An Introduction to Teresa of Avila’s Seven Mansions
The structure of the mansions:
To begin with, Teresa uses two gorgeous visuals to help us understand the structure of our souls, and the dwelling place of the Lord.
Your soul is like two things: one, it is like a crystal, and two, it is like a many-tiered mansion. Putting them together, your soul is like a many-tiered mansion which is made out of crystal.
Petitionary Prayer for the Warning
Lord Jesus, we who have been killed in white martyrdom, for the sake of the kingdom, and having received our white robes, cry out to you with anguish: O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood upon those who dwell upon the earth? Lord, we have no wine! We beg you to send the Day of Your Mercy, and flood us, and the whole world, with the vision of your particular judgement. Knowing that it shall be fearful in the presence of God, we joyfully embrace the knowledge of our sins in exchange for the sanctity that shall flood our hearts, and will open us to an even deeper relationship with You, paving the way for your Era of Peace. Amen.
Cultivating Imagination through Family Structure
Ask Like Mary
Pleased to demonstrate the lengths you will go for the sake of your beloved, you grin, and tell them…
How the World Sees Reality Upside Down: The Priority of Goods
Once we see how the world values its priorities, will we be able to invert that order, and see how God values everything? I’m always fascinated by trying to see myself, others, and the world through God’s eyes, and I had a feeling that I might be looking at the world all wrong.
The Flight House Prayer
Holy Family, I entrust myself to you. Like a little child alongside Jesus, I will follow you wherever you intend to lead me. Your Flight into Egypt was a time of renewal. It redeemed the horrors suffered by the Israelites in the desert. With perfect trust, you did not overstrike stones or build golden calves, but followed the pillar of fire, Jesus, and His Father in Heaven.
Veiled Woman: Conclusion & Bibliography
Only when woman respects her own dignity, when she embraces the misunderstood and weakest of humanity, and sacrifices herself for their sake, will she be able to fully manifest her nature, and attain fulfillment and happiness in this life.
Veiled Woman: Chapter 3 – Veiled Woman
The veil of woman is the symbol that most accurately portrays the truth of her mystery. The vocation of woman to receive love is contained in the veiled and hidden nature of her life; it is within the hidden and secret chambers of a woman that she accepts the love offered, and through which she glorifies it, before giving it back to the world.
Veiled Woman: Chapter 2 - A Woman’s Proper Sphere
Many women are called to exercise their gifts outside, or in addition to, the family sphere, and when properly practiced, this call does not negate the gift of love a woman is called to bestow upon others. For, while woman is not called to ignore or deny her gifts (unless a specific situation arises in which something greater is demanded of her sacrificially), yet she is encouraged to put those gifts to the service of those she loves.
Veiled Woman: Chapter 1 – The Nature of Woman
Woman’s nature is two-fold, and the second aspect of this nature, which is unique to her sex, is separate from the common dignity she shares with man.
Introduction to Veiled Woman in the World
How can we reconcile an authoritative Catherine of Sienna with the obedient fiat of Mother Mary? Judith, from the Old Testament, represents woman as strong, commanding, and unyielding, but the woman of Proverbs 31 represents woman as humble, caring, and merciful. It is on account of these seemingly incompatible images that the nature of woman presents a paradox to the world. How are we to understand woman’s relation to reality, and the role that she plays therein, and where can we find a key to unlock this great mystery?
Table of Contents to “A Paradox: Veiled Woman in the World”
The ultimate goal of this thesis is to lead the reader to a more complete understanding of who woman is, why she is such, and how we are to embrace her unique nature, which is so universally misunderstood. It is not a question that offers a ready answer, but one that, when answered, opens multiple horizons for women’s fulfillment, and invites us to continue searching it out, in all its nuances, within our personal lives.
Litany of Courage
Oh Jesus, Lion of Judah,
Hear me.
From the fear of displeasing you,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of disappointing you,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of not being enough,
Medicine Series: 3 Views of Pain
There are two philosophies regarding pain which I have yet come across. There may be some room for interpretation or variation within each, but by and large they distill down to what I call the Modern World View and the…
Medicine Series: Introduction
believe in supplementing with vitamins and minerals, in drinking healthier water, in avoiding chemicals, gluten, soy, and processed foods. They say it because they believe in organic farming, sustainable living, and fewer electronic devices.
So do I.
These things are self-evident. With a glance around our world, we can and do see how we have poisoned those very things that ought to bring us life.
Prayer: Honor You
Prayer: The Desires of My Heart
Prayer: My Lord Provides
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