I really needed to hear this today! The sufferings you endure will, through the power of charity, suffice to win both atonement and reward for you and others…The stains of your foolishness will be blotted out, and I will no longer remember that you have ever offended me.As for the others, because of your loving charity, I will pardon them in proportion to their receptiveness….They will come in this way to truly know and regret their sins, and so, because of my servants’ prayers they will receive the fruit of grace….They will receive both forgiveness and its gifts, unless their stubbornness is such that they despair….I look on them and give them light. I rouse the dog of conscience within them. I make them sensitive to the perfume of virtue and give them delight in the fellowship of my servants. Sometimes I allow the world to show them its true colors….that they may know how inconstant it is and be more eager to seek their homeland in eternal life.The eye cannot see nor the tongue tell, nor can the heart imagine how many paths and methods I have, solely for love and to lead them back to grace so that my truth may be realized in them. (Dialogue # 4) http://blog.adw.org/2013/05/a-word-from-the-lord-and-a-saint-as-to-what-prayer-does/
He told her another wonderful thing I always remember, so wise and logical. Catherine asked how come evil people sometimes seem to have a great time, rich and famous, popular and so on. The Father told her it was because some folks do some good things in this life, even though they are otherwise wicked. SO since they are going to hell in the next life he gives them their reward in this one. This always seemed to me such a sensible explanation for something I always wondered about myself.
Yes, Padraig, it is wise and logical, but so sad! In my work I go into every kind of home you can imagine. I'd rather see a patient living in a cardboard box than in a mansion. All I can think of, looking around at the opulence, is, "This is a pitiful reward." We get cross-wise immediately, because they're offended that I'm not impressed with their conspicuous consumption. (I'm working on my poker face!) Rarely I've met a good and holy rich person at the end of their life, but not often. Usually they are incredibly nasty, and their family members are worse! I think it's because they're in the habit of paying people to do their dirty jobs. But you can't pay anyone to die for you. And just think what comes next, for the unrepentant! I keep them in my prayers, because they truly are the least of my brothers. "You are the Savior; I beg You to save. Please, dear Lord, that not one would be lost for lack of prayer and sacrifice, especially on my part." Kathy
Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes there is a logic to life Kathy it is God's logic not ours. We are surrounded by the illogic of sin and so we can't end up having our sight clouded by it. There is a guy in work who is very , very lazy. He does as little work as he can get away with and believe me that is very,very little. Because of this myself and others have to do it for him. He has been doing ths and getting away with it for 19 years now in the hospital. Naturally enough I get upset by this and the unfairness of it. But when I turned to God in prayer and complained about it to God He told me that no one gets away with sin, the punishment of sin lies at once in the sin itself. The consequences of sin, the seed of death if you like is contained in the sin itself. ..and when I looked at this person I saw that this is true. His day at work is long and dreary, he is deeply unhappy unsatisfied and bored. He is treated as a disobedient child, although he is in his 40's by his superiors, he is deeply immature and has to resort to constant lies, subterfuge and cheating to cover himself . He lives in a twilight world in which he hides and has no respect at all from his work colleagues. What a way to live. I on the other hand see work as a form of prayer and though naturally drawn to be a lazy day dreamer myself as a form of penance and prayer knock myself out. So my work day is happy and full and all too short. The bottom line is I am happy , very happy at my work where he is despondent. So it's true what God told me , the wages of sin lies in the sin itself. As we sow ,so indeed do we reap. In the psalms we see the very same question asked and answered by God: Psalm 49[a] For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. 1 Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world, 2 both low and high, rich and poor alike: 3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. 4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle: 5 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me— 6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? 7 No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them— 8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough— 9 so that they should live on forever and not see decay. 10 For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. 11 Their tombs will remain their houses[b] forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had[c] named lands after themselves. 12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish. 13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[d] 14 They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. 15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. 16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; 17 for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them. 18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper— 19 they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life. 20 People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
..and thank you for the encouragement, Paul. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
