): Thank you Sr! God bless and prayers everyone.