“It is a fatal error to mistake mere historical belief for saving faith. A person may firmly believe in his or her religion historically, and
yet have no part nor portion therein practically and savingly. He or she must not only believe this faith, but must believe IN his or her faith.” - St. Thomas More [16th C.], “Meditations and Devotions” - (Faith and belief: how do these relate in your life?)
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Christianity and Spirituality monthly forum
June 6:
7:30 - 8:30 p.m. CDT
Topic: TBA
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Jas 5:1-6; Ps 49:14-15ab, 15cd-16, 17-18, 19-20
Mk 9:41-50
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who
believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it
off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if
off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into
the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
"Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."
Reflection on the Scriptures
Today’s gospel makes it seem so easy to just cut something off when it causes us to sin. But it isn’t easy, is it? Removing the things in our life that separate us from the
unconditional love of God should be easy, and yet, we hold on to our vices, our hurts, our frustrations, our grudges, and our fears. I have not figured out why my first instinct is usually to hide in my grief rather than run to Jesus, who is the healer of wounded souls. But one thing I do know is that it takes courage to grieve well. It takes courage to let go of that which separates us from God. It takes courage to retain our spiritual flavor that allows us to live in peace with ourselves and
others. It takes courage to allow ourselves to be poor in spirit by giving up all the things that prevent us from experiencing God’s love and peace in our lives. It takes courage to offer no resistance when the opportunity arises to let go. Merciful and loving God, grant us the courage to let go of all that
prevents us from completely loving God, self, and others. Amen. by Vivian Amu
Psychic Energy and Contemplation by James
Arraj From St. John of the Cross and Dr. C. J. Jung, Part III, Chapter 7. Inner Growth Books, 1986. Temptations and Contemplation St. John's stress on the role of the devil underlines the autonomous quality of these temptations. His explanation, however, could
not at that time go another step and recognize the compensatory relationship between the spiritual attitude of consciousness and the movements of sensuality in the unconscious. A distinct pattern is now emerging. Precisely at the moment when the soul is to pass over into a more spiritual way, it is attacked by a resurgence of sense; the heads of the dragon come alive again. The tiny bait of sense becomes irresistible, and foul and impure images can flood the mind. There are other phenomena which
round out this picture and give us another view of the devil at work. "For the evil one takes his stand, with great cunning, on the road which leads from sense to spirit, deceiving and luring the soul by means of sense, and giving it sensual things ... And if perchance any soul enters into recollection, he
labours to bring about its ruin by means of horrors, fears or pains of the body, or by outward sounds and noises, causing it to be distracted by sense, in order to bring it out and distract it from the interior spirit, until he can do no more and so leaves it."(23) As the beginner nears contemplation, the
things of sense become more attractive, and if he eludes these sirens and enters into recollection, all hell breaks loose and attempts to drag him out. It is significant that these horrors, fears, pains and noises are meant to distract it by means of sense. Here again it is a case of high spirituality being accompanied by low sensuality.
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