I have noticed that when I do not feel disciplined the evil one messes with me more. Discipline is such a great thing. I heard it said that its the closest to happiness we can have on the earth. ORDER is of God. NOT being OCD about everything, but having a schedule and a routine and a prayer life. I am forgetful. Some times I think I have ADHD, but I took the test online and it said I didn't. My dad had Alzeimers. Maybe thats what is wrong, but I do things with INTENTION OF DOING GOOD--- like hiding my credit card in a safe place or putting something valuable somewhere so I won't forget it and then, I simply forget where I put it!! Its enough to make me bat-shit! I recently put a container with gold jewelry in my car door so I would not forget it for my trip that I was going on. It wasn't a big deal since I am the only one driving my car. My sis asked me to bring it. It was worth at least $1600. I put it in the door so I would not forget it and it was going to be at least a week before I was to leave but I KNEW I would forget it, so I did something different....well, the husband took the car into the shop to get it all ready for the trip and not thinking twice I said ok. Then it came time for the trip and I went to the place where I usually put it in the house and remembered that I put it in the car....and lo and behold....it was gone! Some mechanic took it! But I can't prove it---sooooo that is that! UGGG I wanted to scream! There is always a little voice in the back of my head saying, "No...no...don't do that, you mean well, but you'll not remember....and I don't listen to it!! It happens a lot with my extended family and they already think I'm bat-shit anyway, so it just adds to the embarrassment! And that is WHY IT HAPPENS I THINK....HMMMM.....Unfortunately, the jewelry was not mine and now I have to pay it back. Lordy, just put me in a padded room. I used to have what we called, "GREMLINS' in our home. My sister had them to. She had entire baskets of laundry disappear! I need to just listen to the little voice in my head that says, "No...don't do that... Anyone have anything similar??
I do forget things Marti, but I don't think it is because I have Alzeimers...I have just always been like that. I bought a white board for the kitchen a while back to write on it things to do, but of course I keep forgetting to use it. My big sure at the moment is to do things right away if I remember them...if I remember.
I am sorry about the jewelry. I will pray at mass this morning to St Jude that it be restored...if I remember. How is your poor father...? More prayers.
You said it man.....Exactly what needs to be said. This demonic age, the 100 years seen by Leo XIII in my opinion. The depth of it makes me angry sometimes that we had to grow up in it and live in it now.....(and the affect it had on myself personally, and the weaknesses introduced into my own soul, which are all too easy targets of exploiting by the prowling evil spirits...) At the same time I am thankful to be in the earth for the time of Divine Mercy, which is a counterbalance to that evil, along with the Blessed Mother. And also being here for the time of the vanquishing of that evil, the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart, and what comes after... Trust. Trust. Trust. Run to the sacraments of the tribunal of Mercy, and the fountain of Mercy/Throne of Grace. I find the words Jesus used in describing the conversation with the despairing soul to St Faustina are very sustaining. When the despairing soul finally accepts His Mercy, and asks to be saved by the Savior instead of perish, Jesus says "Here, soul, are all the treasures of My Heart. Take everything you need from it." And even after, when that soul begins to recognize the depths of hell he deserved and the pain he personally caused the Lord, Jesus says "Do not be absorbed in your misery - you are still too weak to speak of it - but, rather, gaze on My Heart filled with goodness, and be imbued with My sentiments. Strive for meekness and humility; be merciful to others, as I am to you; and, when you feel your strength failing, if you come to the fountain of mercy to fortify your soul, you will not grow weary on your journey."
Thank you Padraig. I was making funeral phone calls and my sister said my brother was visiting my father in the hospital today and as he lay in bed he was irritated and mumbling that his mother said to go somewhere...it upset my brother alot and he said dad was at deaths door and so sad.... My father had only been able to say one or two words. Then I called this afternoon and the nurse said he was doing fine all day and he "was sitting up in bed eating right now, do you want to talk to him?" I said, "Heck yea!" I said, "Hi dad, its Marti". He said, "Hi Marti, how are you? " I replied, "Well not as good as you! I love you! How are they treating you?" "Well I love you too! They have two good looking nurses taking care of me so I'm doing just fine." I SWEAR---I JUST SHOOK MY HEAD. HE IS THE STRONGEST IRISHMAN I'VE EVER KNOWN...AND STILL LOVES BEAUTIFUL WOMEN. GOD HELP HIM...! HERE HE IS IN BED, A WEEK AGO HE FELL AND BROKE HIS HIP AND HAD TO HAVE SURGERY, GOT PNEUMONIA, GOT SENT BACK TO THE NURSING HOME BECAUSE HE WASN'T PROGRESSING WITH THE REHAB--SO HE WAS SENT BACK WITHOUT REHAB, GOT THE PNEUMONIA AGAIN, HAS ALTZEIMERS, WAS ON DEATHS DOOR WITH A HIGH FEVER AND AN ENLARGED HEART AND THAT WAS YESTERDAY AND HE IS SITTING UP IN BED TODAY TALKING ABOUT BEAUTIFUL WOMEN...AND HERE I HAD HIM ANOINTED JUST THE OTHER NIGHT FOR DEATH!! LOL
Never underestimate the power of a beautiful woman... That beauty can give the greatest of strengths to a man or the lowest of lows.
Me too! The other day, I was praying, "Jesus, help me to keep my eyes on you." I heard Him say, "Open your eyes." His image is everywhere in my house! We had a good laugh over that.
I totally agree with this and the "Pray-er" in a family or circle of people that Hope mentions. I've felt for sometime that my role or mission in this world is to pray for my family and friends and try to be a good example for them. It's probably not more complicated than that really. And as Padraig says...aim high with prayer and really try to knock it out of the park. Do all you can with being devoted to the rosary and consecrating yourself to Mary. Those can be great tools in our toolbox to work our way to salvation but the promises associated with them are all conditional. But if we are constantly working on our salvation with these tools, and praying/sacrificing for others without stopping, we should be accomplishing our mission in this life.
I recently read about someone who spoke to the priest before a relative's funeral (an aunt I think) and he said to the priest that the family did not wish the homily to be one that canonised the deceased who, though a good woman in many respects, had her faults. The priest smiled and nodded and then commenced his homily by saying 'Now that our sister is in heaven......' Everyone seems to be canonised at their funeral. I am leaving instructions in my will that the priest ask all present to pray for my soul. I would love it if the priest says the same thing as the one in this video. Those saints who have spoke on the subject appear to be of the majority view that few are saved.
These have got to be the worst words ever...which in my mind presents a unanswered question I have always had. Namely...if God was to give me full free will to decide to exist or not exist...fully aware of the possibility of heaven or hell...I honestly think I would choose non existance. Isn't this sad. We do not have free will to exist...we are brought into existence to know and to love God...but many of us will die and go to hell. If God is truly just...why doesn't he give us a choice to exist or not to exist. Any thoughts or council would be greatly appreciated.
God loves us that is why we do exist. It sounds like you fear hell? From what I have read and understand,..no one goes to hell unless they choose to. Judas went to hell because he despaired of Gods love and mercy. Judas walked with Jesus so he had firsthand knowledge of who Jesus was and still decided to deny Him. God has given us all a free will to accept or reject Him. One only needs to look at Christ on the cross to see how much we are loved and nothing in this world can keep us from His love but ourselves. One cannot be alive without a soul and it would be impossible to live without a soul because we are made in Gods image. Why would anyone not want to be eternally happy? Are you saying God is not just because He created us?
Sunburst...thanks for responding... as this is a difficult question. If I was to create a soul...for whatever reason...if I was to create it immortal...never to die...and then subject it to a testing period knowing that the soul had a very good chance of going to hell instead of heaven...would pure love dictate I give that soul a choice on whether to actually exist or non-exist. Thanks!
As a parent, I cooperated with my spouse and God to freely create souls (children). I do not know whether they will in the end feely choose life or death for all eternity. For my part I have been given the responsibility to educate my children in the faith and do penance for them. Aside from that I have little to offer them in reference to their choice of heaven or hell. God on the other hand, provides them actual and sanctifying grace sufficient for heaven. He also gave the means necessary to love him freely. Love is a free gift from God, which all angels and humans have been given. True love gives each soul in the end their choice of heaven or hell based on their choice to accept or reject grace. Justice and love and synonymous in that they ultimately are given together for all eternity. God could have made us robots and only made us love him, but that would not be love freely given. Knowing that many will not choose him in the end is heartbreaking now, but it is not opposed to love and will be forever forgotten in heaven. I know for certain that those whom I loved in this life and who chose hell will not be missed by me in heaven, because it is impossible to be sad in heaven. God has ways beyond our understanding in this life. But that is why I want to be in heaven for all eternity, so I can experience gifts beyond our imagination forever where only love exists.
Sometimes I despair, and I think these same thoughts. But I know from faith that it is better to exist. Read the parrable of the talents, and it is somewhat like this thought. The one who wasted his talents, and told God that he knew God was an exacting God, and would rather be safe and hide the talent rather than take a risk and possibly lose it. Anyway, that is a struggle with God and our relationship with Him that we all must face. It is the wrestle for our free will, or giving our will up to God who tells us He does demands justice. There are sins that we fall into and we can easily and wholly repent from. Then there are sins that we choose and cannot bring ourselves to repent from. These sins separate us from God. EXP: If a married man decides he's tired of his wife who has faults, and then leaves her and divorces her, then later finds another wife, and is told by his church and country that "it's ok, God forgives", he is actively choosing his freedom and later another woman over God, and putting her before God. These are the kind of sins that I see making people leave the Church and question God. If only people would always put God FIRST, and do their duty to God, they would not be unhappy. We know the commandments in our hearts, and are always restless until we go back to God. In the meantime we find all sorts of junk and creatures in this world that amuse us, and we let them become our whole world. Anyway, sorry to ramble on, the point is, that we all go through times of questioning God, we just must be SO careful to always choose God and serving Him over any creature on this earth, or not only will we be discontent on this earth, if we do not repent we will also be away from God after death...
I can understand your question when you look around and see so many people choosing to live their lives according to their own desires. But we also need to look at the consequences of their actions,..which when lived only according to the flesh often causes pain and suffering,..not only to our loving God,..but to others also. It sounds like you are searching Timothious,,,,there is so much we don't understand and that is why we really need first of all to be honest with ourselves and examine ourselves,...like Our Lord tells us, seek first the kingdom of God and then the rest will be given to us. So how do we do that? First we know that Christ founded his Church on Peter,..who is rock, so we have something firm to stand on. So we build our houses (souls) on that foundation,..then we have the sacraments which should be our food as Catholics,..and we have the word for our education,..we also have those (saints) who went before us for our entertainment. Now if Christ subjected Himself to suffer death on the cross to expiate our sins,..then we owe Him our gratitude by making use of the sacraments he has given us. God wants so much to give us good things,..but it all has to start with the sacrament of confession. God is so much bigger than than we can imagine and He wants us to trust He knows what He is doing. God wants more than anyone for all souls to be saved,..for He loves one soul as much as He loves all souls. He promises unimaginable happiness in Heaven for those who love Him, and if we embrace our crosses like He did it will be proof of our love for Him. The embracing part is not so easy,..."I know"
Thank you Fatima, Carmel333, and Sunburst...thank you again for your good council. My head sometimes is ready to explode with so many questions. The redemptive act of Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our salvation is our only "out". Cover ourselves in the Blood of the Lamb and I'm sure everything will work out for the best. The redemptive act of Jesus is the focal point of all human existence and it would serve me well If I remembered such a thing. So many questions...only to be answered in eternity. Thanks again!
I have so many , many questions of God. So many . If I ever get to heaven I will spend my first ten billion years torturing Him with them. When I was younger I did. Now , many years after, knowing a bit better how much He loves us, I have less questions. ..and in His love more answers..... as to more answers..heaven can wait.....
If already few get to heaven , what would I do if I had a 'GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD' ? Possibly make the most of this life and take annihlation afterwards. But since God created us to Know Love and serve Him in this life and be forever happy with Him in the next, and OUR SOUL IS ETERNAL. I must make every effort . The Doctrine on Hell has probably saved more souls than any other.
