Flos Carmeli

Praise and Prayer 12/20/03

O KEY OF DAVID, and Scepter of the House of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: Come, and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Give thanks to God, for He is good, His love endures forever.

Prayers:

Special Request of the Day: Special intention for Katherine and Franklin as they struggle with unemployment. Thanks.

Please pray for the soul of the priest who officiated at our (chirp and honk's) wedding, the pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church (Hendrickson St.,) Brooklyn, NY, Msgr. Brian F. Callahan who died suddenly Dec. 15.

For Carol K. and family who suddenly and quite unexpectedly lost her mother to pneumonia.

For Christine's father who has an undiagnosed but severe potassium defficiency that has everyone around him extremely concerned. He's on liquid Potassium now, which can have severe effects, please pray that these will be minimal.

For Karen (Mother of 9) who is seriously ill and for her husband that God grant Him the strength to bear up under it. (I'll be making special prayers for this one because I understand how it feels under much less stressful conditions (1 Child and minor hospitalization).

For the men and women of the American Armed forces who will not be able to spend this holiday season with their families, that this may nevertheless be a season of "comfort and joy" beyond their greatest expectations.

For Jane, Janet, Shirley, and for all for whom this season of the Nativity is a time of hardship and difficulty because of the pain of the past.

Special Prayer Projects:

(1) Chris Keith, the young lady whose biopsy went poorly got the results of that biopsy--carcinoma of the liver. I don't know if it's a primary or metastatic. Either way, I paraphrase her mother:

"We [members of the family] are standing on the Rock and are rock solid. We are all okay and we are looking for a few prayer warriors to help us in this battle." Because this mother means so much to me for the great good she has done for my friends, I plan to stand with her and her family in this battle, and I invite you all to join me. Expect to hear about this on and off over the next few months.

(2) For Katherine's Mom as she undergoes chemotherapy--that the treatment is successful and her mother comes through this ordeal with a deeper sense of God's abiding love for her.

(3) For Katherine and Franklin, Christine and Gordon, Janet and Louis, and for all who are seeking employment and suffering through difficult times as they wait.

I welcome the addition of other requests via the comment box. Thank you for keeping this poor Carmelite employed.

Praise and Prayer 12/20/03

O KEY OF DAVID, and Scepter of the House of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: Come, and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Give thanks to God, for He is good, His love endures forever.

Prayers:

Special Request of the Day: Special intention for Katherine and Franklin as they struggle with unemployment. Thanks.

Please pray for the soul of the priest who officiated at our (chirp and honk's) wedding, the pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church (Hendrickson St.,) Brooklyn, NY, Msgr. Brian F. Callahan who died suddenly Dec. 15.

For Carol K. and family who suddenly and quite unexpectedly lost her mother to pneumonia.

For Christine's father who has an undiagnosed but severe potassium defficiency that has everyone around him extremely concerned. He's on liquid Potassium now, which can have severe effects, please pray that these will be minimal.

For Karen (Mother of 9) who is seriously ill and for her husband that God grant Him the strength to bear up under it. (I'll be making special prayers for this one because I understand how it feels under much less stressful conditions (1 Child and minor hospitalization).

For the men and women of the American Armed forces who will not be able to spend this holiday season with their families, that this may nevertheless be a season of "comfort and joy" beyond their greatest expectations.

For Jane, Janet, Shirley, and for all for whom this season of the Nativity is a time of hardship and difficulty because of the pain of the past.

Special Prayer Projects:

(1) Chris Keith, the young lady whose biopsy went poorly got the results of that biopsy--carcinoma of the liver. I don't know if it's a primary or metastatic. Either way, I paraphrase her mother:

"We [members of the family] are standing on the Rock and are rock solid. We are all okay and we are looking for a few prayer warriors to help us in this battle." Because this mother means so much to me for the great good she has done for my friends, I plan to stand with her and her family in this battle, and I invite you all to join me. Expect to hear about this on and off over the next few months.

(2) For Katherine's Mom as she undergoes chemotherapy--that the treatment is successful and her mother comes through this ordeal with a deeper sense of God's abiding love for her.

(3) For Katherine and Franklin, Christine and Gordon, Janet and Louis, and for all who are seeking employment and suffering through difficult times as they wait.

I welcome the addition of other requests via the comment box. Thank you for keeping this poor Carmelite employed.

To Give Erik Further Insight into Things that Might Drive Him Mad

Friday Five
1. List your five favorite beverages.

Green Tea
Water
Mint Tea
Water
Limeade

2. List your five favorite websites.

Blackmask
Online Books
Arts and Letters Daily
Smithsonian
Fractalvision

3. List your five favorite snack foods.

Tangerines
Chocolate-covered dried cherries
Boysenberry or Raspberry (anything--fresh berries, sorbet, cake, icecream candy)
Chocolate
Dried Mango, Papaya, Pineapple.

4. List your five favorite board and/or card games.

Uno
Bridge
Parchesi
Yahtzee
Chinese Checkers

5. List your five favorite computer and/or game system games.

Patience (152 different types of one-two-three-and four pack solitaires)
Minesweeper
Bejweled
Railroad
Yahtzee

Praise and Prayer--12/19/03

O ROOT OF JESSE, who stands for an ensign of the people, before whom kings shall keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: Come to deliver us, and tarry not.

Give thanks to God, for He is good, His love endures forever.

Thanks to God and those who prayed, my [Davey's Mom] friend had a successful, normal birth with her second daughter also on December 15.

Linda is home from the Hospital! Still fragile, or perhaps even more fragile as a result of steroid treatment, but nevertheless home.

Prayers:

Special Request of the Day: Please say a prayer today at !0:00 Pacific time for the success of Franklin's phone interview. Thanks.

Please pray for the soul of the priest who officiated at our (chirp and honk's) wedding, the pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church (Hendrickson St.,) Brooklyn, NY, Msgr. Brian F. Callahan who died suddenly Dec. 15.

For Carol K. and family who suddenly and quite unexpectedly lost her mother to pneumonia.

For Christine's father who has an undiagnosed but severe potassium defficiency that has everyone around him extremely concerned. He's on liquid Potassium now, which can have severe effects, please pray that these will be minimal.

For Karen (Mother of 9) who is seriously ill and for her husband that God grant Him the strength to bear up under it. (I'll be making special prayers for this one because I understand how it feels under much less stressful conditions (1 Child and minor hospitalization).

For the men and women of the American Armed forces who will not be able to spend this holiday season with their families, that this may nevertheless be a season of "comfort and joy" beyond their greatest expectations.

For Jane, Janet, Shirley, and for all for whom this season of the Nativity is a time of hardship and difficulty because of the pain of the past.

Special Prayer Projects:

(1) Chris Keith, the young lady whose biopsy went poorly got the results of that biopsy--carcinoma of the liver. I don't know if it's a primary or metastatic. Either way, I paraphrase her mother:

"We [members of the family] are standing on the Rock and are rock solid. We are all okay and we are looking for a few prayer warriors to help us in this battle." Because this mother means so much to me for the great good she has done for my friends, I plan to stand with her and her family in this battle, and I invite you all to join me. Expect to hear about this on and off over the next few months.

(2) For Katherine's Mom as she undergoes chemotherapy--that the treatment is successful and her mother comes through this ordeal with a deeper sense of God's abiding love for her.

(3) For Katherine and Franklin, Christine and Gordon, Janet and Louis, and for all who are seeking employment and suffering through difficult times as they wait.

I welcome the addition of other requests via the comment box. Thank you for keeping this poor Carmelite employed.

St. Linus Review

I have been asked by one of the people associated with the St. Linus Review to announce the existence of this publication. As a poet myself and one who wishes to foster the arts, I duly make this announcement, fully realizing that a great many are already aware of it. I am also aware of the "controversy" swirling around its publication guidelines and understand the reasons behind it. But I also point out that there was a great deal of controversy (of an admittedly very different type) swirling around Mel Gibson's The Passion. I'm not comparing the two artworks, but only pointing out that until the work is produced we cannot know what effect guidelines may or may not have. It is probably good to encourage a young publication and help to foster its growth, contributing either funds or written works to see if it is viable. So, take a look at the guidelines--if you are so inclined, subscribe or submit work, and for the time being, praise God that a new thing is being raised up in the Catholic Arts. Pray that it might contribute mightily to a resurgence of literature of faith, so that once again we might have a strong voice in an arena that we have all but been forced out of.

On the Use of Imagery

When dealing in spiritual matters, it seems best to me to use the imagery that works to bring you into the presence of God and to keep you from sin. For some, that image is a stern Father whose discipline is swift and sure, but whose love is nevertheless there. Others prefer the image of King and sovereign. Some may have other images that they cling to.

In many cases the images of authority, rightful though they are, do nothing to prevent me from sinning, and may actually encourage it. The idea of a holy and righteous person translated to human terms often comes down to one who wishes to impose a ridiculous and arbitrary system of rules and measures that have nothing to do with reality. (In a very mild sense I am a rebel, I suppose.)

The image that is most effective for me in preventing sin is the image of a deeply loving Father in heaven who can be hurt by what I choose to do. Imagine how you would feel if your own mother or father could see everything you do. Would you do all of it? What things might you choose not to do? This is the image I use to help me in temptation. And it still doesn't work very well; however, the instant the "traffic cop" God crosses my mind, I start jaywalking--just a visible sign of the flaw created in me by the fall.

So my advice to each person is to choose the image of God that most speaks to you. Acknowledge that all are true images, if limited in a way that God is not, but meditate and focus on the one image that most helps you to move toward God. Also realize that through time the image the helps your meditation and aids in resisting temptation will change. At one time it may be loving father, at another just judge. There is nothing wrong with changing images or clinging to an image, so long as you bear in mind that any single image, or even all the images you can bring to mind at once, do not begin to touch the truth that is God. The images are mere aids, to be cast aside when their usefulness has gone. The important thing is to find a way to increase your love and desire for God and to move steadily ever closer.

Prayer Reports and Requests 12/18/03

O LORD AND RULER of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come, and redeem us with outstretched arm.

Give thanks to God, for He is good, His love endures forever.

Thanks to God and those who prayed, my [Davey's Mom] friend had a successful, normal birth with her second daughter also on December 15.

Linda is home from the Hospital! Still fragile, or perhaps even more fragile as a result of steroid treatment, but nevertheless home.

Prayers:

Please pray for the soul of the priest who officiated at our (chirp and honk's) wedding, the pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church (Hendrickson St.,) Brooklyn, NY, Msgr. Brian F. Callahan who died suddenly Dec. 15.

For Carol K. and family who suddenly and quite unexpectedly lost her mother to pneumonia.

For Christine's father who has an undiagnosed but severe potassium defficiency that has everyone around him extremely concerned. He's on liquid Potassium now, which can have severe effects, please pray that these will be minimal.

For Karen (Mother of 9) who is seriously ill and for her husband that God grant Him the strength to bear up under it. (I'll be making special prayers for this one because I understand how it feels under much less stressful conditions (1 Child and minor hospitalization).

For the men and women of the American Armed forces who will not be able to spend this holiday season with their families, that this may nevertheless be a season of "comfort and joy" beyond their greatest expectations.

For Jane, Janet, Shirley, and for all for whom this season of the Nativity is a time of hardship and difficulty because of the pain of the past.

Special Prayer Projects:

(1) Chris Keith, the young lady whose biopsy went poorly got the results of that biopsy--carcinoma of the liver. I don't know if it's a primary or metastatic. Either way, I paraphrase her mother:

"We [members of the family] are standing on the Rock and are rock solid. We are all okay and we are looking for a few prayer warriors to help us in this battle." Because this mother means so much to me for the great good she has done for my friends, I plan to stand with her and her family in this battle, and I invite you all to join me. Expect to hear about this on and off over the next few months.

(2) For Katherine's Mom as she undergoes chemotherapy--that the treatment is successful and her mother comes through this ordeal with a deeper sense of God's abiding love for her.

(3) For Katherine and Franklin, Christine and Gordon, Janet and Louis, and for all who are seeking employment and suffering through difficult times as they wait.

I welcome the addition of other requests via the comment box. Thank you for keeping this poor Carmelite employed.

Yet Another Reason I Love the Holy Father

Found via Disputations, this article featuring brief excerpts of a longer talk considers the principles of economic justice and what a truly just economy should seek.

Nearly Missed this Once-In -A-Lifetime Opportunity

to wish you all a happen centenary of Kitty Hawk.

Today's the day when 100 years ago the Wright brothers demonstrated that powered heavier-than-air vehicles could indeed fly.

Others had flown before them. Others had even shown that powered heavier-than-air travel was feasible. But the Wright Brothers applying the principles of a great many scientists and inventors before them demonstrated repeatable success in their attempts.

Letters from The Practice of the Presence of God-I

The classic editions of The Practice of the Presence of God consist of approximately four conversations and fifteen letters of advice offered by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, a SEVENTEENTH century Carmelite. Hailing from the province of Alsace-Lorraine, I suppose there is some question as to nationality; however, he wrote in French and thus we might consider him French.

Ms. Deb Platt has reorganized the material thematically and produced an interesting and recommended "study guide" to the work, which makes for a more coherent reading of the main texts.

However, I will follow the classic line and look at the letters (or so I propose, by tomorrow I may have changed my mind)

from Practice of the Presence of God Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

FIRST LETTER

How the habitual sense of God's Presence was found.

SINCE you desire so earnestly that I should communicate to you the method by which I arrived at that habitual sense of GOD's Presence, which our LORD, of His mercy, has been pleased to vouchsafe to me; I must tell you, that it is with great difficulty that I am prevailed on by your importunities; and now I do it only upon the terms, that you show my letter to nobody. If I knew that you would let it be seen, all the desire that I have for your advancement would not be able to determine me to it. The account I can give you is:
Having found in many books different methods of going to GOD, and divers practices of the spiritual life, I thought this would serve rather to puzzle me, than facilitate what I sought after, which was nothing but how to become wholly GOD's.

This made me resolve to give the all for the All: so after having given myself wholly to GOD, to make all the satisfaction I could for my sins, I renounced, for the love of Him, everything that was not He; and I began to live as if there was none but He and I in the world. Sometimes I considered myself before Him as a poor criminal at the feet of his judge; at other times I beheld Him in my heart as my FATHER, as my GOD: I worshipped Him the oftenest that I could, keeping my mind in His holy Presence, and recalling it as often as I found it wandered from Him. I found no small pain in this exercise, and yet I continued it, notwithstanding all the difficulties that occurred, without troubling or disquieting myself when my mind had wandered involuntarily. I made this my business, as much all the day long as at the appointed times of prayer; for at all times, every hour, every minute, even in the height of my business, I drove away from my mind everything that was capable of interrupting my thought of GOD.

Such has been my common practice ever since I entered into religion; and though I have done it very imperfectly, yet I have found great advantages by it. These, I well know, are to be imputed to the mere mercy and goodness of GOD, because we can do nothing without Him; and I still less than any. But when we are faithful to keep ourselves in His holy Presence, and set Him always before us, this not only hinders our offending Him, and doing anything that may displease Him, at least wilfully, but it also begets in us a holy freedom, and if I may so speak, a familiarity with GOD, wherewith we ask, and that successfully, the graces we stand in need of. In fine, by often repeating these acts, they become habitual, and the presence of GOD is rendered as it were natural to us. Give Him thanks, if you please, with me, for His great goodness towards me, which I can never sufficiently admire, for the many favours He has done to so miserable a sinner as I am. May all things praise Him. Amen.

For the complete, classic work, see here.

What is remarkable in this is the very straightforward way Brother Lawrence treats common problems in prayer. A simple bullheadedness with one Goal in mind--God Himself and nothing less. "I gave my all for the All."

"I worshipped Him oftenest as I could. . ." meaning that he did not wait until he was in a chapel or an oratory or some quiet place of continued recollection, but throughout the day of work and labor, he worshipped God. As he did the dishes, He called upon His name. As he swept the floors or attended to whatever needed done, He praised God and called upon Him. In a word--he "practiced."

And by practicing he became adept. He points out that when we often turn our thoughts to God, it becomes very difficult to deliberately offend Him. The thought of God is a bit in the mouth, a bridle that trains us to recognize his touch and respond, in the way a well trained horse needs no encouragement from the reins, but merely the pressure and signal from the rider to turn and to jump. When we accustom ourselves to the bridle, or as Jesus told us, "the yoke" we discover in it a holy freedom and an intimacy that does not make us so reluctant to ask for the graces we require to grow ever nearer our Lord.

And perhaps the most glorious phrase of the letter: "In fine, by often repeating these acts, they become habitual, and the presence of GOD is rendered as it were natural to us." What could possibly be a greater source of delight and joy than for God's presence to be "natural." By that Brother Lawrence means, I think, that it is expected, it becomes in the environment in which we live whether or not we are constantly attuned to it. In a sense, it becomes our hope. When St. Thérèse experienced her long dark night, she still did not fail in faith because she had grown so intimate with God His presence was natural to her--it pervaded her. Her human senses and the devil called her to despair, but her soul knew that it lived and breathed in God's Holy Presence--there could be no despair in such living. That is what Brother Lawrence refers to. We may not be constantly aware of God in our intellect or will, but in the deepest part of our spirit we rejoice constantly in His presence. His presence is habitual, and more than habitual, life sustaining. By the practice of the presence of God, we move toward the intimacy taught by all the great Carmelite Saints. By making the effort to turn to Him (an effort that is sustained by grace alone but willed by ourselves with the help of that grace) we grow accustomed to God the way spouses are accustomed to each other in a good marriage. When one is left alone, there is great longing to be again reunited. The difference is that God never leaves us alone. We are always with Him.

There is so much truth here and such a simplicity that we would do well to consider following this advice. Throughout the day hum a hymn, or speak to God, thanking Him for small pleasures, asking advice in any situation. Bless those around us with His presence with us. When we are so moved, we can perform miracles of grace and draw souls toward God inexorably because it is His Will that moves them, His Grace that calls to them, His Presence that beckons. And best of all, we can start this practice today. And if we fail in it for a while, we can start again, and again, and again, picking up with purpose and following the trail of Grace to our Sovereign Lord.

Next Scheduled Reading

Due to a head cold or sinus infection or some other clogging of the brain, I've been unable to come to a conclusion regarding which extended text I would next like to consider. Because I've already subjected you to one that is not Catholic, I thought the better part would be to give equal or more time to a Catholic Source. It would be better for it not to be too long (say Imitation of Christ long) and that it treat of prayer or Christian Life and not explicitly of theology (for which I can provide no real insight). Are there any opinions? I may be casting around for a few days looking for just the right thing, but once settled upon, I'd like to continue the extended treatment because I found it gave me a few moments every day in prayer as I read and commented upon the text.

I was thinking about the Sayings of Light and Love but the problem with that is that they are something like the Sayings of the Desert Fathers in that each one requires an extended meditation and consideration. It would be quite easy to get lost in the huge morass of them. On the other hand. . .

Perhaps we could give some consideration to Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence of God

Let me know if you have any opinions or considerations. (In case you can't tell, I really like the structure of extended consideration, and I don't think it necessarily detracts from other things that may from time to time arise.)

Prayer Requests

Give thanks to God, for He is good, His love endures forever.

Linda is home from the Hospital! Still fragile, or perhaps even more fragile as a result of steroid treatment, but nevertheless home.

Prayers:

For Carol K. and family who suddenly and quite unexpectedly lost her mother yesterday to pneumonia.

For Christine's father who has an undiagnosed but severe potassium defficiency that has everyone around him extremely concerned. He's on liquid Potassium now, which can have severe effects, please pray that these will be minimal.

For Karen (Mother of 9) who is seriously ill and for her husband that God grant Him the strength to bear up under it. (I'll be making special prayers for this one because I understand how it feels under much less stressful conditions (1 Child and minor hospitalization).

For the men and women of the American Armed forces who will not be able to spend this holiday season with their families, that this may nevertheless be a season of "comfort and joy" beyond their greatest expectations.

For Jane, Janet, Shirley, and for all for whom this season of the Nativity is a time of hardship and difficulty because of the pain of the past.

Special Prayer Projects:

(1) Chris Keith, the young lady whose biopsy went poorly got the results of that biopsy--carcinoma of the liver. I don't know if it's a primary or metastatic. Either way, I paraphrase her mother:

"We [members of the family] are standing on the Rock and are rock solid. We are all okay and we are looking for a few prayer warriors to help us in this battle." Because this mother means so much to me for the great good she has done for my friends, I plan to stand with her and her family in this battle, and I invite you all to join me. Expect to hear about this on and off over the next few months.

(2) For Katherine's Mom as she undergoes chemotherapy--that the treatment is successful and her mother comes through this ordeal with a deeper sense of God's abiding love for her.

(3) For Katherine and Franklin, Christine and Gordon, Janet and Louis, and for all who are seeking employment and suffering through difficult times as they wait.

I welcome the addition of other requests via the comment box. Thank you for keeping this poor Carmelite employed.

Christ Altogether Lovely XVI

I'm sure there will be great rejoicing and a great heaving of sighs that we have at last made it to the opposite shore of our great journey. It seemed at times perilous and uncertain that it might happen, but we are finally there. And we end with the last advice Rev. Flavel has for us regarding the application of the points previously taught.

from Christ Altogether Lovely
Rev. John Flavel

5. Never be ashamed to be counted as a Christian: he is altogether lovely; he can never be a shame to you; it will be your great sin to be ashamed of him. Some men glory in their shame; do not let yourself be ashamed of your glory. If you will be ashamed of Christ now, he will be ashamed of you when he shall appear in his own glory, and the glory of all his holy angels. Be ashamed of nothing but sin; and among other sins, be ashamed especially for this sin, that you have no more love for him who is altogether lovely.

6. Be willing to leave every thing that is lovely upon earth, in order that you may be with the altogether lovely Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. Lift up your voices with the bride, Rev. 20:20 "Come Lord Jesus, come quickly." It is true, you must pass through the pangs of death into his intimacy and enjoyment; but surely it is worth suffering much more than that to be with this lovely Jesus. "The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and the patient waiting for Jesus Christ," 2 Thes. 3:5.

7. Let the loveliness of Christ draw all men to him. Is loveliness in the creature so attractive? And can the transcendent loveliness of Christ draw none? O the blindness of man! If you see no beauty in Christ that causes you to desire him, it is because the god of this world has blinded your minds.

And once again Rev. Flavel hits upon ancient themes of Christian teaching. First, be proud to be Christian, because in Christ is the summum bonum, or perhaps, more appropriately He is the summum bonum (as God is simple and cannot consist of parts but is complete unity, if the summum bonum reside within Him, then indeed it is Him, or so it would seem). By our love of Him, let us guide all of humankind to Him, neither being ashamed of our Christianity, nor halting when there are setbacks (scandals in the Church, etc.)

Be willing to let go of everything on Earth that keeps you from completely embracing His loveliness. Be prepared to leave behind prejudices, preferences, and personality. Be prepared to abandon all preconceptions, all restrictions, all modifications, all of our broken notions of God. Be willing to share of our substantial material goods and our wealth of spiritual goods. And be ready to climb out of this world into His embrace, in the next life, if not in this. But better to prepare oneself to this journey here and now. As R. Garrigou-Lagrange points out many times in Christian Perfection and Contemplation--the so called "Mystical life" is in fact the calling of every Christian. Those who obtain it here have a taste of heaven. Those who do not spend some time working it out in the life to come. We have a choice--the bliss of heaven on Earth or the rags of Earth transformed in Eternity.

Finally, we must let the loveliness of Christ speak for itself. We must be exemplars of that loveliness, and by living it, lead all people to it. Through our love, mercy, gentleness, kindness, and true and substantial caring, we should shine out like lamps on a lampstand. We are Christ's body now--His hands, His feet, His capabilities on Earth. We are His instruments, and thus the instruments of salvation to our brothers and sister who still live in darkness. Let us shine light into their lonely and frightening worlds. For once they see light, it is unlikely they will love to remain in the dark.

Thus we complete our cycle with the dear Rev. Flavel. Part of the point is to say simply that much wealth exists in all sorts of sources. We should be willing to mine those veins that yield much worthwhile. Truly there are a great many within the Catholic Church, but sometimes a trumpet from outside is better placed to attract our attention.

So, what to next? The sermons of Johannes Tauler? Van Ruysbroeck's The Sparkling Stone or The Book of Supreme Truth? St. Alphonsus's Uniformity with God's Will or The Necessity and Power of Prayer? I welcome recommendations or requests for any book related to the spiritual life of reasonably short length. I also welcome any conversation that might ensue as we pursue these works. After all, the point is to learn and to practice, we could all do with some reinforcement.

What Manner of Poetry

Another endlessly pleasing quiz result:

A Note on the Post Below

I don't much care for the military imagery of Christianity. "A Mighty Fortress" "Onward Christian Soldiers," "Battle Hymn of the Republic," etc. Since I have a tendency toward an extreme pacificism, one might see how these images would fail to appeal.

However, I cannot but acknowledge that we are locked in a battle with powers not of this world, and the victory has already been obtained. I think of us rather like the Ents at the end of The Two Towers our responsibility now is to stand fast against the raging flood waters and to hold our ground. Even this we do not do alone, because of ourselves we can do nothing. We rely completely upon Jesus Christ, Lord, Savior, source of Strength, as we stand in this battle. We also rely upon the prayers of the Saints and the Prayers and actual spiritual armies of the Angels.

So, while I do not care for the language, nor necessarily for the imagery, it is undeniably Biblical, and undeniably given us so that we understand the extent of the siege. So, please consider joining forces with those around the world who in their daily lives stand fast and wage battle against evil, both natural and supernatural.

Special Prayer "Project"

Give thanks to God, for He is good, His love endures forever.

Ramon's surgery was sucessful!

Linda is home from the Hospital! Still fragile, or perhaps even more fragile as a result of steroid treatment, but nevertheless home.

Prayers:

Special Prayer Project: Chris Keith, the young lady whose biopsy went poorly got the results of that biopsy--carcinoma of the liver. I don't know if it's a primary or metastatic. Either way, I paraphrase her mother:

"We [members of the family] are standing on the Rock and are rock solid. We are all okay and we are looking for a few prayer warriors to help us in this battle." Because this mother means so much to me for the great good she has done for my friends, I plan to stand with her and her family in this battle, and I invite you all to join me. Expect to hear about this on and off over the next few months.

For Carol K. and family who suddenly and quite unexpectedly lost her mother yesterday to pneumonia.

For Christine's father who has an undiagnosed but severe potassium defficiency that has everyone around him extremely concerned. He's on liquid Potassium now, which can have severe effects, please pray that these will be minimal

For Karen (Mother of 9) who is seriously ill and for her husband that God grant Him the strength to bear up under it. (I'll be making special prayers for this one because I understand how it feels under much less stressful conditions (1 Child and minor hospitalization).

For Katherine's Mom for diagnosis and proper remediation of the chemotherapy crisis of this weekend.

For Davey's Mom's friend who is having another child shortly that her labor and birth be easy and light and both mother and child come through it safely.

For Katherine and Franklin, Christine and Gordon, Janet and Louis, and for all who are seeking employment and suffering through difficult times as they wait.

For the men and women of the American Armed forces who will not be able to spend this holiday season with their families, that this may nevertheless be a season of "comfort and joy" beyond their greatest expectations.

For Jane, Janet, Shirley, and for all for whom this season of the Nativity is a time of hardship and difficulty because of the pain of the past.

I welcome the addition of other requests via the comment box. Thank you for keeping this poor Carmelite employed.

For Future Reading

This wonderful blend of the best of H.P. Lovecraft and the worst of Jack Chick. Very nice.

Postmodernism??

Now, from Mixolydian Mode, a quiz result with which I am truly, truly happy.

Whether you harbor some vestige of modernist
morality or simply fail to see the irony in
Reality TV, one thing is clear. You are just
Not Postmodern.


What kind of postmodernist are you!?
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Christ Altogether Lovely--XV

Almost there. We're in the final stretches--the place where Flavel gives concrete advice about what to do in order to demonstrate proper love for and devotion to Christ. And surprise! surprise! It sounds just like what every mystic from the time of St. Paul on says!

from Christ, Altogether Lovely
Rev. John Flavel

APPLICATION

1. Is Jesus Christ altogether lovely? Then I beseech you set your souls upon this lovely Jesus. I am sure such an object as has been here represented, would compel love from the coldest breast and hardest heart. Away with those empty nothings, away with this vain deceitful world, which deserves not the thousandth part of the love you give it. Let all stand aside and give way to Christ. O if only you knew his worth and excellency, what he is in himself, what he has done for you, and deserved from you, you would need no arguments of mine to persuade you to love him!

2. Esteem nothing lovely except as it is enjoyed in Christ, or used for the sake of Christ. Love nothing for itself, love nothing separate from Jesus Christ. In two things we all sin in love of created things. We sin in the excess of our affections, loving them above the proper value of mere created things. We also sin in the inordinacy of our affections, that is to say we give our love for created things a priority it should never have.

3. Let us all be humbled for the corruption of our hearts that are so eager in their affections for vanities and trifles and so hard to be persuaded to the love of Christ, who is altogether lovely. O how many pour out streams of love and delight upon the vain and empty created thing; while no arguments can draw forth one drop of love from their stubborn and unbelieving hearts to Jesus Christ! I have read of one Joannes Mollius, who was observed to go often alone, and weep bitterly; and being pressed by a friend to know the cause of his troubles, said "O! it grieves me that I cannot bring this heart of mine to love Jesus Christ more fervently."

4. Represent Christ to the world as he is, by your behaviour towards him. Is he altogether lovely? Let all the world see and know that he is so, by your delights in him and communion with him; zeal for him, and readiness to part with any other lovely thing upon his account. Proclaim his excellencies to the world, as the spouse did in these verses. Persuade them how much your beloved is better than any other beloved. Show his glorious excellencies as you speak of him; hold him forth to others, as he is in himself: altogether lovely. See that you "walk worthy of him unto all well pleasing," Col. 1:10. "Show forth the praises of Christ," 1 Pet. 2:19. Let not that "worthy name be blasphemed through you," James 2:7. He is glorious in himself, and he is sure to put glory upon you; take heed that you do not put shame and dishonours upon him; he has committed his honour to you, do not betray that trust.

Nothing new here, just what our stubborn hearts and heads need to hear over and over again before it sinks in. If you love Jesus show it by how you esteem Him above all things. Show it by how you represent Him to the world. And by that how you act toward those who have less than you do, or who through no circumstances of their own are in humbler circumstances than your own. Frequent communion, fervent prayer, frequent confession, charity--all of these things fill hearts and minds around us with thoughts and images of Christ. Be aware of your temperament, treat all with respect, show true love to those that you would rather not.

Detach from the innumerable doo-dads and thingummies that fill a life with debris and focus on what really matters. During this season that may be more important that all the other advice. We all know that gifts and lights and decorations and cookies are not what the Christmas season is all about. And yet, we struggle to place the Person foremost in our hearts in our hurry to see that every material desire of those we love is met to the fullness we are capable of. Let us love the lights, the joys, the delights, and the wonders of Christmas, not for the transient material things they are, but for the reflection they given of the wonder of an Infant born more than 2000 years ago in a stable in Bethlehem. Let Him be the source of our hope and delight and our season will have true depth and true light.

Praise and Prayer

Give thanks to God, for He is good, His love endures forever.

Ramon's surgery was sucessful!

Linda is home from the Hospital! Still fragile, or perhaps even more fragile as a result of steroid treatment, but nevertheless home.

Prayers:

Please pray for me. I have a wracking cough that I'm fairly certain is sinus-induced as it came to prominence yesterday during a particularly rainy spell here in Florida. Pray please that it is not contagious (as I guess it is not) and that I can recover from it quickly and resume doing what needs to be done.

For Katherine's Mom for diagnosis and proper remediation of the chemotherapy crisis of this weekend.

For Davey's Mom's friend who is having another child shortly that her labor and birth be easy and light and both mother and child come through it safely.

For Katherine and Franklin, Christine and Gordon, Janet and Louis, and for all who are seeking employment and suffering through difficult times as they wait.

For the men and women of the American Armed forces who will not be able to spend this holiday season with their families, that this may nevertheless be a season of "comfort and joy" beyond their greatest expectations.

For Jane, Janet, Shirley, and for all for whom this season of the Nativity is a time of hardship and difficulty because of the pain of the past.

I welcome the addition of other requests via the comment box. Thank you for keeping this poor Carmelite employed.

I Suppose I Should Explain the Entry Immediately Below

Otherwise it sounds like idle boasting to little or no purpose. The point was that I would greatly appreciate it if any newcomers to this blog who have their own would drop me a line to let me know about their blogs as now I have no means of finding them.

I'll need to figure out where to post that on my blog as a permanent message.