nov 2020 faithposting + phone

[prismaticbleed]

“I used to think you had to be special for God to use you, but now I know you simply need to say yes.”

—Bob Goff, Love Does

God uses the lowly, poor, and humble best, for they are not weighed down by pride and egotism and self-glory– they are not hindered by the desire to be “special”!

To simply say “yes” to God, without hesitation or calculation, as Mary did in her beautiful “fiat,” is all you need to do in order for God to use you… Indeed, it is the only way He can use us.

"When God calls us to step out of our comfort zone, He is not calling us to be comfortable in the situation. He is calling us to be comfortable in Him in spite of the situation."
-Stacy Sanchez

This is such a vital distinction!!

God calls us out of our comfort zones on purpose– we’re not supposed to be seeking a replacement comfort when He does!! God shakes up our lives to show us how unstable, fleeting, and unreliable the things of this world intrinsically are… so that we can reanchor in Him, the Unchanging, and find our only true comfort in Him alone, the Comforter of all. It’s a holy realignment of priorities, and the process is inevitably disturbing and difficult to our worldly selves, but it is lifesaving and blissful in its purpose and end, and it remakes us into spiritual people who live for a world beyond this one.

Rejoice when God removes your worldly comforts, because you can absolutely trust that He is doing so to heal your soul.

“Grief, sorrow and distress only occur from two directions. One of it is, The desire for the worldly life and having a zeal for it. And the second is shortening in the actions of obedience and piety.”

— Ibn al-Qayyim, Uddah As-Sābirīn, p.227.
 

The two inevitably accompany each other.

Instead, be zealous and desirous for God, and decrease your disobedient impiety. Your distressing will fade away to be replaced by unfading holy joy.

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The devil thought "being like God" was all about knowledge and power, when actually it is about LOVE AND MERCY

The mouth was the only portal of grace left open after the fall-- because it was the one through which sin entered?? But this is also why Christ has to come to us THROUGH the mouth-- as WORD & FOOD!

Satan tempts you when you're NEAR THE TREE.
Just LISTENING to him opens the door to sin!! This is because listening to the devil is the ONLY WAY we CAN sin!!!

Shame & fear & guilt are PSEUDOVIRTUES?? Because they tell us that SOMETHING IS WRONG!!
Imagine if Eve HADN'T felt ashamed. She would have been just as damned as the devil himself!!

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MARRIAGE AND THE EUCHARIST (Fulton Sheen?)

1. I love you = say it with words and actions as much as possible

2. Thank you = be grateful for everything, even the tiny things

3. I'm sorry, please forgive me = humility, contrition, resolve to do better and consider the other person more

4. I forgive you = make excuses on their behalf, focus on your own faults, love them unconditionally

5. How was your day = listen wholeheartedly to their heart, get invested in their life

6. Let's go on a date = rekindle the feelings when you first fell in love

7. I'd be glad to = sacrifice for them with joy


Gotta live like this for BOTH CHAOS 0 AND JESUS

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If you strive not to sin, you can better offer up your suffering for the sins of OTHERS

Jesus & ,sleigh ride; joys of heaven to give me hope and override the pleasures of earth

Jesus talking feels like home

Feed my sheep WITH THE TALENTS I GAVE YOU!! "Currency" of love as MEANS OF GRACE to others

Where did this joy come from? GOD

"PINK MARTYRDOM" = death metaphorically through intense suffering PLUS dedication to purity?


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The Mass as a walk-through of Christ's life= our participation IN IT???
Really reflect on everything in it; EVERY word and action holds profound, intentional significance. Nothing in the Mass is trivial.
We must die to sin in order to escape its tyranny-- it is THAT total and extreme. It is like being unable to wake up from a horrible nightmare UNLESS you die absolutely.

Dealing with Viral is a legitimate cross.
He stalks around the kitchen like a panther, grinning maniacally and wringing his hands. He stands right behind me, motionless, for up to a half hour, just staring. It all feels predatory, territorial. It's frightening.
He gets high on marijuana before he does this too, so he can't be reasoned with as he's all dopey.
He doesn't realize how terrifying this is to a trauma victim, especially one who HE actively sexually terrorized before he was hospitalized and subsequently medicated. And I will not bring it up. It would be profoundly unmerciful to chain him to that past; he deserves the freedom to heal and move on. But my disturbed subconscious still clings to its recollection out of protective fear for our life. So until that helps in me, suffering this behavior of his in patient, forgiving, COMPASSIONATE silence is a true cross, and thank God for it.

Sometimes, what we think is ignorance in others, is actually purity and simplicity-- great virtues, keeping them free of evil awarenesses. So please, BE KIND. Your proud "education" could severely sicken their heart, and that will be YOUR SIN.

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If you tell grandma about bad things mom has done, to get her in trouble...
Then mom will tell grandma about bad things YOU have done, to get you in trouble!

If you are cold and distant towards Viral, and won't acknowledge him or hug him...
Then Viral will not talk to you or acknowledge you, and he will not hug you!