Angel,
Your thoughts give me much to ponder.  thank you for sharing them.
Kathy


At 04:41 AM 7/4/2005, you wrote:
>I feel sad for that person and those who refused to allow you to participate
>in that bible study.  You were justified in leaving that church for that
>reason,  Many times those who proclaim their Christianity are not as fine a
>Christians as they should be.  Those who do such things are truly in need of
>our prayers, and when they die, if not before, Our Lord will surely show to
>them the error of their ways.  Our Catholic Church too has been backward in
>her approach to her dealings with the disabled.  She still has much to learn
>in that respect and Jesus has much to teach her.  She will learn and will
>atone for her sins regarding her relationship toward us.  We must remember
>many such mistakes result from ignorance rather than deliberate malice.  We
>are many times more blessed than are they because we know how good and godly
>many disabled people are.  We also know our capabilities much better than do
>they and in this we are fortunate, more so than they.  This is why we are
>able to forgive such people even before they even know what wrong they have
>committed.  Many times those who sin with respect to offences against us
>truly don't know what they are doing as Jesus said on his cross.  Let me
>tell you a story illustrating this point.  When I was young I wanted to be a
>nun.  I felt God had called me to the religious life.  The nuns felt we all
>of us blind and otherwise disabled women aspiring to such a life should be
>cloistered.  I did not want that sort of life.  Now, looking back, I think
>the cloistered life is one I shouldn't have scoffed at so readily.  There
>may not be any higher calling than that of devoting one's entire life to
>prayer fasting, and meditation on our dear Lord's precious sacrifice which
>he made for the whole world so it can be united with his holy and beneficent
>Father from whom all good things flow.  I was foolish then and failed to
>realize this.  I felt the church was the foolish one not to provide me with
>the same options she gives all others who are called to serve him in such a
>life.  I felt she was closing me off from opportunities I had a rite to
>have.  How different my life would have been if I would have heeded the call
>of our Lord and served him as a nun no matter the situation.  Many times we
>endure many hardships because of our stubbornness as did the Children of
>Israel. How much easier our lives could be if we would only learn obedience.
>On the other hand many doors were opened to me which wouldn't have been if I
>had become a nun, and my faith has been tested in ways it may not have been,
>thus proving to me what my works were truly made of.  Sometimes Our Lord
>allows people to turn us away from situations simply to present to us finer
>ways in which to serve him.  He may not  have wanted you to associate with
>such people so your faith would not be tainted by doubt.  Who knows what
>teachings were taught in that bible study of theirs.    I will pray that
>those people will awake from their sleep and realize it was their loss more
>than it was yours not having you to participate in that bible study.  I am
>glad to know this incident has not stifled your zeal in the service of our
>lord.  His goodness shall surely flow toward you and his kindness shall
>surely drop on your head as the rain falls from heaven.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Kerri" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2005 10:10 PM
>Subject: Re: feeling happy today
>
>
> > Angel it sounds like you need to step back and think maybe there are
>reasons
> > people don't feel comfortable in a certain church. I wish to state I was
> > treated shabbily in a church last year. the pastor, not a man of God in my
> > opinion, stated I'm dogmatic and abrasive, wouldn't allow me into a Bible
> > study and said all the elders agreed with him. So please don't assume it's
> > all because of a church service, sometimes bad things happen in churches,
>in
> > fact sometimes churches are the worst places.
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Angel" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2005 7:06 PM
> > Subject: Re: feeling happy today
> >
> >
> > I am glad you felt good going to this new church.  I suppose [personal
> > satisfaction is a good thing when going to a church but why do so many put
> > such store by their feelings when going to adore and to worship Our
>blessed
> > Lord?  I have a problem with people going to a church because it makes
>them
> > feel good to go to one church or other.  This is why I am glad our
>churches
> > are basically the same accept for the different types of people who go
> > there.  I think one should go to church to adore Jesus and show him our
> > adoration, and to present to him our personal and communal petitions and
>to
> > thank him for our triumphs, not to feel happy.  I have never gone to
>church
> > and felt either happy or unhappy.  my basic reasons for going are those I
> > have stated above plus to merely bask in Jesus love and be washed in the
> > peace the adoration of the blessed sacrament brings and to hear what he
>has
> > to say to us to assist us with the coming struggles of the week,and to
> > worship his majestic presents.  That is what going to church means to me.
> > Oh by the way I wanted to share with you some good news.  Firstly, I
>wanted
> > to thank you for your prayers on my husbands behalf.  He no longer wanders
> > from the house and he doesn't try to cook in the kitchen thus putting
> > himself in danger.  He eats more or les on a set schedule which means he
> > doesn't eat so much that we will run out of food before the end of the
>money
> > to purchase food comes.  I am sure this is due to the many prayers to our
> > lord which has caused this to occur.  Secondly, I have long wanted to find
>a
> > church which practices the traditional Latin mass and I have found such a
> > church.  It is rite across the street from where my daughter now resides.
> > Isn't that great.  I can hear mass as it has been said since the beginning
> > of the churches existence or at least from about 350 a.d.  I am pleased to
> > have found a church such as this.  My son is home schooled and he will
>begin
> > to take ecclesiastical Latin this school year.  Again, thank you for your
> > thoughtful prayers I know God has heard each one because of the progress
> > which I have seen in my husbands condition.  May Our Lord bless you all
>and
> > give you peace and grant to you your petitions.
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Vicki and The Rors" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2005 6:37 PM
> > Subject: Re: feeling happy today
> >
> >
> > > Rhonda,
> > >
> > > How wonderful for the lift and the safe feeling.  That's what churches
> > > should be.  Very glad for you.
> > >
> > > Vicki
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Rhonda" <[log in to unmask]>
> > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2005 4:18 PM
> > > Subject: [ECHURCH-USA] feeling happy today
> > >
> > >
> > > > I went to church today, and  felt happy, no reason,  just felt happy,
>I
> > > do
> > > > so love music, it always lifts my spirits
> > > > I had been so fearful of getting involved with a church fellowship
> > having
> > > > been hurt before, but I am feeling good about this place,  Janie the
> > > person
> > > > I ride with and I were talking on the way to church, and I just feel
>I
> > am
> > > > in a safe place.
> > > > We can do  gogether what we could never do alone,
> > > > Rhonda
> > > >
> >
> >
> > --
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