How are our crosses “sweet and full of consolation,” as St. Francis says? How can faith help us live securely amidst the storms and uncertainties of life? How can we belong entirely to God? In giving advice about speaking of her late husband, St. Francis tells St. Jane de Chantal that it is good but that she should be careful not to express “a love which still clings to his bodily presence.” Why might this be important, and what does a love that does not cling to bodily presence look like?
Jul 10, 11:02 AM
VisitationSiste: How can one be too eager in striving for humility?
St. Francis says that God will not call us to something without also giving us the grace in order to do it. Discuss this in connection with what St. Paul says 1 Corinthians 10:13, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength.”
Jul 10, 11:03 AM
VisitationSiste: Newsletter for chat http://www.icontact-archive.com/archive?c=1029793&f=1988&s=2046&m=620429&t=44f0d18c19339967b1be43b205c1596fa07d3b2574e5f4560987969cb886fdda
Jul 10, 11:03 AM
VisitationSiste: Sun chat 730pm est
Jul 11, 12:04 AM
Bettychao (Guest): Hi sr Susan this is bettychao
Welcome to our Living Jesus Chat Room. Just sign in, using
How are our crosses “sweet and full of consolation,” as St. Francis says?
Jul 11, 7:34 PM
Simone (Guest): I just reread the first paragraph. It says ” Are not GOD’s crosses sweet and full of consolation”.. I am just thinking out loud here.. Are there crosses that are not from GOD? Maybe those are not sweet?
Jul 11, 7:34 PM
VisitationSiste: That is a tall order of a question!
Jul 11, 7:34 PM
VisitationSiste: hmmn
Jul 11, 7:34 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): Jesus has a Way of Telling us He Loves Us Through Others in the Midst of us carrying our Crosses !!! Soo Beautiful !!!!!
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VisitationSiste: I guess ultimately all comes from God but sometimes via others?
Jul 11, 7:36 PM
Simone (Guest): I wonder – if a cross is always – when we carry a burden – or a pain – out of love for someone else -or simply – because we do not want to repay evil with evil. In some ways, then a cross can always be sweet and full of consolation, because we are continuing the work of reconciliation
7 PM
VisitationSiste: Yes Jesus bore His cross out of abundant love and thus so can we with His help and grace 37 PM
Simone (Guest): A cross is always -when we take on us the sin of someone else -( this can go back a long way.. does not necessarily have to be connected to the sin of a person now.. but any pain we have – we embrace – we make it our cross – and let the love of Christ flow through it – and by that we unite it with the love of Christ on the cross M
VisitationSiste: Yes Love sweetens everything
Jul 11, 7:38 PM
Simone (Guest): Love heals everything
Jul 11, 7:39 PM
Simone (Guest): I think, by making it our cross -we really step into the ultimate meaning of life – and that is a sweet thing and one of the highest consolations I find
Jul 11, 7:39 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): When Your Serving God in the Way He wants us too it can be very very difficult and even very scary and it may even cost us our Life but we Know that God has us on the Path carrying the Cross for Him and He is Helping others to come to Him through our Service for Him !!!!!! No Greater Purpose in Life !!!!! Jesus Taught Us This !!!!!
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LuAnn (Guest): I really like the advice “just salute those who pass along other roads, saying quite simply to them: may God guide us so that we may all meet at home.” which can help to not engage in arguments and maintain peace and perspective
Jul 11, 7:44 PM
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Brian Bunny (Guest): Trusting God no Matter what is Happening allows God to Work Soo Beautifully through our Life with Him too reach out to those who don’t quite know Him Yet !!!!! We have Seen God work in Miraculous ways in the Past Soo we know that now and in the Future He will work all Things together for Good because we Know Him and Love Him !!!!
Jul 11, 7:45 PM
Simone (Guest): LuAnn, that sentence stood out for me too. I think it is good advice for not pushing our way of being with GOD on someone else who is not open to hear it. That said, I have no greater joy that leading others to the Catholic Faith and to Mother Church. But always out of love – never out of constraint
Jul 11, 7:46 PM
LuAnn (Guest): When people want to engage in arguments for the sake of arguing, this response would assert my faith in God while leaving them in God’s hands
Jul 11, 7:46 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): Hi Luann !!!! That is Beautiful !!
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Simone (Guest): as for faith and storms.. I am not sure if I shared that here already once.. but I love the thought – that when Jesus was sleeping in the boat – and all the disciples were afraid that they are going to die – well, I like to picture – Jesus opening his eyes.. and asking them ” Do you really think that this boat is going to sink when I am in it”? We all have brought Jesus in the boat of our lives. It will not sink PM
VisitationSiste: How can we belong entirely to God?
Jul 11, 7:49 PM
Simone (Guest): surrender, surrender, surrender… and did I mention surrender?
Jul 11, 7:49 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): Be available to His Will 24 hours a day 7 days a week !!!!
Jul 11, 7:50 PM
Simone (Guest): yes
Jul 11, 7:50 PM
Bettychao (Guest): My sister is a protanstand Christian her name is Shirley Wang and she work in the legacy Christan church and she work for everything in the church to serve God. And mom is catholic and she also work in the Catholic Church closed to my California home they are do every good things to help the people and serve God.
Jul 11, 7:50 PM
Simone (Guest): I have many protestant friends Betty. There is no doubt that God loves them and that they love GOD
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VisitationSiste: Bot easy to do
Jul 11, 7:51 PM
Simone (Guest): oh.. Hi Carol
Jul 11, 7:52 PM
Simone (Guest): Agree Sister. not easy … not easy at all
Jul 11, 7:52 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): Hi Carol ! God Bless You!
Jul 11, 7:52 PM
Simone (Guest): LuAnn.. that sounds lovely. You seem to live very intentional with GOD. That is so beautiful
Jul 11, 7:52 PM
Carol (Guest): Hi Simone, i can’t wait to hear what happened this week
Jul 11, 7:53 PM
Carol (Guest): Hi Bruan
Jul 11, 7:53 PM
Simone (Guest): Thank you Carol.
Jul 11, 7:53 PM
Ruth (Guest): Hi Carol, and all of you. Important theme tonight.
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Brian Bunny (Guest): Love is a Battlefield !!!! Must have the Armour of God on too Serve God ! The Attacks Come !!!!
Jul 11, 7:54 PM
Carol (Guest): Hi Ruth!
7:55 PM
VisitationSiste: Belonging to God entirely not sproradically- that is sanctit M
Brian Bunny (Guest): Amen !!!
Jul 11, 7:56 PM
Simone (Guest): Yes, that is holiness.. sweet sweet holiness
Jul 11, 7:57 PM
Ruth (Guest): Carol, I think you are referring to Simone and her husband’s Bible Study. I, too, am interested to hear about how it went. We also have an interesting discussion tonight — gentle advice from SFdS to St.Jane . . .
58 PM
Carol (Guest): I came to the party late, after my formation, so I missed the beginning of the discussion PM
LuAnn (Guest): Sometimes it is daunting to think about being holy or sacred, but I like to keep in mind that the definition is simply to be set apart for the use of God. So all I have to do is be available, willing, and the particular service is then God’s choice. 8:00 PM
VisitationSiste: In giving advice about speaking of her late husband, St. Francis tells St. Jane de Chantal that it is good but that she should be careful not to express “a love which still clings to his bodily presence.” Why might this be important, and what does a love that does not cling to bodily presence look like?
Jul 11, 8:01 PM
Simone (Guest): LuAnn I totally agree – that said.. there are some crossroads in our vocational calling, that I find pretty tough to understand sometimes. But with time, patience and prayers, God reveals it all.
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Ruth (Guest): He wants her to make more room for that ineffable Presence of Jesus, and to transform her bodily love of her husband into prayer for him. 03 PM
Simone (Guest): When I read this question, I immediately had to think of Mary Magdalene, when she was recognizing the resurrected Jesus and he said to her “Don’t cling to me” . We have to relate to our loved ones in the proper state where they are. There is always room for genuine love, but love changes in its expression.
Jul 11, 8:03 PM
Carol (Guest): I think that if we love still too physically we can get lost in grief
Jul 11, 8:03 PM
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Dawn (Guest): thank you Ruth
Jul 11, 8:03 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): Perhaps a concern that the Grief could be Soo strong and attached bodily that she may be unavailable too God to Serve Others with what time she has left !
Jul 11, 8:03 PM
Ruth (Guest): So much wisdom, Simone!
Jul 11, 8:04 PM
Simone (Guest): I totally agree with all of you. Grieving is very much influenced by this
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Carol (Guest): Because grief is natural, but we cannot allow ourselves to be stuck in the shock of loss. Even grief is used to transform us. M
Simone (Guest): I love that. ” Even grief is used to transform us.” – But it is something to walk through and not to live in. Some people settle in the land of grief. But it is not a destiny -it a only a part of our journey hereM
Carol (Guest): It is not just whether or not someone remarries, but if they can love again:12 PM
VisitationSiste: St Jane suffered something akin to this
Jul 11, 8:12 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): With Forgiveness comes Freedom but Soo Difficult to get to that point of Forgiving but God will Help and bring others to Help !!!!
Jul 11, 8:12 PM
Simone (Guest): you mean.. because her husband had an untimely death?
Jul 11, 8:14 PM
Simone (Guest): St. Jane could have become very bitter too. The odds were 50:50 somewhat. So glad she chose holiness instead
Jul 11, 8:14 PM
VisitationSiste: Yes and at the hands of another by accident
4 PM
Ruth (Guest): Thank you. Anita. She is with one of her sons, his wife and two young children just now. I think the children are helping her to recover, at least a little. She never lived alone before; went directly from her parents’ home into her marriage. And it was a good one, thanks be to God. But she’s been stuck in deep grief for so long.
Jul 11, 8:15 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): Demonstration of the Power of God we release in our Lives when we Forgive !!!!!
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VisitationSiste: St. Francis says that God will not call us to something without also giving us the grace in order to do it. Discuss this in connection with what St. Paul says 1 Corinthians 10:13, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength.”
Jul 11, 8:16 PM
Simone (Guest): Anita is a German name. I will remember that for sure.
Jul 11, 8:17 PM
Carol (Guest): That if a struggle is something He designed for us, He will be right there. And if it’s a struggle we caused ourselves He will still be there
Jul 11, 8:18 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): God Allows Difficulties and Great Challenges in our Lives Soo that we Grow !!!!! That is what a Good Teacher Does !!!!
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VisitationSiste: Some challenges are repeated in vrs ways
Jul 11, 8:19 PM
Ruth (Guest): There’s also — appropriately — a lawsuit involved. I think that makes forgiving, before it is settled, even harder.
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Carol (Guest): Yes. How do you forgive and still go to court. She might not have a choice about that PM
Simone (Guest): I find that passage very consoling right now in my life. I am living for quite a while with a “calling” in my heart which I do not see being fulfilled. I HAVE to trust that God knows what he is doing. I remember that St. Jane was becoming frustrated when she felt she was called to be a nun and St. Francis advised against it – but all she wanted to do was to live for GOD. and? In the end it all worked out. Sometimes it is also a matter of time
Jul 11, 8:20 PM
VisitationSiste: God probably has a [urpose for Anita that she has not completely discovered yet
8:21 PM
Carol (Guest): I think all of us here can relate to St Jane in this 2 PM
Bettychao (Guest): Sr Susan I want to know did you convent open now for public for them come to visit or still shut down closed?
Jul 11, 8:22 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): Pastor Gelsey in court publicly and from the heart forgave his son’s murderer who was one of his son’s best friends !!!!! Soo difficult but God made a Way for him !!!!
Jul 11, 8:23 PM
Carol (Guest): Yes there are
Jul 11, 8:23 PM
VisitationSiste: The lasy who lost her husband that Ruth told us about
Jul 11, 8:23 PM
Dawn (Guest): thank you
Jul 11, 8:23 PM
Carol (Guest): Married couples are very welcome
Jul 11, 8:23 PM
Ruth (Guest): I three times applied to religious communities, to become a sister or a nun. The first they asked me to complete my studies. And then said in the interim they had discovered that older candidates find it too hard to adjust, and that I was already “formed.
Jul 11, 8:23 PM
VisitationSiste: I jnow a married woman who wants to join us but obviously cant Maybe I should point her to your group?
Jul 11, 8:24 PM
VisitationSiste: We are only open for daily Mass now Betty Not Sunday yet 5 PM
Carol (Guest): Yes, it is bscddomestic.org or littleportion.org for the monastic side
Jul 11, 8:25 PM
VisitationSiste: Thank you!
Jul 11, 8:25 PM
Dawn (Guest): thank you Ruth
Jul 11, 8:25 PM
VisitationSiste: last q How can one be too eager in striving for humility?
Jul 11, 8:25 PM
Carol (Guest): I know the common wisdom is that we can’t be formed past a certain age. But I’m doing it
7 online
LuAnn
Simone
Brian Bunny
Ruth
Dawn
Carol
25 PM
Carol (Guest): I know the common wisdom is that we can’t be formed past a certain age. But I’m doing it
Jul 11, 8:26 PM
Simone (Guest): Good for you Carol
Jul 11, 8:26 PM
Carol (Guest): Oops, one too many d’s. Bscdomestic.org
Jul 11, 8:27 PM
Carol (Guest): They told me I couldn’t either. I’m just stubborn
7 PM
Simone (Guest): I think, if we make our humility a project of accomplishment, then we are in danger to try to become holy without the Grace of God, but purely with our will.
Jul 11, 8:27 PM
Brian Bunny (Guest): Our eagerness to show or demonstrate humility can become a great source of pride
Jul 11, 8:27 PM
Ruth (Guest): The second wanted me to continue my residency training where I could be a postulant and visit often. But I could not get into a residency training program (family practice at the time) anywhere near enough to visit often.
Jul 11, 8:28 PM
Simone (Guest): oh Ruth.. I just can imagine how disheartening that must have been. I so hope that your heart is at peace now
Jul 11, 8:28 PM
Carol (Guest): You’re right Brian
Jul 11, 8:29 PM
Ruth (Guest): Brian that’s what I was thinking, as if to say, “I’m humble and proud of it!”
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Brian Bunny (Guest): God always opens doors and closes doors in our lives for a reason. We won’t see it all until we get to Heaven ! , 8:31 PM
Simone (Guest): I made a mistake when I was reading the Word of GOD during the ordination mass of my husband. I usually never make mistakes reading.. well at least not often. I found it really humbling.. and then I noticed that I was smiling in the pew, thinking.. yes LORD, humble me. Show them, that I am not perfect. Show ME that I am not perfect. Thanks for working on me.”.. And the shame fell off me.. and I could enjoy the rest of the service.
Jul 11, 8:31 PM
Ruth (Guest): A dear sister in that first community, who’d been a missionary physician in Africa, helped me get over it saying, “This community would’ve been too small for you.” And I understood that that had less to do with size than with perspective.
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LuAnn (Guest): haha, I agree, being eager for and proud of humility are 2 ways of telling that we don’t yet have true humility
Jul 11, 8:32 PM
VisitationSiste: You too!