The Importance of Desire in Spiritual Practice

I have one word for tonight‘s group: Beautiful! Repentance “brings to us the power of the living God, revealing once again, the true Christ Jesus who dwells in us.” As with so many aspects of the faith, we have a tendency to compartmentalize not only the practice of virtue or of prayer but of our relationship with God as a whole. Yet our faith and our relationship with God should touch the very fabric of our beings and shape the essence of every relationship and every work that we engage in throughout the course of our lives. It should shape also our experience of death and our realization of our own mortality. Repentance is not an episodic reality but a continual effort, the continual straining of the heart - reaching out to God to experience his love and mercy. In this sense it is the most important of things.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:06:18 sue and mark: microphone is not working   00:08:33 Ren Witter: PDF Handout: https://mcusercontent.com/c38acab568d650f7ef65f39df/files/34558acb-864f-f9f8-1546-e7decdc9605b/Repentance.pdf   00:34:44 charlesevers: What gets us (causes) trapped into thinking of past sins?   00:34:55 Irene Bridget Hutchinson: Fr, how would a scrupulous person go about being constantly repentant with peace of soul?   00:44:00 David: The past few years I have also focused on taking time in prayer and adoration to express gratitude and thanksgiving. Isn't it equality important to give thanks as to deepen repentance. No amount of regret changes the past, no amount of worry will change the future but any gratitude will change the present.   00:50:52 charlesevers: Very good. Thank you Father.  Excellent explanation.   00:55:37 charlesevers: St. Bonaventure wrote a colloquay   01:12:54 Rachel : Yes. Only true Beauty. Most,. I include myself, can tend to misuse t|   01:21:53 Missi White: That's a tough pill to swallow, especially in what has become such a narcissistic culture.  How I needed this conference, thank you!   01:24:26 Art: Helpful reminder for me at times: But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (Jn 1:12-13)   01:25:21 Bonnie Lewis: I have found that when I pray for someone who is causing me to harbor a resentment toward them, I am the one who changes internally.  The other person may remain exactly how they were, yet I have received a peace of mind and thought toward them.  This doesn't happen overnight.  sometimes it takes some time.   01:36:29 Rachel : Who wrote the book? A continual effort. With no temptation or battle a soldier is not made stronger through resisting. St. Faustina, and  St Therese had clear experiences of people who tried their patience. They felt the irritation. Its not like the new lens that Father is speaking of will mean that somone will not need to actively practice patience but that the life of repentence, living constantly in the presence of God, in Truth, the person "drunk with compunction" just simply cannot not forgive when they see who they really are in Christ and the dignity of others as well. All mankind seen through the lens of love   01:37:12 Rachel : This book should be gone through very slowly.   01:41:33 Rachel : I think Ren mentioned that this past year in a group! I need to get that book.   01:44:13 Bonnie Lewis: Thank you Father David.  This was beautiful.   01:44:15 David: Thank you Father!   01:44:27 charlesevers: Thank you Father.  This was wonderful   01:44:30 Lori Hatala: so very helpful.   01:44:31 Rachel : lol   01:44:31 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you 🙂   01:44:32 Melissa Kummerow: Yes thank you! I like the occasional "bonus" groups :)   01:44:34 Rachel : Thank you   01:45:17 Rachel : Thank you   01:45:18 Lorraine Green: Thank you   01:45:26 Cindy Moran: I hope Father's talj will be available for what I missed.   01:45:27 Rachel : Praying for you   01:45:31 Mary Jo: Thank you !!   01:45:31 Mitch: Very profound. Thankyou Father take care