Pondering Tidbits of Truth - December 31, 2014



Pondering Tidbits of Truth is my simple and inadequate way of providing nuggets of spiritual wisdom for you to chew on from time to time.




St. Augustine


“…how the sea comes in through any leaky places in the hull, and little by little fills the hold of the boat. Unless it is expelled, the ship goes down ... Imitate the sailors: their hands never rest until they have baled her out thoroughly; let yours never rest from doing good. In spite of everything however, the bottom of the ship will fill with water again, because the weak points of our human nature are always there; and you will have to man the pumps again.”

(From Sermon 16)


Father Jean  Nicolas Grou

"Many disorders are committed in the world; but incomparably more are committed in the secret of men's hearts that are never able to be actually committed for want of occasion and resources.  Whoever could look secretly upon all that men desire, resolve, and execute in the interior of their mind would find them a thousand times more wicked than they appear outwardly."

(From The Spiritual Life-A Comprehensive Guide for Catholics Seeking Salvation)






St. Augustine

"For whilst you give yourself up to evil, you come to consider yourself good, because you do not take the trouble to look at yourself. You reproach others and you do not take, stock of yourself. You accuse others and you do not examine yourself. You place them before your very eyes and you place yourself behind your back. So when the time comes for me to reckon with you I shall do the opposite; I will turn you around and confront you with yourself. Then you will see yourself and you will weep."


(From Sermon 17)

 

Comments

  1. Certainly something to think about. The quote by Father Jean Nicolas Grou is interesting. If someone harbours hatred/ill-will towards someone who did him harm and yet does nothing about it. Is it still a sin? One may well have forgiven the ill-doer and wish him no harm; yet deep in one's heart still resent the wrong done in the past. If it remains in one's heart, and no one is really harmed, why is it still a sin?

    Best wishes for a Blessed and Peaceful New Year to you and yours. God bless.

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  2. Thank you for this Michael. Best wishes for the New Year to you and your family.

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  3. Regarding St. Augustine in the first quote, he is surely correct about manning the pumps all over again. Confession is the way to man the pumps.

    To Victor: Harboring hatred and ill-will towards another is always a sin. Forgiving someone doesn't mean that we don't still feel the wounds of the sin committed against us, it means that we constantly strive to imitate Christ in forgiving by not harboring resentment. That means we turn our minds to Christ whenever we find ourselves nursing the old wound and will to stop abusing ourselves by indulging in bad feelings. We are always the one harmed, invisible to others, by hanging on to resentments. Frequent confession is hugely helpful in letting go of resentments.

    Letting go of resentments doesn't mean that we go out and make the one who has sinned against us our best friend and pal. It does mean that we pray for that person. Sometimes it takes years to get over an offense against us due to our lack of spiritual light. It may be a journey God wants us to take as He continues polishing us up for eternity.

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  4. I appreciate your visits Victor, David and Barbara.

    Only God knows what is in our hearts. We cannot deceive Him even if we are successful in deceiving others. The General Judgment will be the great equalizer - when the rest of humanity will see everything that was in our hearts and minds.

    Victor I am am glad that Barbara answered your question and thank her for oing so. I would not add anything to what Barbara has offered us.

    God bless each of you.

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