Ijournal entry 121117 # 48. December, Month of the Immaculate Conception . The Rule of St. Benedict. Quotes by St.Athanasius, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and C.S. Lewis. Book: “The Devout Year", by Fr. Richard Frederick Clarke, S.J. Book: "The Reed of God", by Caryll Houselander. YouTube video: "Battle for Silence - Advent Reflection", by Fr. Patrick Hyde - part II
The Rule of St. Benedict
"Let clothing be given to the brethren according to the nature of the locality in which they dwell and its climate; for in cold districts they will need more clothing, and in warm districts less. It is the abbot’s business to take thought for this matter. But we believe that in ordinary places the following dress is sufficient for each monk: a tunic, a cowl (thick and woolly in winter, but thin or worn in summer), a scapular for work, and for the feet shoes and stockings. And let the monks not complain of the colour or coarseness of any of these things, but be content with what is to be found in the district where they live and can be purchased cheaply. Let the abbot see to the size of the garments, that they be not too short for their wearers, but of the proper fit. When the brethren receive new clothes, let them always return the old ones at once, that they may be stored in the clothes-room for the poor. For it is sufficient if a monk have two tunics and two cowls, to allow of night wear and of the washing of these garments; more than this is superfluity and should be cut off. And let them return their stockings, and anything else that is old, when they receive new ones. Those who are sent on a journey shall receive drawers from the clothes-room, which they shall wash and restore when they return. And let their cowls and tunics be somewhat better than the ones they wear usually. They shall receive them from the clothes-room when they are starting on their journey and restore them when they return"
MC=My Comments- Some people are so good in living clutter free, in comes the new and out goes the old. Unfortunately it's like for me to be married to the old and the new. Only two feet, and how many shoes do we own? Well, you get the drift, that consumer mentality can get out of hand, Lord have mercy. Hoping a spirit of generosity to others can undo some of the damage.
"Let clothing be given to the brethren according to the nature of the locality in which they dwell and its climate; for in cold districts they will need more clothing, and in warm districts less. It is the abbot’s business to take thought for this matter. But we believe that in ordinary places the following dress is sufficient for each monk: a tunic, a cowl (thick and woolly in winter, but thin or worn in summer), a scapular for work, and for the feet shoes and stockings. And let the monks not complain of the colour or coarseness of any of these things, but be content with what is to be found in the district where they live and can be purchased cheaply. Let the abbot see to the size of the garments, that they be not too short for their wearers, but of the proper fit. When the brethren receive new clothes, let them always return the old ones at once, that they may be stored in the clothes-room for the poor. For it is sufficient if a monk have two tunics and two cowls, to allow of night wear and of the washing of these garments; more than this is superfluity and should be cut off. And let them return their stockings, and anything else that is old, when they receive new ones. Those who are sent on a journey shall receive drawers from the clothes-room, which they shall wash and restore when they return. And let their cowls and tunics be somewhat better than the ones they wear usually. They shall receive them from the clothes-room when they are starting on their journey and restore them when they return"
MC=My Comments- Some people are so good in living clutter free, in comes the new and out goes the old. Unfortunately it's like for me to be married to the old and the new. Only two feet, and how many shoes do we own? Well, you get the drift, that consumer mentality can get out of hand, Lord have mercy. Hoping a spirit of generosity to others can undo some of the damage.
🌀"He became what we are that he might make us what he is." By St. Athanasius
🌕 "The season of Advent is like springtime in nature, when everything is renewed and so is fresh and healthy. Advent is also meant to do this to us--to refresh us and make us healthy, to be able to receive Christ in whatever form he may come to us." By St. Teresa of Calcutta
💭"God became man to turn creatures into sons: not simply to produce better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man." By C.S. Lewis
🌕 "The season of Advent is like springtime in nature, when everything is renewed and so is fresh and healthy. Advent is also meant to do this to us--to refresh us and make us healthy, to be able to receive Christ in whatever form he may come to us." By St. Teresa of Calcutta
💭"God became man to turn creatures into sons: not simply to produce better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man." By C.S. Lewis
A recent text mess is serving as a veggie because it was very thought provoking. Fr. Many Cihlar said: "The fact dat we're not surrounded by any restrictions in regards 2 prayer & dat God has given us da consciousness & ability as well as da privilege, of approaching Him in Holy Communion & of attuning ourselves wit Him @ any hour of da day or any moment in our lives, is in itself a divine gift or concession dat da mystics valued above all things. There4, prayer was approached wit thankfulness in every sense, & da 1st expression uttered by da lips was words of appreciation & thanks".
After reading Fr. Many's words, the following scriptures came to mind:
After reading Fr. Many's words, the following scriptures came to mind:
Sometimes we (ME) can be so turned around, Lord have mercy. Good spiritual visual acuity will help transform improper perspectives . It will simply not happen when unmindfulness, hurriedness, and distractions run rampart in our lives. The above are interferences with true communication from above. Those things foster a non-joyous and burdensome spirit that overshadows living in the spirit. What a difference, a big difference it makes when we envision who it is that we're praying to, and what we are really saying by the words we're pronouncing. Reciting and praying are two different things. Shouldn't we be tapping into the meaning and power of the words that we are using in prayer? To read is one thing, but to pray from the heart is quite another thing. It is not about the mere words spoken, but about the animation resulting from the presence of the Holy Spirit that will help enliven our prayer time into one of praise and worship.
True prayer nourishes our friendship with God, and sparks can fly. Even in silence, sparks are really flying, because contemplation initiated by God is priceless. Consistency, filled with QUALITY rather than quantity in due season, sets ablaze a fire that rids the dross that can surround our prayer life. It's not quantity but quality that sears and penetrates the soul, instigating an unbelievable transformation in the soul little by little. If we indeed realize what the mystics knew all to well, we to can be joyous beyond measure because of the personal invitation from God allowing us to experience the great gift to all of mankind, and that is an invitation to prayer. Prayer, prayer, glorious prayer. Please, if you will to do so, reread the text by Fr. Cihlar, and pray to be gifted this Advent with the spirit of true prayer.
Rattling, parrot style is kind of like talking loud but saying nothing. Dragging as some people would term it, to me is really lagging and lingering with the Holy Spirit, allowing for an opportunity to be imbued with graces. We'll definitely be headed in the direction of worship and true praise, realizing what we're doing, and to whom we're really relating to. For the God who created all of heaven and earth, is at our attention when we lift up our voices and hearts to Him to pray with our body, mind, and spirit. Worship entering the prayer picture of life, wouldn't you say that is priceless.
True prayer nourishes our friendship with God, and sparks can fly. Even in silence, sparks are really flying, because contemplation initiated by God is priceless. Consistency, filled with QUALITY rather than quantity in due season, sets ablaze a fire that rids the dross that can surround our prayer life. It's not quantity but quality that sears and penetrates the soul, instigating an unbelievable transformation in the soul little by little. If we indeed realize what the mystics knew all to well, we to can be joyous beyond measure because of the personal invitation from God allowing us to experience the great gift to all of mankind, and that is an invitation to prayer. Prayer, prayer, glorious prayer. Please, if you will to do so, reread the text by Fr. Cihlar, and pray to be gifted this Advent with the spirit of true prayer.
Rattling, parrot style is kind of like talking loud but saying nothing. Dragging as some people would term it, to me is really lagging and lingering with the Holy Spirit, allowing for an opportunity to be imbued with graces. We'll definitely be headed in the direction of worship and true praise, realizing what we're doing, and to whom we're really relating to. For the God who created all of heaven and earth, is at our attention when we lift up our voices and hearts to Him to pray with our body, mind, and spirit. Worship entering the prayer picture of life, wouldn't you say that is priceless.
Book: “The Devout Year", by Fr. Richard Frederick Clarke
Excerpt: “0.—The Forerunner of the King.
"St. John Baptist was the chosen messenger to proclaim the coming of the King of kings. No other herald had so important an office. He
had to prepare the hearts of men for the coming of the Messias. It was this that constituted him the greatest of those who were born of women. If to proclaim the coming of Christ in the flesh was so solemn and responsible an office, what must be the dignity and responsibility of the priests of God, who are sent to announce His second coming in glory?
How did St. John prepare for his work ? By a life of seclusion and penance. From childhood he lived alone in the desert, his bed the hard ground, his meat locusts and wild honey, his dress a camel's skin. Our Lord contrasts him with those who wear soft raiment. No one who lives a life of luxury will ever be an efficient messenger of God. A priest above all must avoid a life of ease and self-indulgence, if he wishes to win souls for Christ.
The secret of St. John's success was thus the result of practising what he preached. He practised much more than he preached, for he enjoined upon his hearers the simple performance of ordinary duties while he led a life of continual penance and self-denial. If our words are to carry any weight we must not preach without practising. The parent or superior who has the training of the young will never train them up to virtue unless he himself is a man of virtue. No one can reach the hearts of others unless he first carries out the lessons he teaches others. Do I do this?
The refrain of St. John's teaching was a very simple and constant one: " Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." It seems strange advice. The coming of the King of heaven might be a reason for joy on the part of those who looked for Him, and of dread on the part of His enemies. But why for doing penance ? Yet the teaching of St. John is true now, as it was at the time his words were first spoken. Penance is the means of preparation for the advent of our King.”
Excerpt: “0.—The Forerunner of the King.
"St. John Baptist was the chosen messenger to proclaim the coming of the King of kings. No other herald had so important an office. He
had to prepare the hearts of men for the coming of the Messias. It was this that constituted him the greatest of those who were born of women. If to proclaim the coming of Christ in the flesh was so solemn and responsible an office, what must be the dignity and responsibility of the priests of God, who are sent to announce His second coming in glory?
How did St. John prepare for his work ? By a life of seclusion and penance. From childhood he lived alone in the desert, his bed the hard ground, his meat locusts and wild honey, his dress a camel's skin. Our Lord contrasts him with those who wear soft raiment. No one who lives a life of luxury will ever be an efficient messenger of God. A priest above all must avoid a life of ease and self-indulgence, if he wishes to win souls for Christ.
The secret of St. John's success was thus the result of practising what he preached. He practised much more than he preached, for he enjoined upon his hearers the simple performance of ordinary duties while he led a life of continual penance and self-denial. If our words are to carry any weight we must not preach without practising. The parent or superior who has the training of the young will never train them up to virtue unless he himself is a man of virtue. No one can reach the hearts of others unless he first carries out the lessons he teaches others. Do I do this?
The refrain of St. John's teaching was a very simple and constant one: " Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." It seems strange advice. The coming of the King of heaven might be a reason for joy on the part of those who looked for Him, and of dread on the part of His enemies. But why for doing penance ? Yet the teaching of St. John is true now, as it was at the time his words were first spoken. Penance is the means of preparation for the advent of our King.”
Book: "The Reed Of God", by Caryll Houselander
Excepts:
“It is the purpose for which something is made that decides the material which is used. The chalice is made of pure gold because it must contain the Blood of Christ. The bird's nest is made of scraps of soft down, leaves and feathers and twigs, because it must be a strong warm home for the young birds. When human creatures make things, their instinct is to use not only the material that is most suitable from the point of view of utility but also the material most fitting to express the conception of the object they have in mind.
It is possible to make a candle with very little wax and a lot of fat, but a candle made from pure wax is more useful and more fitting; the Church insists that the candles on the Altar be made of pure wax, the wax of the soft, dark bees. It is beautiful, natural material; it reminds us of the days of warm sun, the droning of the bees, the summer in flower. The tender ivory colour has its own unique beauty and a kind of affinity with the whiteness of linen and of unleavened bread. In every way it is fitting material to bear a light, and by light it is made yet more lovely.
The purpose for which human beings are made is told to us briefly in the catechism. It is to know, love, and serve God in this world and to be happy with Him forever in the next. This knowing, loving, and serving is far more intimate than that rather cold little sentence reveals to us. The material which God has found apt for it is human nature: blood, flesh, bone, salt, water, will, intellect. It is impossible to say too often or too strongly that human nature, body and soul together, is the material for God's will in us. There are many people in the world who cultivate a curious state which they call “the spiritual life.” They often complain that they have very little time to devote to the “spiritual life.” The only time that they do not regard as wasted is the time they can devote to pious exercises: praying, reading, meditations, and visiting the church.
All the time spent in earning a living, cleaning the home, caring for the children, making and mending clothes, cooking, and all the other manifold duties and responsibilities, is regarded as wasted. Yet it is really through ordinary human life and the things of every hour of every day that union with God comes about. Although human nature is the material which God has made for the fulfilling of His will in us, and although human nature is something we all share, and although we each have the same purpose of knowing and loving God, we do not all achieve that purpose in the same way or through the same experiences; in fact no two people have exactly the same personal experience of God; there seem to be rules of love like the rules of music, but within them each soul has her secret—with God. Every person living is—besides being one of the human race himself; and in order to make the raw material of himself what it is, innumerable different experiences and different influences have been used.”
Excepts:
“It is the purpose for which something is made that decides the material which is used. The chalice is made of pure gold because it must contain the Blood of Christ. The bird's nest is made of scraps of soft down, leaves and feathers and twigs, because it must be a strong warm home for the young birds. When human creatures make things, their instinct is to use not only the material that is most suitable from the point of view of utility but also the material most fitting to express the conception of the object they have in mind.
It is possible to make a candle with very little wax and a lot of fat, but a candle made from pure wax is more useful and more fitting; the Church insists that the candles on the Altar be made of pure wax, the wax of the soft, dark bees. It is beautiful, natural material; it reminds us of the days of warm sun, the droning of the bees, the summer in flower. The tender ivory colour has its own unique beauty and a kind of affinity with the whiteness of linen and of unleavened bread. In every way it is fitting material to bear a light, and by light it is made yet more lovely.
The purpose for which human beings are made is told to us briefly in the catechism. It is to know, love, and serve God in this world and to be happy with Him forever in the next. This knowing, loving, and serving is far more intimate than that rather cold little sentence reveals to us. The material which God has found apt for it is human nature: blood, flesh, bone, salt, water, will, intellect. It is impossible to say too often or too strongly that human nature, body and soul together, is the material for God's will in us. There are many people in the world who cultivate a curious state which they call “the spiritual life.” They often complain that they have very little time to devote to the “spiritual life.” The only time that they do not regard as wasted is the time they can devote to pious exercises: praying, reading, meditations, and visiting the church.
All the time spent in earning a living, cleaning the home, caring for the children, making and mending clothes, cooking, and all the other manifold duties and responsibilities, is regarded as wasted. Yet it is really through ordinary human life and the things of every hour of every day that union with God comes about. Although human nature is the material which God has made for the fulfilling of His will in us, and although human nature is something we all share, and although we each have the same purpose of knowing and loving God, we do not all achieve that purpose in the same way or through the same experiences; in fact no two people have exactly the same personal experience of God; there seem to be rules of love like the rules of music, but within them each soul has her secret—with God. Every person living is—besides being one of the human race himself; and in order to make the raw material of himself what it is, innumerable different experiences and different influences have been used.”
Youtube video: Purity of Heart and Prayer - Cassian & Isaac - Advent Reflection -, by Fr. Patrick Hyde - Part II
YouTube video link:
youtu.be/SmKaZqF8hi8
YouTube video link:
youtu.be/SmKaZqF8hi8