In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” How can we connect that with the current reflection?2. Likewise in James 4:4 we read: “whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” And in 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.” What is “th
Jan 19, 10:54 AM
VisitationSiste: What is “the world” in
this context? Are we not supposed to try to find the good in the world?
3. How does lukewarmness fit into this picture?
4. Does God not want us to have fulfilled desires? How does God as our ultimate
desire help us stay focused on the desires that matter most?
5. Is is possible to be distracted by having too many projects and pursuits in
one’s life? How about too many church projects, good as each may be? How can we
decide which ones God wants?
Jan 19, 10:54 AM
Dawn (Guest): This is a good topic to discuss
Jan 19, 7:45 PM
Ruth (Guest): You probably haven’t had much exposure to others in recent years, and I’m not sure there was such a thing when we were much younger.
Jan 19, 7:45 PM
Dawn (Guest): the questions I mean
Jan 19, 7:45 PM
Ruth (Guest):
Jan 19, 7:46 PM
SrJennifer (Guest): Hi, Maryann
Jan 19, 7:48 PM
Dawn (Guest): Hi Maryann
Jan 19, 7:48 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Hi all
Jan 19, 7:48 PM
Ruth (Guest): Yes, SFdS refers to the “world” mainly as a distraction from loving God. That is why many of the early saints became hermits — to devote more time and attention to prayer, to God, rather than to worldly interests. It makes sense. And his simile — I wonder if Francis Tompson (?0 – author of The Hound of Heaven read SFdS.
Jan 19, 7:50 PM
Ruth (Guest): Hi Maryann.
Jan 19, 7:50 PM
Dawn (Guest): the distinction would be …being in the world and being of the world
Jan 19, 7:51 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: I have been totally absorbed in the reality of holy indifference.
Jan 19, 7:51 PM
Ruth (Guest): In Thompson’s long poem however, it is God who is pursuing man — to Love him and get a love response from him. Man who is fleeing.
Jan 19, 7:52 PM
Dawn (Guest): Ah! a thought itself to ponder. holy indifference
Jan 19, 7:52 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: DeSales is shining a very bright and glaring light on that for me these past few days
Jan 19, 7:52 PM
Ruth (Guest): What’s been happening Mary Ann?
Jan 19, 7:53 PM
Dawn (Guest): God does pursue us. I’ve not read this poem..
Jan 19, 7:54 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: So much is happening and yet time seems to stand still
Jan 19, 7:54 PM
Ruth (Guest): You seem to understand “holy indifference” very well, Dawn. It definitely has nothing to do with “lukewarmness.” Or the passivity that we, today, understand with the word.
Jan 19, 7:55 PM
Ruth (Guest): Interesting — how we perceive time.
Jan 19, 7:55 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Holy indifference is a difficult concept to grasp for some and even more difficult to embrace if you do
Jan 19, 7:56 PM
Ruth (Guest): Chronos vs kairos.
Jan 19, 7:57 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: To love God so much and exclusively is not very difficult when we receive such sweet consolation in uniting our will with His
Jan 19, 7:58 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: But to not only accept and tolerate the difficult- but to embrace it/ love it, simply because it is His will….
Jan 19, 7:59 PM
Ruth (Guest): Mary Ann, one (or more) of our previous discussions dealt with “holy indifference.” It has nothing to do with a do-nothing attitude. It has all to do with complete submission to God’s Will — definitely not easy. Only possible by Grace. The Saints did it, not all of their lives, but finally . . .
Jan 19, 7:59 PM
Dawn (Guest): There is no other way! and so thru suffering..
Jan 19, 8:00 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: And to love him – giving all – it no longer matters if it brings pain or sorrow / it’s all His will and that’s all that matters
Jan 19, 8:01 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: He shows us precisely how we are to love Him best-on the cross – oh, my heart!
Jan 19, 8:02 PM
Dawn (Guest): The latter of Q2….What is “the world” in this context? Are we not supposed to try to find the good in the world?
Jan 19, 8:02 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Can I do that?
Jan 19, 8:04 PM
Ruth (Guest): You have the idea, Mary Ann — very clearly. But do I detect some self-abnigation because you are struggling with a purgation this side of the great divide between Church Militant and Church Triumpant — in THIS life?
Jan 19, 8:04 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: The “world” being the people in it. The ones that are most difficult to love
Jan 19, 8:05 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Oh yes, indeed Ruth
Jan 19, 8:05 PM
Dawn (Guest): I believe the world in this context refers to all the things, money fame position etc that offer us joy. oh! I had not thought of the world being the people in it
Jan 19, 8:05 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Things don’t really test me. People do
Jan 19, 8:06 PM
Ruth (Guest): Still, at least one important way of loving God is through loving THIS created world, His creation, PEOPLE, beauty, everything Good in this world!
Jan 19, 8:07 PM
Dawn (Guest): thank you
Jan 19, 8:08 PM
Ruth (Guest): Jesus “pitched his tent among us” to manifest God’s love first and foremost for PEOPLE.
Jan 19, 8:08 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Christ told Peter to take of His sheep. Nothing more. We can not change people- only God can
Jan 19, 8:08 PM
SrJennifer (Guest): I think one should be in the world and not of the world
Jan 19, 8:09 PM
SrJennifer (Guest): unless you choose to leave the world, like we do
Jan 19, 8:09 PM
Dawn (Guest): God’s grace will help us to
Jan 19, 8:10 PM
Ruth (Guest): Mary Ann. I’m a psychiatrist. There’s a joke — you know — something like: How many . . . does it take to change a light bulb. One answer is five,one to hold the bulb and four to turn the ladder. Well with the psychiatrist the answer is: ONE, but the bulb really has to WANT to change.
Jan 19, 8:10 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: I have struggled so long to do more that is in my power to do. There is this separation – this holy indifference that allows you to not let things that are not your “job” get you all twisted up and worried
Jan 19, 8:10 PM
Dawn (Guest):
Jan 19, 8:12 PM
Dawn (Guest): Agree. God calls people. I like St Bernadette quote y job is to inform people not to convince
Jan 19, 8:12 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: We weep for those who won’t see, but it is not for us to decide – we can just hold the flashlight and hope
Jan 19, 8:13 PM
Ruth (Guest): Mary Ann, do you have a spiritual director? May I guess: your children or your spouse?
Jan 19, 8:14 PM
Ruth (Guest): That is a holy suffering, Mary Ann. AND the kind that makes me wonder how those souls who are in the presence of the Beatific Vision can be completely happy if there are loved ones on earth still not responding to God’s loving invitations to love God.
Jan 19, 8:15 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Three teen age son – so hard to watch them moving away from God. I can rest easy knowing that I’ve done the best I could to bring them to God. What happens going forward…is God’s will
Jan 19, 8:15 PM
Dawn (Guest): Remembering God loves them more than we do!
Jan 19, 8:17 PM
Dawn (Guest): And our prayers, for children,will bring down graces to their soul. so we should never cease to pray for them
Jan 19, 8:17 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: I am beginning to grasp the reality of the holy indifference that has been a gradual letting for me over the past four years
Jan 19, 8:18 PM
Dawn (Guest): I just thought of Brian who has spoken often of the seeing the fruits of parents or grandparents prayers over their children
Jan 19, 8:18 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: I do have a spiritual director-a very good priest
Jan 19, 8:19 PM
Dawn (Guest): q3…How does lukewarmness fit into this picture?
Jan 19, 8:22 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: He points out that it is my duty to not participate or celebrate an illicit union outside the church. I pray I will never be faced with that. You have to be on fire with love for God to resist becoming lukewarm in how urgent it is to uphold some of the churches and Christ’s teachings. I pray for strength
Jan 19, 8:22 PM
SrJennifer (Guest): Dawn, Ruth and Mary Ann, I have to go now. Good night and thank you for all your prayers.
Jan 19, 8:23 PM
Ruth (Guest): https://helpthemreturn.com/game-plan Brandon Vogt is likely a good resource. Pray like St. Helena, St. Augustin
Jan 19, 8:23 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Thank you St Jennifer. I hope you are well.
Jan 19, 8:23 PM
Ruth (Guest): s Mother and all will be well.
Jan 19, 8:24 PM
SrJennifer (Guest): Yes, thank you.
Jan 19, 8:24 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: My love and prayers
Jan 19, 8:25 PM
Dawn (Guest): Good night Sr Jennifer. Prayers
Jan 19, 8:25 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: St. Monica
Jan 19, 8:25 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Pray for me
Jan 19, 8:26 PM
Ruth (Guest): I pray for strength for you Mary Ann, and for each of us in our own challenges. Dawn’s been there. Yes, St. Monica. Sorry. What was I thinking?
Jan 19, 8:27 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Compromise ?
Jan 19, 8:27 PM
Ruth (Guest): Compromise?
Jan 19, 8:27 PM
Ruth (Guest): Not sure I understand.
Jan 19, 8:27 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: It is a necessary and great good. But not in all things
Jan 19, 8:28 PM
A (Guest): As a viewer of this chat and I would like to say that all of you are much too hard on yourselves. We are human, not angels, not saints, and we try to do what is right and the best we can. If God had wanted to make us all angels living in the Garden of Eden forever, he could have. But he didn’t. It is not fair for being punished for being what we are – very flawed, weak, but trying to be good, human beings.
Jan 19, 8:28 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: We must keep Christ in front of us – first. All else follows in perfect order if we do
Jan 19, 8:29 PM
Dawn (Guest): The Lord knows our hearts, our struggles our everything. we are never alone. and he will help us when we ask, but in his way, not ours
Jan 19, 8:30 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Fair? It has nothing to do with fair. Was Christ’s sacrifice for us fair? Certainly not
Jan 19, 8:32 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: How we deal with unfairness, pain, suffering – all unfair – that determines if we can be a Saint
Jan 19, 8:32 PM
Ruth (Guest): Thank’s for commenting A. I get the drift of what you are saying. God made Adam and Eve with free will. Free will is necessary in order to Love. You cannot be forced to love. The angels had free will. SOME of them turned against God. They are what we call “devils”
Jan 19, 8:32 PM
Ruth (Guest): Who is being punished for what we are? That part I’m not sure I get.
Jan 19, 8:33 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: The tremendous grace that is poured down on those how do not waste the suffering!
Jan 19, 8:34 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Who
Jan 19, 8:34 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Never waste your pain and suffering – a gift you can give to Christ – uniting us on the cross
Jan 19, 8:36 PM
A (Guest): We are punished for being weak,not being able to live up to the standards of perfection, like resisting temptation, like Jesus did. We simply don’t have the strength, we are not like him and never will be.
Jan 19, 8:37 PM
Ruth (Guest): Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were HUMANS. Even when the were expelled from the Garden — forced by BAD choices — instead of walking with God, HIDING from him, because they knew they’d disobeyed him — even then God went with them.
Jan 19, 8:37 PM
Dawn (Guest): Hello viewer! thank you for commenting on what you are perceiving in our talk. Sr Susan who normally moderates and keeps us on track is ill and not able to be here tonight. we are studying St Francis DeSales book Treatise on the Love of God
Jan 19, 8:39 PM
Ruth (Guest): A I fail every day. I fail even at things that once were easy; I am weak, and also suffering from multiple medical issues. But KNOWING you are weak is an important step toward ASKING FOR HELP.
Jan 19, 8:39 PM
Dawn (Guest): you are correct A, we don’t have the strenght. by our self.
Jan 19, 8:40 PM
Ruth (Guest): And he sent His Only Son, Jesus, to redeem them/us.
Jan 19, 8:40 PM
A (Guest): But Ruth, God didn’t give them the tools to resist temptation in the first place, so they were starting out with a bad poker hand, and could not win
Jan 19, 8:40 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: We deserve nothing – we beg at the foot of the cross for God to show mercy and beg him to show us how to love perfectly
Jan 19, 8:41 PM
Ruth (Guest): We can never become the perfect God-Man; but by GRACE we can become more and more like that Jesus.
Jan 19, 8:41 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Oh yes, he Did give us the tool. Turn to Him
Jan 19, 8:41 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: In total surrender and in total adoration
Jan 19, 8:42 PM
Dawn (Guest): I made popcorn
Jan 19, 8:43 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: Oh! Popcorn!
Jan 19, 8:43 PM
A (Guest): Thank you all for your time and comments, I appreciate it – Good Night
Jan 19, 8:43 PM
Ruth (Guest): Wish we could pass it around. Smell it. Chat face-to-face!
Jan 19, 8:43 PM
Mary Ann Kronk: I love our Lord Jesus Christ and His church with all my heart! Good night all
Jan 19, 8:44 PM
Dawn (Guest): Today at Mass, it was so beautiful! the priests homilies lately have been so to the point, teaching/ Good night A! hope to see you again
Jan 19, 8:44 PM
Dawn (Guest): Good night Mary Ann. hope to see you again soon
Jan 19, 8:45 PM
Dawn (Guest): this popcorn is my dinner
Jan 19, 8:45 PM
Dawn (Guest): wish we were sharing
Jan 19, 8:48 PM
Ruth (Guest): Please do come back, A. And keep searching. I started out simply seeking THE TRUTH — as a child of about 9. I had a rough start too. Not as rough as some of my patients, but certainly challenging. God is very, very generous. That is just who he IS. Sometimes — OFTEN, even — we do not FELL that way. He is LOVING AND JUST. The Church is a kind of “repository of grace” admittedly in the hands of flawed Humans.
Jan 19, 8:48 PM
Dawn (Guest): our current priest is leaving in June, he will then cover at various parishes.
Jan 19, 8:51 PM
Dawn (Guest): Just thought of Bishop Robert Barrons series Catholicism.
Jan 19, 8:51 PM
Ruth (Guest): Good night A. Good night Dawn. Again, we are dawdlers — or I am anyway. Glad you had a good Mass experience today. And the last few weeks. Let’s pray that the next priest meets the needs of the parishoners, too.
Jan 19, 8:52 PM
Dawn (Guest): yes,thank you Ruth. God bless you. in my prayers. Goodnight
Jan 19, 8:53 PM
Dawn (Guest): I am too a dawdler
Jan 19, 8:55 PM
Ruth (Guest): Great series: CATHOLICISM. I bought — when I had a halfway decent income — the whole series, INCLUDING BOOK and teaching materials — to share. Lost disk ONE (not returned); replaced it. Offered to lead a
Jan 19, 8:57 PM
Ruth (Guest): “program” based on it. Never happened. In God’s good time. . . Good night. Blessings!