Blessings

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by Thomas

If one wanted 'everything' then one would not be worthy of the blessing.

We all have wants and needs and to deny that you don't want or need is denying your humanity. The 1st step in any good Re-hab program is admitting the truth about yourself and growing into a new person. Only "GOD" can really say who is "worthy" of a blessing or not. Man is not "worthy" to say who GOD can bless or not.

Originally Posted by Thomas

Then again, if one was spiritually and metally mature, one wouldn't want in a qualitative or materialistic sense.

Grown people still find the need to "play" every now and then.
The greater the mind, the greater the need for play.

Originally Posted by Thomas

The story goes that St Thomas Aquinas was in prayer before the Blessed Sacramant when Jesus asked "What do you want of me?" to which Thomas replied "You Lord, only you."

Im not really following your answer, but it seems that you may be saying that everything you want is "GOD". I may be wrong though.
So would you be able to handle it if GOD gave you "GOD"?

Originally Posted by Thomas

The Beatitudes answers this question, I think...

What exactly is a "Beatitude?

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

What exactly is a "Beatitude?

YO? Blessed are the meek, the poor in spirit, the peacemakers...?

[Dor]

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

What exactly is a "Beatitude?

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Gospel of Matthew 5:3-10

[arthra]

YO eleven wrote:

If GOD blessed you with everything you ever wanted, (all your heart and soul desires all at once), could you handle it?

Personally I feel that I could not handle it.
I feel that you have to be spiritually and mentally mature enough to handle certain "good" things that happen to you. (IMHO)

________________________________

My comment: That's a very wise thing to say.. I agree. You need to be ready to receive these blessings. God knows us better than we know ourselves...

"Physically and spiritually we are submerged in the sea of God’s favor. He has provided our foods, drink and other requirements; His favors encompass us from all directions. The sustenances provided for man are blessings. Sight, hearing and all his faculties are wonderful gifts. These blessings are innumerable; no matter how many are mentioned, they are still endless. Spiritual blessings are likewise endless—spirit, consciousness, thought, memory, perception, ideation and other endowments. By these He has guided us, and we enter His Kingdom."

- Baha'i Writings

[Postmaster]

So why do bad things happen to good people?

[Postmaster]

for instance religious martyrs

[Postmaster]

Here's my personal philosophy I'm going to share with you.The outcome of someones life depends on 3 important factors. Incestral background, Virtue and Ambition.

[arthra]

Ummm...I'd suggest that "bad things" can actually be good things in the long run as seen from different perspectives.. Our perspectives are usually warped by our personal agendas and experiences.

- Art

[arthra]

Ummm...I'd suggest that "bad things" can actually be good things in the long run as seen from different perspectives.. Our perspectives are usually warped by our personal agendas and experiences.

- Art

[Thomas]

... and because we live in a fallen world. Bad things happen 'cos bad things happen.

Jesus never said 'believe in me and bad things won't happen' - He said 'I'll be there with you, whetever happens,' which is significantly different and which no 'god' had ever said before.

Something to think about...

Thomas

[Thomas]

Yo-Eleven-11

Originally Posted by Thomas (OPT)
If one wanted 'everything' then one would not be worthy of the blessing.

Y-11-11:
We all have wants and needs and to deny that you don't want or need is denying your humanity.

Reply:
And the purpose of ascesic is? Of detachment? Of putting your neighbour first? Of morality, of virtue?

To deny our wants and needs are the foundations of sanctity. Otherwise we might as well go and rut in the gutter like dogs?

The question depends whether our wants and needs rise from our 'natural nature', which I suggest could survive quite happily with:
Food ... Comfort (of companionship) ... Shelter ... Warmth ...
or whether they arise from the disordered passions of an unrestrained volative nature.

OPT:
Then again, if one was spiritually and metally mature, one wouldn't want in a qualitative or materialistic sense.

Y-11-11:
Grown people still find the need to "play" every now and then.
The greater the mind, the greater the need for play.

Reply:
And take delight in simple things ...

It depends what you mean by 'play'? When St Francis of Asissi was on an important mission, his companion went missing, and could not be found. "I know where he will be," the saint said, "where do the children play?" and Br. Leo was found playing with the village children. One of the party went to berate the brother, but Francis intervened, "if there were a hundred more like him, the world would be saved for Christ."

OPT:
The story goes that St Thomas Aquinas was in prayer before the Blessed Sacramant when Jesus asked "What do you want of me?" to which Thomas replied "You Lord, only you."

Y-11-11:
Im not really following your answer, but it seems that you may be saying that everything you want is "GOD". I may be wrong though.
So would you be able to handle it if GOD gave you "GOD"?

Reply:
Yes. We were made for Union with the Divine.

OPT:
The Beatitudes answers this question, I think...

Y-11-11
What exactly is a "Beatitude?

Reply:
Everything our heart desires ... if only we knew ...

Thomas

[Thomas]

Hi Quahom -

Well I'm into my second of five years of my BA(Divinity) Degree here in the UK.

It's a Distance Learning course run by the Maryvale Institute - The site of Maryvale has been in Catholic occupation since the Middle Ages. In 1974 it became the home of the first Seminary to open in England after the Reformation. The Seminary moved to a bigger building and in 1846 John Henry Newman and his community who had recently been received into the Church were granted the house as a place of retreat and study. It was Newman who gave it the name 'Maryvale' after St Philip Neri's church in Rome, and it is specified in the Papal Brief as the location of the first English Oratory of St Philip in 1848.

The schedule is back-breaking, one essay a month (3,500 words), 4 exams a year. Each essay is accompanied by a reading list as long as your arm, and each book's as thick as your fist!

We're looking at the Old Testament this year ... being Roman Catholic it's all new to me!

So my time is limited - but I pop in when I can.

Thomas
Big handshakes and back-slapping bear hugs across the water to you (btw - my better half reckons the back-slapping bit is just men convincing ourselves we're not cuddling!)

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Big handshakes and back-slapping bear hugs across the water to you (btw - my better half reckons the back-slapping bit is just men convincing ourselves we're not cuddling!)

LOL, wise woman.

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Originally Posted by Thomas (OPT)
If one wanted 'everything' then one would not be worthy of the blessing.

Y-11-11:
We all have wants and needs and to deny that you don't want or need is denying your humanity.

Reply:
And the purpose of ascesic is? Of detachment? Of putting your neighbour first? Of morality, of virtue?

The practice of ascetic is thought by "some" to purify the soul which comes through denial of material things which may cause detachment. This is an act of "man" tring to look as good to GOD as he possible can. "He who is without sin, cast the first stone". I wonder why Jesus said that? Putting your neighbor first is only as good as your "true" intentions. "Man's "morality" is subjective. Slavery was thought to be "moral" because it was supposed to be taming the "savages" and making them "civilized" and bringing them to GOD. Guess we all know how that turned out. Simply put, diamonds are made out of coal.


Again, "worthy" is not to be measeured by man. GOD determines whos worthy or not. Actual "purpose" comes from GOD and not man. In other words, their is a time for everything and only GOD can lead you to do what GOD wants.

Wanting and having are not the same thing. As a child you want things and ask for things and may not get everything you want. GOD has a purpose for all, and asking for what you want does not make one more or less "worthy" it just makes you honest with GOD.

Originally Posted by Thomas

To deny our wants and needs are the foundations of sanctity. Otherwise we might as well go and rut in the gutter like dogs?

The question depends whether our wants and needs rise from our 'natural nature', which I suggest could survive quite happily with:
Food ... Comfort (of companionship) ... Shelter ... Warmth ...
or whether they arise from the disordered passions of an unrestrained volative nature.

To "deny" is to be un-truthful. To "admit" is to begin to a journey of understanding your faults and asking GOD to help you with them.
The question is not whether needs arise from either source mentioned above, it's how to handle them when they do arise.

Originally Posted by Thomas

OPT:
Then again, if one was spiritually and metally mature, one wouldn't want in a qualitative or materialistic sense.

Y-11-11:
Grown people still find the need to "play" every now and then.
The greater the mind, the greater the need for play.

Reply:
And take delight in simple things ...

It depends what you mean by 'play'? When St Francis of Asissi was on an important mission, his companion went missing, and could not be found. "I know where he will be," the saint said, "where do the children play?" and Br. Leo was found playing with the village children. One of the party went to berate the brother, but Francis intervened, "if there were a hundred more like him, the world would be saved for Christ."

Originally Posted by Thomas

OPT:
The story goes that St Thomas Aquinas was in prayer before the Blessed Sacramant when Jesus asked "What do you want of me?" to which Thomas replied "You Lord, only you."

Y-11-11:
Im not really following your answer, but it seems that you may be saying that everything you want is "GOD". I may be wrong though.
So would you be able to handle it if GOD gave you "GOD"?

Reply:
Yes. We were made for Union with the Divine.

Originally Posted by Thomas

OPT:
The Beatitudes answers this question, I think...

Y-11-11
What exactly is a "Beatitude?

Reply:
Everything our heart desires ... if only we knew ...



Thomas

Should have got the dictionary for that one. Heck even googled it.

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by Dor

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Gospel of Matthew 5:3-10

ok Dor, could you make that a little bigger please?