If, according to St. Paul, “to them that love God, all things work together unto good” (Rom 8: 28), is this a promise of heaven, or is this a promise for here on earth as well? It seems many people do not have things “work together unto good.”What is so significant about God being our Father? Is this just a particular/pious way of denoting God?Lent allows us to think more seriously about the things we have by practicing discipline of body and by committing to devotion more attentively. How can this time hel
: How can this time help us remember that we rely on God for everything, especially to provide our physical means?How can this time of Lent help us focus more on our eternal destiny, and not just in the temporal things that we are “giving up”?What does it mean to glory in the cross of Christ?
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Apr 3, 7:44 AM
SrSusan: Sun April 6 730-830p est newsletter for chat https://visitationspirit.org/2025/04/newsletter-for-chat-sun-april-6/
Newsletter for chat Sun April 6 | Visitation Spirit
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Apr 6, 4:25 PM
Carol Ann: Trying to sign in but there’s nomlogin button
Apr 6, 4:25 PM
SrSusan: Hi Carol Ann
Apr 6, 4:25 PM
Carol Ann: Hi! Oh, apparently I’m still in from last week
Apr 6, 4:26 PM
SrSusan: Yes I am also
Apr 6, 4:36 PM
SrSusan: If, according to St. Paul, “to them that love God, all things work together unto good” (Rom 8: 28), is this a promise of heaven, or is this a promise for here on earth as well?
Apr 6, 4:36 PM
Simone29: thanks for waiting..
Apr 6, 4:36 PM
SrSusan: Ruth diappeared
Apr 6, 4:37 PM
Carol Ann: I think it’s both. Definitely heaven, but we will have what we need for salvation here on earth too
Apr 6, 4:37 PM
Simone29: this was my life saving verse for so many years… specially when depression had such a grip on me.. I was clinging to this verse – that somehow God would use this horribly painful time – for good
Apr 6, 4:37 PM
Simone29: I think.. that everything can truly be used for Good.. for the good of our salvation here.. or the salvation or sanctification of someone else
Apr 6, 4:37 PM
Carol Ann: And He has!
Apr 6, 4:38 PM
Simone29: We just have to look really deep .. and give it time..
Apr 6, 4:38 PM
Simone29: thank you Carol
Apr 6, 4:38 PMCarol Ann: His grace is often more apparent in hindsight
Apr 6, 4:38 PMSimone29: you are so right
Apr 6, 4:39 PM
Simone29: I marvel how God has even used my sins and shortcomings.. for healing and sanctification for Peter, my husband often
Apr 6, 4:39 PM
SrSusan: It is exciting to let the Lord run our lives and bring us to see how He works
Apr 6, 4:39 PM
Carol Ann: Once I was on silent retreat and was asked to write about eight times in the past He intervened in my life
Apr 6, 4:39 PMSimone29: great exercise
Apr 6, 4:40 PMSimone29: I guess.. we can start with our very creation
Apr 6, 4:40 PMSrSusan: an extraordinary intervention?
Apr 6, 4:41 PMCarol Ann: I did. And then the next day i went out with blank white paper and colored pencils for “art therapy”. I drew eight labyrinths of increasing complexity. Some one had to explain to me that I wrote it and then drew it
Apr 6, 4:41 PMCarol Ann: A remarkably extraordinary intervention
Apr 6, 4:41 PM
Simone29: Carol.. I am not sure if I understand
Apr 6, 4:42 PM
Simone29: can you explain a little bit please?
Apr 6, 4:42 PMCarol Ann: I’m not sure I do either. I was “doodling” but could not draw anything else
Apr 6, 4:43 PMDocRuth2Day: I can get The Chosen on my iPad; the first three seasons were free immediately, but seasons, four and five apparently were shown in theaters first it’s to help finance this free series so that everyone around the world can see it whether they can afford to contribute or not.
Apr 6, 4:43 PMSimone29: was your doodling – resulting in actual labyrinths? Cause that would be super cool
pr 6, 4:44 PMCarol Ann: It did Simone, but I didn’t understand what I was doing or what it meant
Apr 6, 4:44 PM
Simone29: that is exactly how life with GOD is.. we just live our daily lives ( we doodle it) .. but then we look at it after a while.. and see that there is actually a pattern in it. How wonderful God has used this exercise to explain your life to you. I am in awe
Apr 6, 4:44 PM
Carol Ann: They were all custom design
Apr 6, 4:46 PMSrSusan: Very fascinating, not sure I grasp all of what you are saying, but we know He was working in you
Apr 6, 4:47 PM
SrSusan: q What is so significant about God being our Father? Is this just a particular/pious way of denoting God?
Apr 6, 4:48 PM
Carol Ann: Just that I didn’t draw anything like the Chartres labhrinth
pr 6, 4:49 PMSimone29: God being our Father is one of THE most important things for me.
Apr 6, 4:49 PM
DocRuth2Day: I was just locked out . Reloading helped.
Apr 6, 4:49 PM
Simone29: I think there is a reason, why Jesus said in John 14:6..noone can come to the FATHER except through me.. He did not say. .”no-one can come to GOD except through me”..
Apr 6, 4:50 PMCarol Ann: I think it’s because He created us, and is in that sense our Father
Apr 6, 4:50 PM
DocRuth2Day: Carol, Amazon Prime is not necessary. I do it have that and I can access The Chosen on my iPad.
Apr 6, 4:50 PM
Simone29: the relating to GOD – this utterly different being – is now doable like a Father – child relationship.. I mean.. it is mind-blowing.. when we think about it
pr 6, 4:51 PM
SrSusan: and very comforting
pr 6, 4:51 PM
Simone29: my deepest prayers I bring to my beloved Father in Heaven
Apr 6, 4:51 PM
Simone29: who knows my heart so well
Apr 6, 4:51 PM
Simone29: who sees me
Apr 6, 4:51 PM
Simone29: who cares
Apr 6, 4:52 PMSimone29: and I know that I am heard – because I have the promise and the invitation to do so by Jesus himself
pr 6, 4:52 PM
DocRuth2Day: Amen!
Apr 6, 4:53 PM
Carol Ann: Its staggering just to think about it
Apr 6, 4:53 PM
Simone29: I think so too Carol
pr 6, 4:54 PMDocRuth2Day: God completely transcendent AND colostrum to is than we are to ourselves.
Apr 6, 4:56 PMSrSusan: Jesus called God His Father. This is not a metaphor but a mysterious, mystical reality in some way
Apr 6, 4:58 PM
SrSusan: Lent allows us to think more seriously about the things we have by practicing discipline of body and by committing to devotion more attentively How can this time help us remember that we rely on God for everything
Apr 6, 4:58 PM
DocRuth2Day: Imminence
Apr 6, 4:59 PM
DocRuth2Day: that is the attribute of God that Jews have difficulty appreciating.
Apr 6, 5:00 PM
Simone29: I am so disappointed in myself.. that I somehow have not at all mastered any Lenten discipline this year. I am trying to excuse myself.. that my grief about my earthly father weakens me into self discipline… but I think I can only partly make the grief responsible for my lack of discipline.. specially in fasting
Apr 6, 5:00 PM
Carol Ann: Imminence, yes. And we practice being in His presence when we pray
Apr 6, 5:03 PM
Carol Ann: Yes, we must always be watchful and discern everything
Apr 6, 5:03 PM
SrSusan: I think because we are conscious of this special season in general people think more about God during their day
Apr 6, 5:03 PM
DocRuth2Day: It is like a missionary sister said “on the eves of Holy Days, the Divider gets especially active!”
Apr 6, 5:04 PM
Simone29: so true
Apr 6, 5:05 PM
SrSusan: and we rely on God also by trusting others
Apr 6, 5:05 PM
SrSusan: whom God may be inspiriing
Apr 6, 5:06 PM
Simone29: I realized recently that – when I fast.. I am not too worried about being hungry.. but I cannot stand it when I am feeling weak.. I have to learn to trust GOD in my physical weakness.. that he is my strength
Apr 6, 5:06 PM
SrSusan: How do you fast?
pr 6, 5:07 PM
Carol Ann: Yes, as I go about my day I have to remember that He js carrying me
Apr 6, 5:07 PM
Carol Ann: Yes, as I go about my day I have to remember that He js carrying me
Apr 6, 5:07 PM
DocRuth2Day: I experienced that, too. I had no trouble praying the Divine Office on Ordinary Days, But as soon as Lent started I was frequently distracted! Better now, but it remains more of a challenge than it was!
Apr 6, 5:07 PM
Simone29: well.. about 16 – 32 hours only tea, coffee and water
Apr 6, 5:07 PM
Carol Ann: Thats hard Simone!
Apr 6, 5:07 PM
SrSusan: That is beyond I think what the Church asks, not that you can’t do that, but aybe that’s why you are so weak
Apr 6, 5:08 PMSimone29: I used to be able to do that fasting. when my body was running on protein and fat.. but ever since I introduced carbohydrates again.. I need to eat every 4- 6 hours it seems
Apr 6, 5:08 PMSimone29: Actually.. that is a good reminder Sister Susan. .I only have to fast what the Church asks.
Apr 6, 5:09 PMSimone29: thank you..
Apr 6, 5:09 PM
Simone29: I think the church says 2 small meals.. that do not make one big meal together.. right?
Apr 6, 5:09 PM
SrSusan: right
Apr 6, 5:09 PMSimone29: I will try this – this week
Apr 6, 5:10 PMDocRuth2Day: Simone if it is physical weakness from fasting then I wonder if you’re not trying to fast more than his reasonable or if perhaps you have an undiagnosed diabetes, for example, or some other health condition.
pr 6, 5:11 PMSimone29: I am pre- diabetic. – but I will try these two meals this week. That sounds doable to me. Just enough to let me work during the day
pr 6, 5:11 PMSrSusan: q How can this time of Lent help us focus more on our eternal destiny, and not just in the temporal things that we are “giving up
Apr 6, 5:12 PMSimone29: I think the daily readings of the Church are helpful
Apr 6, 5:13 PM
DocRuth2Day: Actually, I think the church says one regular meal plus two small meals.
Apr 6, 5:13 PM
Simone29: oh.. wow.. that is definitely doable
Apr 6, 5:14 PM
Carol Ann: I try to discipline myself to finish the day’s spiritual reading
Apr 6, 5:14 PM
SrSusan: Just by praying and reading Christ’s Passion and understanding His eternal actions can help us focus on thsi for ourselves
pr 6, 5:15 PM
DocRuth2Day: Sometimes I have eaten two of my home delivered meals,in one sitting and ADDED to practically every,ho,e delivered meal and I am still losing weight surprisingly rapidly, without half trying!
Apr 6, 5:15 PM
Simone29: this might seem like a silly question – but is Lent really the time to focus on eternity? I thought.. this is more the time to focus on the passion of our Lord.. and his salvific sacrifice.. and after Easter.. until Pentecost we think more eternally
Apr 6, 5:15 PM
SrSusan: as one gets older, too, one focuses more, very naturally on eternity I think
Apr 6, 5:16 PM
Simone29: I mean.. one can hardly separate the cross from eternity.. but I focus more on the suffering and safcrifice of Christ before Easter.. and after Easter more on the eternal consequences. Am I doing it all wrong?
Apr 6, 5:16 PM
SrSusan: Yes Simone but the Passion brought Christ to Death and Resurrection and He did it for our eternal salvation
Apr 6, 5:16 PM
DocRuth2Day: The fasting regulations are not a requirement for old folks like me , only abstinence from meat. That is easy.
Apr 6, 5:16 PM
SrSusan: no sequentially meditating your way seems fine to me
Apr 6, 5:18 PM
SrSusan: I don’t like reading during this season ahead of what the days are bringing, for ex reading about Holy Thursday a week ahead is not helpful to mer I would rather wait til Holy Thurs
Apr 6, 5:18 PM
Simone29: I notice that my mind – soul – heart – likes to detour the passion. .likes to detour the hard parts.. the ones where I crinch – because it is so painful to watch.. painful to see my sin.. and painful to see the cross.. so I try to be “brave” in Lent.. and do not allow myself to turn away – from what I do not like to see at all
Apr 6, 5:19 PMSrSusan: That’s a mortification you practise
Apr 6, 5:20 PM
SrSusan: q What does it mean to glory in the cross of Christ?
Apr 6, 5:20 PM
Carol Ann: I often feel,the same way Simone. I could not bear to see the Passion of the Christ when inwas warned how violent
Apr 6, 5:20 PMSimone29: I still have not seen the movie. Peter watches it every Good Friday. I sit in the room beside and just listen..
Apr 6, 5:21 PM
Simone29: of course.. I only understand the “moaning” because the whole movie is in Hebrew
Apr 6, 5:21 PM
Simone29: or Aramaic
pr 6, 5:22 PM
Simone29: but it is hard for me to “watch the cross” internally in my heart too.. even the sorrowful mysteries are very hard for me to pray
Apr 6, 5:22 PM
Carol Ann: I wonder if it is good to see so much violence. I mean, what is it doing in our souls to see such violence recreated
Apr 6, 5:22 PMSimone29: I know.. my soul cannot process violence at all.
Apr 6, 5:22 PMDocRuth2Day: Hmm. I saw the film with fellow parishioners and did not remember that it was not in English.
Apr 6, 5:23 PM
Carol Ann: Oh, I picture myself hugging Jesus in the garden, and then Him protecting me at the sciurging
Apr 6, 5:23 PM
Simone29: there are subtitles
pr 6, 5:23 PM
Simone29: that is beautiful Carol
Apr 6, 5:23 PM
DocRuth2Day: Powerful! Carol.
Apr 6, 5:24 PM
Simone29: as for the last question here.. I have a hard time understanding the last paragraph from the letter from this week
Apr 6, 5:24 PM
Carol Ann: We carry my Cross together somHe can show me how, His side is heavier
pr 6, 5:24 PM
DocRuth2Day: Sweet Carol!
Apr 6, 5:24 PM
SrSusan: In our spiritual directory it says Visitanndines endure the cross while Jesus carries it orcarries the heavier part
Apr 6, 5:25 PM
SrSusan: endure vs carry
Apr 6, 5:25 PM
Simone29: it reminds me when I carried furniture with my Dad.. he always made me have the “easy part”.. but allowed me to do it together
Apr 6, 5:25 PMSimone29: oh Carol.. see how much of the Visitation Spirit is in you?
Apr 6, 5:26 PMSimone29: oh.. I just realized.. what you wrote Sister.. “endure” and “carry”.. that is good food for thought
pr 6, 5:26 PM
Carol Ann: Well, now I kind of do. I’ve always thought im as more Ignatian because of the director Jesus gave me and my use of images
Apr 6, 5:27 PM
Simone29: oh St. Francis was all for images..
Apr 6, 5:27 PM
Carol Ann: No one could figure me out so I ended up Francisan /charismatic
Apr 6, 5:28 PM
Simone29: here we go.. God has His ways
Apr 6, 5:28 PM
DocRuth2Day: Simon might have been pressed into service but it was also a privilege. Elsewhere we learn the names of his sons. w
Apr 6, 5:28 PM
SrSusan: qote from a Visitandine of France ” Do I Endure all with love ?do I love to suffer vexation and not have my comforts ?
If I do this I can dare to say that I am enduring the cross of Jesus ,that I am placing my steps in his bloody ones.
If I truly love I shall continually need to give and it is mortification that makes one give of oneself.
Apr 6, 5:28 PM
DocRuth2Day: Hat an impact on his life that at first unwilling service must have had.
pr 6, 5:30 PM
Simone29: Sister. I copied that quote and saved it on my computer. I take that quote into prayer this week
Apr 6, 5:30 PM
SrSusan: That’s beautiful
Apr 6, 5:30 PM
Simone29: I am so glad Sister.. that you are OK again. God be praised
Apr 6, 5:30 PM
SrSusan: I am working on thsi directory for my lenten practice
Apr 6, 5:31 PM
Simone29: is that a special directory. or the “normal” one from the Visitation order?
Apr 6, 5:31 PM
Carol Ann: Thank heavens you are okaynSr! We all,prayed for yo
Apr 6, 5:31 PM
SrSusan: normal one but a special commentary I had never seen before
Apr 6, 5:31 PM
SrSusan: Thanks so much for the prayers!
Apr 6, 5:31 PM
Simone29: very interesting..
Apr 6, 5:31 PM
SrSusan: I am posting it on this website day by day
Apr 6, 5:32 PM
Simone29: what are you posting? the directory commentary?
Apr 6, 5:32 PM
Carol Ann: I will have to come back and pray with it
Apr 6, 5:32 PM
Simone29: I will have to look immediately
Apr 6, 5:32 PM
DocRuth2Day: Yes, and I was wondering if you would be here LJ Chat today.
Apr 6, 5:32 PM
SrSusan: yes directory commentary
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