If you really seek God, don't go to strangers. Go to Christ, to the Church. He is living and present in the sacraments, touchable in the Eucharist. Peter points the way for the Catholic. The Pope is Christ's vicar on earth. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Catholic teaching cannot change. God's mercy is inexhaustible. If on your way you see it differently, keep praying, keep trying, keep seeking, the Holy Spirit will correct you. Be close to the Blessed Virgin and trust in the Divine Mercy.
"What the devil can't do himself he does by using other people. He takes up his position on the tongues and in the hearts of his servants and before their mind's eye. He makes them see what doesn't exist. So they conceive within their hearts all sorts of evil thoughts and resentments regarding their neighbors - often regarding those they most love." - S. Catherine of Siena
Read the Scriptures, the New Testament. Go to adoration - it doesn't matter if the Sacrament is exposed - Christ is in the tabernacle. Visit him. Pray deeply, hidden with Christ in God.
It is the will of God, even if you were living among devils, you should so live as not to turn back in thought to consider what they are doing, but forget them utterly. You are to keep your soul wholly to God, and not to suffer the thought of this or that to disturb you. - John of the Cross
*Exactly*. There is great comfort and peace in Eucharistic Adoration. To be in the presence of Jesus, and to open your soul to God in Adoration is the source of untold blessings.
ReplyDeleteI can also give you a practical example of the good that can result from Eucharistic Adoration. At one point, my Franciscan fraternity was experiencing a great deal of inner turmoil and was suffering from a lack of vocations and direction. Our council started daily Eucharistic Adoration. Members were asked, if they were able, to sign up for one day per week for one hour of Adoration at their local parishes, whether the Blessed Sacrament was exposed or not, to pray for the intentions of the Pope and to ask God to bless us with faithful vocations. Ten years later, our formerly lackluster fraternity has 40+ active members, with 13 currently in formation, and we have once again latched onto the joy and purpose of our vocations.
I have also gone to God in Adoration for other matters, such as to ask Him to please send my parish and our sister parish a good, faithful, and holy pastor when our former pastor left us. Six months later, not only were we sent a good, faithful, and holy pastor, but a pastor who is also very young and joyful in his vocation and Faith - which is a very infectious charism.
If what we ask is His will, He will not only give us what we ask, but so much more than we ever imagine.
This is our Faith. Whether we are troubled and burdened, or happy and grateful, our dear Jesus is waiting for us in the Blessed Sacrament!
God bless you, dear Terry, and all here! Susan, OFS
Thanks Susan, that's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYes it is beautiful. So simple a remedy yet so often overlooked by all the distractions I let into my life. Thank you.
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