Saturday, October 31, 2020
My Most Precious Gift
Monday, October 26, 2020
So What's Next?
In my life, I mean. I have, of course, been praying and thinking much about this. Sometimes I have anxiety over it, which is a clue to part of what's next. Here's what I see from here looking forward:
1) More healing. The deepest disorders in my soul have been revealed and addressed, but now there's the matter of making practical changes in my thought patterns, habits, and internal and external life. There's still that generalized anxiety--I don't know if that's going to be miraculously taken away like the social anxiety was, or if I have to work through it in a more practical manner, i.e., learning to trust God day-to-day and moment-to-moment. Also the physical healing has yet to be fully manifest. I'm still praying for and about that, and I'd still like to do that Lourdes-Camino-Fatima and Medjugorje pilgrimage some day.
Friday, October 16, 2020
In the natural order, in proportion as the child grows, the more self-sufficient he should become, for some day he will no longer have his parents. In the order of grace, on the contrary, the more the child of God grows, the more he understands that he will never be self-sufficient and that he depends intimately on God. As he matures, he should live more by the special inspiration of the Holy Ghost, who, by His seven gifts, supplies for the imperfections of his virtues to such an extent that his is finally more passive under the divine action than given up to his personal activity. In the end he will enter into the bosom of the Father where he will find his beatitude.
A young person, on reaching maturity, leaves his parents to begin life for himself. The middle-aged man occasionally pays a visit to his mother, but he no longer depends on her as he formerly did; instead, it is he who supports her. On the contrary, as the child of God grows up, he becomes so increasingly dependent on his Father that he no longer desires to do anything without Him, without His inspirations or His counsels. Then his whole life is bathed in prayer; he has obtained the best part, which will not be taken away from him. He understands that he must pray always.
-- Fr. Reginald Garrigou-LaGrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Bookshelves
So here's why not to buy cheap particle board bookshelves:
When I bought these, some years ago, I really didn't have any other option: real wood ones were quite expensive, and for the number of books that I own the cost would have been prohibitive. So when this happened the other day, I looked around but still, didn't want to spend what they're asking for them. But unlike back then, now I've got tools and space to work in. So....
Saturday, October 3, 2020
Favor and Gratitude
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.
-- Psalm 91