Home

Introduction

Self-help

Doctrine

Prayer

Recommended Readings

Spiritual Counsels

Consultation

Questions and Answers

Subject Index

Contact Me

Related Links

Psychological Healing
in the Catholic Mystic Tradition

Questions and Answers

Does nakedness of spirit mean no pretension or motivation other than God’s will? Does spiritual purgation mean to take out of motivation or understanding all things of self-motivation?

Outline of the Answer
• Introduction
• Pragmatism and Secular Humanism
• Service to Christ
• Not the Task Itself

 
Actually, Saint John of the Cross answers this one:

Oh, who can tell how impossible it is for a person with appetites to judge the things of God as they are! If there is to be success in judging the things of God, the appetites and satisfactions must be totally rejected, and these things of God must be weighed apart from them. For otherwise one will infallibly come to consider the things of God as not of God, and the things that are not of God as of God.

—St. John of the Cross
The Living Flame of Love, 3.73

That’s very clear. So why is it so hard for anyone to accept it? And why do people say, in defensive rebuttal, “If you did that it would be no different than sitting around all day contemplating your navel. How will you ever have food to eat? You’ll never accomplish anything that way.”

Does denial of self
mean denial of one’s humanity?

 
Pragmatism and Secular Humanism

The persons who scoff at detachment from the world are the persons who have turned secular humanism into a pseudo-religion to replace their lack of belief in God; they have raised the psychological “self” to the status of a god and can’t see a thing beyond human reason. These are the persons who literally care more about the welfare of their stomachs than about their souls, because they simply care little, if anything, for God.

Sadly, even well-intentioned individuals can be misled by the insidious social influence of pragmatism and humanistic psychology that have infiltrated our entire society. This is why a holy life must be detached from the world, so as to be freed from the unconscious slavery to social desire.

Consider, then, what Christ told us:

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” . . . Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

—Matthew 6:31-33

  
Service to Christ

To die to yourself, then, does not mean that the psychological self must be obliterated, because that is simply impossible. To die to yourself means to dedicate your “self” to the service of Christ, seeking your salvation by first living a holy lifestyle and then doing good for the love of others, and paying as little attention to your own self-satisfaction (i.e., pride [1]) as possible.

And you can rest assured that if you ever do die to yourself as Christ commanded and as Saint John of the Cross describes, God will give you all the opportunities you need to develop your talents.

  
Not the Task Itself

Nevertheless, for the sake of your mental health, and for the sake of your soul, keep in mind that all human accomplishments, even those done in God’s service, will pass, and that no matter what you do, someone will praise you for it and someone will attack you for it. What really matters, then, is not the task itself but your spiritual progress in the growth and purification of your faith as you struggle with any task. You will experience joys and consolations; you will experience obstacles, trials, and persecutions; you will experience temptations. Seek to endure all of these things anyway with humility and grace. Never let any praise or any obstacle lead you into mortal sin, no matter how important the accomplishment might seem to human eyes.

What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?

—Matthew 16:26

 

Who wrote this web page?
 

Notes

1. In fact, to say, “If you did that it would be no different than sitting around all day contemplating your navel. How will you ever have food to eat? You’ll never accomplish anything that way,” is itself an act of pride, because it places human reason above total trust in God.

 


 Back to the list of questions

 

No advertising—no sponsor—just the simple truth . . .

For the sake of truth, this is a website with NO ADVERTISING.

If you find these pages to be informative and helpful, please send a donation in appreciation,
even if it’s only a few dollars, to help offset my costs in making this website available to you and to all.

Home

Imprimatur?                                           

Questions and Answers

Spiritual Counsels                                                         

INDEX of Subjects

SEARCH                                                       

Privacy Policy

Permissions Policy                                           

Communications

Consultation                                   

Social Media

Chastity

In San Francisco?

www.ChastitySF.com

CATHOLIC PSYCHOLOGY

in association with
A Guide to Psychology and its Practice
 

 
Copyright © 1997-2022 Raymond Lloyd Richmond, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
 

All material on this website is copyrighted. You may copy or print selections for your private, personal use only.
Any other reproduction or distribution without my permission is prohibited.
Where Catholic therapy (Catholic psychotherapy) is explained according to Catholic psychology in the tradition of the Catholic mystics.