Ruminations of an Irascible Hermit.: September 2013

Sunday, September 8, 2013

IT has been a long time since I have updated this blog.

It is one of those things that is always in the back of my mind, but I never get around to updating it. Too lazy - physically and spiritually.

I was planning to update it when my beloved Pope Benedict XVI abdicated and renounced the See of Peter. I remember I was catching up with a seminarian friend when I heard he had announced his resignation. I was in shock, I felt orphaned. Here was a man who I loved and admired a LOT. I felt he was restoring the Church slowly, and bringing back Orthodoxy and the beauty of worship in Liturgy.

My friend and I prayed a rosary for him and trusted in the Holy Spirit. But it was hard. I could not think of any Cardinals who were worthy enough, intellectual enough, orthodox enough to replace him.

Then out of no where came Pope Francis. I was in shock and very reserved, because he was a Jesuit, and I am not very fond of them lol.
There was so much talk of his so called "humility"' and the media was instantly in love with him.

This put me off him a lot. It felt like within a week, he was undoing what had taken Pope Benedict 8 years to restore. But slowly over time I am getting used to him. I am beginning to love him and respect him more, although sometimes I will admit he still makes me cringe.

One day I was thinking about Pope Benedict's legacy, and then it hit me. If I love and admire him so much - then I have to accept Pope Francis. If Pope Benedict had not stepped down, then Pope Francis would not have been elected. So in that regard it has helped me to be more open and positive towards him.

Although there are many things I am still wary of about him. He still is doing a lot of good in the Church. Helping restore the public image. Also I believe his request for prayer & fasting for Syria is a great grace.

Recently I have moved into a semi rural area, and I live close to a large shrine to Our Lady. So I went there today and prayed a Rosary for peace in Syria, for Pope Francis' intentions and also for Pope Benedict.

I will admit that I very rarely pray now. I only go to mass for Christmas and Easter. My prayer life is usually grace when I eat, then a Hail Mary everytime I drive past Our Lady's shine - and that is about it.

I had my first relationship recently for about 5 months. I loved it. It was so nice to finally have someone to love and care for, and have them love me back. Unfortunately the guy I was dating was not ready for a serious relationship and broke up with me. It hurt me a lot and made me realise a lot about myself. But at least now, I am beginning to make some more time for prayer again and starting to read again.

Currently I am reading a book on Eschatology by Matthew Levering. It is very well written, and deals with many issues not often discussed in modern theology anymore.

Anyway, this is my little update done for now. Hopefully it won't take me another year to update it again. Keep me in your prayers.

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Disclaimer

Please note. I am a Catholic layman, not a qualified theologian or philosopher. What I say and write here are my own personal thoughts and ideas, although I always try to conform my writings to the Magisterium of the Church.

I- with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the symbol of faith: namely,

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in the one holy catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

With firm faith I believe as well everything contained in God's word, written or handed down in tradition and proposed by the church--whether in solemn judgment or in the ordinary and universal Magisterium--as divinely revealed and called for faith.

I also firmly accept and hold each and every thing that is proposed by that same church definitively with regard to teaching concerning faith or morals.

What is more, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise the authentic Magisterium even if they proclaim those teachings in an act that is not definitive.