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The Shaping of Our Seeing Her
On The Communion of Saints
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Aug 13, 2008 |
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Saying For Today: Indeed, the words in Christ imply all others in Christ, and without them I cannot be in Christ and Christ in me. She and I cannot be apart, for I am I only in Her, and She is She for being in me.
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A spiritual seeker on retreat noticed everyone was joyful but him. He asked the Spiritual Director, "Why is everyone here so joyful except me?" The Director replied, "Because they have learned to see goodness and beauty everywhere." The man asked, "Why don't I see goodness and beauty everywhere?" "Because you cannot see outside of you what you fail to see inside."
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I sat in my den contemplating taking a vow to marry the Church, for the Church to be my bride. Replacing the sad and negative energy in my body was a fresh flow of light and joyous energy. But, as a Catholic Priest told me, that idea is a very Catholic idea. Yes, Father Leo likely never dreamed ~ in his wildest dreams ~ that a Protestant pastor from South Georgia, and one raised a Southern Baptist, would sit in his office and speak of marrying the Church. His training for the priesthood I am very sure never offered a lesson on: "What to say to a Protestant pastor who speaks to you of marrying the Church."
Well, my pastoral training never trained me that I could vow to wed the Church, for Her to be my bride, the One I would, for Christ, give my life for in service and devotion, till death do us part.
Even the thought says much about my love for the Church, the very Church that for years I resisted and tried to run from ~ my closest friends can tell you of the ways I tried to escape the Church, before finally settling in and deciding to quit running. Possibly, sometimes the best relationship is one we run like hades from, until we humble ourselves and surrender to Love.
Now, the very Church I once did not trust and refused to see beauty in, has become like a bride to me. Why the change? I chose to begin seeing Her beauty, rather than all the things I did not like about Her.
Continued... |
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