In the opening paragraph, St Francis says: “God’s heavenly goodness does not let you fall into these faults in order to abandon you, but so as to humble you and make you take a firmer and tighter hold on the hand of his mercy.” What does this mean?Are we to take up our arms against the devil all on our own?In connection with the current letter, discuss this quote: “pray as if everything depends on God, work as if everything depends on you” (commonly attributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola).Why is spiritual dryn
Aug 29, 10:43 AM
VisitationSiste: Why is spiritual dryness good for us?
The recipient of this letter tried to remove her “temporal difficulty,” but failed. How do we gain the wisdom to know when to keep trying to overcome some difficulty, and when to give up and accept it?
How can we learn from our past mistakes?
How can we live in peace?
does not let you fall into these faults in order to abandon you, but so as to humble you and make you take a firmer and tighter hold on the hand of his mercy.” What does this mean?Are we to take up our arms against the devil all on our own?
Aug 29, 7:35 PM
Dawn (Guest): and Princess
Aug 29, 7:36 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): I believe homily is the best defense and we have to pray for the grace
Aug 29, 7:36 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Humility
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VisitationSiste: trials bring us closer to God if we reach out to Him
Aug 29, 7:37 PM
Dawn (Guest): I believe it means when we feel we are abandoned but have no other way we will turn to him.
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Dawn (Guest): you said it more clearly Sr/ thank you
Aug 29, 7:38 PM
VisitationSiste: and I would recommend never fight evil all alone Call on your angel on Mary on Jesus
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VisitationSiste: We do not necessarily have the strength to fight alone 9, 7:39 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Pride thinking we can do it alone is a problem.. gets me into trouble
Aug 29, 7:40 PM
VisitationSiste: Yes and we all have a touch of that in us I think
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Anna-Marie (Guest): Our Lord gives us plenty opportunity to be humble 1 PM
VisitationSiste: Yes probably every day!
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discuss this quote: “pray as if everything depends on God, work as if everything depends on you”
Aug 29, 7:42 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Such peace knowing God is in the consolation and the desolation
Aug 29, 7:43 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Love that adage
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Anna-Marie (Guest): I keep the faith and keep focused on heaven 29, 7:45 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Yes and so close to home
Aug 29, 7:45 PM
VisitationSiste: Even depending on God and praying we can also ask for the energy tp wprk as if all depended on us
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VisitationSiste: sometimes we lose energy and feel we can do nothing
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6 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Yes all to often 7 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Thank God for St. Frances de Sales and others who help us see things differently
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48 PM
Dawn (Guest): Yes.
Aug 29, 7:48 PM
VisitationSiste: He is a great saint and truly wise
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Dawn (Guest): Sr, do you mean we can lose energy spiritually? sometimes it feels this way
Aug 29, 7:49 PM
VisitationSiste: Yes I think so with despondency or depression
Aug 29, 7:49 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Is this desolation?
Aug 29, 7:50 PM
VisitationSiste: another word for it with some qualifications perhaps
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VisitationSiste: q3Why is spiritual dryness good for us?
Aug 29, 7:51 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): To keep us wanting
Aug 29, 7:51 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): It’s when we have less we want more
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Dawn (Guest): so we do not become attached to faith in God as an emotion :52 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): True Dawn emotions do not tell us the truth
Aug 29, 7:52 PM
VisitationSiste: both are good A nswers to discuss in themselves
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VisitationSiste: it keeps us searching, spiritual dryness does PM
VisitationSiste: some people might give up tho with dryness
Aug 29, 7:54 PM
VisitationSiste: St Jane did not
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Anna-Marie (Guest): That’s when God speaks to me, it could be through a reading or person… 55 PM
VisitationSiste: wonderful that you can identify it that way
Aug 29, 7:55 PM
Dawn (Guest): she experienced dryness? St Teresa Avila also. here is good example of how the saints help us
7:55 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): St Jane had St Frances as her spiritual director- ought not we look for a spiritual director?
Aug 29, 7:56 PM
VisitationSiste: oh yes about 40 years
Aug 29, 7:56 PM
VisitationSiste: so did St Teresa of Calcutta
Aug 29, 7:56 PM
VisitationSiste: Yes a spirital director helps alot
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Anna-Marie (Guest): I learned that dryness did not mean loss of faith or belief that God is near- just loss of consolation..is that your understanding?
Aug 29, 7:57 PM
Dawn (Guest): 40 years and yet she became a Saint
Aug 29, 7:58 PM
VisitationSiste: Yes to both of you!
Aug 29, 7:58 PM
Carol (Guest): Dawn!
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VisitationSiste: q4 The recipient of this letter tried to remove her “temporal difficulty,” but failed. How do we gain the wisdom to know when to keep trying to overcome some difficulty, and when to give up and accept it? 9, 8:00 PM
Dawn (Guest): yes, thank you. still surrounded by fires tho. and yet we are safe. :00 PM
Carol (Guest): We are not getting much word down here about them 1 PM
Carol (Guest): Is it like the thorn that St Paul had?
Aug 29, 8:01 PM
Dawn (Guest): Wisdom gained when you realize apart from him we can do nothing
9, 8:01 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Surrender to the Will of God… hard to know except peace that comes… PM
VisitationSiste: Yes a thorn or a circumstance
Aug 29, 8:02 PM
VisitationSiste: and yes peace is a good indicator we are on the right track
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Dawn (Guest): trials seem to be increasing here 3 PM
Princess (Guest): By living in union with God. Only then can we know His Will in it.
Aug 29, 8:03 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): We will always have thorns because of original sin… need to rely on God like St Paul
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Carol (Guest): In the section of abandonment to divine providence we just read in formation the author says that learning abandonment brings dome anguish 04 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): So true is that the same as letting go
Aug 29, 8:04 PM
VisitationSiste: yes union with God- a most necessary goal
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Anna-Marie (Guest): Good question 6 PM
Carol (Guest): That dying to self will and becoming detached from earthly things is sacrifice and suffering. It is not just given us but learned through difficult situations, through grace
Aug 29, 8:07 PM
Dawn (Guest): thank you for writing this Carol
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Carol (Guest): I think you are experiencing more than most Dawn
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Carol (Guest): The first step is to detach from them and stop beating ourselves up
Aug 29, 8:12 PM
Dawn (Guest): good question. the obvious is not repeating them. sometimes God allows us to see the sin in ourself. a great grace to see.
How can we learn from our past mistakes?
Aug 29, 8:10 PM
Carol (Guest): The first step is to detach from them and stop beating ourselves up
Aug 29, 8:12 PM
Dawn (Guest): good question. the obvious is not repeating them. sometimes God allows us to see the sin in ourself. a great grace to see.
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VisitationSiste: recognize them as mistakes and take ownership for them and try again
Aug 29, 8:14 PM
Princess (Guest): Trusting that God’s love makes it all work for our good.
Aug 29, 8:14 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Remembering the consequences
Aug 29, 8:14 PM
VisitationSiste: with the Lords help
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VisitationSiste: sometimes we do repeat our mistakes tho :15 PM
Carol (Guest): All of these are the practice of humility
Aug 29, 8:15 PM
Dawn (Guest): yes. and to be able to lovingly make amends to others we have hurt
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Anna-Marie (Guest): The Holy Spirit is working to prompt us when we fall down PM
Princess (Guest): Trusting that God’s love makes it all work for our good. 9, 8:16 PM
Dawn (Guest): and for the good of the other
Aug 29, 8:16 PM
VisitationSiste: that gives encouragement PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love… 17 PM
Carol (Guest): Remembering that God sees the big picture keeps us from making our problems bigger than they are 18 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Opportunities to heal or to grow
Aug 29, 8:18 PM
VisitationSiste: yes while we try to improve we dont become agitated
, 8:19 PM
VisitationSiste: last q How can we live in peace? 0 PM
Carol (Guest): By practicing humility, praying always 1 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Reading Dr. Bob Schuchts book, ‘Be Healed’… sometimes we need more than spiritual help .. we need to heal our wounded places… 22 PM
Dawn (Guest): yes. then the wounded places are where God can enter us
Aug 29, 8:22 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): All with prayer
8:22 PM
Carol (Guest): It is so important we let God in to those broken places 8:23 PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Yes he can replace our old wounded scripts..and allow us to see ourselves as He sees us… PM
Anna-Marie (Guest): Sister Miriam Highlander and Dr. Bob do many retreats fir seminarians
Aug 29, 8:25 PM
VisitationSiste: what about monasteries?
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Dawn (Guest): it would be wonderful to live near a convent or monastary. PM
Dawn (Guest): the little parish I went to burned down.
Aug 29, 8:26 PM
VisitationSiste: So sad where will you go
8:27 PM
Carol (Guest): It can be rebuilt? Along with the rest of tcity
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VisitationSiste: we continue to pray for all affected
Aug 29, 8:29 PM
Dawn (Guest): it was a very small town. a historical town. Not sure if they will rebuild. but farther from there also is another parish with the same priest.
Dawn (Guest): there is another parish, farther but do-able when all the roads open.