As I have mentioned before, our parish is hosting a retreat; a series of talks by Father Jude. These are notes from the talk on January 12, 2009. I pray there is a nugget of love somewhere herein for you to tuck in your heart to germinate and grow to bursting - and that you share what you learn. God bless!
* Confession is a privilege; until we hear the words, it isn't real; God is angry at what is poisoning us, not us.
* He gave general information on Paul/Saul (perfectionist, born in Asia Minor, studied in Jerusalem, persecuted Christians, the story of his journey to Damascus, that following his conversion, he spoke in the synagogue until he was expelled, then to the market place where he expounded on the Messiah having died and rose again for us and why).
* Why: 1) redemption (we were bankrupt; paid the price for our freedom)
2) justification (at peace with God through faith)
3) salvation (on the Last Day)
* Think of a chalice (we being the chalice) and God is the living water that overflows the chalice's rims . . . When we sin we cannot accept His love; the problem is never God - it's us. When we sin, our chalice shrinks, but God's still overflowing it. When we are living right, our chalice just gets bigger!
* Jesus' love gives us a fighting chance.
* When someone asks you if you are saved, you can rightly say, "Already, but not yet" based on scripture. What Scripture? St. Paul's inspired writings tell us "not yet", St. Luke's tell us "already (once you experience Him)".
* Hell is chosen eternal loneliness; love shut completely out.
* On Hell: he said that if Hell is chosen and we do not know how many or even if anyone other than Satan is in Hell, then why did the visionaries in Fatima see black souls writhing in the flames when Our Blessed Mother showed them Hell? Simply that visionaries tend to see as they expect to see it. For another example: Padre Pio's stigmata. The wounds he experienced were in his palms, where he expected them to be as he only ever saw the crucifix with Christ's wounds in that spot.
* Heaven is not paradise as we may imagine it (holiday time), but rather we will be like Jesus - serving, working, and dying out of love for others with the only difference being that while we may serve, work and die for others here in this life, it won't be fruitless (in that, we will see our reward continually and know the benefits, where here we can't know for certain we are making a difference).
* The Saints work!
* Heaven is not far from us - a different dimension, but closer to us than we realize.
* In this life, in time, we are closest to those in Heaven at Mass. We are in the eternal now.
* Nothing left unsaid, nothing left undone - that should be our motto in life. Another words, always say "I love you".
* The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
* Purgatory - 1 Cor 3. - read that! Essentially, If you hold fast to Christ, on the day of the Lord, you will be saved; if you have not lived a great life, you will be purified as if by fire, but not lost.
* Sin weakens us; good deeds strengthens our spiritual muscles
* Attitude - are you selfish or generous? If you were greeted at Heaven's gate and given a toilet brush, because you would spend all eternity cleaning toilets, can you give without limits? That is Heaven.
* No one is evil, but people can do evil things. When you call or declare someone evil, you can fall into the trap of dehumanizing the person, as evil is a symptom of brokenness.
* Example: if you come upon a car accident you don't ask the victim if they caused the accident, you ask them if you can help them!
* Love is a choice and means you will pray for them as we cannot afford to hate people who do evil things. It means, to want what is good for a person even if you don't feel it. You measure by what they CAN do not what they SHOULD do.
* St. Augustine said that evil does not exist, but that it is absence of love. A vacuum is the absence of air - if you want to break the vacuum, add air. To destroy evil, add love and refuse to hate. Make the world better by loving it. If I am praying, my own heart changes the most.
* How to get to Heaven? Surrender to God's love in everything.
* St. Therese said her sins and faults were ways to grow.
* Expect nothing, hope for something, be surprised!
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9 comments:
I know the Saints Work! I have seen that in my own life. This sounds like a great retreat! Wish I could be there. Thanks for sharing.
Great notes!
I'm glad you are able to go to the retreat, what a great way to start the new year!!
I wish you were here, too! This priest is Franciscan. He mentioned that animals go to heaven, but Dominican's don't believe that 'cos animals don't have souls (or was it freewill or whatever) - I didn't write that down. I'm more Dominican in the animals in heaven department, but Franciscanish in the HOPE that they'll be there. I expect no animals, hope they're there, and I'm sure I'll be surprised!
Jamie - TWO MORE NIGHTS so more notes coming. I'm glad I bothered to jot stuff down as it's interesting.
I really like the visual of the chalice growing and shrinking. I personally have still felt God's graces even with sin on my heart - just not as abundantly as when I am in the state of grace from confession.
I couldn't help but giggle about the toilet brush. I can't stand cleaning toilets - ew! But if God handed me a brush in purgatory, I'd scrub vigorously until he gave me a new chore.
A family discussion that we've had many times is about the point of people doing evil, not "being" evil. My children aren't bad kids, the just do bad things sometimes.
And the last comment reminds me of another quote: "Participate, don't anticipate!"
Thanks for sharing - and enjoy the rest of the conference!
BTW, Dawn, I am so thankful to Christ, His Mother, God, and all the Saints - for St. Therese's intercession (that gal works FAST - especially when you are praying within the Will of God) on yours and your husband's request!! I am storming heaven with thanksgiving and petitions for a safe and successful surgery . . . and, of course, a baby (one at a time, but you could do two at a time!!).
I've even begun to wear my scapular - and you know how I am about those being itchy.
I'm just so dern excited for you!!!!!
That animal thing is hard when it comes to talking to kids about their deceased pets. I let my kids know that animals don't have souls, but God does bless them with great abilities that never go unforgotten. (EX: seeing eye dogs) But too hope their is a special place for God's creatures in the afterlife.
Melissa - I love your additions to these comments. I tell you what, I have learned so much from the three of you women (among the countless that have commented, as well as one or two dudes) - this blogging can be such a rich blessing!! I had never thought about not calling a person evil before, but when he so succinctly pointed out why (it dehumanizes them so we can treat them as inhumane; along those lines) I had a HUGE change of heart. Plus, I felt RIGHTLY chastised for being more churchy (self-righteous because I'm following rules etc and expect others to) that I had lost the point: MERCY and LOVE. Not in everything or every circumstance, but certainly in a few - I just gotta keep plugging along in prayer.
More response later...haven't read it all..interesting about Heaven not being a paradise like I want...hey can't I walk along the beach in full clothing helping others at the same time??? Come on! ;) Tell me I'm not wrong!
Sounds like a great retreat. thanks for sharing your notes. Not sure it helps us t think maybe no one is in Hell. Of course, we don't know. But then, those who want to hang on to that idea could be guilty of presumption. More than one saint has seen visions of Hell.
On the animals question, I always tell my children in regard to deceased pets that in heaven we will have everything we need to be perfectly happy. So IF you need that pet there for you to be happy then it will be there. (Big if:-)
Looking forward to more notes.
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