Okay. Here's the deal. We are keeping my friend's dog (which was actually our dog that we pawned off on her a few years ago). We are on Day 5, and I'm not sure how many more days are left. She went out of state for her Dad's funeral, and wasn't sure when she would return.
But, before I elaborate on how her dog is going to take (at least) me to Heaven's gates, I need to explain the basis for how these things work, in case you didn't know, or need a refresher.
My son is making his First Communion this year, so yesterday, I spoke to the kiddos and their parents on this very subject, as they prepare to make their first Confession.
If you're not Catholic, this is our belief in a nutshell:
1. Jesus redeemed us from our sins by His death on the Cross. (We are Christians, after all).
2. When we are sorry for our sins, He forgives us and heals us in the Sacrament of Penance (Also called Reconciliation or Confession).
3. Out of gratitude and love for God, we make an effort to make up for our sins, or to do "penance". Christ redeemed us, but gives us the gift of participating with him in our redemption, and that of others. If we have "broken" things, or people, or relationships, they still need mending, even after we have been forgiven for "breaking" them in the first place.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, there are at least eight ways to do penance. They are:
1. Prayer
2. Works of charity
3. Service to neighbor
4. Offering
5. Acts of self-denial
6. Acceptance of our cross
7. Sacrifice
8. Works of mercy
So, basically anything (by our intention) can be penance, or means to repair our relationship with God and others. And not only repair it, but improve it beyond what is was before we messed it up. We do this over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. And, as long as we keep trying, through the mercy of God, and Jesus' death on the cross, we hope for Heaven. We do our little (necessary only because God knows we need it) part, to cooperate with the big and very necessary part of Christ redeeming us. He is the one thing necessary.
Back to the dog...The potential spiritual gift this dog is to us this week is incomprehensible. She is 8 penances wrapped in one! 8 in 1. With Christmas around the corner, I can't even imagine what you'd have to pay for the equivalent in the material world. Who could put a price on a
Bo-Flex/Swiffer/Flobie/Noiseless Insect Repellant/Clap-on Lamp/Ab Roller/iBot/Boze Sound Wave machine?!
Let me describe life with Piper, so you can better appreciate what an 8-in-1 penance "Super Buy" looks like:
*She is BIG. Well over 100 pounds. Considerably more than any of my kids. Maybe more than me. She could flatten my 4-year-old, if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And it would be terrible to look like a pancake to a dog who loves to eat.
*She stinks. Think wet dog, dirt, and pee. In all fairness, my friend gave her a bath less than a week ago, but it has worn off.
*She is a LOVER. L.O.V.E.R. Love...Lover...Love-est. Scratch lover. She is a LOVE-EST. She wants to be in constant contact. Her butt to your kneecap is FINE with her. She is not at all picky about where or how. If you are walking and accidentally look at her, she'll throw herself down in your projected path and roll over, waiting for any effort you can part with.
*She talks. Growls, really, but in a friendly, I-love-you, pay-attention-to-me, way. Only, if you don't engage her, she gets louder and more insistent, and pretty soon, she is plain rude. Especially when I'm making dinner. And I end up thinking, "You're not my boss!", and then I start feeling a little nutty that I have self-talk about a dog not being my boss.
*She's a little incontinent. Every time she takes a little step, a little pee comes out. I wonder if my friend even notices this, because she only comes in at night at her house, and then she sleeps in one contained room at the end of the house. However, it is cold and rainy, and as much as I want to, I can't leave her outside the whole time! Unfortunately, one of the reasons we bought and love our house is that it is so open. No unoccupied, uncarpeted rooms with a door, here. Wait a minute! I just realized she could stay in the bathroom! Ha! Oh, the irony. At any rate, my husband and I are mopping up more pee than when we were potty training our two-year-olds.
*She seems to think the trash can is a store where she can afford everything and has a tab, so she just helps herself. A cloth napkin, a pencil, some foil, and the bones from a chicken breast were a few of her selections today. The trash can is sleeping on the kitchen counter tonight. Hopefully, she's not feeling that ambitious.
*The final thing is that we've been adopted by a cat in the last month or so. You know how it goes, you can't get your hands on it at first, and then it's sleeping in your bed. On your face. Well, this kitty is much loved and adored around here, and you probably guessed it...Piper isn't big on cats. She corners and chases them. There's only been one showdown so far, but there's plenty of tension at play while kitty sharpens her ninja and spy skills.
So, when I say I am riding a dog to Heaven. I mean, Piper. And this is how Piper is "getting me to Heaven", as my penance:
1. I pray. I pray to God that my friend comes back SOON. I pray that I don't do anything I'll regret. I pray that I don't end up in the "loony bin". I pray that my children will still speak to me when they see that I can stoop even lower than they ever thought possible before.
2. Act of charity. I knew keeping Piper would be hard. We already have a very good, very sweet, very stinky, very hairy dog. I said "yes" anyway, for love of my friend, who has experienced more tragedy in the last month than hopefully, any of us will in our lifetime.
3. Service to Neighbor. Yep.
4. Offering my actions. I should be offering every time I pet her, and every time I have to wash my hands right afterward, for those who can't get to the sink on their own, for my friend, or for all of the people who work as hard as Piper does to be loved, without ever being noticed. I'll do better in the offering department. Right now, I offer this blog for all of those intentions, and for you.
5. Act of self-denial. She's still alive and she's still in my house. That's two.
6. Acceptance of our cross. In this case, I'm working on it. This post has been the perfect therapy. I mean, tool.
7. Sacrifice. Check.
8. Work of mercy. See number two.
Dear God, Father and Creator of all that is good and all that makes us good, Thank you for Piper. Thank you for my friend who took her off of our hands years ago. Thank you for the way she has bonded our family in so many ways, particularly in appreciation of the dog we already have. Thank you for Your Mercy, Your greatest attribute. Thank you for Confession, and all priests who make it possible.
Father, please "expiate all the sins I have committed this day and during all my life. Purify the good I have done poorly this day and during all my life. Supply for the good I ought to have done, and that I have neglected this day and all my life."
Thank you for opportunities to reflect on the ways you allow us to participate in Your Saving Work. You know we need to show You how much we love You. Thank you for giving us things we can do to prove our love. Lord, please be with my friend, and all who are suffering the loss of those who were, and are, dearest to them. Console them as only You can, and help us to follow Your inspirations when it's our turn. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Unfinished Business
The last two days have given me a lot to think about. I'm dumbfounded. Maybe it is a good thing God only lets us see a little bit at a time...
Case #1: My boys are becoming very interested in skateboarding, so we've been hitting the skate park after dinner. Last night, I noticed a very little boy who was surprisingly proficient on a scooter and a little girl hanging out behind one of the jumps. I didn't see any parents, but assumed, since the kids were so young, that they were close by.
I saw them again tonight, and unfortunately, I was wrong. The young girl wandered over to our game of tennis, so I invited her to join us. I asked her where her Mom was. She said, "She's not really around here." After a few more questions from me, I learned that her Mom lives in Southgate (a low-income apartment complex), but she is living with the other kids who are her cousins and their parents, across the street from the skate park. Apparently, tonight, the parents were in Snook - a little town 16 miles from here, and the oldest cousin (a teenage girl) was in charge of the others (ages 12, 7, and 3-the little boy on the scooter). .
It was a little after 8pm, so I told her we were going to have to go, because it was bedtime. She said, "It's 8:00? My bedtime is 8:30." I told her "You better go soon, too, so you can get to bed on time." Then, she told me, "I can't. When the parents leave, we can't get in the house", proceeded to name all of the doors that were locked, and said "Maybe 1:00". I said, "1:00 in the morning?!" She nodded.
I felt sick as I packed up our tennis gear, imagining those little kids "stuck" at the skate park for any length of time, let alone until 1:00 in the morning! I wanted to take her with me (and her 3-year-old cousin, too), but I couldn't figure out how to get around the inevitable kidnapping charge. Instead, I thanked her for playing with us, and she ambled away. I couldn't believe I was leaving her and her 3-year-old cousin there. The very-foul language and sometimes overt sexuality at the skate park make me uncomfortable. My mind raced as we went home and I put my own boys in bed.
After bedtime prayers and kisses goodnight, I drove back up to the skate park and had a look around. I decided that if I couldn't take those kids to my house and put them to bed, I could at least call the police, and get somebody on the job. Fortunately, the kids were nowhere around, and I turned around and went home.
I don't know if anything will come of it, but they are definitely on my "radar". There are soccer moms, classroom moms, hockey moms, you-name-it... Where are the skateboard moms?!!
Case #2: I received a voicemail from the Church office yesterday, with details of a lady who was asking if anyone could bring her groceries, and whether the transportation ministry (which I coordinate) could help. However, earlier that morning, a friend unexpectedly picked up my 4-year-old for an overnighter, so I was really looking forward to a full day of FREEDOM.
I tried to ignore the voicemail (reasoning that it was likely a lady I already know), and finished up some paperwork that I needed to take to the Church anyway. When I dropped the paperwork off, the secretary in the Church office told me that the lady needing groceries had already called back three times, thinking that she'd missed the call. Ugh.
I walked out to my car, trying to decide which chunk of my freedom I wanted to lose - to run an errand for someone I didn't know. I reluctantly picked up my phone and called her, hoping that she could wait one more day. I didn't ask her, but she couldn't. Her daughter was sick, and she wanted to make some soup to get her well. I took down her list and headed to HEB.
Have you ever grocery shopped for someone you didn't know? What brand of bouillon do they like? What is "sweet bread" if it isn't the Hawaiian kind? Did you know Nescafe comes in cinnamon and dark roast? Are store brand instant potatoes as good as name brand?
After marking through everything on her list, and getting my list, too, I was on my way. I knocked on the front door, and stood there with grocery sacks up my arms. I waited, but no one came. I rang the doorbell, and no one came. I started walking around the house, and I saw her.
I don't mean to be stereotypical, but she looked like one of those kind-eyed, short-in-stature, 80-year-old ladies from the Himalayas, smiling for a National Geographic photographer. She insisted on taking some of the groceries from my arms, and I retrieved more. She kept saying "You're an angel, You're an angel" and told me how she started "praying and praying" after she called all of the grocery stores, and churches, and found out no one delivers.
We piled all of the groceries on the dryer in the musty garage, and I asked about her daughter. She quickly and quietly said, "Aca! Aca!" and ushered me into the house. Laundry was piled up all around the perimeter of the living room, like a laundry service with hills of white sheets, and water was running full blast in the bathroom. She apologized for the house, and led me to a very thin lady laying in a chair in the middle of the room, with her feet propped up on an end table.
She roused her 50-year-old daughter who she described as being very weak, after vomiting for days last week, after eating something. Her daughter was now unable to walk, and she thought some soup might help her get some strength back. The daughter half-smiled, made brief eye contact, and thanked me for coming, at her mother's insistence. She had not been to the doctor, and I'm not sure why.
My lady was eager to fix the soup. I offered to take her daughter to the hospital, if the soup didn't help. She said she would call me if she needed help, paid me $77 for the groceries (plus $23 for the Church, and $10 for my gas), and I left. I kept wondering if I should have pushed harder to take her daughter to the hospital, but I had to get home to meet my kids after school.
I fully expected to hear from her today. I didn't hear anything and called twice with no answer. Tonight, to my chagrin, my husband informed me of a recent E.coli outbreak in our area. If I can't get her on the phone tomorrow, I'm going to see if I can track them down at one of the local hospitals...
In both of these circumstances, I feel powerless. Instead of having the ability to tie up the loose ends with a pretty bow, I'm restricted to this little desk, writing to you. I hope my sharing will help you go to these places with me. Entering into another person's world is a tremendous privilege. Even, and especially if it is unsettling to do so.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for beautiful weather, friends who love my kids, and the world wide web. Thank you for meeting and surpassing my needs and expectations. Lord, my heart is heavy tonight for the kids growing up at the skate park, and the lady with the sick daughter. You know where they are, and you know what they need. Please make Your Presence known to them. Thank you for using us to answer another's prayers. Thank you for a conscience that doesn't let selfishness dictate every move. Thank you for the generosity and joy of the lady, who was so happy to give, though it seemed like she needed what she was giving. Thank you for allowing encounters with the "poor in spirit". They teach me everything I need to know. I'm sorry I hesitated at the opportunity to receive what you were offering. Please grant me the grace to love You and my neighbor with all my heart, according to Your will. I love You, and know You are near. Amen.
Case #1: My boys are becoming very interested in skateboarding, so we've been hitting the skate park after dinner. Last night, I noticed a very little boy who was surprisingly proficient on a scooter and a little girl hanging out behind one of the jumps. I didn't see any parents, but assumed, since the kids were so young, that they were close by.
I saw them again tonight, and unfortunately, I was wrong. The young girl wandered over to our game of tennis, so I invited her to join us. I asked her where her Mom was. She said, "She's not really around here." After a few more questions from me, I learned that her Mom lives in Southgate (a low-income apartment complex), but she is living with the other kids who are her cousins and their parents, across the street from the skate park. Apparently, tonight, the parents were in Snook - a little town 16 miles from here, and the oldest cousin (a teenage girl) was in charge of the others (ages 12, 7, and 3-the little boy on the scooter). .
It was a little after 8pm, so I told her we were going to have to go, because it was bedtime. She said, "It's 8:00? My bedtime is 8:30." I told her "You better go soon, too, so you can get to bed on time." Then, she told me, "I can't. When the parents leave, we can't get in the house", proceeded to name all of the doors that were locked, and said "Maybe 1:00". I said, "1:00 in the morning?!" She nodded.
I felt sick as I packed up our tennis gear, imagining those little kids "stuck" at the skate park for any length of time, let alone until 1:00 in the morning! I wanted to take her with me (and her 3-year-old cousin, too), but I couldn't figure out how to get around the inevitable kidnapping charge. Instead, I thanked her for playing with us, and she ambled away. I couldn't believe I was leaving her and her 3-year-old cousin there. The very-foul language and sometimes overt sexuality at the skate park make me uncomfortable. My mind raced as we went home and I put my own boys in bed.
After bedtime prayers and kisses goodnight, I drove back up to the skate park and had a look around. I decided that if I couldn't take those kids to my house and put them to bed, I could at least call the police, and get somebody on the job. Fortunately, the kids were nowhere around, and I turned around and went home.
I don't know if anything will come of it, but they are definitely on my "radar". There are soccer moms, classroom moms, hockey moms, you-name-it... Where are the skateboard moms?!!
Case #2: I received a voicemail from the Church office yesterday, with details of a lady who was asking if anyone could bring her groceries, and whether the transportation ministry (which I coordinate) could help. However, earlier that morning, a friend unexpectedly picked up my 4-year-old for an overnighter, so I was really looking forward to a full day of FREEDOM.
I tried to ignore the voicemail (reasoning that it was likely a lady I already know), and finished up some paperwork that I needed to take to the Church anyway. When I dropped the paperwork off, the secretary in the Church office told me that the lady needing groceries had already called back three times, thinking that she'd missed the call. Ugh.
I walked out to my car, trying to decide which chunk of my freedom I wanted to lose - to run an errand for someone I didn't know. I reluctantly picked up my phone and called her, hoping that she could wait one more day. I didn't ask her, but she couldn't. Her daughter was sick, and she wanted to make some soup to get her well. I took down her list and headed to HEB.
Have you ever grocery shopped for someone you didn't know? What brand of bouillon do they like? What is "sweet bread" if it isn't the Hawaiian kind? Did you know Nescafe comes in cinnamon and dark roast? Are store brand instant potatoes as good as name brand?
After marking through everything on her list, and getting my list, too, I was on my way. I knocked on the front door, and stood there with grocery sacks up my arms. I waited, but no one came. I rang the doorbell, and no one came. I started walking around the house, and I saw her.
I don't mean to be stereotypical, but she looked like one of those kind-eyed, short-in-stature, 80-year-old ladies from the Himalayas, smiling for a National Geographic photographer. She insisted on taking some of the groceries from my arms, and I retrieved more. She kept saying "You're an angel, You're an angel" and told me how she started "praying and praying" after she called all of the grocery stores, and churches, and found out no one delivers.
We piled all of the groceries on the dryer in the musty garage, and I asked about her daughter. She quickly and quietly said, "Aca! Aca!" and ushered me into the house. Laundry was piled up all around the perimeter of the living room, like a laundry service with hills of white sheets, and water was running full blast in the bathroom. She apologized for the house, and led me to a very thin lady laying in a chair in the middle of the room, with her feet propped up on an end table.
She roused her 50-year-old daughter who she described as being very weak, after vomiting for days last week, after eating something. Her daughter was now unable to walk, and she thought some soup might help her get some strength back. The daughter half-smiled, made brief eye contact, and thanked me for coming, at her mother's insistence. She had not been to the doctor, and I'm not sure why.
My lady was eager to fix the soup. I offered to take her daughter to the hospital, if the soup didn't help. She said she would call me if she needed help, paid me $77 for the groceries (plus $23 for the Church, and $10 for my gas), and I left. I kept wondering if I should have pushed harder to take her daughter to the hospital, but I had to get home to meet my kids after school.
I fully expected to hear from her today. I didn't hear anything and called twice with no answer. Tonight, to my chagrin, my husband informed me of a recent E.coli outbreak in our area. If I can't get her on the phone tomorrow, I'm going to see if I can track them down at one of the local hospitals...
In both of these circumstances, I feel powerless. Instead of having the ability to tie up the loose ends with a pretty bow, I'm restricted to this little desk, writing to you. I hope my sharing will help you go to these places with me. Entering into another person's world is a tremendous privilege. Even, and especially if it is unsettling to do so.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for beautiful weather, friends who love my kids, and the world wide web. Thank you for meeting and surpassing my needs and expectations. Lord, my heart is heavy tonight for the kids growing up at the skate park, and the lady with the sick daughter. You know where they are, and you know what they need. Please make Your Presence known to them. Thank you for using us to answer another's prayers. Thank you for a conscience that doesn't let selfishness dictate every move. Thank you for the generosity and joy of the lady, who was so happy to give, though it seemed like she needed what she was giving. Thank you for allowing encounters with the "poor in spirit". They teach me everything I need to know. I'm sorry I hesitated at the opportunity to receive what you were offering. Please grant me the grace to love You and my neighbor with all my heart, according to Your will. I love You, and know You are near. Amen.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Gossip and Correction
Most of us are a little uncomfortable correcting one another. This topic comes up a lot, because we're confused about the right course of action. Until now. I attended a Morning of Reflection two weeks ago; Gossip 2.0 - Fraternal Correction was the topic. Fr. Michael Sullivan, LC deftly led us through this touchy subject. Following are my notes from that morning, based on Fr. Michael's presentation, which he compiled based on St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa:
Matthew 18:15-17
If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
~ Fraternal correction is the antidote to gossip
~Gripes should always go up the chain of command, not down.
~How do you correct a brother/sister? Fraternal correction is charitable. Sin is harmful to the sinner and conducive to harming others. The first goal is improvement of the sinner by driving out evil to procure good (protection from himself). The second goal is to safeguard justice for the common good.
Note: Negative precepts DO NOT have exceptions. ie. Thou shall not kill, Thou shall not commit adultery, etc.. For any act: consider the object, circumstance, and purpose. If any part is wrong, it is ALL wrong.
~Can one sinner correct another? Yes! Sin doesn't deprive us of all right judgment.
~When we have to find fault with anyone, consider if you have also committed the same sin and that we are all weak.
~Should you correct a person who will become worse for the correction? No! If the person will not heed warning, omit the correction. It is no longer a good.
~Secret correction should always precede public correction.
~Practice prudence:
1. Counsel - Seek advice from the wise.
2. Judgment - Make the call.
3. Action - Do it.
~Speak of someone as if they were present.
~Believe all the good you hear, and only the evil you see.
~Avoid being triangulated. Take yourself out of the position of authority if two friends are using you as a referee or mediator.
~All truths do not have to be communicated in all circumstances.
~Be wary of neglect and micro-management.
~When we correct peer to peer, it is charity. When correction takes place from the top down, it is justice. (end of notes)
I hope this helps you. It was a great morning, and clarified many things for me. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section, if you need further clarification. We covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time, so I hope my notes are sufficient.
A few other quotes on gossip to keep in mind the damaging potential of this easy-to-engage-in sin:
The slanderer commits three murders: his own soul, the soul of he who listens, and civil death to the object of his slander. When you hear evil of anyone, cast any doubt you can. If that is impossible, make any available excuse for the culprit. If not possible, be pitiful and compassionate, and remind those you are speaking to, that such as stand upright do so solely with God's grace. Do your best to kindly check the scandal bearer, and if you know anything favorable to the person criticized, take pains to mention it. - Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales
When I want to speak, let me think first. Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? If not, let it be left unsaid. -Babcock
Let thy words be few. -Ecclesiastes 5:2
A good test for conversation: If you wouldn't write it and sign your name to it, don't say it.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for this beautiful day. Thank you for giving us many helps when we try to apply Your Word to our lives. Please grant us wisdom and prudence when we see our brother sinning or are privy to gossip. Lord, we do not want to be an obstacle for anyone in their walk with You. Help us to act out of love, pure intention, and humility. Amen.
Matthew 18:15-17
If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
~ Fraternal correction is the antidote to gossip
~Gripes should always go up the chain of command, not down.
~How do you correct a brother/sister? Fraternal correction is charitable. Sin is harmful to the sinner and conducive to harming others. The first goal is improvement of the sinner by driving out evil to procure good (protection from himself). The second goal is to safeguard justice for the common good.
Note: Negative precepts DO NOT have exceptions. ie. Thou shall not kill, Thou shall not commit adultery, etc.. For any act: consider the object, circumstance, and purpose. If any part is wrong, it is ALL wrong.
~Can one sinner correct another? Yes! Sin doesn't deprive us of all right judgment.
~When we have to find fault with anyone, consider if you have also committed the same sin and that we are all weak.
~Should you correct a person who will become worse for the correction? No! If the person will not heed warning, omit the correction. It is no longer a good.
~Secret correction should always precede public correction.
~Practice prudence:
1. Counsel - Seek advice from the wise.
2. Judgment - Make the call.
3. Action - Do it.
~Speak of someone as if they were present.
~Believe all the good you hear, and only the evil you see.
~Avoid being triangulated. Take yourself out of the position of authority if two friends are using you as a referee or mediator.
~All truths do not have to be communicated in all circumstances.
~Be wary of neglect and micro-management.
~When we correct peer to peer, it is charity. When correction takes place from the top down, it is justice. (end of notes)
I hope this helps you. It was a great morning, and clarified many things for me. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section, if you need further clarification. We covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time, so I hope my notes are sufficient.
A few other quotes on gossip to keep in mind the damaging potential of this easy-to-engage-in sin:
The slanderer commits three murders: his own soul, the soul of he who listens, and civil death to the object of his slander. When you hear evil of anyone, cast any doubt you can. If that is impossible, make any available excuse for the culprit. If not possible, be pitiful and compassionate, and remind those you are speaking to, that such as stand upright do so solely with God's grace. Do your best to kindly check the scandal bearer, and if you know anything favorable to the person criticized, take pains to mention it. - Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales
When I want to speak, let me think first. Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? If not, let it be left unsaid. -Babcock
Let thy words be few. -Ecclesiastes 5:2
A good test for conversation: If you wouldn't write it and sign your name to it, don't say it.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for this beautiful day. Thank you for giving us many helps when we try to apply Your Word to our lives. Please grant us wisdom and prudence when we see our brother sinning or are privy to gossip. Lord, we do not want to be an obstacle for anyone in their walk with You. Help us to act out of love, pure intention, and humility. Amen.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Selfish to Deny Help to Family or Friends?
This is Part 2 to the babysitting conversation. Around the same time I made the journal entry that I posted yesterday, I emailed the following question to a Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction website. Dear Father John, if Christians are called to charity, and we assume that our charity must cost us something (like time, comfort, or money), is there a time when we can justifiably deny a request without being selfish? I'm an at-home mom and my friends often ask me to babysit for their children. I always say "Yes", but only because it is difficult for me to do so, and I wonder if God is increasing my capacity to give. Please visit the link below to see my question answered (in two parts) by Fr. John Bartunek. By the way, this is a great website for all things Catholic and if you're interested, you can subscribe and get the daily post in your inbox.
http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/10/24/am-i-being-selfish-by-denying-help-to-my-family-or-friends-part-i-of-ii-2
http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/10/31/am-i-being-selfish-by-denying-help-to-my-family-or-friends-part-ii-of-ii
http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/10/24/am-i-being-selfish-by-denying-help-to-my-family-or-friends-part-i-of-ii-2
http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/10/31/am-i-being-selfish-by-denying-help-to-my-family-or-friends-part-ii-of-ii
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