I tried posting this in another area, but it got deleted for some reason. Sorry if it doesn't belong here.

I have struggled for decades to forgive my mother and I an unable to. She was verbally abusive to me and my older brother and while I can forgive that, I cannot ever forgive what she did to my sister. My sister was born severely mentally retarded, she wore diapers and didn't talk, she was basically like a child under the age of 1, but she was an absolute joy. She had a smile like no other. My mother (and father) gave my sister away. Made her a ward of the state, I was 11 years old when we took her to a home to drop her off, the family was extremely poor and we had to leave my sister there. We would "visit" my sister a couple times a year and she was always starving (we would bring groceries). One visit I noticed burn marks on her arm...in the early 70's we really didn't know about abuse, but I knew something bad was happening...the next time we visited (months later) my sister had completely withdrawn, something bad had happened. I have always suspected that one of the older boys or the husband sexually abused her but that it a conclusion that I came to years later. My sister would attend school, they didn't teach her anything, but it was for interaction, a teacher there noticed the same and petitioned the state to have her removed from the family she was placed in. They would later adopt her (thank GOD!!).

All during these horrible years, my older brother and I tried to cope with the loss of my sister and the continued daily verbal abuse from my mother...it was also during this time that my mother cut off all contact that we had with my dad's family and her sister. I was extremely close with my grandmother and that about destroyed me...when I graduated High School and started working, I reestablished my contact with my dad's family - my dad seeing that I had a backbone and stood up to my mother came along with me to repair the relationships with his family. What I found years later is the my grandmother begged my mother to give my sister to her, she wanted to go to court to get her, but this was way before grandparent's rights and she was told that it would be extremely hard to get custody of my sister. I also found out that my Aunt (my mother's sister) also wanted my sister and my mother refused... This is why my mother cut off contact with those family members...

I can forgive a lot of things, but I cannot forgive my mother for placing my innocent sister in that home where she was abused when loving family members wanted her...it is beyond my capacity.

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Diary of Saint Faustina - paragraph 1317 - Cosmic Mercy

1317 I understand Your words, Lord, and the magnitude of the mercy that ought to shine in my soul. Jesus: I know, My daughter, that you understand it and that you do everything within your power. But write this for the many souls who are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul. If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy.

Mercy of the spirit, as in prayer, fasting or volunteer work for the poor, bears more value to God than material mercy, as in writing a check or giving cash to a homeless guy. But I could also see a miserly, wealthy man taking advantage of that statement by praying or fasting just to avoid writing a check. That would be false spirituality though and Christ wasn't speaking of a wealthy man's act of mercy anyway. He was speaking of how a poor man could still show Mercy through the spirit since he could not do it through his wallet. As for the wealthy, Christ addressed them in Scripture.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

Luke 12:48 And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.

Ultimately Christ calls all men out of whatever materiality they suffer and into whatever spirituality they lack. That call begins differently for different people but must always end in merciful acts if we wish mercy for ourselves from God. And Christ, being the core essence of God’s Mercy, seems to have hardwired the cosmos to work that way for our own benefit, “if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy.” That statement reads as if we're forestalling personal judgment against ourselves but my question would be, can it be extended to the cosmic level and forestall God's judgment against the world? The idea of forestalling God's judgment isn't spoken of a lot in Christianity and I suspect that's because it could be misunderstood as subjugating God's judgment beneath human control. I believe God wants us to participate in salvation history though and draws us into participation by allowing us a sliver of control through his will rather than our power. It's not as if we're wrestling control from God so much as he’s leading us into works of mercy at both the small personal level and the cosmic level as well.

Diary of Saint Faustina - paragraph 474

At that very moment I felt in my soul the power of Jesus' grace, which dwells in my soul. When I became conscious of this grace, I was instantly snatched up before the Throne of God. Oh, how great is our Lord and God and how incomprehensible His holiness! I will make no attempt to describe this greatness, because before long we shall all see Him as He is. I found myself pleading with God for the world with words heard interiorly. As I was praying in this manner, I saw the Angel's helplessness: he could not carry out the just punishment which was rightly due for sins.

Spiritual Mercy is more meritorious because God is Spirit, and more importantly, the Fatherly Spirit of all lesser human spirits. We have kinship to God so if our spirit is praying in the merciful will of God’s Spirit, the small power of human mercy is enjoined to God. This joining empowers human mercy to the divine level so our prayers, charged with the power of Jesus’ indwelling Mercy can bear similar cosmic results as those described by Saint Faustina in paragraph 474. Saint Faustina didn't write that entry so we'd admire the power of her prayer. She wrote that so we'd know the power of our own prayer, that it can have cosmic results in the course of salvation history by magnifying God’s Mercy upon our fallen world. 

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

First Timothy 2:1-2 I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men: for kings and for all that are in high station: that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all piety and chastity.

This is how an arrow feels as it flies, screaming through at the speed of light

Shot from the Great Bow by the Hunter from a time before all worlds, before all being

And now you’re racing racing racing racing

To reach the End and bury yourself in the glorious eternal Beyond

And - as you finally shatter against your Target - won’t your last thought be:

How Majestic

How Precious

How Utterly Right

How Tender, that

He who shot the arrow is He who catches it

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Letter of Saint Catherine of Siena to Mantellata of Saint Dominic, Called Catarina Di Scetto Christian Mysticism & Sacred Scripture 

Grace and Barter 

Beware lest thou do like mad and foolish people who want to set themselves to investigate and judge the deeds and habits of the servants of God. He who does this is entirely worthy of severe rebuke. Know that it would not be different from setting a law and rule to the Holy Spirit if we wished to make the servants of God all walk in our own way, a thing which could never be done. Let the soul inclined to this kind of judgment think that the root of pride is not yet out, nor true charity toward the neighbour planted - that is, the loving of him by grace and not by barter.

There is a thing called “sin-sniffing” that I first heard of in a sermon at a non-denominational church. Sin sniffers do as the word implies, sniff out the sins of others in the church community, things like coming to church late or leaving early, rude behavior at the store or even the smell of tobacco on someone's clothing. Centuries earlier though Saint Catherine was already speaking out on the investigation and judgment of deeds and habits of our fellow servants of God. The teaching pastor at the nondenominational church was right to call out sin-sniffers but Saint Catherine digs deeper into the importance of this sin because it challenges the authority of the Holy Spirit. If we think we're behaving righteously, then it’s easy to presume anyone behaving differently is being sinful. That involves an unspoken presumption though, that the Holy Spirit should lead everyone else down the same path we're on. This is what Saint Catherine warns of in her letter: “Know that it would not be different from setting a law and rule to the Holy Spirit if we wished to make the servants of God all walk in our own way.”

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

Luke 12:10 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.

I don’t think Saint Catherine is speaking of  blasphemy against the Holy Spirit here but since she warns this type of judgment deserves severe rebuke, it may be a sin moving in that direction. The judgment Saint Catherine is talking about is overactive and wanton. She’s talking about people out on sin patrol, hoping to spot sin in someone else and using themselves as the standard others should be living up to. There’s a lot of pride in that outlook with zero respect for the direction the Holy Spirit may lead someone other than oneself and it seems this could lead to very quick and superficial judgment just to succeed in finding out the sin of others.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance: but judge just judgment.

Saint Catherine is very clear, the Holy Spirit does not “make the servants of God all walk in our own way**.”** Each person suffers different sin and each person’s sin is triggered by different interior causes, many of which even the sinner himself may be unaware of. An addict may be reacting to childhood trauma and the rude guy at the market may have just lost his job. Even judging the sin-sniffing people Saint Catherine is rebuking is shaky because that person could have been raised from childhood by those types of parents and honestly believe they're exuding the same “just judgment” spoken of in the above Scripture.

This excerpt ends in the insightful wisdom of a true Christian Mystic; “Let the soul inclined to this kind of judgment think that the root of pride is not yet out, nor true charity toward the neighbour planted - that is, the loving of him by grace and not by barter.” Saint Catherine points to the Holy Spirits’ perfect judgment against the prideful root that barters our charity for another's compliance to our path over theirs.  Rejecting this pride sets us in true charity to neighbor, placing both neighbor and self in the just wisdom of the Holy Spirit's judgment, guiding us away from our own sin and out of our neighbors business.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

John 16:7-8 But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go. For if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he is come, he will convince the world of sin and of justice and of judgment.

To look for a recreated "garden" we need to find clues from the scriptures

If we look at Genesis 2:10-14 KJV, we have some physical description of what the Garden would look like.

10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

^(11) The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

^(12) And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

^(13) And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

^(14) And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates

Requirements to look for.

• four-headed river system
• Area where the gold is "good"
• Bdellium (or a possible candidate)
• Onyx stone (or a possible candidate)
• The garden is watered by the river

Now, let's just assume we find a geographical location that appears too match these descriptions but it is nowhere in the Middle East.

These are things we must consider if the Garden wasn't in the Middle East.

• What if, the names of the Rivers and the lands were transferred over during Noah's voyage as the Ark drifted 1000s of miles to Mount Arayat?
• Also, what if Bdellium was also transferred to different trees as well?
• What if Onyx stone was also transferred to a different stone as well?

Four Headed River System

Here's a map of a four headed river system near the Florida/Georgia state line.

The Apalachicola River is connected to Lake Seminole and in Georgia. There is the Chattahoochee River, Fish Pond Creek, Spring Creek & Flint River.

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The River waters the Garden

Here's a map of Torreya State Park in Florida, notice the Ravines and the creeks that are connected to Apalachicola River, which is "watering the garden."

Remember Genesis 2:10?

Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden......

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The Gold of the land is good

Genesis 2:12  And the gold of that land is good

In Georgia the gold is very good.

Per Wikipedia

The Onyx Stone

Genesis 2:12 .....the onyx stone.

For, possible onyx stone candidates Georgia is rich in stone minerals. And there's also Marble quarries, per Wikipedia Pickens County has a vein of marble 5 to 7 miles (8.0 to 11.3 km) long, a half mile wide, and up to 2,000 feet (610 m) deep.^([1])

^(Also, per) ^(Wikipedia) ^(Onyx, as a descriptive term, has also been applied to parallel-banded varieties of alabaster, marble, calcite, obsidian, and opal)

Also, this link is a PDF and this is where I got the image from.

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Bdellium candidate (assuming if name was transferred)

Bdellium is basically tree-sap possibly used for incense or used for "tool-like" stuff such as making things stick. I'm not sure if Florida pine-tree sap when burned smelled good, however it is subjective on "what smells good." I'm a Floridian and too me the aroma, isn't that bad at least the smell of pine-cones.

Anyway, Florida pine-trees are very sappy to say the least. The sap could be used for many practical applications like helping to start fires or used as possible glue.

The Florida Pine tree could be a good candidate for Bdellium.

Genesis 2:12 .... there is bdellium...

Things too consider

"Eden-like" Climate

Florida has the largest collection (convergence) of freshwater springs in the world. It waters the rivers, the swamps, the prairies, etc. God has purposely designed the area with a complex system of underground systems to water the area. At one point it was undeniably "part of Eden" and was "Eden." As well with "rest of the world"- Florida Springs

Torreya State Park in Florida is a Glacial Refugium, meaning during the Ice Age it had a unique biodiverse ecosystem with megafauna and unique vegetation hence "Eden-like"

Take a look at pictures of Florida Springs and imagine what it looked like before the fall of Adam. It would be jaw-dropping to see Georgia & Florida or any other location before sin entered the world.

Big questions

Why did God create this area to resemble something obviously "Eden-like"?

Even if it wasn't the original garden, this is no accident. Its created by God, why did He create it? Is He trying to teach mankind an important lesson?

What's the reasoning?

If anyone thinks this is a coincidence, they need to explain why the Creator made a four-headed river system.

And they need to explain why Torreya State Park is fed by the River that could match in Genesis.

Furthermore they need to explain the "Onyx Stone" candidates in Georgia, the rich & biodiverse Floridian ecosystem with its springs & the fact that Torreya State Park was an ancient glacial refugium.

Its just isn't adding up "as a coincidence"

Edit:

I'm editing to say I'm not the first to notice it.

Because, EE Callaway wrote a book on it. But, some of the things he says come off as "new agey" so I won't be quoting him.

Edit 2:

I've been in prayer numerous times about this, and I believe with faith that this "garden" is here for a reason. Perhaps its a symbolic reminder of what it used to be.

Edit 3:

A map from 1870, way before the dam was constructed it appears Fish Pond Creek breaks off of Spring Creek.

Georgia Archives

A possible weak-link in this theory is Fish Pond Creek. If a creek existed, was it prominent at the time? Or was it a creation from the Lake?

As someone with severe neurological issues deep meditative prayer has been hard for me because sometimes triggers more seizures because of brainwave changes and just how it affects activity in my brain. I also have speech issues so prayer has felt like a mountain BUT today I had this perspective that hit me was like what if prayer isn't something I just start doing but just who I am, the principles I live by. How I handle situations. Etc . Someone today was telling me how after everything I been through their surprised I not bitter and cold to people. And it's like...that's a prayer too you know? Showing people you don't have to turn cold when the world has treated you cold? God wants us to worship him in spirit and in truth right? Perspective change is everything what if I viewed every thought, action, as a prayer up to God. Burnt offering, an altar whatever picture you wanna paint it. I know I not the first one with this perspective but it really helped me because I realized I not as hopeless as I think I am when it comes to prayer. If I even viewed my suffering with my health as a prayer to God then everything becomes a prayer. To some that may sound extreme. But it's all just a shift of going from this is all about me and my desires to this is all about God. And if I'm suffering did I suffer for thr love of God, if I eating it's for Glory of God, if I talk to someone it's for Glory of God, etc Idk that's just the thought process I had today.

I especially teach the processes and expectations around contemplation. I'll be checking in regularly if anyone wants to chat.

I am looking for a poem/writings about mystical marriage or the journey of spiritual seeking being compared to a wedding. I know several Christian female mystics have touched on this theme, but I’m not sure where exactly to find those passages in their writings.

I was getting onto these revelation they have had in heavenly realms and I dont not ignore them, I belive God can do lot, but coming myself out of new age and I do have fear of the lord, after hearing some of the stuff their talk, specially sometimes they seem to glorify not Jesus at all, they also use new age terms, frequency, activating, ascending etc. And its hard to hear, and altho it is exciting, bible warns us from demonic doctrines,

while listening Nancy, I do get little strange sensation in my spirit, she seem to glorify herself lot, also if these revelation is from God, why some of the teachers, like Dr o and other ask 3000 dollars for some courses etc... my spirit kind of fight it back and I think that I should not listen them lot, altho lets be honest it is exciting, but same time I dont want to limit God. Just that the way they talk and terms they use, also sometimes Justin quotes some new age preachers, Joe dizpenza I think he was also into new age, I used to listen about manifesting ur own life by imagination, but this is far from Jesus, he believes in higher power, universe, so why do they quotes such people while they are christians.

My post here maybe judgmental, but some of things I notice, also when I see comment section under their videos, they seem to me just seekers of supernatural, not nessacerly Jesus followers, and that made me think, how they can experience it if they are not in Christ, then I think it has occult links, coz if u are no in Christ u can't see those things and face to face experiences, or is it so? Just they confuse me, and they.seek just to live forever and not much about Christ much , Justin does preach about Christ, but lots of he's videos about enoch and encounters, so that get little offline, why would be follow enough over Jesus ?

Hello all, iam baby Christian, and I been saved about year, and I wanted to ask, about experience with Jesus, and walking with him as suppose person, not just reading about Jesus and understanding rationally.

Why is it that many Christians are afraid of mysticism, me included, I been in new age before, and I recently started to get into practices where I sit in silence with lord, "waiting on the lord" or just being in he's presence, also seeking spiritual understanding, revelations. I got idea, I was telling one pastor that I do that "practice" of waiting on lord, worshipping and sitting in silence just being with lord. He said, stay away from cults, and it did scare me off, and I wondered what can be wrong? Can I just fall into occultism? By seeking depths of God? Relationship wise, I somewhat sense that there is more then just "sola scripture" the way to know God, am I just strange person who seeks relationship, to be experience Jesus, not just reading about him? And some say it's dangerous, I wonder why? If our life is Christ Jesus centerd, and I dont bow or seek other gods, not occultism, no other philosophy at all? Am I playing with dangerous doctrine? If new age is counterfeit, and then why our Father created of everything wouldn't want knowing him more in depths? Or do we need to die and then experience heaven? Bible says that kingdom of God is at hand. Also I always get so rational answers, and usually people who know the bibles quiet well, they call mystics heretics, and all they know is bible verses well, wich iam not against, but also most Christian deny power, and divine depth in beliers, as we are one with father, am I heretic? People have experiences where they have shown even cosmos and encounters with Jesus etc, and u can see these people are being attacked by "bible scholars" and these " smart" Christians who just read the bible and that's how they think we should stay "on the ground" I also pray in tongues, and I found it help me to expand, grow in spirit and understanding, and then suddenly I found more about the mystical side of walk with God, I was just guided into it, maybe its Holy Spirit doing that, I always thought there is more in this, can't be just head knowledge about God, and just belive and u are saved, salvation is many levels, and depths. That's my opinion, please correct me if iam heretic.

MY ENGLISH IS NOT VERY GOOD.

God bless

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Diary of Saint Faustina - paragraph 742 - Demands of Mercy

742 Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works.

Christians worship Christ but in this excerpt from Saint Faustina's Diary, we have Christ Himself seeming to direct our worship away from His person, onto the attribute of His Divine Mercy. We know that Jesus Christ is the physical personification of Divine Mercy so if we worship Christ, we are hand in hand with worshipping his mercy anyway so why is this specific demand necessary? I suspect it's all about Christ making our carnal brains less hardwired to Christ's physical person and more synched into His larger spiritual self, especially in the attribute of His Divine Mercy.

Diary of Saint Faustina - paragraph 88 

I asked Jesus whether the inscription could be: "Christ King of Mercy." He answered, I am King of Mercy.

If we worship Christ our King in all heartfelt truth then we also worship all attributes of the King in equal heartfelt truth. This would include the worship of His Divine Mercy but I don't think this is what we normally envision when we think of worship. I like to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day and I believe that can qualify as worship but I think Christ is talking about something different here. The worship of Christ's Mercy is more lively and outward going than the pleading of mercy for ourselves or others. I think the truest and most spiritual worship of Christ's Mercy is the interior spirit pushing the exterior flesh into working acts of mercy for others rather than the pleading of mercy for oneself.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

John 4:24 God is a spirit: and they that adore him must adore him in spirit and in truth.

In paragraph 742 above, Christ directs our attention to the famous image of Him with red and white rays coming from His Most Sacred Heart. And it's revealing that He tells us this image is to be a reminder of the “demands of My mercy,” because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works. We don't normally think of Christ's Divine Mercy as a demanding thing because we're pleading for ourselves or a loved one to be on the receiving end of the Mercy. Christ seems to be making it clear that there are demands that come with His Mercy though, and Scripture has something to say about this also.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

Matthew 18:32-35  Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me: Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee? And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

The demands of Christ's Mercy are to be equally merciful ourselves, not hoarding the mercy we plead for but channeling it from interior self, to the exterior world as the wicked servant in the above parable failed to do. And the forceful channeling of God's Mercy is the work that Christ speaks of in the last line of Saint Faustina's entry, “the strongest faith is of no avail without works.” The lesson here is that if we have a lively faith in the Divine Mercy we plead for, we soon recognize that Mercy is bigger than our needs and react accordingly. Christ’s Mercy starts within but Christ’s demand regarding His Mercy is that through faith we work that Mercy outward into the lives of all others.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible 

James 2:17 So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

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Saint Teresa of Avila- Interior Castle - Fourth Dwelling  Places - Interior Gaze

I think I never put this matter so clearly before. To seek God within ourselves avails us far more than to look for Him amongst creatures; Saint Augustine tells us how he found the Almighty within his own soul, after having long sought for Him elsewhere.

Interior recollection is how we find God most intimately but also, interior recollection is very spiritual, and goes against the grain of our carnal nature. We first became fallen by not looking interioraly to God but looking outwardly and away from God, to self and from there it was only natural that our wandering gaze would continue outward from self into creation. That ongoing look away from God to self and next to the material creation deepened our fall from God through the ages. In time it became so normalized that today, even when looking for God Himself, we inherently “look for Him among creatures” rather than deeply within, where God has always been.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

Romans 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator.

None of this is to deny the beauty of God's creation or that God can be found in fallen creation because God is still omnipresent throughout all of the universe. But in the interactive sense of God redeeming fallen man, we find God most powerfully within ourselves, not in the creation, not even in self but buried beneath self, as the last core remnant of who we were before we set self before God. 

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible 

First Kings 19:18 And I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal, and every mouth that hath not worshipped him, kissing the hands.

Despite my belief that our initial fall from God became a continuing fall through the ages, I still don't believe any of us has cut ourselves off from God altogether. There is still some small uncorrupted remnant in all men, even the greatest monsters of history that has never bowed the knee to kiss the hands of Baal and this is why Saint Catherines tells us, “To seek God within ourselves avails us far more than to look for Him amongst creatures.” If we look for God outwardly we look through corrupted lenses of self, through passions, lusts, and vices which cloud our spiritual vision. And if we think we find God outwardly in the fallen creation, then we're looking at Him amidst the shroud of all accumulated sin since the days of Eden, which hampers our perception of God. If we look for God interioraly though, we are looking away from those outer passions, lusts and jealousies of self to see Him in His purer light, unshrouded by the sins of self and the world. And the more interioraly we go the more self will be burned away in His light. I think we all try to look interioraly to some degree but I doubt any of us are very good at it. We get a little bit beneath the surface and think we're there, mistaking progress for perfection and complicating things even more with the sin of pride.

None of that means we stop looking for God just because pride or some other sin may hamper our journey through the Interior Castle. Sin always challenges us but if we continue looking inward toward God, we will be drawn through all obstacles of sin as they arise, leaving them to our backs as we continue forward to the King's Chamber at the center of the Castle. I doubt any of us will coast easily into the King's Chamber though. I don't even think we’d make it on our own effort even though the last part of our journey may become less difficult. I think God's pull on us will just get stronger as we near Him and make the last part of the journey less difficult. Sin does not survive God's presence so the closer we get to God, the more our sin will whither, the weaker the temptations will be and the stronger His pull will become. We will ultimately be pulled into and immersed in His cleansing interior light by continuing to look for Him interioraly, as Saint Teresa says, and on that day, we shall know, hear and see God interioraly in ways that could never be had by searching for Him among creatures of this fallen realm.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

First Corinthians 2:9 But, as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard: neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him.

im looking into reading and studying Thomas Aquinas’ mystic works. is there any works of his that i should look into first? im looking for more or less profoundly mystic work of his rather than dogmatic (for lack of a better word)

An excellent story from "The Prayer of the Frog":

"After many years of labour an inventor discovered the art of making fire. He took his tools to the snow-clad northern regions and initiated a tribe into the art — and the advantages — of making fire. The people became so absorbed in this novelty that it did not occur to them to thank the inventor who one day quietly slipped away. Being one of those rare human beings endowed with greatness, he had no desire to be remembered or revered; all he sought was the satisfaction of knowing that someone had benefited from his discovery.

The next tribe he went to was just as eager to learn as the first. But the local priests, jealous of the stranger’s hold on the people, had him assassinated. To allay any suspicion of the crime, they had a portrait of the Great Inventor enthroned upon the main altar of the temple; and a liturgy designed so that his name would be revered and his memory kept alive. The greatest care was taken that not a single rubric of the liturgy was altered or omitted. The tools for making fire were enshrined within a casket and were said to bring healing to all who laid their hands on them with faith.

The High Priest himself undertook the task of compiling a Life of the Inventor. This became the Holy book in which his loving kindness was offered as an example for all to emulate, his glorious deeds were eulogized, his superhuman nature made an article of faith. The priests saw to it that the Book was handed down to future generations, while they authoritatively interpreted the meaning of his words and the significance of his holy life and death. And they ruthlessly punished with death or excommunication anyone who deviated from their doctrine. Caught up as they were in these religious tasks, the people completely forgot the art of making fire."

God spiritually indwells the intellect that receives Him, as the intellect in its turn lays hold upon God. Thus the intellect clearly perceives the truth of Paul’s words, ‘He who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit with Him’ (1 Cor. 6:17).

When giving freely and opening your heart god provides in ways that are not explainable. I've had Edenic like experiences in flirting with veganism and moving from lust to love. Animals greeting me, free food, kindness from strangers, huge success in growing food and new realms of beauty.

I've also had prayers answered immediately in regards to being grateful for what I have. See Matthew 25:29 To all who have, more will be given, and they will have more than enough. But everything will be taken away from those who don't have much.

Side note: Does anyone have experience in miraculous healing?

I think it's absolutely wonderful for people to spend time learning about God and his son's life and the plan they have for all of us, but one thing God has revealed to me is that he really wants genuine connection. To Him and between people. It feels like, in our communities, we're more focused on our reputation and how we appear to others rather than genuinely loving one another.

I attend a ministry and church on Sunday and it seems like everyone is putting on an act to impress one another. This was NEVER the goal of the church. It was literally to build relationships. To spend time talking to one another and God.

Christian Mysticism: The goal of Christian mysticism is to achieve spiritual union with God, typically through personal purification, prayer, contemplation, and living in accordance with the teachings of Christ. Salvation involves grace and the transformation of the soul, leading to a deeper love for God and others. Christian mystics seek to experience God's love and presence in their lives, allowing this experience to shape their actions and relationships.

If anyone wants to deepen their personal relationship with God for this purpose, or feels like their current level of devotion could be improved, please reach out to me. I can help you.

I think God wants me to keep reaching out, so here I am! Anyways, I would love to hear what y’all have been experiencing in your spiritual lives. It could be anything from a religious experience, to a trial you’ve been faced with, to a spiritual overhaul, or just a change of pace. It’s always good for my soul to hear your stories.

My recent development is a return of an indescribable and immediate faith in God and His constant loving presence, perhaps more robust than ever before. I feel Him accompanying me as a Companion in my life, a Friend whom I can trust with everything, who is always there as a support if I only turn to Him. There is this indescribable sweetness I feel, this wholesomeness, pure goodness, this loving care and understanding, this support, all so utterly mysterious—but of course those words don’t capture it at all. It’s so far beyond words that what I write feels quite silly. I love my Friend so much! I could not be more lucky! I am going through many inner challenges lately, and it can get quite rough, but God is helping me through it and overall I just feel so thankful.

BTW, does anyone else think that there should be a weekly thread like this?

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Diary of Saint Faustina - paragraph 1261 - Motherly Example

1261 September 1, 1937. I saw the Lord Jesus, like a king in great majesty, looking down upon our earth with great severity; but because of His Mother's intercession He prolonged the time of His mercy.

So much of our perceptions of Christ are correctly based on Scriptures presenting Him as our Mediator and staving off the judgment of God the Father that it becomes easy to forget that the Father and Son are One, and this Oneness includes both mercy and judgment. The harsh but just judgments of God are also the judgments of Christ, from Old Testament times all the way through the final judgment of mankind. And likewise, the mercy of God, in Old and New Testament times is One with the mercy of Christ because they have never been separate. Christ is certainly our merciful Savior who died for our salvation but if anything, His suffering on that cross, the very crucible of our redemption, qualifies Him without question as the judge of our salvation, looking down on us and our world with “great severity” for the rejection of His Divine Mercy, or great compassion for our wise acceptance of it

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible 

Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that it is he who was appointed by God to be judge of the living and of the dead

There is no credible denying of Christ’s position as judge but through Saint Faustina’s entry we know Mary’s intercession can move Christ to extend the time of His time of mercy on the earth, just as in their earthly life together Mary once moved Him in the changing of water into wine. Because of Mary’s unique relationship to Christ she will always be in a better place than any of us to intercede on behalf of others. I tend to think we all have some type of intercessory ability though, maybe even an intercessory responsibility if we believe Christ hears and acts on our prayers for others. Mary is certainly considered the greatest intercessor and the one we go to most often but Scripture speaks of others as well.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

Psalm 105:23 And he said that he would destroy them: had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach: To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

This verse refers to Moses interceding with God for mercy upon the ancient Israelites after their exodus from Egypt so we know intercessory pleadings aren't limited to Mary and actually go back to Old Testament times before she was born. More to the point though, Moses’ intercession took place here in the same world we live in today, and involved the saving of thousands so I think we can extrapolate intercessory prayer onto ourselves. If Moses, even in his earthly life, could successfully intercede in the breach before God's judgment then why can't we become intercessors ourselves for God's Mercy on others, joining  Moses, Mary and the many other Saints we rely on for intercession for ourselves?

The writings of the great Catholic Mystics like Saint Faustina and others always seem to recall Scripture and reveal its multifaceted nature. I believe the intercessions of Mary, Moses and others were not just real events in their own time but in our time serve as examples for us to follow. By Christ's grace we are all given some measure of the same holiness given to Mary and Moses so that we may become intercessors ourselves. Not only in our personal lives, or the lives of friends and family, but for the state of our fallen world as it stands before the severe but righteous judgment of Christ our King. I believe Christ gives us this grace intentionally, to draw us into the course of Salvation History as we plead mercy for the world with His Blessed Mother, and stand in the breach of His judgment as Moses did before her. We may thereby join them in the further delay of His righteous judgment so that even more souls become sanctified in His Divine Mercy and in the process, become more sanctified ourselves through our own place in these closing days of Salvation History.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

First Timothy 2:1-2 I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men: for kings and for all that are in high station: that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all piety and chastity.

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Letter of Saint Catherine of Siena to Mantellata of Saint Dominic, Called Catarina Di Scetto

Christian Mysticism & Sacred Scripture - Love and Profit 

Servants we ought to be, because we are bought with His blood. But I do not see that we can be of any profit to Him by our service ; we ought, then, to be of profit to our neighbour, because he is the means by which we test and gain virtue. Thou knowest that every virtue receives life from love; and love is gained in love, that is, by raising the eye of our mind to behold how much we are beloved of God. Seeing ourselves loved, we cannot do otherwise than love; loving Him, we shall embrace virtue through the force of love, and shall hate vice and spurn it.

No matter how good or virtuous we become in service to God, it is impossible for us to ever return a profit to Him simply because God has invested more in us than we can ever return, much less surpass. Our earthly lives are from God so even the great martyrs who gave back their lives to God didn't return a profit to Him. And despite their heroic sacrifice in giving their lives back to God, I would even argue that still doesn’t qualify as an even return for the life God gave them because they were rewarded with eternal life, and an infinitely greater life than what they gave up. One of the greatest things about genuine old school Christian Mystics like Saint Catherine is that their wisdom always connects back to Sacred Scripture.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

Luke 17:10 So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.

Saint Catherine has an earthy solution to our heavenly problem. If we cannot be profitable to our Risen God, we can at least be profitable to our fallen brethren and become more godly ourselves in the process. We will glorify God by exuding the divine virtues of grace, charity and mercy that he’s given us from above, onto our brethren in this fallen world below. Those virtues are born of love but our love for others isn't really ours. That's God's love flowing through us when we raise “the eye of our mind to behold how much we are beloved of God.” When we do that we realize God's love is bigger than we are so it can never be completely contained or hoarded, even by the most selfish spirit. And if we intentionally and consciously recognize God’s love for us, it will be magnified all the more and escape our interior self into the lives of others, like a light bulb growing ever brighter and penetrating the darkness ever more. 

This love that Saint Catherine speaks of feels like a human to human interaction but that's not really the case because love is not of human origin to begin with. This is God's love so it's not so much about us loving our neighbor as about God loving our neighbor through us, using us as spiritual channels through whom the love of the Risen God flows into this fallen realm. God simply pours more love into us than we can channel or control so it bursts out of us involuntarily, as in Saint Catherine's verbiage, “Seeing ourselves loved, we cannot do otherwise than love; loving Him, we shall embrace virtue through the force of love, and shall hate vice and spurn it.” The gist of all this is that without God’s love first, there would be no human love at all, for family, friends, spouse and probably even oneself. Without God's preemptive love our species would be nothing more loveless beasts of higher intelligence than the other beasts. All love is of God rather than men but by Christological Decree, our species was chosen and Scripturally ordained to channel the love of God into the fallen world.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

The last portion of that verse “I have loved you, that you also love one another,” could easily be read too passively, as if since God loves us we should just consider loving others. It’s actually a command though, with the power of God's will behind it. And given Saint Catherine’s mentioning the “force of love” in the last line of her excerpt, that Scripture might be taken more forcefully, “I have loved you to ordain love for others within you.” I think God loved us with a spiritual cause and effect in mind. God's all powerful love caused our love for others, which led to the effect of spurning selfish vices for selfless virtues in service of our neighbor. So that failing to be profitable servants to God we would become profitable servants to others and to the Kingdom of God on Earth, humbly preparing the way for the King's final return.

Brothers and sisters please pray that a friend of mine will receive healing. He is in critical need and only God can save him so pls pray for him!