Discernment…
“And turning, he rebuked them, saying: ‘You know not of what spirit you are.’” - Luke 9: 55
In her book Foundations, St. Teresa of Avila relates the story of a very pious, mortified woman who enjoyed a great reputation for sanctity. Though very humble, the woman must have exercised much influence in her town and in religious circles. The woman, who had no regular confessor, took it upon herself to communicate daily - something rarely heard of in her day. (Although she alternated churches, going to one, one day, and another the next.)
In keeping with the custom of the time, St. Teresa and other friends of the woman thought daily communion may have been excessive and that the woman - of her own accord - would have done well to consider not receiving every day, and instead place herself under obedience. (I forget the details of why Mother Teresa thought this.) Of course the woman wouldn’t hear of it, though she appeared to remain quite humble and devout.
At some point the holy woman became very ill and arranged for Mass to be said in her home, so that she might continue to communicate daily. One day, the priest who celebrated Mass for her, also felt communion on a daily basis was excessive and perhaps inappropriate in such an intimate setting. The woman protested, becoming very agitated, and then suddenly enraged, or “vexed” as Teresa likes to say, complaining to the priest. Nevertheless, the priest left without giving in to her wishes. The woman died that day. St. Teresa said she did not know if she had been reconciled before she passed away or not.
What’s my point?
I thought of this story after speaking to a woman (who has the reputation of being rather devout), on the phone yesterday afternoon. I had never met the woman before, but she emailed me requesting I call her so she could share some information with me after reading my blogs. (Before calling I first checked her out with a friend of mine whom I trust - he assured me she was very good.) After I called, the woman immediately guaranteed me of her “orthodoxy” and recited her resume of achievements and good works over the years, along with the number of times she goes to Mass each week, as well as the very good priests she is friends with. Then she proceeded to tell me stories about a local religious order of men, as well as other clerics and lay Catholics, who are homosexuals. I do not know if any of it was calumny, but it certainly was detraction.
“And turning, he rebuked them, saying: ‘You know not of what spirit you are.’” - Luke 9: 55
[Art: Crucified Jesus, attributed to St. Alphonsus Liguori.]
August 1st, 2008 at 10:26 am
Why do you think she felt it necessary to preface her remarks on the religious order with informing you of the details of her personal spiritual life?
August 1st, 2008 at 10:26 am
Calumny and detraction seem to me to be rampant in our society these days - and few seem to even take note of the offense. the juicier the tale, all the better, and the gossip goes on and on and on.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:29 am
Jeron - so that I wouldd know she was a faithful Roman Catholic and not a progressive liberal.
Jim - you are right - it came to me like a punch in the gut.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Terry,
I did not know what the word “calumny meant and now I do. I even found out how to correctly say the word. Now I have to work on keeping my mouth shut!
Kate
August 1st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Do you think that it was much of a struggle for Satan to decide which poor soul to send to beat you up? The woman was used ,and she didn’t have a clue. I am so sorry for your pain, but it’s part of the “Catholic club”
Yesterday my 18 yr old went to our Catholic Dr. for a check up. The Dr. was ready to prescribe birth control ,and insisted that my daughter take all of the required vaccines even though half of them have fetal cells in them.
(When I told the Dr. this before ,she raised her voice saying ” I think that I would know if these had fetal cells in it , I am a Dr. you know”)
“Your moms not here” the Doc insisted ,”you can do what you want”. I was spoken of behind my back in a snarky manner to my daughter.
I really am stupid because I thought the Dr. was my friend. How foolish of me . She is simply my service provider.
Then my sister-in-law asked my 15 yr old what she wanted to be when she grew up , my daughter replied “a nun” then my sister- in -law said WHO put THOSE ideas in your head? Insinuating that it was me ,and an awful idea at that.
The Catholic school nurse was disgusted with me because I had the same fetal cell vaccine talk with her.
I am fed up with these Catholic ass holes, that are so insensitive .
I dearly love these people ,and I expect better behavior.
I realize that I am no saint,and that I have a lack luster saintly resume. I know that I suck ,but I am still trying . Why do Catholics stop trying to do the right thing?
So here’s my reward Mr.Terry ridicule ,discust, and sometimes a hatred for me that you can almost cut with a knife, and disrespect for being one of THOSE kind of Catholics ,from friends, extended family, and sometimes from my grown children too.
I can’t see things as the world does. I have become so outta touch that I am clearly not normal anymore.
I am continually asking myself maybe I am crazy , maybe I am just too much of a stickler for rules, maybe I am an extremist. Maybe I am making too big of a deal about moral issues.
How could I possibly be right on any of these moral subjects when so many smarter Catholics believe differently than I do? I am the convert,what do I know?
Your wolf in sheep’s clothing picture was so true only the wolf can’t see that he is indeed a wolf.The stupid moron still thinks of himself as a sheep ,but still he tries to destroy the others. Oh so Catholic!!
I will not try to impress my new blogger buddies with my saintly ways. I am no saint, and worse yet I gotta die to be one.
No one will EVER change my mind about one thing though,
and that is that true salvation comes from confession .There is no other way. (Confessing to Jesus)
I am heartbroken to the core ,truly ,because my children ,and I ,and less than a handful of others were in the confession line last Sat.,and rumor has it that our Parish is known in our diocese as being the confessing parish.
Do the right things you stupid Catholics ,while you still have time , and get out of my way so that I can do what God calls me to do whether it makes you uncomfortable or not.
I am tired of being hurt by these people .
August 1st, 2008 at 4:40 pm
In spirituality three spirits must be distiguished; 1) the spirit of God, 2) the natural spirit proceeding from our fallen nature, 3)and the evil spirit or the devil.
In the situation I experienced I would think it was the fallen natural spirit at work more than the Devil. In the story from St. Teresa, it would seem to me it was the evil spirit at work. I may be wrong however - fallen human nature accomplishes its own evil quite well - even without the Devil’s help.
Belinda you are always in my prayers, hang in there!
August 1st, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Dear Mr. Terry , I didn’t know about the three spirits that’s very interesting. I shouldn’t have cussed ,but I lost my temper. I get so hurt, and frustrated by people.
I am now begging God to send round those big yellow buses ,and when he does we can all hold hands ,and form a circle ,and then we can sing kumbaya in thanksgiving. You could even dance if you like Terry.
“Oh Happy day”, when Jesus sends those buses my way………………Ya’all know that one right?
Thanks for the kind prayers. Belinda.
August 2nd, 2008 at 7:36 am
When a person advertises themselves as “orthodox” or “a good Catholic,” warning bells start ringing in my head. It’s often the precursor to some outrageous claim, dissenting view or bad behavior…
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
In illo tempore dixit Iesus: “But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting” Matthew 17,21
We are all eating too much and praying too little, this is why things the way they are.
August 2nd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Mr. Leo ,We are eating until we are lethargic.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Belinda:
Just wanted to say that you’re not alone. There are other moms out there not allowing the vaccines. There are good Catholic doctors who refuse to prescribe/recommend all forms of birth control or use these types of vaccines, and good surgeons who respect God’s creation. Hang in there!
Terry:
This reminded me of my first class at St. Thomas. My English professor was like that character in Paper Chase. Gave everyone in the class a bad grade on our first paper. I made an appointment to see him and was prepared to provide him all the reasons he was wrong in giving me such a crappy grade. The first thing he said to me was, “You’ve never gotten a grade like that before, have you?” That was about the end of the discussion since I got the picture that no matter how good my grades and such had been to that point, this was a new day and a new ball game. Just like being faithful…every day is a new ball game and every new person sees us for our actions at that moment, unaware of how holy our life might have been to that point. I think the prof might’ve missed his calling…think he should’ve been teaching psych or philosophy!