As to avoid being kicked in the shin (inside joke)....I've decided to participate in this little venture as well. My friend Emmy is hosting this little thing.
1) I must say it is quite difficult to do certain things when there's anger an animosity towards that particular thing. In talking with a dear friend of mine Monday night, I finally relinquished control that I had been exerting. I allowed myself to say to her face that I'm happy for a situation that I'm not happy with. (That probably makes no sense). In this light it's been easier to start getting back into habits of praying Liturgy of the Hours. (One should remind me to make laminated cards of the Propers in Latin) and doing various things that were leading to my own personal growth in holiness. I'm still a work in progress.
2) God's sense of humor is a bit much at times. Some people say I try to avoid them on purpose, this is probably true. But I ran into 3 different people I didn't want to see over my California vacation time. I guess I should pray for them, it's a bit difficult understanding the circumstances which is something that I would never reveal on this blog. Being an introverted sponge is very difficult sometimes ;).
3) The general rule of interpretation is literal, unless you're joking with me. So thus if you tell me that you're coming to visit me, you probably should ;)....I don't like being lied to, and I've discovered how much it really cheeses me off when someone does. (Emergency circumstances exempted). I'd rather know the truth and deal with consequences that way, than be lied to and take something deeply personal. So thus don't be surprised when I don't take someone for their word until they are in my presence.
But apparently, there's a lot more to learn in the day...Pax Vobis
1. WWJD?
ReplyDelete2. Many great spiritual teachers say that we should embrace all occassions of sin (except those dealing with the 6th and 9th Cs) as opportunities to grow in holiness.
3. So, Give people the benefit of the doubt that they intended to do what they said they would, but, through external events or human weakness, could not follow through.
Hi George, welcome to my blog, thank you for commenting...
ReplyDelete1) It's a work in progress to get things back to where they once were for me, I'm a former seminarian, who has been though a ton of pain and suffering...brick by brick ;)
2) I'd tend to disagree about embracing occasions of sin. Certainly all occasions of sin are chances to grow in holiness, where sin abounds, grace abounds that much more. Perhaps it might be better to avoid sin...and learn from one's mistakes....but to embrace sin kind of sounds like condoning such behaviour ;)
3) I've learned from being burned one too many times...giving the benefit of the doubt, leads to being walked upon...As I said, exceptions withstanding, it's easier to take people at face value. Mind you, I'm both a mathematician and physicist, literal is my middle name practically.
Hope you'll visit often, make yourself at home....Joe
I think most of us (especially with introverted personality types) stuggle with #3. I try to remember that the response of the "natural" man would be to avoid those who treat us badly. But aren't we "supernatural" men called to something else? I think rather that the way of grace would be to treat those bad people as if they were not bad people. I struggle through this at work. The passive aggressive approach is a sinful tempation, however. We have to strive to work through that and engage our enemies just like we would our friends. Ultimately this approach doesn't just bear fruits of grace and growth in holiness but it improves our situation from a natural perspective too. (The Catholic Way is not just about getting to Heaven, but about showing the way to a better life here on Earth too. [John 10:10] I believe that there is rarely (if ever) a conflict between the path of holiness and the path to a better natural life too.)
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