ep 1, 6:12 AM
SrSusan (Guest): What does tranquility look like here on earth? And how is it similar/different compared to the tranquility we experience in heaven?If God calls us “good,” why does St. Francis instruct to recognize our misery? He is just being pessimistic?Why is starting the day with prayer so important?St. Francis uses the image of Our Lady holding Our Lord with one hand and doing what she needed to do with her other hand (something any mom can relate to). Using that analogy, why is it imperative to bring prayer into every
SrSusan (Guest): everything we’re doing, even while we’re doing it, instead of using “being busy” as an excuse to not pray?St. Francis seems to encourage a balance of vocal prayer and mental prayer. Why is this important? How does one help the other? St. Francis cautions us to make sure that our love “is not too far engaged in what you are doing,” and asks that we should make sure that our hand “is still clasped in that of Our Lord.” Isn’t it good to put our heart into our work? What is St. Francis warning about? How do we make sure our hand is still “clasped in that of Our Lord?”
Sep 1, 6:13 AM
SrSusan (Guest): Sun chat Sept 3 730pm est
Sep 1, 6:14 AM
SrSusan (Guest): ewsletter for chat https://visitationspirit.org/2023/08/newsletter-for-chat-sept-2/
Newsletter for Chat Sept 2 | Visitation Spirit
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Sep 3, 7:31 PM
SrSusan (Guest): q 1 What does tranquility look like here on earth? And how is it similar/different compared to the tranquility we experience in heaven?I
Sep 3, 7:31 PM
Nicole (Guest): Hello
Sep 3, 7:31 PM
Nicole (Guest): Is there sound or just text?
Sep 3, 7:31 PM
SrSusan (Guest): just text
Sep 3, 7:31 PM
Nicole (Guest): Okay 👍🏻
Sep 3, 7:32 PM
Ruth (Guest): Hello! I just moved to a chair more comfortable for my back. Glad to be back and see that you are, too.
Sep 3, 7:33 PM
SrSusan (Guest): re tranquility I would imagine in heaven it is very profound, even tho on eart any of us who may have experienced it would have had a little taste of heaven
Sep 3, 7:34 PM
SrSusan (Guest): have any of you ever experienced a tranquility?
Sep 3, 7:34 PM
Ruth (Guest): I like that. a little tast of heaven.
p 3, 7:35 PM
SrSusan (Guest): prayer brings tranquility of a certain degree
Sep 3, 7:36 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Hi Simone
p 3, 7:38 PM
Simone (Guest): As for tranquility. I did experience for a while a “supernatural peace”. It did feel like heaven to me
Sep 3, 7:38 PM
Ruth (Guest): Taste. Believe it or not, I think that all I have been through, and learning to TRUST God more and maybe lean on others a bit more has given me a taste of tranquility, of peace, happiness, even amidst pain. When I know there are some things I can no longer do safely, I don’t push myself so hard to get it done.
ep 3, 7:41 PM
SrSusan (Guest): q If God calls us “good,” why does St. Francis instruct to recognize our misery? He is just being pessimistic?
Sep 3, 7:41 PM
Ruth (Guest): And I see humor in a lot of my failings, my clumsiness, and the odd things I’ve come to be grateful for.
p 3, 7:43 PMSimone (Guest): I understand “being good in God’s eyes” – as being made by Him, for Him and in His image. We still live in a fallen world – that’s the misery for me. That’s just one angle though to look at it
7:44 PM
SrSusan (Guest): what Ruth said qualifies as “miseries” in a light way I think
Sep 3, 7:45 PM
Simone (Guest): Unfortunately I cannot see Ruth’s answer on my phone
Sep 3, 7:45 PM
Ruth (Guest): I’m not sure the word misery is a good translation, though I have not seen the original. Elsewhere we are told, Rejoice in the Lord, always!” Perhaps he means how very inadequate we are to accomplish ANYTHING without His help. In that sense we are miserable creatures, inclined to sin when we do not reach out and try to unite our wills lovingly to his.
ep 3, 7:46 PMSimone (Guest): Good point Ruth
ep 3, 7:47 PMSrSusan (Guest): q Why is starting the day with prayer so important?
Sep 3, 7:48 PMNicole (Guest): I came to learn more about this joyful humility. How do I make that happen? I do try to have a sense of humor over where I fall short but I feel a pressure to be perfect. I want to be content with being able to fail or perform at not perfect standards without feeling inept.
ep 3, 7:49 PMNicole (Guest): Showing gratitude to the Lord first thing and giving my day to him. Surrendering to him. It lightens my day already.
Sep 3, 7:50 PMSrSusan (Guest): It helps to put God first in our lives
p 3, 7:51 PMSrSusan (Guest): Prayer is our communication with God our Creator and His Son our Savior.
p 3, 7:52 PMNicole (Guest): When things pile up, it seems more difficult to give it all to him. I think it is just habit of thinking I have to handle it all.
ep 3, 7:53 PMSrSusan (Guest): q St. Francis uses the image of Our Lady holding Our Lord with one hand and doing what she needed to do with her other hand (something any mom can relate to). Using that analogy, why is it imperative to bring prayer into every
SrSusan (Guest): everything we’re doing, even while we’re doing it, instead of using “being busy” as an excuse to not pray?
3, 7:55 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I like that image he used
Sep 3, 7:55 PM
Nicole (Guest): Because the Lord should be included into our busyness.
ep 3, 7:55 PM
Simone (Guest): We should drench our actions with his love
Sep 3, 7:55 PM
Simone (Guest): And our love
Sep 3, 7:55 PM
SrSusan (Guest): beautiful
7:57 PMSrSusan (Guest): We should keep Him involved in all we do
Sep 3, 7:58 PMSimone (Guest): What we do with Him – we also do for Him
Sep 3, 7:59 PMSrSusan (Guest): q St. Francis seems to encourage a balance of vocal prayer and mental prayer. Why is this important? How does one help the other?
ep 3, 8:00 PMRuth (Guest): I love the morning prayer. Giving all our prayers works joys and sufferings to God. In union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world . . Even when I cannot be physically PRESENT at Mass. Knowing that we are not alone, in union a the Immaculate Heart of Mary, carrying on the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — that makes every hardship more bearable. And “for the intentions of all our Associates. For the Good of those who have asked us to pray for them and for the Good, even o
Sep 3, 8:00 PMSrSusan (Guest): yes the morning offering
Sep 3, 8:01 PMSrSusan (Guest): apostleship of prayer
Sep 3, 8:02 PM
Nicole (Guest): I just learned angels can’t read your mind. So, you have to verbally talk to them to communicate.
Sep 3, 8:02 PM
Dawn (Guest): Yes, thank you Ruth. I too say the morning offering every morning, but i havent always done so. since Ive begun I think it makes a difference in how day goes!
Sep 3, 8:02 PM
SrSusan (Guest): vocal prayer helps us to concentrate or prep us and mental prayer is more like meditation and goes deeper into our soul, or can do so
Sep 3, 8:03 PM
Simone (Guest): I find it interesting how different the relationship is of people – who only have vocal prayer in their life and those who only have mental prayer in their lives. The danger is with – only vocal prayer – that it can become so “detached” from your own relationship – the danger with only mental prayer is – that the relationship itself becomes an idol –
ep 3, 8:04 PMSimone (Guest): I am not sure if I worded that well – to understand what I mean
ep 3, 8:04 PMDawn (Guest): it was helpful Simone! thank you
ep 3, 8:05 PMSrSusan (Guest): explain relationship as an idol
Sep 3, 8:06 PM
Dawn (Guest): Im not sure about mental prayer becoming an idol, or the temptation to. but doing both is good thing!
Sep 3, 8:06 PM
SrSusan (Guest): have not looked at it like that
ep 3, 8:07 PM
Ruth (Guest): Yes, I think I understand. Mental prayer alone is a little like thinking about the LOVE between two persons instead of just loving the other. Maybe like over-thinking.
Sep 3, 8:07 PM
SrSusan (Guest): ah good explanation thanks
Sep 3, 8:08 PM
SrSusan (Guest): St Francis always looks to the balance of things
Sep 3, 8:08 PM
Nicole (Guest): Mental prayer and meditation allows you to quiet your mind so the Lord can communicate to you. I don’t see how that is idolizing.
ep 3, 8:10 PM
Simone (Guest): Nicole- it is when it is only mental prayer – a temptation. I expect consolation in mental prayer – I am more tempted to pray to be consoled – the aim is my spiritual gratification – but not Jesus himself
ep 3, 8:10 PMSimone (Guest): Is that more clear now maybe – what I meant?
Sep 3, 8:11 PMRuth (Guest): I remember in ninth grade saying to a teach (with whom I have been in contact to this day — actually a biology club moderator who was studying for aPhD in Philosophy — that I was thinking that BALANCE was “the answer” .
ep 3, 8:11 PMSimone (Guest): I agree
Sep 3, 8:11 PMNicole (Guest): Hmmm, interesting. I never thought of it that way. So, to create the boundary of not looking for gratification but simply communication then?
Sep 3, 8:13 PMSimone (Guest): I think it is a natural desire to want to be with the one my soul loves. Please don’t hold that back. But in vocal prayer we can go away from ourselves easier sometimes. At least my experience
Sep 3, 8:14 PMSrSusan (Guest): q St. Francis cautions us to make sure that our love “is not too far engaged in what you are doing,” and asks that we should make sure that our hand “is still clasped in that of Our Lord.” Isn’t it good to put our heart into our work?
Sep 3, 8:14 PMSrSusan (Guest): I think this goes back to the danger of idols
Sep 3, 8:15 PMSimone (Guest): I had the same thought
ep 3, 8:15 PM
Nicole (Guest): Just as long as we don’t lose site of him. He come first.
Sep 3, 8:15 PM
Simone (Guest): We humans have an ability that we can make everything about ourselves. Even those that look so holy from the outside
ep 3, 8:17 PMSrSusan (Guest): yes St Francis is warning us about ignoring the Lord even if we are holding his hand
ep 3, 8:17 PMSimone (Guest): But as we said in the beginning – we have to connect our work with Him. That’s how the prayer L thy kingdom come” is answered here on earth.
ep 3, 8:19 PMSrSusan (Guest): If our heart is first in the Heart of Jesus, then in a way it can’t go rogue
ep 3, 8:19 PMRuth (Guest): Oh my! The second part of my reply is GONE again. I had to refresh 4 times. Sorry. when some thing I write does show, it is usually way after the intended place. It you, Simone, said something similar. Thanks.
ep 3, 8:20 PM
Ruth (Guest): Balance for the sake of PASSION for right Worship of God,
Sep 3, 8:20 PM
Dawn (Guest): thank you Sr, I write this quote now
Sep 3, 8:20 PMNicole (Guest): Yes, I have issues with this. I am trying to to practice humility and many women from my church think being holy is acting overly concerned and speaking in a certain tone and then the second they get into the parking lot, they switch over. I want to always be practicing humility.
p 3, 8:22 PM
SrSusan (Guest): very worthy goal!
Sep 3, 8:22 PM
Simone (Guest): Wonderful Nicole. Do you have a spiritual director? He or she can be of big help to grow in your holy desire.
Sep 3, 8:23 PM
Nicole (Guest): I’m actually reading St. Francis De Sales “Introduction to a Devout Life” now and see a big section on humility. I’m going to take lots of notes. I really like how he teaches.
Sep 3, 8:24 PM
SrSusan (Guest): wonderful book
Sep 3, 8:24 PMSrSusan (Guest): last q How do we make sure our hand is still “clasped in that of Our Lord?”
Sep 3, 8:26 PM
Nicole (Guest): I am meeting with the friar at my church at least once a month and planning a silent retreat very soon at Sisters of the Visitation in Mobile, AL. That should help me immensely.
Sep 3, 8:26 PM
Ruth (Guest): Same way we make sure we are grafted to the root? by the fruits?
Sep 3, 8:26 PM
Ruth (Guest): Same way we make sure we are grafted to the root? by the fruits?
Sep 3, 8:26 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Mobile is a holy Monastery
Sep 3, 8:27 PMNicole (Guest): Wonderful.
p 3, 8:27 PMDawn (Guest): Sounds like a good holy plan Nicole!
Sep 3, 8:28 PM
Nicole (Guest): Thank you, Dawn! I’d like to know more about Ruth’s answer.
Sep 3, 8:28 PM
SrSusan (Guest): keeping ourselves in the presence of God and reminding ourselves every 15 min or so will help keep us clasped to Him
ep 3, 8:29 PM
Ruth (Guest): I would love to visit there, too. Not sure yet I will ever do much traveling, AND a now deceased Mercy Sister who accompanied me for years wanted me to go to the same place she had learned to do spiritual dire Timon.
Sep 3, 8:29 PM
Nicole (Guest): I like that physical reminder. Maybe set out watch or cell phone every 15 minutes with a vibrate?
Sep 3, 8:29 PM
SrSusan (Guest): sure
Sep 3, 8:29 PM
Ruth (Guest): spiritual Direction.
ep 3, 8:30 PMSimone (Guest): For me the answer would be prayer probably. During the day it is more vocal and ejaculatory prayer – that keeps my hand in His hand I guess
ep 3, 8:30 PM
SrSusan (Guest): never stop talking with Him!
Sep 3, 8:31 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I have to leave now. Have a safe Labor Day and blessed week!
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