to forgive someone does not mean to excuse the harm done. No, it does not and it cannot ever mean that . Understanding forgiveness at this level means to rob forgiveness of its essence and power. To choose to forgive someone is in fact a decision leading to something exquisite.. It is a decision to sever the connection which that "act" of betrayal has meant. It means the removal of permission to keep on rewounding. (memory) It means the the videotape has been destroyed and cannot be watched again.
Rewatching a harm done with glasses of hatred, rage, condemnation simply keeps rewinding the tape and the wounding re commences time after time. Forgiveness means NO I will not go back there. I refuse and in doing so take back my authority and permission.
To forgive is to become unbound from the chain of that committed sin. It means withdrawing permission from the abuser to keep re abusing and beginning on a journey of healing and the experience of radical Mercy."In Him we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses (Eph 1:7)
Forgiveness is reconciliation not necessarily with the abuser but reconciliation and a reclaiming of my "original me" the "I" who was not wounded. Reconciling and reclaiming this "I" in order that the wounded "me" is no longer needed or feels betrayed. The memory remains but the pain will not. In this we have he images of Jesus post ressurrection where he showed the scars of his torture but the pain was not. The "I" pre torture was seen but the torture no longer had effect because the post torture Jesus was radically new yet somehow the same.
Forgiveness leads not only to the healing of "my being" but begins the processes of not seeing another human (who sinned) as a monster but as a tragic and terrible sinner.
I'm reminded of Jesus who endured what he endured in order to give both the victim and the perpertrator a chance for a new beginning. He endured so that the murderer, rapist, terrorist, abortionist, the adulterer, the thief, child abuser, would have someone to intercede for them up until the last.
The Victim shares his/her pain with Jesus and together they complete suffering for salvation
(Col 1:24)
Monday 29 August 2011
Friday 26 August 2011
Solitude
In our hyped and racy society the word "solitude" seems to mock. We have such a strong urge for noise that any moment "snatched" in solitude is at best thought of as abnormal or "waste of time". How strange our society has moved into noise "mode" and silence is no longer thought of as "golden" but as an aberration.
This word "solitude" touched me recently. Let me explain;
Some days ago after a harrowing day in my office (post abortion grief counsellour)I decided I needed some solitude and I wandered out and meandered around the area of my office and towards the Catholic Cathedral nearby. It was probably about 2.45pm. As I entered quietly (as you do) I left the clamour of the busy streets and entered into a grace filled space. I dont know why, but thats all I could think of.
As I moved forward to the front, towards the altar, I seemed to feel a sense of contradiction. One part of me wanted to run outside into the noise again and another part had an urge to sit down right on the floor right in front of the altar. this feeling was so strong that I had to fight the urge to do it.
I continued to look around the cathedral as it seemed so quiet and there was a lady sitting quietly praying with eyes closed. Seeing her,I think reassured me.
As I continued to walk around where the smaller altars are, I seemed to sense a presence of millions of prayers that have gone up in this place. An ancient conversation made up of pleas, supplications and thanksgiving. Like John O'Donohue says "these stones, ever patient, ever still, continue to praise the silence of time" (p108). This is exactly how I felt as I looked at the surroundings and ancient stones which built the cathedral. As I walked slowly around, read inscriptions and names of past history I became caught up in the life that might have been.
In this cathedral there is such a sense of past and continuity. It was almost like a revisit of all the anceint times and rituals and ceremonies and feasts celebrated within these walls and I could either see or feel them, though I am not sure which. I could sense a sacredness in that solitude.
I don't remember praying that day, or even sitting down for any length of time. Just simply spending an indeterminate amount of time captured in memories embedded in these walls. I didnt even hear when the other person left so that in the end I was really alone "with the alone."
Perhaps I was ready for this moment because of the suffering and grief I had listened to that morning and maybe for a moment I needed to escape from that "normal" into a place where solitude was my most needed companion.
Several further words from John O'Donohue rang true especially on this day" the secret and the sacred are sisters. When the secret is not respected, the sacred vanishes" (p109).
I really sensed this, this day. I could imagine the myriad of secrets shared with the Lord in this place, yet all these secrets have been maintained because the sacred remained so strong.
John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World. (London: Bantam Press, 1998).
This word "solitude" touched me recently. Let me explain;
Some days ago after a harrowing day in my office (post abortion grief counsellour)I decided I needed some solitude and I wandered out and meandered around the area of my office and towards the Catholic Cathedral nearby. It was probably about 2.45pm. As I entered quietly (as you do) I left the clamour of the busy streets and entered into a grace filled space. I dont know why, but thats all I could think of.
As I moved forward to the front, towards the altar, I seemed to feel a sense of contradiction. One part of me wanted to run outside into the noise again and another part had an urge to sit down right on the floor right in front of the altar. this feeling was so strong that I had to fight the urge to do it.
I continued to look around the cathedral as it seemed so quiet and there was a lady sitting quietly praying with eyes closed. Seeing her,I think reassured me.
As I continued to walk around where the smaller altars are, I seemed to sense a presence of millions of prayers that have gone up in this place. An ancient conversation made up of pleas, supplications and thanksgiving. Like John O'Donohue says "these stones, ever patient, ever still, continue to praise the silence of time" (p108). This is exactly how I felt as I looked at the surroundings and ancient stones which built the cathedral. As I walked slowly around, read inscriptions and names of past history I became caught up in the life that might have been.
In this cathedral there is such a sense of past and continuity. It was almost like a revisit of all the anceint times and rituals and ceremonies and feasts celebrated within these walls and I could either see or feel them, though I am not sure which. I could sense a sacredness in that solitude.
I don't remember praying that day, or even sitting down for any length of time. Just simply spending an indeterminate amount of time captured in memories embedded in these walls. I didnt even hear when the other person left so that in the end I was really alone "with the alone."
Perhaps I was ready for this moment because of the suffering and grief I had listened to that morning and maybe for a moment I needed to escape from that "normal" into a place where solitude was my most needed companion.
Several further words from John O'Donohue rang true especially on this day" the secret and the sacred are sisters. When the secret is not respected, the sacred vanishes" (p109).
I really sensed this, this day. I could imagine the myriad of secrets shared with the Lord in this place, yet all these secrets have been maintained because the sacred remained so strong.
John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World. (London: Bantam Press, 1998).
Thursday 25 August 2011
Petition
A petition, inititated by Catholics for Renewal, is doing the rounds of Australian parishes calling for reversal of the Vatican's dcision on the issue of Bishop Morris of Toowoomba. This petition seems to be splitting the Church and no doubt designed as such.
This petition seems also to imply that justice has not been done in regard to Bishop Morris, and a very very liberal cache of so called Catholics have joined forces to redress the decision made by the Holy Father. This petition is fuelled by websites and chat rooms etc.leading almost to hysteria. Im reminded of the hysteria of the rioters in London recently, but later if you asked some of the rioters what they were rioting about most would not have known the reason, they just joined in because the pack mentality took over.
For my part, with the shortage of priests and available candidates for office of Bishop why would the Holy Father stand down an already existing Bishop unless there was serious cause? Because vatican receives 100, or even 1000 letters from disgrntled parishioners? Dont think so. It doesnt make sense.
There seems to be a litany of complaints re the said Bishop, and many attempts to clarify his beliefs and support of the teachings of the Church of which he is a pastor. most specifically the suggestion of priesthood for women (this fuelled I suspect by the feminist brigade within the church) which is difinitively taught that the church has no authority from Christ Jesus,to ordain women. So if this is a definitive teaching of the church whats the point of dialogue? If dialogue was what Bishop Morris asked for.
I hear the word collegiality a lot. What does collegiality mean?
lack of discourse and dialogue with Vatican? I understand that Bishops have a direct line to the Vatican and if in good standing have no difficulty in getting through to the Holy Father, and even as in the case of Bishop Morris if there is a difficulty and perhaps even in not good standing, there is ease with which to get to see the Holy Father even apart from the ad limina visits.
As I keep reading more and more about this sad story, I see much disobedience by one who was called to Pastor a flock in accordance with the mind of the Holy Spirit, the Magisterium, instead of working with lay leadership groups to try and circumvent the decision and upstage and destabilise the Church.
It seems to me disobedience (dare we say pride) again is at the very root of this sorry saga.
How tragic and so sad that a beautiful successor to the Apostles has allowed himself to be wounded and waylaid and then to allow others to continue with disobedience and not brought a stop (this would have shown massive humility) to this whole messy story.
We need to pray for him and for sense and saintly thoughts to slowly come through. How much satan must be enjoying this rift.
I dont usually like to get involved in church politics as its not beneficial, because I love my church and many many priest and Bishop friends to bits. But this mess is causing rifts and wounds and if we look at them we can see "who" is behind the rupture.
And we also need to remind ourselves that "priesthood" is not a job that we can learn to do (Yes there is pastoral/theology study) or have a "right" to, or even can earn, but before the study is the call from God also heard in Jeremiah 1:4 "before I formed you in the womb I knew you and before you were born I consecrated you:I appointed you a prophet to the nations" consecrated, anointed, appointed,set apart for a particular work. the work of a male priest (to Jeremiah and later Jesus...male)
Yes before the study there is mysterious call implanted in the heart of a man to respond to a call which he doesnt quite understand but he knows he has to answer.
Priesthood is not a job, because if it was a mere job,of course women could do the job. A job is a job. Priesthood is a soul saver in the like and mind of Jesus Christ. Priest hood, like motherhood create citizens for God's Kingdom. and in our day both are under enormous attack.
Lets Pray ....
Anne
This petition seems also to imply that justice has not been done in regard to Bishop Morris, and a very very liberal cache of so called Catholics have joined forces to redress the decision made by the Holy Father. This petition is fuelled by websites and chat rooms etc.leading almost to hysteria. Im reminded of the hysteria of the rioters in London recently, but later if you asked some of the rioters what they were rioting about most would not have known the reason, they just joined in because the pack mentality took over.
For my part, with the shortage of priests and available candidates for office of Bishop why would the Holy Father stand down an already existing Bishop unless there was serious cause? Because vatican receives 100, or even 1000 letters from disgrntled parishioners? Dont think so. It doesnt make sense.
There seems to be a litany of complaints re the said Bishop, and many attempts to clarify his beliefs and support of the teachings of the Church of which he is a pastor. most specifically the suggestion of priesthood for women (this fuelled I suspect by the feminist brigade within the church) which is difinitively taught that the church has no authority from Christ Jesus,to ordain women. So if this is a definitive teaching of the church whats the point of dialogue? If dialogue was what Bishop Morris asked for.
I hear the word collegiality a lot. What does collegiality mean?
lack of discourse and dialogue with Vatican? I understand that Bishops have a direct line to the Vatican and if in good standing have no difficulty in getting through to the Holy Father, and even as in the case of Bishop Morris if there is a difficulty and perhaps even in not good standing, there is ease with which to get to see the Holy Father even apart from the ad limina visits.
As I keep reading more and more about this sad story, I see much disobedience by one who was called to Pastor a flock in accordance with the mind of the Holy Spirit, the Magisterium, instead of working with lay leadership groups to try and circumvent the decision and upstage and destabilise the Church.
It seems to me disobedience (dare we say pride) again is at the very root of this sorry saga.
How tragic and so sad that a beautiful successor to the Apostles has allowed himself to be wounded and waylaid and then to allow others to continue with disobedience and not brought a stop (this would have shown massive humility) to this whole messy story.
We need to pray for him and for sense and saintly thoughts to slowly come through. How much satan must be enjoying this rift.
I dont usually like to get involved in church politics as its not beneficial, because I love my church and many many priest and Bishop friends to bits. But this mess is causing rifts and wounds and if we look at them we can see "who" is behind the rupture.
And we also need to remind ourselves that "priesthood" is not a job that we can learn to do (Yes there is pastoral/theology study) or have a "right" to, or even can earn, but before the study is the call from God also heard in Jeremiah 1:4 "before I formed you in the womb I knew you and before you were born I consecrated you:I appointed you a prophet to the nations" consecrated, anointed, appointed,set apart for a particular work. the work of a male priest (to Jeremiah and later Jesus...male)
Yes before the study there is mysterious call implanted in the heart of a man to respond to a call which he doesnt quite understand but he knows he has to answer.
Priesthood is not a job, because if it was a mere job,of course women could do the job. A job is a job. Priesthood is a soul saver in the like and mind of Jesus Christ. Priest hood, like motherhood create citizens for God's Kingdom. and in our day both are under enormous attack.
Lets Pray ....
Anne
Wednesday 24 August 2011
In one of the many news services received today, one of them said that the Holy Father was very emotional during the Via Crucis at this years world youth day and I see this as not surprising but joyful. Imagine his joy at seeing over 1.5 million young who were there to say "Yes Benedetto. We Love you."
in a world which has lost all knowledge of respect and honour, it must have been comforting for him to see these young faces saying"Yes" to Jesus and His (Jesus) own chosen Vicar.
And how interesting! over 1.5 million youth and no riots, but song, dance, and love. Where love is found there is no need for rioting.
And as I followed the proceedings of WYD, I loved seeing the torrent of rain which came down on the Holy Father and the pilgrims. Imagine in the middle of such heat over 40deg celsius The Lord sent a little cooling for them. How beautifully thoughtful of our God.
And imagine this, the torrent of graces poured down in the image of rain. Perfect.
in a world which has lost all knowledge of respect and honour, it must have been comforting for him to see these young faces saying"Yes" to Jesus and His (Jesus) own chosen Vicar.
And how interesting! over 1.5 million youth and no riots, but song, dance, and love. Where love is found there is no need for rioting.
And as I followed the proceedings of WYD, I loved seeing the torrent of rain which came down on the Holy Father and the pilgrims. Imagine in the middle of such heat over 40deg celsius The Lord sent a little cooling for them. How beautifully thoughtful of our God.
And imagine this, the torrent of graces poured down in the image of rain. Perfect.
A thought...
A thought on Good Friday 2011.
During the 3.00pm liturgy of Good Friday, this year, I had unusual experience, unlike any other Good Friday experiences."Were you there when they Crucified my Lord?"sang the choir over and over and during this, I wept and wept. Not just a little tear welling up, or watery eyes but gushing tears of anguish. This continued and continued. I had a sadness unlike any other sadness I have known. I also heard another person (man whom I did not know) also sobbing loudly. His sobs sounded so anguished.
And later I started thinking about this. "Yes" I was there when they crucified my Lord. I was there in His very human body. I was a cell in His body. He took me into Gethsemani with Him. He took me into the Sanhedran with Him. He took me into the scourging courtyard with Him. He took me onto the Cross with Him. He took me into death with Him.
Yes I was there and now I have to live out my experience of Gethsemani,scourging,Sanhedran, and death-but I have already been there with Him He has accompanied me through them. I love you Lord.
During the 3.00pm liturgy of Good Friday, this year, I had unusual experience, unlike any other Good Friday experiences."Were you there when they Crucified my Lord?"sang the choir over and over and during this, I wept and wept. Not just a little tear welling up, or watery eyes but gushing tears of anguish. This continued and continued. I had a sadness unlike any other sadness I have known. I also heard another person (man whom I did not know) also sobbing loudly. His sobs sounded so anguished.
And later I started thinking about this. "Yes" I was there when they crucified my Lord. I was there in His very human body. I was a cell in His body. He took me into Gethsemani with Him. He took me into the Sanhedran with Him. He took me into the scourging courtyard with Him. He took me onto the Cross with Him. He took me into death with Him.
Yes I was there and now I have to live out my experience of Gethsemani,scourging,Sanhedran, and death-but I have already been there with Him He has accompanied me through them. I love you Lord.
Prayer for unborn Life.
Eternal Lord,
We adore you, and indeed you are worthy of all adoration.
Lord we beg you to help us to love and honour life in the womb.
To love all unborn infants who are in danger of dying through miscarriage, stillbirth and especially from the horror of abortion.
Please Lord, for those we cannot humanly save, please Baptise them with your and our tears and your and our desire.
Allow us Oh Lord to spiritually adopt each and every infant who does not see the light of day and grant each one life, love and salvation.
This we ask in the name of your beautiful Son...Jesus.
Amen
Thanks Michael for sending thi in.
We adore you, and indeed you are worthy of all adoration.
Lord we beg you to help us to love and honour life in the womb.
To love all unborn infants who are in danger of dying through miscarriage, stillbirth and especially from the horror of abortion.
Please Lord, for those we cannot humanly save, please Baptise them with your and our tears and your and our desire.
Allow us Oh Lord to spiritually adopt each and every infant who does not see the light of day and grant each one life, love and salvation.
This we ask in the name of your beautiful Son...Jesus.
Amen
Thanks Michael for sending thi in.
Tuesday 23 August 2011
I have a tabernacle for life.
I have kept something beautiful in my heart speaks of precious memory. A tabernacle for life experience. It reminds me of wintertime and snow, spring and blooms, of fruit trees overhanging, of olive groves and beautiful serene sense. It reminds me of almond trees and wild plum trees. Of grottos and bunches of field flowers and of course the guardian statues. It reminds me of grape gathering season and winemaking (before technology). It reminds me of quiet evenings outside playing with others while adults talked and the sense of "rightness"and security about this.
It reminds me of the warm loving arms of God cradling and whispering "I have loved you with an everlasting life and have chosen you for myself"
I have kept these soft memories tabernacled in my heart as seeds of my life.
It reminds me of the warm loving arms of God cradling and whispering "I have loved you with an everlasting life and have chosen you for myself"
I have kept these soft memories tabernacled in my heart as seeds of my life.
Poems by Anne
Drawing you closer to Myself.
See how my heart beats for you
strong and constant.See how my heart beats for you
See how my love radiates for you
ever glowing, ever growing
never dimming never receding.
See how my lips speak words of love, to you
ever encouraging, never discouraging.
See how I am drawing you
ever closer to myself.
Think of Me.
Think of Me.
Ask me for strength,
am I not all strength, think of mu Cross.Ask me for patience
am I not all patience?
think of my trial
Ask me for courage
Am I not all courage?
think of my
Ask me for humility
Am I not all humility?
Think of my birth.
Ask me for trust
am I not all trust?Ask me for trust
think of my Trust in my Father
Ask me for love
Am I not all love?
Think of my Death for you.
Sunday 21 August 2011
Welcome to Anne's Blog!
Hello world! Welcome to my blog! Yey! This blog is a new thing I will try out and will use to add regular writings, articles, points of interest and other items on life and theology, because I am not going to write about Mathematics and Chemistry, because I don't even know how to spell those words (thank God for spellcheck!) but I know lots and lots about life and theology.
Once I have a hang of how to do this on my own, get ready to have some fun with me!
Anne.
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