Life in the Spirit

sanctus

The Padre
Oct 27, 2006
4,558
48
48
Ontario
www.poetrypoem.com





Fr. C. G. Vaillancourt


We are invited to live a life in the Spirit of God, this calls for renunciation of the earthly life, detachment from our material world, possessions and the ego.

We must die to the old self to experience the new self which is empowered by the Holy Spirit to live according to the Will of God.

This new life creates new commitments to God, which involve more time for God than before, we are encouraged to participate in different types of prayer meetings, we may practice different devotions, we may be called to receive the Lord daily in the Holy Eucharist, we may decide to pray the Rosary daily and many other activities which did not make sense before.

We are the new apostles of the Lord, and we must pray for the unity of the Church and the hope that all who have left her may return to Holy Mother Church, we must proclaim the Good News to everyone and be living witnesses of the truth.

Pray that the gifts the Lord is giving you will be given to everyone, pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit continually.

Those experiencing the action of the Holy Spirit may receive visions, locutions, dreams, knowledge, wisdom, shakes, moans or sighs when they pray, etc. They are little consolations but we must not seek them, they can become weapons of the adversary to make us believe that we are doing very well spiritually. Beware friends in Christ, pray continually to the Holy Spirit for discernment and to Our Lady to protect you from the enemy. Pray the Holy Rosary.

Those who are receiving the gifts of grace from the Lord will also experience the attacks of the enemy who comes in our dreams or during events of our lives tempting us, humiliating us and trying to discourage us.

Whatever we do in the new spiritual life, let us us always do in the name of Jesus, thanking our Heavenly Father for His gifts and living our lives consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the most perfect of all creatures, She is the Immaculate Conception, in other words She reflects perfectly the image of God that Adam and Eve reflected before they committed sin. She was conceived without sin by a very special Grace of God Who made Her full of Grace, She grew in that Grace and later was requested to become the Mother of the Word of God Who took flesh and blood from Her and became man. The Conception of Our Lord happened by the action of the Holy Spirit in the virginal womb of Mary [Luke 1:35].

This spousal between the Holy Spirit and Mary is the most intimate encounter between God and man. Out of this fruitful union came Our Blessed Lord Who being God humbled Himself to clothe Himself with our humanity, remaining a prisoner in the womb of the Blessed Virgin for nine months and accompanying Her during thirty years of His life.

By the spousal with the Holy Spirit, Our Lady was anointed and sanctified, She cooperated with the Holy Spirit in so far as becoming His most perfect instrument. No one can claim that they could be as useful to God as Mary is. This is why Our Lady says humbly, The Lord has done great things in me and holy is His name. All generations shall call me blessed. [ The Magnificat - Luke 1:46-55 ]

By the action of the Holy Spirit, Mary became the tree of Life. The fruit of this tree is first of all Our Lord Who is the bread of life. As we accept Christ into our lives and live a Christian life fulfilling the promises made in our Baptism, we become the children of God who by precedence have the same spiritual mother as His Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord. So we are the children of the new Eve, we have been conceived in the spiritual womb of Mary which is Her Immaculate Heart.

No wonder Our Lord said, you must be born again: " You must become a child of Mary".

The Holy Spirit begets the children of God in Mary, He did that first with Our Lord, we are also children of God, children of Mary.

In revelation 12:17 we are told that the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil was very angry with the woman who conceived the child who rules all the nations [Revelation 12:5] whose enmity was stated in [Genesis 3:15]. He, the devil went out to make war to the woman and the rest of her children [ who accept Mary as Mother ] , those who keep the commandments [Revelation 12:17] and accept the teachings of Jesus Christ.

So this great privilege of being the spouse of the Holy Spirit is unique to Our Blessed Mother, and yet God has made us all temples of His Holy Spirit so that we can be united to Him and love Him as Mary does.

We must become like Mary in order to receive these great gifts of God, we must learn to love God the way She loves Him: as a perfect daughter of God the Father, as a perfect mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ and as the perfect spouse of the Holy Spirit. Amen
 

mapleleafgirl

Electoral Member
Dec 13, 2006
864
12
18
34
windsor,ontario
Fr. C. G. Vaillancourt


We are invited to live a life in the Spirit of God, this calls for renunciation of the earthly life, detachment from our material world, possessions and the ego.


so are you saying here that we shouldnt own anything? i was reading in the bible this morning about how the first christians lived in what sounds like some kind of commune and sold everything they owned for the community. is this the right way we are suposed to live?
 

sanctus

The Padre
Oct 27, 2006
4,558
48
48
Ontario
www.poetrypoem.com
so are you saying here that we shouldnt own anything? i was reading in the bible this morning about how the first christians lived in what sounds like some kind of commune and sold everything they owned for the community. is this the right way we are suposed to live?

No, that does not mean we cannot own anything. However, remember that what we do own are just "things". They are not important in the scheme of life. Becoming overly attached to things makes us detached from God.
 

selfactivated

Time Out
Apr 11, 2006
4,276
42
48
60
Richmond, Virginia
Im not being disrespectful I swear.

But thats a Shamonic Death. Ive been through it several times on this path. The Toltecs call it recapitulation. this is a prime example of how the same ideas are passed down through different beliefs. Im always so amazed that these ideas are created in different parts of the world around the same times.
 

selfactivated

Time Out
Apr 11, 2006
4,276
42
48
60
Richmond, Virginia
Im sorry Padre Ive a dozen books here on it but I cant find a site that you would call repitable on it. I found a few keepers for myself but the best one is a bit oppinionated on religions. So I cant back up my observation but I KNOW it to be true.
 

sanctus

The Padre
Oct 27, 2006
4,558
48
48
Ontario
www.poetrypoem.com
Im not being disrespectful I swear.

But thats a Shamonic Death. Ive been through it several times on this path. The Toltecs call it recapitulation. this is a prime example of how the same ideas are passed down through different beliefs. Im always so amazed that these ideas are created in different parts of the world around the same times.


For me, it indicates the truth of God in that the message He gives us passes to all peoples, often in different formats from what we in the West have encountered.

To the point, as people we have a terrible habit of getting overly attached to useless items. No matter how much we accumulate on this earth, it is of no value to us when we die.
 

selfactivated

Time Out
Apr 11, 2006
4,276
42
48
60
Richmond, Virginia
For me, it indicates the truth of God in that the message He gives us passes to all peoples, often in different formats from what we in the West have encountered.

To the point, as people we have a terrible habit of getting overly attached to useless items. No matter how much we accumulate on this earth, it is of no value to us when we die.


I'll Have to agree with you there. When I left Texas I brought 1 trunk and one duffle bag. Thats all. I left a 3 bedroom house full of things including pictures and wotnots. I then lived in a bedroom bigger than my house now and had even less there. Here I have a house (converted 1 car garage) more stuff lol but its not like in Texas. Its like a lil tipi with sage hanging and dreamcatchers (I make them) plants, faeries lol But its homey and small and the only thing Id miss would be my comp. I have a good life. I have no real attachments and if I lost it all Id go into the forest and live there.
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
27,780
285
83
bliss
For me, it indicates the truth of God in that the message He gives us passes to all peoples, often in different formats from what we in the West have encountered.

To the point, as people we have a terrible habit of getting overly attached to useless items. No matter how much we accumulate on this earth, it is of no value to us when we die.

I see way too many people who drive themselves insane over 'stuff'. They run their family into debt because they need the newest, nicest, biggest stuff. Their houses are cluttered, because they have to keep all of their stuff. They can't clean without frustration, because they have to move around all their stuff. Their kids aren't allowed to play and be kids, because they might wreck some of that valuable 'stuff'.

I think I'm going to head down stairs and throw out some stuff.
 

sanctus

The Padre
Oct 27, 2006
4,558
48
48
Ontario
www.poetrypoem.com
I'll Have to agree with you there. When I left Texas I brought 1 trunk and one duffle bag. Thats all. I left a 3 bedroom house full of things including pictures and wotnots. I then lived in a bedroom bigger than my house now and had even less there. Here I have a house (converted 1 car garage) more stuff lol but its not like in Texas. Its like a lil tipi with sage hanging and dreamcatchers (I make them) plants, faeries lol But its homey and small and the only thing Id miss would be my comp. I have a good life. I have no real attachments and if I lost it all Id go into the forest and live there.

Good for you. You're unique.
Remember even Jesus taught about attachment to things, as did many other spiritual leaders. Krishnamurti, have you read any of his stuff by the way, waxes eloquent on the topic of spirit versus "things"/
 

selfactivated

Time Out
Apr 11, 2006
4,276
42
48
60
Richmond, Virginia
Good for you. You're unique.
Remember even Jesus taught about attachment to things, as did many other spiritual leaders. Krishnamurti, have you read any of his stuff by the way, waxes eloquent on the topic of spirit versus "things"/

No I hadnt but Ive looked up his site. http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/About_J_Krishnamurti I'll give it a once over later tonight. Ive always been amazed by the simularities in the different writings. Each giving a different "AH HA" moment :) Last year I read Bhagavad- Gita and was blown over by how simular Krishna was to Christ in teachings. It just blew me away.
 

sanctus

The Padre
Oct 27, 2006
4,558
48
48
Ontario
www.poetrypoem.com
No I hadnt but Ive looked up his site. http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/About_J_Krishnamurti I'll give it a once over later tonight. Ive always been amazed by the simularities in the different writings. Each giving a different "AH HA" moment :) Last year I read Bhagavad- Gita and was blown over by how simular Krishna was to Christ in teachings. It just blew me away.

Krishnamurti is one of my favourite authors to read. I haven't looked through the Bhagavad-Gita in years....!!
 

sanctus

The Padre
Oct 27, 2006
4,558
48
48
Ontario
www.poetrypoem.com
can we read spiritual books by non-catholics father c.?


Yes, why not? Naturally the church dosen't expect you to incorporate other faith ideals into our teachings, but as a read sure. It is good to see things from a different perspective. Also Maple, the Church recognizes the spiritual value of all things which are consistent with its own teachings.
 

mapleleafgirl

Electoral Member
Dec 13, 2006
864
12
18
34
windsor,ontario
I see way too many people who drive themselves insane over 'stuff'. They run their family into debt because they need the newest, nicest, biggest stuff. Their houses are cluttered, because they have to keep all of their stuff. They can't clean without frustration, because they have to move around all their stuff. Their kids aren't allowed to play and be kids, because they might wreck some of that valuable 'stuff'.

I think I'm going to head down stairs and throw out some stuff.

hah hah....we live in a society that puts allot of value on what we have, not what we are inside. i mean, the first question i hear adults say when they meet each other is "what do you do" like that is somehow very important.
 

mapleleafgirl

Electoral Member
Dec 13, 2006
864
12
18
34
windsor,ontario
Those experiencing the action of the Holy Spirit may receive visions, locutions, dreams, knowledge, wisdom, shakes, moans or sighs when they pray, etc. They are little consolations but we must not seek them, they can become weapons of the adversary to make us believe that we are doing very well spiritually. Beware friends in Christ, pray continually to the Holy Spirit for discernment and to Our Lady to protect you from the enemy. Pray the Holy Rosary.


what kind of visions would people have? and what is a "locution"???
 

sanctus

The Padre
Oct 27, 2006
4,558
48
48
Ontario
www.poetrypoem.com
what kind of visions would people have? and what is a "locution"???

Another word for locution might be revelation-or divinely provided insight.

From the Catholic Enyclopedia:

Visions and Apparitions



This article will deal not with natural but with supernatural visions, that is, visions due to the direct intervention of a power superior to man. Cardinal Bona (De discret. spir., xv, n. 2) distinguishes between visions and apparitions. There is an apparition when we do not know that the figure which we see relates to a real being, a vision when we connect it with a real being. With most mystics we shall consider these terms as synonymous.
THREE TYPES OF VISIONS

Since St. Augustine (De gen. ad litt., 1. XII, vii, n. 16) mystical writers have agreed in dividing visions into corporeal, imaginative, and intellectual.
Corporeal vision. Corporeal vision is a supernatural manifestation of an object to the eyes of the body. It may take place in two ways: either a figure really present strikes the retina and there determines the physical phenomenon of the vision, or an agent superior to man directly modifies the visual organ and produces in the composite a sensation equivalent to that which an external object would produce. According to the authorities the first is the usual manner; it corresponds to the invincible belief of the seer, e.g. Bernadette at Lourdes; it implies a minimum of miraculous intervention if the vision is prolonged or if it is common to several persons. But the presence of an external figure may be understood in two ways. Sometimes the very substance of the being or the person will be presented; sometimes it will be merely an appearance consisting in a certain arrangement of luminous rays. The first may be true of living persons and even, it would seem, of the now glorious bodies of Christ and the Blessed Virgin, which by the eminently probable supernatural phenomenon of multilocation may become present to men without leaving the abode of glory. The second is realized in the corporeal apparition of the unresurrected dead or of pure spirits.
Imaginative vision. Imaginative vision is the sensible representation of an object by the act of imagination alone, without the aid of the visual organ. Sometimes the subject is aware that the object exists only in his imagination, that it is a purely reproduced or composite image. Sometimes he projects it invincibly without, which is the case in supernatural hallucination. In natural imaginative vision the imagination is stirred to action solely by a natural agent, the will of the subject, an internal or an external force, but in supernatural imaginative vision an agent superior to man acts directly either on the imagination itself or on certain forces calculated to stir the imagination. The sign that these images come from God lies, apart from their particular vividness, in the lights and graces of sincere sanctity which accompany them, and in the fact that the subject is powerless to define or fix the elements of the vision. Such efforts most frequently result in the cessation or the abridgement of the vision. Imaginative apparitions are ordinarily of short duration, either because the human organism is unable to endure for a long time the violence done to it, or imaginative visions soon give place to intellectual visions. This kind of vision occurs most frequently during sleep; such were the dreams of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar (Genesis 41; Daniel 2). Cardinal Bona gives several reasons of expediency for this frequency: during sleep the soul is less divided by multiplicity of thoughts, it is more passive, more inclined to accept, and less inclined to dispute; in the silence of the senses the images make a more vivid impression.
It is often difficult to decide whether the vision is corporeal or imaginative. It is certainly corporeal (or extrinsic) if it produces external effects, such as the burnt marks left on an object by the passing of the Devil. It is imaginative if, for example, the image persists after one has closed one's eyes, or if there are no traces of the external effects which ought to have been produced, such as when a ball of fire appears above a person's head without injuring it. The time most conducive to these visions is a state of ecstasy, when the exercise of the external senses is suspended. However, although the question has been discussed among mystics, it seems that they may also be produced outside of this state. This is the opinion of Alvarez de Paz (De grad. contemp., 1., V, pt. III, cii, t. 6) and of Benedict XIV (De servorum Dei beatif., 1. III, c. i, n. 1). Imaginative vision may be either representative or symbolic. It is representative when it presents an image of the very object to be made known: such may have been the apparition to Bl. Joan of Arc of St. Catherine and St. Margaret, if it was not (which is more probable) a luminous vision. It is symbolic when it indicates the object by means of a sign: such as the apparition of a ladder to Jacob, the apparition of the Sun, Moon, and stars to the patriarch Joseph, as were also numerous prophetic visions.
Intellectual visions. Intellectual visions perceive the object without a sensible image. Intellectual visions in the natural order may apparently be admitted. Even when we hold with the Scholastics that every idea is derived form some image, it does not follow that the image cannot at a given time abandon the idea to itself. The intellectual vision is of the supernatural order when the object known exceeds the natural range of the understanding, e.g. the essence of the soul, certain existence of the state of grace in the subject of another, the intimate nature of God and the Trinity; when it is prolonged for a considerable time (St. Teresa says that it may last for more than a year). The intervention of God will be recognized especially by its effects, persistent light, Divine love, peace of soul, inclination towards the things of God, the constant fruits of sanctity.
The intellectual vision takes place in the pure understanding, and not in the reasoning faculty. If the object perceived lies within the sphere of reason, intellectual vision of the supernatural order takes place, according to the Scholastics by means of species acquired by the intellect but applied by God himself or illuminated especially by God. If it is not within the range of reason it takes place by the miraculous infusion into the mind of new species. It is an open question whether in intellectual visions of a superior order the understanding does not perceive Divine things without the aid of species. In this kind of operation the object or fact is perceived as truth and reality, and this with an assurance and certainty far exceeding that which accompanies the most manifest corporeal vision. According to St. Teresa
"We see nothing, either interiorly or exteriorly. . . But without seeing anything the soul conceives the object and feels whence it is more clearly than if it saw it, save that nothing in particular is shown to it. It is like feeling someone near one in a dark place" (first letter to Father Rodrigo Alvarez).​
This is the sense of the presence, to use the expression of modern writers. And again:
"I have rarely beheld the Devil in any form, but he has often appeared to me without one, as is the case in intellectual visions, when as I have said, the soul clearly perceives someone present, although it does not perceive it in any form" (Life, 31).​
The vision is sometimes distinct, sometimes indistinct. The former attests the presence of the object without defining any element. "on the feast of the glorious St. Peter," writes St. Teresa, "being at prayer, I saw, or rather (for I saw nothing, either with the eyes of the body or with those of the soul) I felt my Savior near me and I saw that it was he who spoke to me" (Life, 27).
At a certain degree of height or depth, the vision becomes indescribable, inexpressible in human language. St. Paul, rapt to the third heaven, was instructed in mysteries which it is not in the power of the soul to relate (2 Corinthians 12:4). There is no occasion, however, to accuse the mystics of agnosticism. Their agnosticism, if we may so speak, is merely verbal. The inexpressible is not the incomprehensible. Since Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagitica mystics have been in the habit of designating the profundity of Divine realities by negative terms. The avowal of the powerlessness of human speech does not prevent them from saying, as did St. Ignatius, for example, that what they have seen of the Trinity would be sufficient to establish their faith, even though the Gospels were to disappear. It is impossible to establish a parallel between the degree of spirituality of the vision and the degree of the mystic state or the sanctity of the subject. Imaginative or even corporeal visions may continue in the most advanced state of union, as seems to have been the case with St. Teresa. However, intellectual visions of the supernatural order, as of the mystery of the Trinity, point indisputably to a very high degree of mystical union.
 

sanctus

The Padre
Oct 27, 2006
4,558
48
48
Ontario
www.poetrypoem.com
Uh Huh. I was so angry at your Christ and then I read this book and found the same words.........it connected. Its the ideas not the men.

Christ did not, actually, teach us anything that had already not been revealed by God before the birth of Christ. Even He Himself stated He came to reconcile us with God, not to give us a new teaching.