Why is St. Francis de Sales so adamant about not making recourse to the law in life matters? He said that lawsuits were OK, but “whoever wants to be perfect” will not do so. Is this a double standard? Is there a comparison here between marriage and consecrated life?St. Francis comes down hard on this woman, saying “your piety was a prop for your self-love.” Is this too harsh for a spiritual director?Reflect on this verse: ‘If a man will contend with thee in judgement and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.’Is St. Francis de Sales saying we shouldn’t strive for worldly success in this world and just content ourselves with just getting by?What are some new worldly things that have arisen in our age that St. Francis could not have written about, but which he might warn us against had he known about them?Our world has made us so depend on “worldly ways and things,” how do we really and truly live in this world and not “of this world”?
To give a little background on the letetr and question tonight this person whom St Francis de Sales wrote to was a difficult woman who caused some trouble for the Visitation so he was strong with her in some ways
May 5, 4:32 PM
SrSusan (Guest): letter
May 5, 4:32 PMSrSusan (Guest): q 1 Why is St. Francis de Sales so adamant about not making recourse to the law in life matters? He said that lawsuits were OK, but “whoever wants to be perfect” will not do so. Is this a double standard?
ay 5, 4:35 PM
SrSusan (Guest): One of the things we are told early on in our Visitandine life is that we do not get involved in lawsuits at least we dont sue anyone
May 5, 4:35 PM
Olga (Guest): maybe first we have to understand what is really going on, or what is the problem?
May 5, 4:35 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Yes that would be a good way to start
May 5, 4:38 PMSrSusan (Guest): I dont think of it as a double standard but more of as a spiritual approach to all of life- not to bring in legalities unless it is very necessary. Of course not all see it that way but St Francis did
ay 5, 4:40 PMSrSusan (Guest): ST Francis truly modeled himself on Jesus and how He dealt with His problems, His Trials
St Francis said
May 5, 4:41 PM
SrSusan (Guest): What did he do, he, the Lord of the whole world? It is a fact, my daughter, he was indeed the rightful Lord of all the world: and did he ever go to law to get even as much as where to lay his head? People wronged him in a thousand ways: did he ever go to law? Did he ever arraign anyone before a tribunal? Never; indeed, he did not even want to accuse the traitors who crucified him before the tribunal of God’s justice
Bettychao (Guest): Love peace and forgive that is bigest
May 5, 4:42 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Yes Betty
May 5, 4:42 PM
Olga (Guest): Its sound very related to our Mass today
May 5, 4:42 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Ah- yes explain
May 5, 4:43 PMElaine (Guest): I think when it’s not truly necessary to take out a lawsuit we will live in a peace the peace of Christ. Even in our daily experiences with people it’s so more peaceful to forgive.
May 5, 4:43 PMSrSusan (Guest): yes forgiveness, so hard for some people, maybe most!
May 5, 4:44 PMSrSusan (Guest): Is there a comparison here between marriage and consecrated life?in this matter?
May 5, 4:44 PM
Bettychao (Guest): Hate is more then forgive because we not perfect as Jesus is perfect but Jesus help us love trust forgive to become better christian
May 5, 4:44 PM
SrSusan (Guest): yes
May 5, 4:45 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I dont see that marriage and consecrated life need to differ in values.
May 5, 4:48 PM
Bettychao (Guest): I know this saints from her life as Catholic movies I see
May 5, 4:48 PM
SrSusan (Guest): q St. Francis comes down hard on this woman, saying “your piety was a prop for your self-love.” Is this too harsh for a spiritual director?
May 5, 4:48 PMBettychao (Guest): This saints from peru
May 5, 4:49 PMOlga (Guest): if I would know him close I think its harsh
May 5, 4:50 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Sounds rough I know
May 5, 4:50 PM
Elaine (Guest): I don’t think so. He is trying to allow her to see her faults. Sometimes the truth after reflecting on what is said can lead us to a better Spiritual life.
May 5, 4:50 PMOlga (Guest): I may feel pushed away
May 5, 4:51 PMSrSusan (Guest): That’s why background in her case is important to know. She went and founded a Visitation Monastery without St Francis knowledge, among other faults.
May 5, 4:52 PMElaine (Guest): Yes that’s true but after the initial statement I know for myself I take a more inward look at myself. Sometimes we have to be open to who we are.
May 5, 4:52 PM
Olga (Guest): I am lost
May 5, 4:52 PM
SrSusan (Guest): in what way
May 5, 4:53 PM
Olga (Guest): I do not understand what are you both saying
May 5, 4:53 PM
SrSusan (Guest): oh ok
May 5, 4:54 PM
Olga (Guest): she folded Visitation and its good, right
May 5, 4:54 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I am saying only that it sounds harsh what he said but this lady did some things that were not appropriate in a big way so he was correcting her
May 5, 4:54 PM
Olga (Guest): Founded
May 5, 4:54 PM
SrSusan (Guest): not without the Founders knowledge and her spiritual directors knoweledge
May 5, 4:54 PM
Olga (Guest): Ok
May 5, 4:54 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Permission was needed
May 5, 4:54 PM
Olga (Guest): Ok
May 5, 4:54 PM
Elaine (Guest): Have you ever had someone hurt your feelings because they really said something about your habits. Sometimes it’s good to think about what they said it can be false or it can be true.
ay 5, 4:55 PM
Bettychao (Guest): Sr Susan when I sleep at night I closed my eyes relax resting I saw divine mercy Jesus shrines appear to me it is very light and clearly it is true I just saw him
May 5, 4:55 PM
SrSusan (Guest): That is a great grace
May 5, 4:56 PMElaine (Guest): It’s how we handle it. It can humble us. Sometimes they can be wrong. But I usually like to think about what was said.
May 5, 4:57 PMSrSusan (Guest): q Reflect on this verse: ‘If a man will contend with thee in judgement and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.’Is St. Francis de Sales saying we shouldn’t strive for worldly success in this world and just content ourselves with just getting by
ay 5, 5:00 PMSrSusan (Guest): I dont think that what he is saying
May 5, 5:00 PMElaine (Guest): I think he is saying God will provide. God wants us to use our gifts for His Glory but not to make material things so important but to have charity and love for others before our material thing
ay 5, 5:01 PMElaine (Guest): Or our status in the world more important than God and love.
May 5, 5:02 PMSrSusan (Guest): Charity is yes the most important
May 5, 5:02 PMBettychao (Guest): We not only do good things to help others to know to trust in Jesus we must to do and obey Jesus teach us
May 5, 5:03 PM
Olga (Guest): I just ” listenning
May 5, 5:03 PM
Bettychao (Guest): Jesus teach us to love and obey his Ten Commandments the Ten Commandments teach us how to serve Jesus in true ways
May 5, 5:03 PM
SrSusan (Guest): and to be detached from our things in heart and spirit and primarily attached to Jesus
May 5, 5:04 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Hi Ruth
May 5, 5:04 PM
Olga (Guest): Listening
May 5, 5:04 PM
Ruth (Guest): Hello all; I am just back from Watertown where we had a recommitment ceremony – SSJ Associates.
May 5, 5:04 PM
Olga (Guest): Hi Ruth
May 5, 5:05 PM
SrSusan (Guest): That must have been uplifting!
May 5, 5:07 PM
SrSusan (Guest): q What are some new worldly things that have arisen in our age that St. Francis could not have written about, but which he might warn us against had he known about them?
May 5, 5:08 PM
Bettychao (Guest): St Francis de sales is the doctor of the church he teach us how to serve jesus
May 5, 5:08 PM
SrSusan (Guest): yes
May 5, 5:09 PMSrSusan (Guest): too much internet
ay 5, 5:10 PMRuth (Guest): A good experience. A neighbor associate drove us there early Saturday; we stayed overnight. They call the place the Motherhouse. I let myself be mothered a little.
ay 5, 5:12 PM
Bettychao (Guest): There has prayer from the internet that is Catholic name call hollo prayer that has a meditation and relax hymns and prayer and Bible that help us closed to Jesus through the bible
May 5, 5:12 PM
Ruth (Guest): I was just going to say COMPUTERS, too, esp. WWW.
ay 5, 5:13 PMRuth (Guest): How about telephones, airplanes, some professional sports, TV, movies
May 5, 5:14 PMSrSusan (Guest): all can be experienced in a good way or in a way that is too dominant
May 5, 5:15 PMSrSusan (Guest): q Our world has made us so depend on “worldly ways and things,” how do we really and truly live in this world and not “of this world”?
May 5, 5:17 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I think its a matter of focus and priority
May 5, 5:17 PM
Olga (Guest): Internet is off we are lost but in reality we can do many things
May 5, 5:17 PM
Bettychao (Guest): I really want go to nyc vistit you but no one take me to nyc
ay 5, 5:18 PMOlga (Guest): read , talk, walk outside and enjoy everything that is around us
May 5, 5:21 PM
Olga (Guest): Walking on the grounds of Visitation monastery is the beautiful place of the world
May 5, 5:22 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I agree!
May 5, 5:22 PM
SrSusan (Guest): now next week is mothers day and I will be here but some may not
May 5, 5:22 PM
Bettychao (Guest): What is the second fedralation of us about visitation between first and second
May 5, 5:23 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Second Federation has schools and first federation does not but all are monasteries.
May 5, 5:23 PM
Ruth (Guest): One of my friends has no electricity, no running water, no cell phonesignals (the latter also a problem here.). She does fine. I offered to share my house with her, especially in the winter, when she moves into one room with a fireplace in her cabin. She chooses to live in her cabin.
May 5, 5:23 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Wonderful for her
May 5, 5:23 PM
SrSusan (Guest): and amazing
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