Devotion vs. Being Pharisaical

[eschator83]

This thread jumped out at me in my search for context about St Peter Damian.  It certainly doesn't have an answer I anticipated, but it seems to warrant much close reading, which I pray to do.

[eschator83]

How do you tell when your devotions are bringing you closer to Him or are only lip-service. I pray meditatively/contemplatively every day, and have numerous devotions, but most of the time I feel that I'm just trying to show myself how devout I am. I realize we can't go solely by feelings, however since we're humans (unlike Mr. Spock) we have to acknowledge them somewhat. Is this simply aridity?

Any ideas?

It seems an amazing, incredible coincidence that I was drawn to this post.  Perhaps primarily it calls me to reconsider the many threads we've had about the process and purpose of Contemplation and it's difference from prayer and meditation.  Also importantly to me is that I've been quietly searching for a library of Devotions that I could briefly study, reflect, meditate, and hopefully someday remember each day.  I've tried searching for Catholic Devotions several times without finding satisfaction.  I too wonder if this is a manifestation of aridity.  if it is lukewarmness it may be worse than aridity because so many mystic Saints suffer but recover from severe aridity.
I think I found this thread after writing a post asking for the context of a quote Shin posted by Saint Peter Damian, but somehow I can't find Shin's post nor mine.  Can anyone please help? 

[Shin]

Is it from among the previous posts in this thead? The posts are organized into 'pages' when there are a certain number of them, and at the top and bottom of all the posts listed the pages are listed.

What was the question? 

[eschator83]

I'm sorry for this foolish display of my twilight years.  I am almost positive I searched posts about St Peter Damian after reading one of your quotes.  I think I tried to copy your quote in one post and then tried to post another reference to St Peter.  Neither of them can I now find.  The underlying questions are  what are the best ways we can understand the expression of Devotion by others, how can we strengthen our Devotion, and how can we best express it.  I'm thinking Devotion is so close a manifestation of Faith.  i quickly recall our Lord Jesus answer to the Disciples when they asked him how they could strengthen their faith, and essentially He said that with only weak faith they could perform great works, which I think means that doing works of faith and seeing the results may be the best way to strengthen Faith.

[Shin]

Are you thinking of: "Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief. For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you." Matthew 17:19

I also recall:

"And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you.  Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.  Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God.  Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed" John 20:26-29

[eschator83]

Jesus' use of the term unbelief seems strangely harsh, but the disciples had failed to dispel the demon, which it seems Jesus is saying that they should have been able to do with only small faith.  I suspect in this statement and His comment to Thomas that you referred to Jesus was working to foster humility.
On the relation of Devotion to Faith, my St Joseph People's Prayer Book (1980) has a 65-page section (Ch 11 starting p 943) titled Prayers for Popular Devotions.  To my surprise, the section begins with this comment:  In the recent past (until the Second Vatican Council), there was a flourishing type of Catholic devotion known as the Novena...contrary to some views, this devotion has not been prohibited; it has just fallen into disuse...
It seems very unfortunate that neither the Catechism nor the NAB Concordance has a direct Index reference to Devotion, I think, but I'm still looking.

[eschator83]

A bit more from People's Prayer Book: p944, one of the most important Devotions in honor of our Lord Jesus is the Devotion to His Sacred Heart.  This has been highly commended by the Church and is devoutly practiced by countless Catholics.
Also, the Devotion of the Way of the Cross is highly approved by the Church as is the Novena to the Holy Spirit.