“The Christian imagination is that the mystical and the supernatural lie just on the other side of the ordinary, the mundane, and the natural.” -REV. RAYMOND DE SOUZA
Sorry for the late comments. I hadn’t noticed that many quotes had been added.
““People lie for things that benefit them; not for things that destroy them.” — Mark Driscoll (This is true of the Apostles.)” I read this three times and still do not understand it. Does it mean that the Apostles lied for things that benefited them? Can you give an example? Maybe that would make it clear to me. And I’m sure that people do lie for things that destroy them. Don’t people lie to get illegal drugs, money they haven’t earned, or pleasure they shouldn’t be getting?
As for Jesus being a Man of Sorrows, that’s a title, and not His only title. It doesn’t mean He is always sorrowful. He is the Prince of Peace, but He chased the money-changers out of the Temple. Thomas More was a man for all seasons. I think that Jesus is too.
Also, I had an insight, I think, into the Gospel imprecation “Woe to you who laugh now.” Am I in trouble for laughing? I don’t think so. But when I pray outside the abortion clinic, the clinic escorts, whose job seems to be to keep their customers from hearing offers of free help, are continually laughing and smiling. I can easily imagine Jesus saying to them, “Woe to you who laugh now.”
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The Apostles were not living a lie. They would not have died for something they just made up. What they believe and what we believe it true.
Sure there have been cults who have went to death, believing that they they were elevating to another realm, but the Apostles (with the exception of one) took their own life. But, Judas did not die for his Faith, but rather out of shame and despair for rejecting his Faith.
I can see how you were confused though. Upon re-reading what I posted, It made it sound like the Apostles lied to benefit themselves, but the opposite is trues. They did not make it up, for if they had, they would not have died for it (was really my point). Thank you for allowing me to clarify : )
“We do not really want a religion that is right where we are right. What we want is a religion that is right where we are wrong.” — G.K. Chesterton
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When Teresa of Avila was running some errand as part of her mission, she rode in a horse and buggy which hit a rock or something and dumped her on the ground. She said to God
“If this is the way you treat Your friends, it’s no wonder you have so few of them”
LOL
I like this because it is SO apropos of my life (following Jesus). I do this and that for Him and what do I get? Well, I’m not going to go into what I’ve gotten here because… I know how humans see things… assess things…aka: judge…
I’m not in the mood to be judged right now. lol
“Once a people breathe the air of Socialism, they give up on reproducing.” — Fr. Jason Charron
“The things most important in life are invisible.” — Jimmy Abegg (who was quoting Rich Mullins, who probably was quoting St. Justin Popovich)
“Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” — Unknown
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The spiritual life is a stern choice. It is not a consoling retreat from the difficulties of existence; but an invitation to enter fully into that difficult existence and there apply the Charity of God and bear the cost. - Evelyn Underhill
We sometimes forget that, with hardly an exception, the greatest masters of the spiritual life speak to us within the Church; accept it teachings and are supported by its practices. They tell us, because of their own vivid sense of God, what full life within that Church really means and can be; they do not invite us to contract out of it. Their chief gift to us, their average brothers and sisters, does not consist in the production of striking spiritual novelties, but rather in the penetrating light which they cast on familiar truths of religion; showing us that these truths are many levelled, and will only yield up their unspeakable richness and beauty to those who take the trouble to dig below the surface, and seek the treasure which is still hidden in the field. - Evelyn Underhill