Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
Christian Forums is looking to bring on new moderators to the CF Staff Team! If you have been an active member of CF for at least three months with 200 posts during that time, you're eligible to apply! This is a great way to give back to CF and keep the forums running smoothly! If you're interested, you can submit your application here!
No, dear brothers, concretecamper and RileyG, there is more. There is more because of the Cross - because His Sacred Heart out-poured to the whole world, Holy Grace which is a personal share - intended for us - in His Holy Life. Thus St. John the Beloved could write:
This is possible by and because of and in His Holy Grace: to grow in God's intention for us - in an interior and spiritual Life into "young manhood" - which is still not yet a state of perfection, but is a state of newer and holier maturity in Him. We can grow. We can overcome the evil one! John knew this in his own personal experience and thus he wrote this for us to hear and to believe and to strive for. What Jesus accomplished on the Cross is REAL. His Holy Grace is REAL and potent. Transformative. Seek, and you will find. That promise is real, and a sure Hope for us to hold onto, tightly.
There is much more, but that wasn't the basis of the OP or my response.
Thankful to God for his mercy and loving kindness!
I am not Catholic, but I hope this will comfort.
Thank you.I always reflect on something that Pope Benedict said once to a child during an audience. The little girl asked him about why she was always committing the same sin over and over again, no matter how hard she tried not to. The Pope said, "Well, sin is just like dust that settles in a room. No matter how many times you clean the room, the dust is always going to be ready to come back. It's impossible to clean the room once and have it stay clean---it will get dusty again. And that's what confession is for. No matter how many times you clean a room, it still gets dirty with the same dust, and has to be cleaned again. And our lives get dirty with the same sins, and have to be cleansed with confession."
I don't know if that helps you, Riley, but it sure helped me.
Amen... God is faithful to help.Proverbs 12:
13 For the sins of the lips ruin draweth nigh to the evil man: but the just shall escape out of distress. 14 By the fruit of his own mouth shall a man be filled with good things, and according to the works of his hands it shall be repaid him.
Be careful how you speak to yourself and redirect yourself immediately.
Your own words and thoughts can override temptations.
You have the power.
Avert your eyes, your thoughts.
For we are tempted but we can avoid it by thinking of wholesome thoughts.
Prayers.
I can sit in front of the exposed monstrance for an hour and still can't here his voice, but in my mind I know God is real. I just pray that when He calls me home that I am in the 'state of grace'.
