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Author Topic: A Wonderful Meditation on the 1st and 2nd Glorious Mysteries  (Read 7483 times)
Brigid
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« on: February 10, 2010, 03:06:09 PM »

He graced me so much this morning in prayer of the Rosary.

In a meditation on the Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord:
          As Dwight Longnecker has written - Christ didn't Ascend just spiritually but bodily, taking the things of the world with Him. Therefore the closer we get to Him and His Life, Death and Resurrection the more He can effect the things surrounding us. Since people have been given free-will, however, He cannot effect them (or what they do) unless they too are close to Him. Thus the need for evangelization, real love for His people, attention to those that surround us, and for us to mirror Him in our actions so that we can attract others to Him and He can then effect change. That's why He was only able to perform miracles while on earth, when there was great faith, and why we need to focus on Him and others before ourselves in order that "all the rest" be given us.

I realize that many, if not most, have already realized this, but I am a person that needs to truly understand things rationally (sometimes scientifically) Embarrassed and then I can (hopefully) act on them more, although with St. Therese's Little Way, this has all been shortcut. This has all made me wonder oftentimes. Huh? Although I realized what has been written in Scripture, I did not understand how this all connected to each other.

Any further thoughts about all this?
« Last Edit: February 10, 2010, 04:08:39 PM by Brigid » Logged

For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.
Matt. 6:21
Shin
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« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2010, 09:00:53 AM »

I'm not sure about this statement. I don't like how it says 'He cannot affect them (or what they do) unless they too are close to Him.'

I don't quite agree with this part. This seems a denial of the Providence and power of God, taken strictly. Most likely enough he doesn't mean it that way, it's just that I don't like the language.

You could say, 'He chooses not to' that I would prefer.

Cornelius a Lapide says of the passage where Christ does few miracles on account of lack of faith it is, as St. Jerome says, "That He might not condemn their unbelief by working many miracles" For he who beholds many miracles, and does not believe, sins more gravely than he who has beheld but few, and will be therefore, more heavily condemned and punishd in Hell. This was the cause why Christ wrought buy few miracles among the Jews. . . Or also as St. John Chrysostom says, familiarity breeds contempt, and so because the preaching of Christ would not bring forth fruit there because they already despised Him, because they already thought they knew him.




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'Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra. . . Fulcite me floribus. (The flowers appear on the earth. . . stay me up with flowers. Sg 2:12,5)
Shin
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« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2010, 09:02:29 AM »

I do love how we find how things are all connected to each other. Faith and holiness to miracles.. Smiley
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'Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra. . . Fulcite me floribus. (The flowers appear on the earth. . . stay me up with flowers. Sg 2:12,5)
Brigid
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« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2010, 05:16:18 PM »

Yes, since I wrote that condensation of Fr. Longnecker's words, I have to take the blame for the wording I used. I agree with you that "He chooses not to" intercede is preferable to "He cannot affect them" and denies the All Powerful Being - that is if we don't realize that He chose  in the first place to give humans free-will and therefore when I say that He "cannot affect them" it assumes His ultimate Power.  Otherwise the Scripture from Mark 5:23 "Daughter, Thy faith has saved thee" would make no sense. Neither would St. Peter's fall into the water when he became afraid when he was attempting to walk on the water to reach Christ.

(I should realize about assumptions, though, especially over the internet.)
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Matt. 6:21
Shin
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« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2010, 05:24:16 PM »

I think about free will and how God holds back with it a great deal, it was one of the primary things I mulled over for years way back when I was trying to figure out the whole 'problem of evil'. Smiley So I'm picky to the whole language surrounding it!  Shocked
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'Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra. . . Fulcite me floribus. (The flowers appear on the earth. . . stay me up with flowers. Sg 2:12,5)
Brigid
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« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2010, 06:33:20 PM »

I'm probably not picky enough.  Roll Eyes
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Matt. 6:21
Therese
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« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2010, 03:34:15 PM »

As I see it, if we don't mirror Christ and are not sensitive to our neighbors and don't even put God and neighbor first we are like dead branches cut off from the vine, just waiting for the fire to destroy us, rendering God unable to "work through us."  Then again God can "use" any of us to bring about conversions whether we are the reprobate, the tepid, the proficient, or the saint.  But to "use" something or someone and to "work through" something or someone are two separate things, as far as I understand things and so I have to support Dwight in what he says.
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Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you (Matth. 6:33).
Brigid
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« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2010, 03:44:14 PM »

As I see it, if we don't mirror Christ and are not sensitive to our neighbors and don't even put God and neighbor first we are like dead branches cut off from the vine, just waiting for the fire to destroy us, rendering God unable to "work through us."  Then again God can "use" any of us to bring about conversions whether we are the reprobate, the tepid, the proficient, or the saint.  But to "use" something or someone and to "work through" something or someone are two separate things, as far as I understand things and so I have to support Dwight in what he says.

Fr. Longnecker is an awfully orthodox Catholic priest. I agree with you that working through someone and using them are two completely different things.
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Therese
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« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2010, 05:21:25 PM »

I didn't realize he was a priest.  Please excuse me for referring to him only as Dwight.  I'm glad to hear he is orthodox because, like you, I am in agreement with him.  Thanks for your response! Smiley
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Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you (Matth. 6:33).
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« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2010, 05:26:55 PM »

We must pray for our priests to be completely faithful to God alone!  Cheesy
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Therese
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« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2010, 09:55:57 PM »

Yes, Shin, I will pray for this.
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Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you (Matth. 6:33).
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« Reply #11 on: February 27, 2010, 12:54:11 AM »

Yes, Shin, I will pray for this.

Amen!  Grin
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'Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra. . . Fulcite me floribus. (The flowers appear on the earth. . . stay me up with flowers. Sg 2:12,5)
Brigid
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« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2010, 11:02:51 PM »

It's so good to see very orthodox priests (and converts, too).  I'm glad to hear you like him, too, Therese. 
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Matt. 6:21
Therese
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« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2010, 06:27:53 AM »

But, of course, Brigid...I myself am orthodox and love orthodoxy in a priest! Lips Sealed
« Last Edit: February 28, 2010, 07:31:23 AM by Therese » Logged

Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you (Matth. 6:33).
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