<![CDATA[St Joseph Healing Ministry - Blog - Steps in a journey]]>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 18:41:59 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[A Spiritual Journey . . .]]>Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:19:23 GMThttps://www.stjosephministry.com/blog---steps-in-a-journey/a-spiritual-journey42    Besides a daily reading of Scripture, you should be reading a spiritual book, if you aren't already doing so.  Every evening, after Liturgy of the Hours and before I go to bed, I read from the book My Daily Bread.  It is a book from the Confraternity of the Precious Blood.  It costs $8.50 and can be obtained from www.confraternitypb.org.  They also have My Imitation of
Christ - by Thomas à Kempis, also for $8.50.  These are two little books that pack easily for travel and give you much to meditate upon.

    Another website that will give you wonderful reading material is Ignatius Press at www.Ignatius.com.

    There are alot of books about Saints.  I read one about Father DeSmet, and although he isn't an official Saint, he should be.  If you are interested in history of the Western U.S. as I am, you will love this book.  If you google his name, there are several books that pop up.  Most are written from his numerous letters that the Jesuit Society have kept. He was one of the first explorers of the western United States.  Three Presidents asked him for help and advise regarding the Indian Nations as he lived for months with the various tribes. 

    Another is about Saint Philippine Duchesne by Louise Callan, R.S.C.Q.   Amazon carries her books.

    Or chose a book written by a Saint.  When I was young you would have to go to a library at a monastery or convent to read some of these books, but now they are available for all through bookstores and from the internet.  I just downloaded Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila audio book for free from the computer.  I love Confessions by St. Augustine, another audio book you can download for free.  His book, On the Trinity, the longest that he wrote, I downloaded for free - all 300 pages.  Catherine of Siena's writings are called The Dialogue.  And you can obtain The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales for Lent Given in 1662 from TAN books.  TAN books republishes books out of print and many of them are spiritual reading jewels.  They have combined with St. Benedict Press to offer new and as well as out of print books.  www.tanbooks.com.


Feel free to add your own recommendations to the comment section.

Just copy and paste the websites onto your browser.
Steps in a Journey class was posted to Youtube during COVID.  This is the first talk, introduction of Sister Mary Matthew and myself, Kathy Moore. "Follow" me, and all the videos made and posted will come up in the order they were posted.  This includes the video from the last three retreats, a Byzantine Service in 2021, with Fr. Blount, 2022, and Fr. James Northrop, 2023.
]]><![CDATA[A Spiritual Journey . . .]]>Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:40:40 GMThttps://www.stjosephministry.com/blog---steps-in-a-journey/a-spiritual-journey41    The Rosary
    Many people think that when they say the rosary, getting to the end of it - finishing it - is the goal.  But it is not.  The rosary, like any other prayer, should lead us to a closer relationship with God.  So when you are sitting in the Adoration Chapel, or alone (I'm not talking about the rosary said with a group of people), and saying the rosary, and a feeling of immense love comes over you, stop the rosary and just sit and soak in that love.  This "hug" is a gift from God.  Many call it "warm fuzzies".  The mystics refer to it as "consolations."  This gift is also called a blessing, or grace. It should not be the purpose of our prayer - to get a thank you from God, - our purpose is to grow closer to God - but when we do get this thank you, accept it, soak in it, let it change you, bring you happiness, joy, peace.  These should be the feelings afterwards, if it is truly from God.

    My spiritual director said that many people ignore these feelings because they are too anxious or in a hurry to finish the rosary to get it done, forgetting that prayer should lead us to this union with God.

    Some fall asleep while in the Adoration Chapel.  Sometimes this is just because we are tired, and God gives us rest, but sometimes it is a deep consolation.  One tells the difference by how you wake up.  If you awake feeling filled with love, as if held in the arms of your lover, then this sleep was a consolation from God.

    The rosary is a prayer, honoring the Mother of God.  It is asking her for her prayers for us - now and at the hour of our death.  The meditations said before the Our Father - the joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious mysteries, help us think about the life and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is a vocal prayer and meditation prayer that may lead to contemplative prayer - the deep rest, a gift from God as a thank you.  This gift is also called a blessing, grace.]]><![CDATA[A Spiritual Journey . . .]]>Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:38:08 GMThttps://www.stjosephministry.com/blog---steps-in-a-journey/a-spiritual-journey40Is Contemplative Prayer for all?

    The Second Vatican Council declared in its document, Lumen Gentium, that all men are called to "union with Christ, who is the light of the world, from whom we go forth, through whom we live, and toward whom our whole life strains" [par.3].

    In describing the action of the Holy Spirit, this document says, "He [the Holy Spirit] distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank.  By these gifts he makes them fit and ready to undertake the various tasks and offices which contribute toward the renewal and building up of the Church" [par.41].

    The document states that "all are called to sanctity", the "perfection of charity", and the "fullness of the Christian life" [par. 32, 39-42].

    Since everyone is called to be perfect and to grow in love and knowledge of God, then, contemplative prayer, which embraces such knowledge and love, should be the goal of everyone.
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St. Teresa of Avila answers this:  "God gives Himself in this way to those who give up all for him.  He shows no partiality.  He loves everyone.  Nobody has any excuse, no matter how miserable they may be, since the Lord so acts with me in bringing me to such a state" [The Book of Her Life, ch. 27, 12, p. 232.].

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Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, (Dogmatic Constitution of the Church) Boston, Pauline Books & Media, 1964) par. 3.  (You can also download this document from the Vatican website as well as from EWTN.)
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Contemplative Prayer as Described by the Saints - The Fruits of Contemplative Prayer

    The saints recommend a spiritual director, one with learning and experience.  Some experiences similar to those of Contemplative Prayer can be brought on by the evil one.  By their fruit one shall know them.  Saint Teresa of Avila says that instead of peace, one is greatly distrubed afterwards, and the experience does not cause change within a person.  

    The good fruit is that a person changes his life for the better.  He is able to forgive those who hurt him.  He is able to love strangers and is willing to care for them.  He cares about the salvation of the world.  Prejudice leaves his heart and he strives to mature in virtue and his faith.  He tries to trust God and to do something for Him, realizing His providence and graces given to him, for which he is exceedingly thankful and full of praise.  He asks forgiveness from others.  He is not distrubed over people slandering or mocking him nor over lack of consolations in prayer.  There is a willingness to suffer.  Things of the world no longer interest him.

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St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, trans. E. Allison Peers (New York:  Image Books, 1961) Fourth Mansion, ch. 3, p. 91.
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I have a new hard drive for my computer - sorry for the down time.  I do hope you continued your spiritual journey with special spiritual readings.

St. Teresa of Avila, a doctor of the Church, described contemplative prayer to her sisters of the Carmilite Community, so that if and when they experienced this form of prayer, they would know what they were experiencing.

Contemplative Prayer as described by the Saints - Dry Desire, Ardent Yearning.

    Often, after one has experienced consolations, one feels nothing at all.  They have no desire to pray or prayer comes very hard for them.  Even thinking and understanding becomes hard.  St. Teresa of Avila says that what the soul suffers at this time is indescribable.  But during this time the soul is purified [The Book of Her Life, ch 30:11-15].
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St. Therese of Lisieux gives these helps:

    In times of aridity when I am incapable of praying, of practicing virtue, I seek little opportunities, mere trifles, to give pleasure to Jesus; for instance a smile, a pleasant word when inclined to be silent and to show weariness.  If I find no opportunities, I at least tell Him again and again that I love Him; that is not difficult and it keeps alive the fire in my heart.  even though this fire of love might seem to me extinct I would still throw little straws upon the embers and I am certain it would rekindle."

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St. Therese of Lisieux, Thoughts of Saint Therese, The Little Flower of Jesus, Carmelite of the Monastery of Lisieux 1873-1897, translated from the French Pensees by an Irish Carmelite, quoting XVI Letter to her sister Celine, (IL: Tan Books and Publishers, 1915) 3.
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Contemplative prayer as described by the Saints - Deep Delight and Peace

    St. Teresa of Avila says that this prayer is clearly seen through the deep peace, contentment and calm that one experiences (The Book of Her Life, Ch 15:5, p. 141).

    A French Jesuit, Jean-Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751) wrote Abandonment to Divine Providence.  This book describes how a person should live his life doing the will of God.  He abandons himself to God so that no matter what happens to him, he reacts, as best he can, in the way God wishes.  An experienced soul, in time of trouble, "will remain quite unmoved by all turmoil, indifferent to all noise and uproar.  Ignoring them all, it will stay peaceful and unmoved in that intimate peace where it benefits so greatly by the manifestation of its love.  This is the center where it rests."

    Paul wrote to the Philippians, "Always be joyful, then, in the Lord; I repeat, be joyful" (Phil 4:4).  He continues telling the Philippians, "Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude; and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7).

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Jean-Pierre De Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence.  Translated by John Beevers (New York:  Image Books, 1975) 88.

At Monroe prison, a prisoner was bringing several others into the RCIA class.  He was telling them of miracles in his life and inviting them to "come and see".  I asked him to tell me one of the miracles that happened to him and he said that his world has fallen apart, but he remains at so much peace inside him, that he knows that this peace is from God.
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Contemplative Prayer as described by the Saints and Scripture - Infused Love

St. Paul's prayer for the Ephesians and for us is that we may know this love, that we may "have the strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; so that, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond knowledge, you may be filled with the utter fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18).

    This prayer moves you away from thinking of God as an object, into a state of constantly being in His Love.  It moves a person toward works of charity and of living your life for God.
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Teresa of Avila says that this spark of fire is a sign or pledge from God that He gives to a soul for He has now chosen it for great things and wishes to prepare it to receive them.

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St. Teresa of Avila, The Book of Her Life, ch. 15:5, p. 141.
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Contemplative prayer as described by the Saints - Infused Love

    Many saints describe this infused love as a dart of fire entering their heart.  St. Teresa of Avila said that at times an arrow is thrust into the deepest recess of the heart.  It produces extreme pain for it causes the soul to forget itself.  Yet she says this pain is so delightful there is no other pleasure that gives greater happiness.  It would be wonderful to die of this sickness.

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St. Teresa of Avila, The Book of Her Life, Ch. 29, 10, p. 251.
The Ecstasy of St. Teresa in white marble is located in the Cornaro Chapel of Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome.  It was designed and completed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. [click on photo to enlarge]

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Four centuries later St. Therese of Lisieux describes that a similar experience happened to her:  "I had commenced in the Choir the Way of the Cross, when I felt myself suddenly wounded by a dart of fire so ardent that I thought I must die. . . but oh!  What fire!  What sweetness."

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Saint Therese of Lisieux, Story of A Soul, The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux (1897), Ch XII, p. 127.
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Contemplative prayer as described by the Saints - Contemplative Light / Knowing

    Another writer that described this mystical light beautifully was the 16th century Spanish Franciscan friar, Francisco de Osuna, (c 1492-1540).  He wrote The Third Spiritual Alphabet which was one of the first books on prayer that Teresa of Avila read and which influenced her life toward prayer.  He explained many of the mystical experiences which were very important to the formation of the Golden Age of Spanish mysticism.  

    He explained the term "light" in this way:  In the physical realm, the light of our eyes does not allow us to see in the dark.  It must be joined with the outside light for us to discern visible things.  It is the same thing with spiritual matters.  Our understanding is dependent upon the fusion of natural light which is on our soul with the divine, heavenly light, so that what we did not know previously, we now know.  David said, "In your light, Lord, we see light" (Psalm 36:9).  "Faith is the light that illumines us, and when we receive it willingly and with pious devotion, it joins with the light of our soul and in this fusion of lights we see through faith the heavenly things to which our soul by nature is inclined".  He adds that we then realize how meager our own light is compared to God's immense light and that our own light produces less understanding.

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Francisco de Osuna, "Meditation of the Day" 'And he saw clearly', from The Third Spiritual Alphabet, quoted in the Magnificat, Vol. 10, No. 13, February 2009, for Wednesday 18th, p. 267.
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Contemplative prayer as described by the Saints - Contemplative light / knowing

    St. Paul wrote to the Colosians:  "That is why, ever since the day he told us, we have never failed to remember you in our prayers and ask that through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding you should reach the fullest knowledge of his will and so be able to lead a life worthy of the Lord, acceptable to him in all its apsects, bearing fruit in every kind of good work and growing in knowledge of God, fortified, in accordance with His glorious strength, with all power always to persevere and endure, giving thanks with joy to the Father who has made you able to share the lot of God's holy people and with them to inherit the light" (Col 1:9-12).
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St. Nil Sorsky, (1433-1508), a Russian Orthodox saint and monk, described the infused light of contemplation:  "When the soul undergoes such spiritual activity and subjects itself to God and through direct union approaches the Divinity, it is enlightened in its movement by an intense light and the mind experiences a feeling of joy of the happiness that awaits us in the life to come."

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George Maloney, ed., Pilgrimage of the Heart, a Treasury of Eastern Christian Spirituality (San Francisco:  Harper & Row, 1983) p. 145, quoting St. Nil Sorsky, Ustav, p. 28, cited from the critical text of M.A. Borovkova-Maikova.  Translation Maloney's).
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