tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post1378731307648381626..comments2023-07-05T08:17:21.505-04:00Comments on Getting to the Point: A Deep and Holy DarknessFr. Denis Lemieuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01049723287624178155noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-70393025350424494112014-02-22T13:35:42.631-05:002014-02-22T13:35:42.631-05:00XxxoooXxxoooCatherinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-46954291337806367242014-02-20T20:54:52.311-05:002014-02-20T20:54:52.311-05:00Yeah, I guess that's like saying 'I try to...Yeah, I guess that's like saying 'I try to write in English when I write...' Well, I AM a spiritual son of the woman who said "I would not like to have lived without disturbing anybody."Fr. Denis Lemieuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01049723287624178155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-81229609305759681922014-02-20T10:47:44.147-05:002014-02-20T10:47:44.147-05:00Lol. You? Provacative?Lol. You? Provacative?Catherinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-69605719543399616902014-02-20T10:28:14.479-05:002014-02-20T10:28:14.479-05:00Thanks - yes, that distinction came to me a while ...Thanks - yes, that distinction came to me a while ago, and I'm still playing with it in my mind - I think I'm on to something here, and may have more to say about it in a bit. One thing I know is that the longer I go in life, the more mysterious Jesus and God become to me, and the less I can really say I know about them.Fr. Denis Lemieuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01049723287624178155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-84463305616022646552014-02-20T10:19:35.705-05:002014-02-20T10:19:35.705-05:00Well, I do realize I am playing with words a littl...Well, I do realize I am playing with words a little bit here... but hopefully to a good end. I guess what I see is that many people get into a real agony about 'do I have a personal relationship...' etc., and it is often defined around a set of emotional/cognitive experiences. My take is that I can be absolutely assured of Jesus' love and investment and care for me... and I hope fervently that I have love and care and investment in Christ and his life. Anyhow, your point is well taken, and I do realize that I'm being intentionally provocative here! Fr. Denis Lemieuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01049723287624178155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-79014135030029846752014-02-20T10:16:43.269-05:002014-02-20T10:16:43.269-05:00Thanks, Erin.Thanks, Erin.Fr. Denis Lemieuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01049723287624178155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-37360261595353400282014-02-20T01:03:27.842-05:002014-02-20T01:03:27.842-05:00This brings to me the creation story: "in the... This brings to me the creation story: "in the beginning there was the word". Scripture tells us from the beginning how how God loved us each of us and every particle of life into being from nothingness - from darkness.<br /> These words are a powerful reminder of the faithful, creative prescence of love. <br /> I love that thought of God being autistic Neal. I have known God in coma and in the profoundly physically ill too. Sometimes I think in moments of great suffering and darkness- it is almost easier to find God. Perhaps because our own defenses have been worn down? <br /> These times are incredibly painful...when we are able to see for a moment how God loved us from the beginning, even as we were/are unaware.<br /> Bless youCatherinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-57320270037739103462014-02-19T23:53:20.248-05:002014-02-19T23:53:20.248-05:00I really like the way you make the distinction bet...I really like the way you make the distinction between my relationship with God and God's relationship with me. I spent some time with my friend's profoundly autistic son. After spending a couple of weeks at his family's home, I did feel like I had a relationship with him, but what a strange relationship it was! He's a lot of fun and an endless source of wonder, but he's completely non-verbal and is seemingly completely oblivious to everyone around him. It reminded me of my relationship with God and I had this weird thought that God is autistic. My spiritual director pointed out that it's probably more ME (us) who am autistic, but either way...<br /><br />I like Macdonald's image of consciousness as the flame of the volcano atop the "world-gulf whence it issues".Neil Pattersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06447274994087291780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-18842038281768420192014-02-19T20:25:01.464-05:002014-02-19T20:25:01.464-05:00This is good stuff. Guidance. Thank you. I do of...This is good stuff. Guidance. Thank you. I do offer a different prospective on the description, "personal relationship" You state "Trust, trust, trust" - If you trust that God is working within you and you are reaching out to God working cooperatively with Him, however imperfectly, you are in a one to one relationship. This is clearly stated in Scripture: .. 'he who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and reveal myself to him." Jn 15: 21. If it is personal in one direction I believe it is personal in the other. Wondering" if" or believing "you don't know" is to relinquish the option of a joyful relationship, call it what you may. This is not presumptuous. God wants to be one. If one is growing spiritually, what does that mean? When I receive the Eucharist I try to remember to also give myself to Christ as an obedient servant expect to see Him reveal himself somewhere in my life confirming the Way. Patriciohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679413468450435320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668594987436792920.post-6199302220202936252014-02-19T12:22:34.507-05:002014-02-19T12:22:34.507-05:00The problem with reading a blog is that when you w...The problem with reading a blog is that when you want to think about something you have to go back to the computer instead of coming back to a book opened to the right page and underlined.<br /><br />Thank you for sharing these quotes and thoughts!Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13331552766061753817noreply@blogger.com