Show Notes:
Fasting - What are the spiritual benefits continued…
- Appetites - the insatiable nature of our appetites - never can find true satisfaction
- True satisfaction is only found in relationship with God
- Jesus modeled the practice of fasting
- Desire to love God through self sacrifice
- John of the Cross
- Soul is finite and can’t love God and creation simultaneously
- Attachments limit our spiritual growth
- Illustrations of the impact of attachments - bird and hot air balloon
- The contemplative life requires that we abandon attachments
- Necessity of shedding habitual venial and mortal sin
- We can be free of habitual sin and attachments - it really is possible
- Attachment is an inordinate desire for pleasure
- Faster way through dark night and into the illuminative way - rules for detachment (from Ascent of Mount Carmel)
- Authentic Spiritual disciplines
- Set us free rather than constrain us
- Give us true and lasting joy
- Melissa’s example of the wrong way to prepare for lent - Sunkist!
- Spiritual self-evaluation using Navigating the Interior Life
- The goal of all spiritual discipline is to know and love God in this life and beyond
- Evaluate sacramental participation (confession, adoration, reconciliation)
- Can we increase our participation in Mass for lent?
- John of the Cross - every negation is also an affirmation
- Can we increase participation in Adoration?
- Melissa’s experience of the impact of Adoration
- Other practices of self-evaluation from Navigating the Interior Life
Next Show:
- More on Preparing for Lent - the goal is to conclude this series with simple and clear steps to lenten planning.
Resources:
- Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen - Published by Baronius Press
- Navigating the Interior Life - Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God
- Guide for Examination of Conscience Download