Detachment for True Attachment

I received a book I had ordered from TAN publishers called:  Consoling Thoughts on Sickness and Death compiled by Pere Huguet from the writings of St. Francis de Sales (one of my absolutely favorite saint-writers)  I have read a number of pages and it is very beautiful and can be applied in many ways to those things that make our soul sorrowful, the circumstances and difficulties and sufferings we find ourselves in.  One quote that I found quite inspiring is this:

Let us advance, then, dear souls, let us not be stayed by the enticements of the age.  There is above us a solid, a permanent good, which inebriates souls with so sweet an ambrosia, that they can scarcely know their joys, so many contentments do they possess.

Let us advance.  Something to ponder... what is holding us back from growing in deeper holiness?  Our holiness is not found expressly in how often we are able to show up for daily Mass or in our little prayerful routines... those are very good and very important, of course, but what happens when we find ourselves in circumstances that take away these little spiritually ideal practices?  What should happen is that we should find our holiness right where it should be, in the heart, where things really count.  God is going to try those who desire to live a life of holiness and His Way often is one of detachment. Will you still love Me if I ask you to detach yourself from even this?  There is no greater way to show our true love for God than through detachment of the things... and people.... of this world for there is only one True Attachment that we must desire.  So... let us advance and accept what God asks of us so that one day we may taste that sweet ambrosia.

Gaudete Sunday

Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice...... And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4,7
The mark of every true Christian, every soldier of Christ is joy.... the joy that is only found in the Lord. And how do we express that joy?  First in how we treat our family. There is no surer way to know the true depths of where our souls lie than in how we treat our family.   Our spouse, our children, our father, our mother, our brothers and sisters.... The family God gave to us to help form our souls.  It isn't so difficult to be joyful "out there".  It isn't so difficult to put on a smile or laugh "out there".  It isn't so difficult to put out a kind word "out there".  But unless we treat our family with great love, great charity and be the source of great joy.... we only too easily show who we really are.  It is easy to find excuse to send a nasty word or make an unkind jesture to our family.... afterall they deserve it is our thought.  And yet, God Himself, as a God-made-Man came down to live in a family, to form his human character that He might be one with us.  For 30 years He, God, remained submissive to His Mother and foster-father.  He submitted Himself in all his Infinite Greatness to mere human creatures.... just because He loves us. I don't know, I've been pondering why God's great love for us all Advent as I slowly make my way through St. Alphonsus' Incarnation book. We are so wretched!  Yet, that is the fact.  No greater fact could be revealed to us that He, God, became Man just for the very sake of love.  Perfect Love.  So we, too must treat everyone, see everyone through the Eyes of God... most especially our families.... with great love.  It is only in that, when we die to ourselves that we will find that Perfect Joy.

And so we say Rejoice!  For, as St. John the Baptist said, we prepare for One so Great to come into our midst of whose sandal strap we are unworthy to loosen!  We are not even worthy to stoop to the ground and remove His shoes.  So let's make ourselves as worthy as we are able... by the Grace of God.... by stooping to treat our family with great love.  And how do we do that.... by serving, by a kind word, by a little smile....  Have we said, "I love you" lately?  If there is no love... find it.  Beg God for it. Beg Our Lady.  Ask for nothing else this Christmas but to be filled with the Love of God.... and then Rejoice!

Drastic Measures

Have you ever thought about what drastic measures we have to go through to tame ourselves?  I thought when we started school this year that I was in the "easy" year. I had no kindergarteners to add in, I'm happy with our curriculum... so it was the same 8 in school and the same 3 toddlers/pre-schoolers to deal with and everyone knew the ropes.  Somehow that fanciful dream of mine was ... well... just fanciful.  Somehow the desks in the "elementary" school were in the wrong places, the schedule of who to do when just wasn't pulling itself together. So I've spent our first 2 weeks of my "free time" (*chuckle* free time) thinking about a schedule.   I'm a bit of a free-range chicken myself running usually on a "schedule" meaning I get up, I go to Mass, we eat breakfast, do some stuff, eat lunch, do some stuff, eat dinner, do some stuff, go to bed all sprinkled with some prayers and sacrifices.  Kinda sloppy.

I will admit I do enjoy emails. I don't get many personal ones, very few in fact, (I tend to befriend people with wildly busy schedules who are tame and well-disciplined... opposites attract) but I do enjoy emails for those traveling along the road less traveled.  Since my day starts with 6:30am Mass unless of course the baby had me up all night or some other only-a-mother-can-relate-to-scenario, I generally get there.  And I like some "me time".  "Me time" for me (it's all about me) is having some quiet time in the day to spend with the Lord in quiet and solitude, this I do at 5:30am, however having had a minor cold and being up with said baby I've been far too sluggish for my own spiritual good.  So my next drastic measure is only spend that early 1/2 hour in prayer.. you know... and take that drastic measure not to *gasp*... check... *gasp*... email.  For some people it is coffee, for me it is email.  If I make it to heaven,  I shudder to imagine my exciting write-up in the Butler's Lives of the saints.  She gave up green and black's milk chocolate with almonds and early morning email.  Drastic! Absolutely drastic! :D

Dying to Self

I was struck by today's Epistle in the TLM, Romans 6:3-11.  If you ever feel like your world is constantly crumbling around you, these are the readings for you.... because they are the readings for me!  There is a reason why we lose our joy or don't have true joy.  And it can be summarized in one sentence:  I have not yet truly died to myself.  

If you have the beautiful book every-Catholic-should-have-on-his-shelf, Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, today's commentary is #231 "The Compassion of Jesus".  In the words of Fr. Gabriel, "How does it happen that we are always falling? Why are we always so miserable?  A more attentive reading of the Epistle will reveal the reason:  because we are not yet wholly 'dead' with Christ, because the 'old man' in us has not yet been 'crucified' to the point of our no longer being 'slaves of sin'."  St. Louis de Montfort speaks eloquently regarding the very opposite of being 'slaves of sin' that is being 'slaves of love'.  However, we must first die to ourself in order to truly love.  "Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remains alone. But if it die, it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life eternal." John 12:24-25

[It was at this point that I lost the entire rest of my post!  I hope that isn't a sign from Heaven...]

It is in the Gospel Mark 8: 1-9 that we find our answer, "I have compassion on the multitude".  He sees our weaknesses, He sees our weariness, He sees our helplessness, He sees our instabilities and He nourishes us.  In Biblical Times, He multiplied the loaves and fishes, but for us, greater yet, He nourishes us with His Body and Blood.  From Divine Intimacy we read, "How many times have we too seen miracles of grace and the wonders of Divine Providence! And yet, when we are placed in new, bewildering, or difficult circumstances, how often we remain hesitant; it seems as if we doubted God's almighty power.  Let us think, for example, of our spiritual life:  there are still things to be overcome or surmounted... we have tried so many times, and perhaps we no longer have the courage to begin again.  Oh! if our faith were only greater, if we would only cast ourselves upon God with more confidence! One good act of total abandonment might be all we need to win the victory!"

St. Theresa of Avila had the key, she would take the most menial tasks of the house and in those things find her joy through her death to self.  Methinks I'll start in the boys' bathroom... How about you?

"Have courage, and let your heart be strengthened, all you that hope in the Lord." (Ps 30)