tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post6882095666407140212..comments2024-02-09T02:48:13.776-06:00Comments on Daily Meditations with Fr. Alfonse: Mt 28:16-20 Most Holy LoveFr. Alfonsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02557206560119402976noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-54733746639757914592012-06-04T08:15:40.683-05:002012-06-04T08:15:40.683-05:00I was totally intrigued and astonished when I read...I was totally intrigued and astonished when I read about the pain of doubt, the pain of aloneness in reading John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, (Thomas Merton), St Catherine of Siena and other mystics of the Church. Each with a different situation of experiencing this pain, but it was the same pain of doubt and aloneness. Thomas Merton once said that you really are not a person of Faith if you have not gone through the “great doubt”. This is where real Faith begins. Enduring and persevering in this painful, absolute aloneness where no one can help you no matter what, is where we experience Jesus in His abandonment from His Father.<br />It lasted quite a while for me. I was married and surrounded by great family and great friends. But I was so alone. I only knew the fear of God, there was no Love, no inspiration, no looking forward to anything. It was the greatest purification of my life…. so far. But I would not trade that experience for the world!!!! I thank God every day of my life for that experience, b/c it has led to this union with God, only glimpses, which continues to reside in me, giving me that Faith that I had prayed for, for so long.<br />Mysteries continue to unfold. “I will manifest Myself to those who love me, who live according to my Word.” John 14: 21-26. Painful as it is, Jesus does continue to reveal Himself to those who Love Him. It is only through the cross that we will reach Him. It is in dying w/Him that we will rise w/Him to become more like Him.<br />I continue to pray for you Father.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-17340706598173262172012-06-03T20:36:51.330-05:002012-06-03T20:36:51.330-05:00“They saw him, worshiped him, but they doubted. T...“They saw him, worshiped him, but they doubted. They doubted??? How in the world could the Apostles have doubted if the Lord was standing right in front of them? Were they thinking this was a mirage or that they were out of their minds? .............................................................................<br />………………………………….Yes, man is one and alone. I have no “other” inside of me to bounce an idea off of me. I am not a “trinity” of persons; “I am” one person. My thoughts, my words and my actions are mine alone just as my death is one and alone. “I” am alone, just like Adam was alone.”<br /><br />I have to disagree. You and all the other Christian ‘experts’ keep telling us we are not alone. We keep hearing that The Holy Spirit dwells inside us.<br /><br />What about the evil spirits? We keep hearing that they exist too. We know from the Bible that they can be inside us just as they were inside many whom Jesus expelled them from. And if they are not inside us, they are definitely all around us, whispering in our ears, or maybe shouting. <br /><br />I don’t want to dispel your idea that the Holy Trinity have each other to ‘confer’ with. I believe they do. But I believe that we have God within us to ‘confer’ with, but His voice is not the only one ringing in our ‘ears’. We all know He whispers like the wind, so His voice may not be the loudest or the most prominent, like the squeaky wheel, the one that gets our attention. Yes I believe we are in there too. We are in there listening, hearing the soft, gentle, patient voice of God but we most likely are also hearing the blaring voice of the evil one telling us lies, making us doubt, doubt what is right in front of our eyes. <br /><br />At least in my experience this seems to be more feasible. I KNOW I’M NOT ALONE (Inside there and with this experience)!<br /><br />I do understand what you are saying about the Holy Trinity. The Father and the Son’s love creating the Holy Spirit just as the man and woman’s love creates a new life. I’m not saying I “UNDERSTAND”, but I believe I get the point you are making and it is a beautiful way to make that mystery a little more easily understood.<br /><br />I actually have to say that the more deeply I delve into my faith and the spiritual things in life, the more mysteries I uncover. I don’t mean figure out. I mean the more mysteries I become aware of. In fact the more I open my eyes, the less I see. And the less I see the more faith I need. And until the faith catches up, I DOUBT.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11163879664929603251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-30038953598570677172012-06-03T19:03:45.133-05:002012-06-03T19:03:45.133-05:00When I was a young girl I used to ask my dad so ma...When I was a young girl I used to ask my dad so many questions about God and most of his answers were "It's a mystery". I used to wonder why God was so much of a mystery. My Dad could never explain it to where I could understand. Your explaination is one that I can understand. My dad's love for me and my siblings was also overwhelming as well. I don't know why I never saw it that way before. Thanks for your meditation. God Bless you Father.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com