Author Topic: Is it right to ask for earthly happiness? (Read 629 times)

spouse of Jesus · « **on:** August 28, 2009, 08:35:18 PM »

Is it right to pray for earthly blessings like a beautiful house, a happy life or a tasty food? Is it incompatible with a christian life and "carry your cross and follow me"?

Vladimir · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2009, 01:31:19 AM »

I think that it is not contrary to the Faith to ask for earthly success. You should pray to Saint Joseph in matters like these.

But remember the words of Saint Robert Bellarmine:

By these words the apostle exhorts the faithful that, being encouraged by the hope of eternal happiness, they should be as little affected by earthly things as if they did not belong to them; that they should love their wives with only moderated love, as if they had them not; that if they wept for the loss of children or goods, they should weep but little, as if they were not sorrowful; that if they rejoiced at their worldly honours or success, they should rejoice as if they had no occassion to rejoice that is, as if joy did not belong to them; that if they bought a house or field, they should be as little affected by it as if they did not possess it. In fine, the apostle orders us so to live in the world, as if we were strangers and pilgrims, not citizens.

Alex · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2009, 02:18:28 AM »

Quote from: Vladimir

By these words the apostle exhorts the faithful that, being encouraged by the hope of eternal happiness, .....they should love their wives with only moderated love, as if they had them not; that if they wept for the loss of children ...., they should weep but little...

I don't agree with this. St. Paul says that a husband should love his wife as Christ loves His Church. Well, Christ gave His life for His Church and members - it wasn't moderate love.

And how can you weep little for the death of your child. That is just not going to happen.

Vladimir · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2009, 03:36:04 PM »

Quote from: Alex

Quote from: Vladimir

By these words the apostle exhorts the faithful that, being encouraged by the hope of eternal happiness, .....they should love their wives with only moderated love, as if they had them not; that if they wept for the loss of children ...., they should weep but little...

I don't agree with this. St. Paul says that a husband should love his wife as Christ loves His Church. Well, Christ gave His life for His Church and members - it wasn't moderate love.

And how can you weep little for the death of your child. That is just not going to happen.

interesting point. I think that Saint Robert Bellarmine is talking about cases when a spouse's love for the other, etc makes him/her make the other the biggest priority in their life and not God.

As for the second sentence, yes you can weep but a little for the death of your child. If he was baptised and died before the age of reason, as many children probably did in the saint's own time, you would have the assurance of their eternal life. Its similar to the story of a man who once gave much money to a church and asked only that God grant long life to his child, and almost immedietely after, the child died.

Alex · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2009, 05:07:18 PM »

Quote from: Vladimir

As for the second sentence, yes you can weep but a little for the death of your child. If he was baptised and died before the age of reason, as many children probably did in the saint's own time, you would have the assurance of their eternal life. Its similar to the story of a man who once gave much money to a church and asked only that God grant long life to his child, and almost immedietely after, the child died.

It's not just the not knowing whether they made it to heaven or not that makes a person weep over the death of a loved one. It is never being able to see them again. Even Jesus wept when He saw those weeping over the death of Lazarus (even though He was about to resurrect him). Death of a loved one is the greatest suffering a person will endure in this life (I believe).

I know this very devout N.O. man (although he is led away by many of the post VII heresies because of his lack of proper knowledge of the faith, his love of God is greater than any trad I have known). His whole life and actions revolve around God and he spends hours every day visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. When his mother died of cancer, he did not shed one tear, even though he loved his mother and always had the habit of visiting her every day when she was alive and well. In fact, the day she died, he called me up with a cheery voice and said that his mother was now in Heaven. The second day of her death, he called me up and said that it was a beautiful sunny day and that he was going to go and buy himself something he need from a store he had a gift certificate to. The third day after her death, he called me up to go out to a favorite entertainement type restaurant. At the restaurant, he was very cheery.

My gosh! I've seen people sorrow over the death of a pet more than this man sorrowed over his mother. The reason he did not feel any sadness is because he was very religious and knew that was God's will. He also felt his mother was happy now in Heaven. But still.....How can you not cry over the death of someone you love, even if it is God's will and you believe they are in Heaven. That is not normal human behavior. Mother Teresa cried when she found out that her mother had died - and Mother Teresa hadn't seen her mother in years (so she had already gotten used to not having her mother in her life). I believe Padre Pio also cried when his mother or father died. And like I mentioned before, Jesus even cried at Lazarus's death.