Don't Scratch That Itch! Of Avoiding Rash Judgment

Think of you best mosquito bite.  The one you had when you were ten, and just had to itch it.  You itched it so much that you broke skin and it got all bloody and scabbed over.  But it really felt good to do it, didn't it?  Even when you knew what the result would be.

When we see a defect in others, it is similarly compelling, in that we just have to do something about it!  Thomas tells us to look to our own defects rather than wasting time correcting others...this is because we look through the lens of self-love rather than God's love.  Read on....and listen to the song at the end for some new perspective from Elvis.

Chapter 14 OF AVOIDING RASH JUDGMENT.


Turn your eyes back upon yourself and see that you do not judge the actions of others.


In judging others a man labors in vain; for the most part he is mistaken and he easily sins by doing so; but by judging and scrutinizing himself, he always labors with profit.


We often judge a thing according to how it has impacted our heart; true judgment is easily lost through such private affection.


If God were always the only object of our desire, we would not easily be disturbed because our own opinions are being resisted.

We often approve actions or thoughts of our own, but if the same action or thought is done by another.  Well, it's just wrong!  We are unaware of our own flaws but easily pick these same flaws out in others.  Furthermore, sometimes we take charitable action on a matter but really are doing such things for self-gain.

 2. But oftentimes there is some tendency lying hid within us, or occurring from without, that draws us along with it.


Many secretly seek themselves in what they do, and are not aware of it.

Too often a difference of feelings and opinions gives rise to dissensions between friends and fellow-citizens, between religious and devout persons.

 In this last paragraph, Thomas tells us to realign our daily habits if we want to find true charity.  Turning my will into God's Will is just fooling myself. We rationalize everything that is questionable, don't we?  Instead, I must seek His Will and break out of my barriers to adopt this new Habit.

3. An established habit is only relinquished with difficulty, and none are willingly led beyond their own views.

If you rely more on your own reason or industry than on the subduing virtue of Jesus Christ, you will seldom and with difficulty become an enlightened man.

For God wills us to become perfectly subject to Himself, and by the love that burns in us to transcend all reason.

Next time we'll talk about Charitible Works.

timUntil next time, thanks for reading and praying along with me today! 

More Temptations: Pappa Was A Rollin' Stone

In continuing to look at temptation, good Thomas examines how these temptations are laid out.  He examines the person who is ungrounded in prayer, or one who lacks confidence in what God can do in a situation of temptation. We will look at two saints and see what they practiced.  Thomas says that while we are all tempted, those of us who are grounded in prayer and faith stand a better chance than those of a fickle mind and conscience.  This reminded me of another Temptations song:  "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone."  Give it a listen while you read below and discover that temptation discovers who we are.

4. A fickle mind and low confidence in God is the beginning of all evil temptations.

For as a ship without a rudder is tossed to and fro by the waves, so the man who is remiss, and who quits his resolutions, is tempted in many ways.


Fire tries iron, and temptation tries a just man.


We often do not know what we can do but temptation discovers what we are.


However, we must be watchful, especially in the beginning of temptation, because then the enemy is easier overcome, if he is not suffered to come in at all at the door of the soul, but is keep out and resisted at his first knock.


From there a certain man said: “Withstand the beginning, after- remedies come too late.”


For first there comes into the mind a bare, simple thought; then a strong imagination; afterwards delight, and evil motion and then consent.


And so, little by little, the wicked enemy gains full entrance when he is not resisted in the beginning.


The slower we are in resisting temptation, the weaker one becomes daily, and the enemy becomes stronger.

As you read this next section, think of Mother Theresa, who was said to have had tremendous temptations and emptiness later in her life:  in other words, no consolation of God's grace.  The temptation to deny Him is the worst of temptations.  And so Thomas' counsel to pray more and not despair was Mother Teresa's answer.

5. Some suffer awful temptations in the beginning of their conversion, others in the end; and some are much troubled nearly their whole life.

6. We must not, therefore, despair when we are tempted, but more fervently pray for God to grant us help in every tribulation: who no doubt, according to the sayings of St. Paul, will make such issue with the temptation, that we may be able to sustain it (1 Cor 10:13).

Let us humble our souls under the hand of God in every temptation and tribulation; for the humble in spirit He will save and exalt.
 

St Therese of Lisieux

7. In temptations and tribulations you are proved as to what progress you have made; and in these there is great merit, and your virtue appears more evident.

Nor is it much if you are devout and fervent when you feel no trouble; but if in the time of adversity you bear up with patience, then there is hope of great advancement.

Some of you are preserved from great temptations and are often overcome in little daily ones; that, being humbled, you may never presume on yourselves in great things, who are weak in such small things.

Going out on a high note, listen to My Girl, where the Temptations elicit a wholesome love, even noting that riches mean nothing compared with "my girl".
Or, if you're tired of Temptations, try "Oh Lord, I'm on my way.." where Porgy, who really has plenty o' nuthin' heads into the Promised Land.

Next time, we will look at Chapter 14:
ON AVOIDING RASH JUDGMENT.


Until Next Time,
Thanks for reading and praying along with me.
tim
*No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.
 

A New Year's Blessing

From today's Mass. Reading 1 Nm 6:22-27

The LORD said to Moses:
"Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them."

The Temptations: Not Just Your Imagination Running Away



The Temptations

 This week, we look at part 1 of Resisting Temptations.  Click here to take a listen while you read through.  I like this song for many reasons, but The Temptations seem to capture some of the essence of the idea which our good friend Thomas a' Kempis is talking about in this first part of the meditation on Temptation.  The song tells us to pray!

First, Thomas sets the stage in that we are faced with temptation all our life. He tells us to pay attention to our tendencies.  Then he tells us that even the best of saints, like St. Francis of Assisi, were heavily tempted. Legend has it that St. Francis would roll in the snow when tempted toward fleshly urges, or throw himself into a thorn bush!

Finally, Thomas begins to give us a strategy to fighting temptation.  Getting to the root of the temptation is the key, he says, to conquering whatever is grabbing our attention.

Chapter 13 (part 1)  Resisting Temptations

As long as we live in this world we cannot be without tribulation and temptation. Hence it is written in the Book of Job: “the life of a man upon earth is a temptation and a drudgery (Job 7:1)."


Everyone, therefore, ought to be anxious about his temptations, and to watch in prayer, for fear that the devil, who never sleeps, but “goes about seeking whom he may devour” find room to deceive him (1 Peter 5:8).


No man is so perfect and holy as not to have some temptations; and we never can be wholly free from them.


2. Yet temptations are often very profitable to a man although troublesome and grievous; for in them a man is humbled, purified, and instructed.


St Francis of Assisi

All the saints have passed through many tribulations and temptations and have profited by the same; and they who could not support temptations have become reprobates and fallen away.

There is no order so holy, nor place so retired, where there are not temptations and adversities.


3. A man is never entirely secure from temptations as long as he lives; because we have within us the source of temptation, having been born in concupiscence.


When one temptation or tribulation is over, another comes on; and we shall have always something to suffer, because we have lost the good of our original happiness.


Many seek to fly temptations and fall more painfully into them.


We cannot overcome temptations by flight alone; but by patience and true humility we are made stronger than our enemies.

He who only fights off temptations outwardly and does not pluck out the root will profit little; indeed, temptations will soon return to him and he will find himself in a worse condition than before.


By degree, and by patience, with forbearance, you shall by God’s grace better overcome temptation than by harshness and your own demands.


In temptation, often take counsel, and do not deal harshly with one that is tempted; but comfort him as you would wish to be comforted.

More next week on this strategy:  Thomas will advise us that we can deal with our temptation rationally and methodically, and in overcoming these in the long-run is like working out to become physically fit.
 
Until next time,
Thanks for reading and praying along with me.
tim

A Christmas Meditation: On Wisdom and the Good Life

The Nativity, by Ariel Agemian

"A good life makes you wise according to God, and expert in many things.  The more humble  you are in yourself, and more subject to God, the more wise you will be in all things, and the more at peace."

Imitation of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 4, Para 2.
.....................................................................

"While they were there (1), the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son.  She wrapped him in swaddling clothes(2) and laid him in a manger (3), since there was no room for them in the inn."



House of Bread



  Luke 2:6-7.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

(1) Bethlehem, which means "House of Bread"

(2) allusion to Solomon, see Wisdom 7:4-6

(3) allusion to Isaiah 1:3



Raising the Flag of Adversity

The Utility of Adversity

In this twelfth Chapter, Thomas brings us into the notion spoken of in Proverbs 27:17, "As Iron sharpens iron; so one person sharpens another."  Our adversity has utility in that it brings us closer to one another, closer to humility and closer to The Lord. In our humility, it knocks off the spurs!

Indeed, why do we pray, do good works, go to Mass, write blogs about the Faith, protest abortion, etc?  It certainly does NOT make us the wunderkind of the community.  These activities usually bring us derision, and so we "offer it up" for our own sins, and those of the whole world. 

It is good for us to have some troubles and adversities; for these make a man enter into himself, that he may know that he is in a state of banishment, and may not place his hopes in anything of this world.


It is good that we sometimes suffer contradictions and that men have an evil or imperfect opinion of us when we do and intend well. These things are often a help to humility and defense against vainglory.
 For then we better run to God, our inward witness, when outwardly we are despised by men and little credit is given to us.



St Christopher and The Christ

 I put St. Christopher here, since here is one guy who suffered derision to the point that historians even doubt whether or not he existed.  But yet, he, or his representative, carried Christ, our inward witness.  As we carry Christ, we can more easily wade the deep waters that trouble us in our daily walk.  St. Christopher, please pray for us! -help us to be Christ-bearers into the Christmas Season.

2. Therefore a man should so establish himself in God so as to have no need of seeking comforts from men.


When a man of good will is troubled, or tempted, or afflicted with evil thoughts, then he better understands what need he has of God, without whom he finds he can do no good (John 15:5).


Then also he laments, he sighs, and prays, by reason of the miseries which he suffers.

Then he is weary of living longer, and he wishes death to come so that he may be dissolved and be with Christ: (Phil 1:23).


Then also he will perceive that perfect security and full peace cannot be found in this world.

In this concluding paragraph, Thomas tells us that we should place our hope in the Lord, since, while we may believe that some day the lion and the lamb will lay down together (perhaps the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God!), that right now we will continue to have tribulation in this world. So we keep standing up for the rights of the unborn, the poor, the widow, the orphan, even in the face of the seeming futility, because in this adversity a flag is raised to give others hope, since He has overcome the world.

Until next time,
Thanks for reading and praying along with me.
Look for my next post during Christmas.  Merry Christmas!
tim

Can You Choose? Peace or Busy-ness or Fear



In Chapter 11, Thomas invites us to seek after peace and the pursuits of faith instead of worrying about the scattered activities of our neighbors.  Better to MYOB and develop your spiritual gifts. Thomas then uses the lives of the saints, like St. John of the Cross, to motivate us with their examples of self denial and discipline, to help us walk closer with God.  And going down this path requires us to reform our selfish nature into one of holiness. 



"Be not afraid"

 Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Our Spiritual Progress

1. You would have more peace if you would not be so busy with the comings and going of others and with things which do not belong to  you: attending to your own affairs.



How can you remain inwardly peaceful when you entangle yourself with other peoples’ cares,  seeking involvement in their worldly activities, and not focusing inwardly on your own spiritual growth?


Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace1.
2. What was the reason why some of the saints were so perfect and contemplative?

Because they made it their study to focus on mortifying within themselves all earthly desires; and they were then enabled, with every fiber of their heart, to cleave to God, and freely attend to themselves.

3. If you were perfectly dead to yourself, and in no way entangled in your selfishness, then you would be able to relish  divine things and experience something of heavenly contemplation.


The greatest hindrance to emptying yourself is this: that you are not free from passions and fleshly hungers; and yet you strive to walk easily in the perfect way of the saints. And when you meet with any small challenges, you are too quickly dispirited and turn away to seek after human comforts.

Thomas takes us to this place, and then makes some recommendations to keep us moving forward on this journey.  Standing up to our weaknesses builds spiritual muscles. One of Thomas' most often quoted maxims is at the beginning of paragraph 5, which will be highlighted. Thomas advises us to keep our fresh approach to the faith throughout our life.



Battle of Lepanto



4.  If you strive to stand up in the battle valiantly, you will without a doubt see the Lord help us from Heaven.

For He is ready to help those that fight and trust in His grace: He furnishes us with the opportunity of combating these instances that we may overcome and thereby be strengthened.


If your religious progress is only measured in these outward observances, your devotion will quickly be at an end.


Let us, therefore, lay the axe at the root that, being purged of passions, we may possess a quiet mind.



Perfection

 5. If every year we rooted out one vice, we would soon become perfect.


But now we often find it quite otherwise: that we were better and more pure in the beginning of our conversion than after many years of our profession.


Our fervor and progress ought to be every day greater, but now it is esteemed a great matter if a man can retain some part of his first fervor.


If we would use a little discipline on ourselves in the beginning, we might afterward do all things with ease and joy.


6. It is hard to quit your old habits; but harder to go against your own will.


But if you do not overcome things that are small and light when will you overcome greater difficulties?


Resist your inclination, in the beginning, and break off your old bad habits, for fear that little by little the difficulties will increase upon you.

St. John of The Cross

If you were sensible, you would pursue peace yourself and joy with others. By behaving yourself, you will be more eager for your spiritual progress.

Note on  St John of the Cross


1.  Similar to Matt 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."