Hi, I'm normally more of a reader than a poster but feel the need today. I'm 24 and in college studying to be a physics and chemistry teacher. I guess you could say I've always been religious in that I feel a strong spiritual side to me and feel a spiritual connection to the catholic church. I tend to drift a bit though. I like to pretend I'm the same as all my friends and the people I'm in college with but inside it tears me up to see them becoming hardened through meaningless sexual relationships and becoming more and more lonely because of it. My friends know I go to mass and that I believe but they don't realise the in practice the extent of it. I often joke at home about how I would find it easier to admit I had an STD than to say I am a virgin :shock: In college at the moment we are studying the history of education in Ireland, which inevitably leads to a constant barrage of abuse against the Catholic Church. It pains me that it is seen as an institution. I read, I think on Mark Mallets blog, that part of Satan's attack of the church is through propaganda and it seems to me that it is his most effective tool thus far. I guess that what I'm getting at in terms of "The Signs of the Times" is that I find that it is becoming impossible for me to hide who I really am and where my faith really lies. I like to think of myself as a private person. It is even unusual for me to post on a forum like this. I have always kept my faith to myself, giving hints to my friends here and there about how I live when I think that they need to realise there are other ways to live and be happy. I feel now that I am being asked to not hide anymore. Not to preach or anything but to be open about my faith to those I care about and to not be ashamed anymore because the world is turning in such a way that these differences are about to become very important and also they are about to become painful for those of us living in the world. Sorry for the long post. I think I just needed to share my two cents with people of a like mind I guess. Thanks, Siena
Hi again Muireann, I admire you so much for your courage and wisdom. When I was your age I had long since kicked any notion of God far out the window. Nor did I find it again until I was 29 and even them my Mother had to come down from heaven and kick the door of my heart open herself to bring me faith again. I would say in our western culture that it has never, never been so hard to keep the Faith, no not even in Ancient Rome or in the Penal Days when Catholics died in their many thousands for their faith. It reminds me of a great current in the sea that is determined to sweep us all away to hell in the middle of the Dark Atlantic. I was so proud of myself in them days for my 'Independent Thinking'. Yet what thinking? I was only serving up hot what others had cooked up for me. To what will we compare the children of our generation? We are like Kings and Queens, so rich in material prosperity, even in these hard times, educated and cultured beyond the dreams of scholars and people of genius. But the temptations, ah the temptations spread around us like floods of jewels and glittering gold. But for those who stand fast and keep the Gospel I believe we shall see a flood of great saints to make the angels envy. Its true, these days in order to survive we must deeply walk the path of prayer, we must all become mystics. The rosary beads must never be far away..... The holy angels are the faithful helpers and servants of Mary, their Queen. Great is their power, but they cannot attain the victory alone: this is reserved to Mary, Mother of God and Queen of Heaven and earth. As Saint Louis de Montfort says, "the humble Mary will always have the victory over that proud spirit, and so great a victory that She will go so far as to crush his head, where his pride dwells." Saint Louis adds that in these latter times, the Blessed Virgin will raise up great saints, who will extend the empire of Jesus Christ over "the impious, the idolaters and the Muslims." But when and how shall this be? "God alone knows", Saint Louis replied. And he concluded: "God wishes that His holy Mother should be at present more known, more loved, more honored than She has ever been." Note the similarity between these words of Saint Louis de Montfort,2 and Our Lady's own words to Lucia, on June 13, 1917: "Jesus wishes to use you to make Me known and loved."
Siena- Thank you for your post and for your courageous witness. You may not see the fruit of your witness until you get to Heaven, but I firmly believe that by living our faith in a simple, straightforward and unassuming manner, we take a stand against the tide of our current culture that is noticed by others. By simply trying to be a good Catholic, you are helping others that might otherwise stray further from the path... Stay strong! God bless!
________________________________________________________ Siena, Your decision is very courageous. Why? Your love for Jesus, and your desire for those who are blind to such love, have taken center stage in your heart. Such love is greater than the fear of ridicule! I ask you to continue in this direction. Place your heart in the hands of Mary and she will ask her Son to fill it even more with His tender love for you! Jesus will show you in what way He wants you to give witness to him. Begin with small steps and God will increase your confidence. If you are made fun of, bring your hurt to the Heavenly Father; he will embrace you and wipe your tears away. In our prayers, we will stand with you. Galatians 4:6 And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba, Father!" Safe in the Father's Arms!
Thanks guys. Although I don't think I'm courageous seeing as I'm awful busy hiding. I like the baby steps thought. It seems gentle but still being true to God. I think Our Lady is very gentle with me. Almost every time I consult Our Lady's Little Blue Book I expect tough love from her. Some rebuke about not really living as she wishes me to, but she is always so gentle and then I tell myself that she must not be speaking with me through the book. I have gotten the same page in the book for weeks now, telling me that God permits what is happening in my life now and that I should trust where He leads me and pray. I guess there's nothing for it but to keep the rosary beads out and not try to be rushing ahead - accept that I am what I am and my Mother is fully aware of that and knows I'm only able for baby steps. Thanks again. Say an ol prayer for me if you remember
I've always been a bit amazed and envious of souls who attain great holiness when young, especially very young souls like, say Saint Dominic Savio. Still, I suppose it doesn't matter so much how long it takes to climb the mountain so long as we get up the mountain. We have all eternity in front of us. My spiritual director used to say to me on many occasions, 'It is a marathon you are running , not a sprint.' I think this is one of the things that concerns me about the 'Born again' phenomena. One minute you're out there, the next you kind of have it made. This must place enormous pressure on the souls concerned. The rates of 'back-sliding' are enormous and no wonder they simply expect too much of themselves. I was never really able to fast on a regular basis ,for instance, till a few years ago, now I really love it. Maybe the reason why I couldn't do it was I was trying to pluck the apple before it was ready to fall of the tree. All things have their times and seasons. It's like that with so many things now, things once so very hard now done almost without thought. Other things tried for a lifetime and still not working out. But God has His own stop watch. When my heart is ready and empty enough to accept the graces He will pour them in. Luke 5:37,38 No one puts new wine into old wine skins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved. No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’"
