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Traditional Catholic Faith => Catholic Living in the Modern World => Topic started by: Matthew on June 05, 2009, 05:38:53 PM

Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: Matthew on June 05, 2009, 05:38:53 PM
Should we use prudence and wisdom to make our lives go smoothly?

I think we should, as long as we accept any tribulations or setbacks from God with a generous heart.

But we shouldn't do anything to BRING disaster upon ourselves (investing our life savings in the stock market, sending our children to public school, having a TV in the house, buying your pre-teen a cell phone, or marrying the wrong person)

Besides, if WE choose to do something ("I don't care if we're from two different worlds. I want to marry him!") then it's on US to deal with the consequences. It wasn't God's will, only His permissive will.

We can make our salvation much more difficult because of OUR OWN CHOICES.

Matthew
Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: spouse of Jesus on July 09, 2009, 09:12:05 AM
Why then are we told not to flee from the cross?
Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: Caraffa on July 10, 2009, 07:16:10 PM
Quote from: spouse of Jesus
Why then are we told not to flee from the cross?


We are not to flee crosses as they come to us, but we should not go looking for them voluntarily.
Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: Vladimir on July 10, 2009, 07:17:45 PM
Quote from: Caraffa
Quote from: spouse of Jesus
Why then are we told not to flee from the cross?


We are not to flee crosses as they come to us, but we should not go looking for them voluntarily.


Men are generally the carpenters of their own crosses. ~ Saint Philip Neri
Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: Matthew on July 10, 2009, 11:46:21 PM
The problem is this:

If I'm the carpenter of my own cross (because of imprudence, rashness, poor judgment, etc.) who's to say that I can handle that cross? It's not as though God sent that cross.

Someone who gets laid off is more worthy of sympathy and support than a man who angrily tells off his boss and gets fired.

God will not send us crosses we can't handle -- but what if we go against His Law or His Will, and make life nearly impossible for ourselves? We can't blame God if we disobey Him and make our life a living hell. He isn't required to miraculously sustain us.

Though God is certainly merciful far beyond what any of us deserve.

Now if we seek God's will in everything we do, He will indeed take care of us. Because human beings will always make mistakes, and our judgment is often flawed.


Matthew
Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: Anna Maria on October 20, 2013, 01:51:49 PM
We should seek the will of God in all things and be indifferent to all else.Jesus said to him: No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.


____________________
St. Louis de Montfort:

"Let him take up his cross," the one that is his. Let that man (or woman) so rare "far beyond the price of pearls," take up his cross joyfully, embrace it lovingly, and carry it courageously on his shoulders, his own cross, and not that of another - his own cross which I, in my wisdom, designed for him in every detail of number, measure and weight; his own cross which I have fashioned with my own hands and with great exactness as regards its four dimensions of length, breadth, thickness and depth; his own cross, which out of love for him I have carved from a piece of the one I bore to Calvary; his own cross, which is the greatest gift I can bestow upon my chosen ones on earth; his own cross, whose thickness is made up of the loss of one's possessions, humiliations, contempt, sufferings, illnesses and spiritual trials, which come to him daily till his death in accordance with My providence; his own cross, whose length consists of a certain period of days or months enduring slander, or lying on a sick-bed, or being forced to beg, or suffering from temptations, dryness, desolation, and other interior trials; his own cross, whose breadth is made up of the most harsh and bitter circuмstances brought about by relatives, friends, servants; his own cross, whose depth is made up of the hidden trials I shall inflict on him without his being able to find any comfort from other people, for they also, under my guidance, will turn away from him and join with me in making him suffer.

 "Let him take up," that is, let him carry his cross and not drag it, or shake it off, or lighten it, or hide it. Instead, let him lift it on high and carry it without impatience or annoyance, without intentional complaint or grumbling, without hesitation or concealment, without shame or human respect.

"Let him take it up" and set it on his brow, saying with St. Paul, "The only thing I can boast about is the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Let him carry it on his shoulders like our Lord, that it may become the source of his victories and the sceptre of his power: "Dominion is laid upon his shoulders."

Let him set it in his heart, where it may, like the burning bush of Moses, burn day and night with the pure love of God without being consumed!

"The cross": let him carry it, for nothing is so necessary, so beneficial, so agreeable, or so glorious as to suffer something for Jesus Christ.
Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: soulguard on December 15, 2013, 11:18:08 AM
"Do penance or perish"
 :scared2:
Inscription above Padre Pio's monastery ( before he joined up).
Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: Mabel on December 15, 2013, 11:49:59 AM
Fashioning your own crosses debliberately strikes me as arrogant. When we do so we say no to God's gift of prudence, wisdom, temperance, etc. Basically, one says what I want is more important, my way is best.

I'm thinking particularly of individuals who have extreme discord within their families. They won't listen to good advice and choose to offend their families, which is especially true around Christmas. They've caused suffering for more than themselves, created their own stumbling blocks to salvation and probably others as well.

So, no, I don't believe we need to look for strife, it finds us. God knows exactly what purifies us and makes us grow in virtue. When we suffer according to His Will we are happy but when we inflict the suffering ourselves, misery follows us everywhere.

Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: Frances on December 15, 2013, 06:42:16 PM
The world inflicts ample crosses without adding those of our own creation.  There is a difference between martyrdom and ѕυιcιdє.  
Title: Should we try to make life easy?
Post by: Sigismund on December 15, 2013, 08:58:08 PM
Quote from: Vladimir
Quote from: Caraffa
Quote from: spouse of Jesus
Why then are we told not to flee from the cross?


We are not to flee crosses as they come to us, but we should not go looking for them voluntarily.


Men are generally the carpenters of their own crosses. ~ Saint Philip Neri


Any friend of St. Philips's is a friend of mine.   :smile: