Comments on: Power Vacuum

By: Natalia K.

Natalia K. — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:39:26 +0000

Hi! It’s the first time I’ve read your blog (sorry! Didn’t even know about it) and, well, i thought this post was very touching and the most questionable subject about Catholic Religion: suffering. I’ve come to the conclusion that suffering is the consequence of our free will: if you eat too much and too quickly you’re probably going to get sick and God has nothing to do about it but to let us know that eating too much is not good for us. If you got sick because you ate a lot, you can offer (offer?) it as a sacrifice AND it’s a great opportunity for someone else to take care of you and show compassion and charity. So, everything is finally connected: no, you shouldn’t eat too much very often, but when you get sick from eating, you are making opportunities for others to take care of you and show mercyfulness and goodness. Now take my silly food example to a greater level and you get a network of chances and interactions between human beings. Suffering and Happiness are just two ways in which we can show our Love to one another and to God…Did I made any sense to you?

By: Steve Gershom

Steve Gershom — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 18:52:50 +0000

I doubt you’re lazy. There are people who work at it less hard than you or I do (or maybe not at all?) but just don’t get depressed and anxious to the same degree. Go figure, right?

By: T

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 18:50:32 +0000

I’ve battled with depression and anxiety for a long time but having been to counseling for as long and being a moderately intelligent person I feel like I have the tools to overcome or deal with it. Therefore, I feel really guilty for falling into slums and even more for staying there. Am I lazy? I do keep moving on and doing what I can do, but my relationship with God is just as much up and down as everything else in my life. As always, thanks Steve.

By: Teresa

Teresa — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:37:27 +0000

The one silver lining to your suffering that’s obvious to me is that it helps us, your fellow-Christians tarry on knowing we’re not alone in this battle.
And about your friend R- she sounds just like me. I toyed with the idea of leaving my faith just because I was sick and tired of consulting with God and my conscience and feeling deprived of all the fun and joy I was giving up for Jesus..that was the beginning of a downward spiral- I did go far away from God, and it was horrible, but the stark contrast of that life to the life I knew spent with Jesus- made me turn back[God's grace and mercy found me]. And turns out that my whole relationship with God needed changing. God works in ways we cannot understand. If St.Augustine could be saved by the prayers of his mother- who’s to say R won’t be?:)

By: Ellie

Ellie — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:05:49 +0000

I don’t know the answer, either. It’s a question I keep coming back to, and then putting back on the back burner in hopes that if I take it out a few years down the road, it will make more sense. It hasn’t yet. I hope, I PRAY, that it will for you soon. God Bless.

By: mattboulter

mattboulter — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:55:37 +0000

The quotation (fn 1) is CS Lewis.

Thanks!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:48:05 +0000

I just wanted to thank you for writing this. I have been having some issues in my relationship with God, and faith, and I’ve been talking to my priest about it, but I could never quite say what I meant.

I sent him the link to this post and said, “THIS. This is what I mean.”

By: Jo

Jo — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 13:16:31 +0000

If you get a chance, read Gaitley’s “Consoling the Heart of Jesus”. Life-changing trust it engenders.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 22:41:56 +0000

Only the Architect of the bridge to Himself can tell us why the bridge was built over dark and swirling waters. A good bridge tender will keep the bridge strong for us, and will help move us forward, but he only knows his own span of the bridge. Don’t look for him to explain the decisions of the Master Architect. That’s not his or our job. Stay on the bridge – with faith and hope — and when you get to the other side, go ahead and ask the Architect to explain the love of it all. I don’t think He’ll mind. At least I hope He won’t mind — because I intend to ask myself. One step at a time, I will cross the bridge.

By: Mark from PA

Mark from PA — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:39:15 +0000

Heavy thoughts. Just stopping by to give you a hug. Peace & Blessings to you.