I'll continue to pray, Sanctus. One of my favorite spiritual writers is Thomas Green. He described the dark night as a time when the Good Lord who seems so absence is actually closest. Fr. Green said the brightness of God's tender work is akin to the effect of walking into a dark room and turning on a light. For a moment one is blinded while the eyes adjust. That moment of blackness seems so eternal and impossible, but the Lord will see each one of us through. Love and fervent, dedicated prayer! Safe in the Father's Arms!
Thank you Mario. That is how it seems right now- eternal and impossible. Days seems like weeks, and weeks seem like months and looking into the future seems bleak and seems to promise nothing but suffering, but like you said the Lord will see us through all of this.
Sanctus I will include you in my Rosary tonight and at adoration tomorrow morning. I can hear the suffering in your post. The desolation. Keep offering it to Jesus Christ evenwhen you don't even know if He hears or if He is near. Make acts of faith even if all you can say "Jesus"over and over. I will be keeping you in my prayers.
Sanctus, I am praying to our Blessed Mother this evening to cover you in her mantle. To our Lord Jesus to hide you in his stripes. AED and others are right, don't hold back and please don't apologize for sharing your suffering. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Offer it to Christ every day for the saving of souls and the remittance of sin specifically in prayer. He will use it. Your suffering may very well be redemptive. I too have been suffering but physically with a very bad flare up of the rheumatism I suffer from. You are not alone.
Believe me, in years to come those interminable days, weeks and months will seem like seconds. Confide in your family, especially your parents. Most of all, trust that God is holding you in the palm of His hand. He sees the big picture and has a plan for you. I will pray for you.
I feel all this pain could be leading somewhere. I am currently discerning a vocation and I have an appointment to meet a Capuchin vocations director next week. I was accepted as diosecan priest to study before but felt it wasn't for me and didn't go ahead with it. I feel I could be more suited for an order like the Capuchins and I am currently enquiring about it and discerning.
That is wonderful, Sanctus. I have two sons who made a choice to pursue a religious order instead of diocesan priesthood. For them, there is a deep sense of family in their order and the strength found in community. In the Northeast USA, there is a desperate need for diocesan priests, yet it has become a unique and difficult calling with little fellowship among brother priests due to the shortage. Dear Lady, Mother of vocations, open the hearts of more faithful sons like Sanctus, who shall be willing to discern a call to the priesthood. Safe in the Heart of our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ!
Hang in there, Sanctus. Hang in there as you always have. The winds are rising, but the Jesus within you is stronger than anything. If you haven't already, keep a Rosary on you. When it's too hard for words, just grip the Blessed Beads, and the angels will do the rest for you. I just prayed for a prayer for you, and it is the Litany of the Precious Blood. I will say it for you until this lifts.
Thanks Mario. I am currently trying to discern God's call for me. I also have a degree course in University that is there for me for September if I choose to go back, but God isn't making things clear at the moment yet about what way he is calling me. I guess I must just continue to pray for discernment.
Sanctus, I offered my morning Mass, Holy Communion, Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and made a small sacrifice, all for your intentions this morning. Keeping you in prayer
