Saints' Discussion Forums

Our present life is given to us only to gain the eternal one and if we don't think about it, we build our affections on what belongs to this world, where our life is transitory. When we have to leave it we are afraid and become agitated. Believe me, to live happily in this pilgrimage, we have to aim at the hope of arriving at our Homeland, where we will stay eternally. Meanwhile, we have to believe firmly that God calls us to Himself and follows us along the path toward Him. He will never permit anything to happen to us that is not for our greater good. He knows who we are and He will hold out His paternal hand to us during difficulties, so that nothing will prevent us from running to Him swiftly. But to enjoy this grace we must have complete trust in Him.

- St. Pio of Pietrelcina

How, how are we to have complete trust in Him? How will we know we have it? How do we keep this while doing what we can - one is always worried that there is more that could be done (at least for me). Maybe prayer is what we must do to do "our part"? :-\

As you say, I guess the answer is prayer. The more one prays the more grace is given to trust in God without reserve.

(I just noticed your signature quote, Patricia - I really like it!)

Padre Pio did say that we were to "pray, hope and don't worry".

Why is it then that the Franciscans and the Dominicans are said to be the pillars of the Catholic Church? It would seem that the Carmelites would be.

The Franciscans and the Dominicans are the pillars, and the Carmelites are the Foundation!

...

I just made that up.  ;D

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.

Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life and without You I am without fervor.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light and without You I am in darkness.

Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.

Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much and alway be in Your company.

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.

Stay with me, Lord, as poor as my soul is I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of Love.

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close and life passes, death, judgment and eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is getting late and death approaches, I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!

Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers, I need You.

Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.

Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You, if not by Communion, at least by grace and love.

Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.

With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity. Amen.

-- Saint Padre Pio's Prayer After Holy Communion

How important it is to hold on to the Lord after Communion and keep holding!

:bigbluegrin: :bigbluegrin:

'A thousand years of enjoying human glory is not worth even an hour spent sweetly communing with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.'

St. Padre Pio

 :D

Live in such a way that your heavenly Father may be proud of you, as he is proud of so many other chosen souls.  Live in such a way that you may be able to repeat at every moment with the apostle St. Paul:  Be imitators of me, as I am of Jesus Christ.    Oh, for pity's sake , do not consider this an exaggeration !    Every Christian who is a true imitator and follower of the Nazarene can and must call himself a second Christ and show forth most clearly in his life the entire image of Christ.  Oh, if only all Christians were to live up to their vocation, this very land of exile would be changed into a paradise.

~~ Padre Pio

So what do you think of as a true imitator and follower of Christ - in the lay vocation, as a widow with young children?

I would say that opportunities for sanctity abound in all conditions and situations we find ourselves in life, probably no more so than in the circumstances you mention.
Our Lord had much to say about kindness and justice being offered to the widow and even in the old testament there's much said there too.

Anna, the prophetess was mentioned at the Presentation, then there's the story of the widows mite, Then the widow of Naim where it's said, "And the Lord, seeing her, had compassion on her, and said to her, “Do not weep.”
All of these are held up as examples of holiness and faith., And greatest of all, the Blessed Virgin Mary was a widow.

The Lord is very close to these and they all loved the Lord more than most.

Earlier all the references to widows and Our Lord's compassion to  them  ( many references to them in the Bible) did not make much sense to me, as I could not empathize .  Now I identify with every one of them and I am happy that the Lord is closer to the widows and the fatherless.  I feel closer to Him , as in very dependent in every way as I have no one else to depend on.   I feel sorrowful but also feel that I am being watched and helped every step of the way.  It is true that the cross brings us closer to Jesus and Our Lady. O:) :crucifix:

 :'( Patricia.. I can see it! It's beautiful! I need a happy tears smilie!

Padre Pio quotes never cease to inspire me!! :)

Jesus permits the spiritual combat as a purification, not as a punishment. The trial is not unto death but unto salvation.

~~ Padre Pio