Stalled Holiness

Dear School of Work and Prayer friends:

 

Dubay writes:

 

[The] chief reason ordinarily devout people do not become saintly is that they lack a deep prayer life.   There is a vast difference between conventional virtue and heroic holiness, and it is only when God has taken over one's inner life completely that one passes from the first to the second.   Despite our best and most persevering efforts to eradicate our faults, no one of us working alone can get rid of them completely.  Hence, God must intervene if we are to become perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect and to love Him with a whole heart.

 

We have these thoughts and much more to discuss together when we meet next:

 

Sunday January 28^th 6 PM at the Wessel's home to discuss chapter 11 "The Universal Call".

 

I look forward to being together and discussing these important considerations.

 

In Christ,

 

Christopher

Back on the Tracks

Dear School of Work and Prayer friends:

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I bumped into Susie Meneely at the bookstore yesterday and told her I'm happy to return to the routine of work, rest, and family.   The upheaval of holiday celebrations left me tired and somewhat directionless.  It's a bit like being a train in the switching yard, hitching up to this or that boxcar and shuffling from one set of tracks to another.   Now that I'm into the first week of the New Year I'm back on one set of tracks chugging down the rails to the next destination.  Order and routine suit me mighty fine.

 

2007 brings a return to the routine of our (mostly) monthly discussions of Fire Within.  We will meet Sunday Jan. 28^th 6 PM at the Wessel's house and discuss chapter 11 "The Universal Call" (pgs. 199 – 216).   Dubay writes:

 

Almost all Christians admit in theory that we are called to be holy by putting on Christ, but the implications of this admission seem to escape most of us.   Much of current moral theology is based on minimalistic presuppositions.  No one, of course, openly states that it suffices for us to stay out of serious sin, but at the same time infused contemplation and heroic virtue are quite completely bypassed as though not being worthy of mention, much less of the thorough treatment they deserve.   Yet Ss. Teresa of Jesus and John of the Cross are emphatic that without a deep rooting in a serious prayer life no one comes close to living the Gospel ideals with completeness. (page 199)

 

As we prepare for our discussion at the end of January please ponder the implications mentioned above in Jesus' personal call to holiness in Him.

 

In Christ,

 

Christopher