Comments on: River of suffering – St. John of the Cross http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross Seek Him - Find Him - Follow Him Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: danburke http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7284 danburke Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:11:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7284 Good question – I couldn’t find the source… If anyone else is aware, please let us know.

]]> By: JoFlemings http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7189 JoFlemings Sat, 10 Mar 2012 20:01:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7189 Joseph, I think the concept of suffering is universal, so all you have to do is mention hardship and everyone can think of something in their lives to which they can relate. The challenge you have is actually in building the theological bridge for people through catechesis that helps them see that God uses our sufferings to purify us, to bring us closer to Himself and to conform us to His image- it is actually the way to become closest to Christ– to enter into His sorrows and sufferings; and He has carried all of our pain before we have ever even become aware of it or of Him. I think we get hung up on the idea of our very human response, which is to make every effort to escape, alleviate, eradicate or ameliorate suffering in our lives and in the lives of others. That is what seems most human and most merciful. But actually it is the yielding to suffering that is beyond our control and the giving of ourselves over to whatever draught or sip from Christ’s chalice that the Lord ordains for us, that is going to make us most fulfilled in this life- in the context of the Christian vocation, I mean. Lent and the Stations of the Cross devotion are a good means for helping people grasp this, I think. Maybe you can make it personal for them by talking them through similar experiences in their own lives that might be parallels to what Jesus went through in each station- or something like that.  I bet you are God’s man for the moment though and He will give you some great resources!

]]> By: danburke http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7087 danburke Tue, 06 Mar 2012 01:42:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7087 Here’s a link to a reliable translation: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0935216146/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cathospiridir-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0935216146

]]> By: Becky313 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7028 Becky313 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:01:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7028 A healthy fear of displeasing or offending God is good!  It shows the desire of our hearts.  But when it turns to worry or fear of being able to accomplish what God asks of us, that’s not of God, but the evil one.

Jesus promises us, “I will be with you ALWAYS!!!”, and God never gives us more than we can handle. 

We must remember that all we can handle is what He gives us today!  Tomorrow He will give us the grace to deal with tomorrow’s challenges. (Matthew 6:34)

God Bless Us!!

]]> By: danburke http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7027 danburke Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:32:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7027 Approved

]]> By: Sojrnr http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7026 Sojrnr Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:41:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7026 I wonder if there is anything more terrifying than a test of faith. But then again we must be tested if our faith is to remain strong. Still there are a lot of nights spent questioning if I’ll be ready, if my faith is in good soil or is covered with thorns.

]]> By: Sojrnr http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7025 Sojrnr Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:21:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7025  Thank you both.

]]> By: judeen http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7022 judeen Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:39:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7022 we need each other.. God asked us to love one another.. to help each other and love each other no matter what.. the worry is not of God… take each moment as God gives it to us… suffering is a blessing.. for one can love in such depth and understand others… those who God loves goes through this purification…. so be pacient… your time is not now… except what God wants… and remember nothing but good comes out of things when God is in it…

]]> By: judeen http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7021 judeen Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:36:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7021 Forgiveness is powerful… and we dont think too.. what got that person to such despreate point in their life to do such a thing.. I do not want to know… God does… ours is to forgive , our weapon is love.. and to remember the enemy is Powers and pricipalitys that have fallen from heaven…

]]> By: judeen http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/02/28/river-of-suffering-st-john-of-the-cross/comment-page-1#comment-7020 judeen Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:33:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=7628#comment-7020 only through God… my children molsted…. could you forgive that person?   only through God.. and other things… it is a process .. it is not a feeling but a decision… and stick to it… the feeling comes later… but it is a freedom for the person to forgive.. giving it to God… for we can do nothing.. we stop the pain in fogiving and stop the hurt that the devil wants us to have… we beleive in eternity … that is our hope… and we forgive as we would want to be forgiven – the Our Father
  God bless                the pain does leave… use it for souls..

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