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. .
. although I want to grow spiritually, I am afraid because I have been
overwhelmed by the cross and God did not give any respite despite my call
to Him and at the back of my mind there is this thought: If I grow closer
to God, I will be given a heavier cross. I don’t think I can take any
more crosses. The saints are made of hardier stuff than me.
 ll you have to do to become a saint
is want to become a saint. Keep in mind
here that saints are made through love and trust, along the way of the cross,
not born into piety.
Keep in mind also that the weight
of any cross is purely subjective. The more you are attached to the
world—and to
defending your own
pride—the heavier any cross will feel; the
more you are detached from the world, through genuine
humility, the lighter any cross will
feel.
Now, you might say that you
don’t know how to love or how to
trust. Well, the answer is surprisingly simple:
just follow the spiritual counsels on this website
and you will learn love and trust directly from the hands of Christ, the
Blessed Virgin, and all the saints.
It’s not easy, but it is
really very simple—simple enough that even someone of great
fear and little trust can become a saint. In fact,
the Church is founded on and built of such persons.
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AT
ONCE Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be
afraid.”
Peter said to Him in reply, “Lord, if it is You,
command me to come to You on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water
toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you
doubt?” |
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—Matthew
14:27-31 |
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Postscript: It’s Very Simple
The truth is, the Christian faith is simplicity
itself. It doesn’t require a philosopher to understand it. It simply requires a chaste
and pure life dedicated to holy love. But, as one of my clients told me, “Yes, it’s
all so simple. But until the mind has been cleansed of all the filth of its anger and hostility
and resentment, it can’t see how simple everything is.”
Yes, if you are carrying resentment, you
can’t carry the cross.
So do everything and anything it
takes—prayer, scrutiny, and, if
necessary, psychotherapy—to cleanse your mind
and heart of anger, hostility, and resentment, now, while you have the chance.
Healing
Psychological Healing in the Catholic Mystic Tradition
by Raymond Lloyd Richmond, Ph.D.
 A treasure of a resource for psychological
and spiritual healing. Information gathered from my websites is now available at your fingertips
in book form with a comprehensive index.
Psychological defenses help to protect us from
emotional injury, but if you cling to the defense mechanisms that were created in your
childhood and carry them on into adulthood—as most everyone does unconsciously—your quest
for spiritual healing will be thwarted by overwhelming resentments and conflicts.
Still, God has been trying to show you that there is more to life than resentment and
conflict, something so beautiful and desirable that only one thing can resist its pull:
hate.
So now, and in every moment until you die, you will have a profound choice between your
enslavement to old defenses and the beauty of God. That decision has to come from you.
You will go where you desire.
More information
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