Lent - Spiritual Spring Cleaning Time

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Lent - Spiritual Spring Cleaning Time; reading
Topic Started: Thursday, 22. February 2007, 23:32 (439 Views)
James	Thursday, 22. February 2007, 23:32 Post #1
James Posts: 1,108 Group: Members Member #54 Joined: January 13, 2007	Came across a site on the internet and I thought this appropriate for a meditation. Hope you don't mind me posting them.! James Reverend H.E.S. Little B11 LENT - Exorcism St. Matthew 12.vv.43-50 ~ Jesus said, "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation". While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brethern were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brethern are standing outside, wanting to speak to you". But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brethern?". And pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother". ~ Nature abhors a vacuum, they say, and so does the life of the spirit. Whether we call this little parable a similitude, a likeness or an allegory, what we are considering is really a parable of "spring cleaning", a splendid parable for the season of Lent. It speaks of an evil spirit being cast out of a man, and later finding his erstwhile home swept and put in order, whereupon he gathers to himself seven spirits more evil than himself and entering again into the man renders his last state worse than the first. Lent always falls into the season for spring cleaning, for turning things out, for cleaning up. Now Jesus warns that there is a danger here - not of falling off the steps in taking the curtains down or getting the wallpaper wrapped round the head in papering the ceiling, no, something far more subtle! In the seventeenth century Spinoza said that "nature abhors a vacuum". Christians need to be filled with the right kind of spirit. St. Paul said, "Be not drunken with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit". A garden cleared of crops in the autumn may be full of weeds in the spring. The whole point of the parable is that we should not simply get rid of evil thoughts, acts, desires and habits, but replace them with what is good and acceptable in the sight of God. We need to drive out the demon's lust, greed, envy, hatred and slander, replacing them with what is good. In our Lenten discipline we should be POSITIVE. It is all too easy in Lent to emphasise the negative aspects of giving up and of self denial; of course there is great merit in this, but we should also be positive, by cultivating good habits, pure and wholesome thoughts, desires and deeds. Those who wish to prepare through Lent for a happy Easter should be positive. Having cast out evil, we must foster and nurture that which is good. Link



Rose of York	Friday, 23. February 2007, 00:04 Post #2
Administrator Posts: 14,540 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	James Feb 22 2007, 11:32 PM Came across a site on the internet and I thought this appropriate for a meditation. Hope you don't mind me posting them.! James James, post any quotes, so long as you give a link and acknowledge the author. Thanks for starting this Lenten meditation thread.
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


Rose of York	Friday, 23. February 2007, 20:31 Post #3
Administrator Posts: 14,540 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	James Feb 22 2007, 11:32 PM Reverend H.E.S. Little In our Lenten discipline we should be POSITIVE. It is all too easy in Lent to emphasise the negative aspects of giving up and of self denial; of course there is great merit in this, but we should also be positive, by cultivating good habits, pure and wholesome thoughts, desires and deeds. Those who wish to prepare through Lent for a happy Easter should be positive. Having cast out evil, we must foster and nurture that which is good. Is it not also to easy too go to a Service of Reconciliation and say "that's it, done"? Nobody in their right minds spring cleans once a year, and lets the muck pile up for another twelve months. Nobody in their rights minds cleans up once a week, fortnight or month. We all need to do a bit of spiritual housework. The days have gone when parishes had "Confessions Saturday 10 - 11, 6 - 7.30 and after Monday Novena and Thursday Benediction." Rural parishes have "Confessions after Mass, if requested" and all the busy people collar Father about important matters. There are times when we are "on our own", no, not really, we always have God. Can we afford to leave this stuff until the opportunity for sacramental confession arises? Yes, I am being serious - opportunity. If we do things wrong, or have bad thoughts, on Tuesday this week, can we leave the repentance until a week on Saturday? I heartily recommend setting aside a few minutes, outdoors in God's fresh air, or in the garden shed, kitchen, on a bus, anywhere at all, and giving prayerful thought to what is going on in our inner selves. Tell God how you feel about yourself, go home and be good. Confess sacramentally when you can.
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


James	Friday, 23. February 2007, 20:33 Post #4
James Posts: 1,108 Group: Members Member #54 Joined: January 13, 2007	Normally with meditations, I just read them - but perhaps ,during this season of lent ,we may also be able to share some helpful experiences or thoughts that give "pause for thought". I think it would be most appropriate. What do you think ? God Bless.



James	Friday, 23. February 2007, 20:45 Post #5
James Posts: 1,108 Group: Members Member #54 Joined: January 13, 2007	For several years now, I have given up drinking alcohol for lent , mainly as an excercise at a time appropriate to see who was in charge here - me or the drink.!! However, after reading this I am aware this year of filling the vacuum. I can pass a pub and not go in and sometimes miss good conversation with friends because I do not go in.! Am I replacing the vacuum with reading good books or going on days out or visiting people to compensate for the spring cleaning that leaves an empty room waiting to be filled by - as Jesus said - demons worse than those that were there before !



Emee	Friday, 23. February 2007, 20:55 Post #6
Posts: 1,279 Group: Members Member #20 Joined: September 26, 2006	Hi James Would you be able to go into the pub and order a non-alcoholic drink?? Just a thought... That way you would still be able to keep up your Lenten observance and not miss out on conversations with your friends... God Bless you Emee



James	Friday, 23. February 2007, 21:44 Post #7
James Posts: 1,108 Group: Members Member #54 Joined: January 13, 2007	Hi Emee, Give it a few days and yes. I did last year and once everyone gets used to it then they won't order anything other. Actually, they are all non-catholics and it's surprising how much they are aware of lent. I could say "I'm on tablets " but I always say " I'm having a go at knocking the drink on the head for lent but will have to see how it goes ". I get encouragement and nobody seems to think me strange. One of the others is hoping to stop smoking and using the lentan days as his introduction for added help. Thank you James



nelly k	Friday, 23. February 2007, 22:13 Post #8
Posts: 549 Group: Members Member #43 Joined: November 1, 2006	Many thanks for that James, Ive had my eyes open with the reading you have given. I had never thought of Lent as postive, always as suffering and dare I say a sort of drugery, I think that reading is a realy helpfull approach... nelly



Derekap	Saturday, 24. February 2007, 19:53 Post #9
Posts: 3,415 Group: Members Member #14 Joined: September 26, 2006	I would say that, in my (I hope) humble opinion James could continue to visit the pub and spend some time chatting with his friends but consume only non-alcoholic drinks. The latter makes the point of observing Lent. I get the impression the topics of conversation must be interesting and constructive and he learns from them and they learn from him. James, without apparently preaching, is probably expressing some good opinions when the occasion arises. Absence from the pub means his friends will be denied his wisdom.
	Derekap


Rose of York	Saturday, 24. February 2007, 20:38 Post #10
Administrator Posts: 14,540 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	Derekap Feb 24 2007, 07:53 PM Absence from the pub means his friends will be denied his wisdom. They will also miss out on the Christian witness of a man who says "no thanks, I'm abstaining from alcohol for Lent." Who knows where that may lead?
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


James	Friday, 30. March 2007, 20:48 Post #11
James Posts: 1,108 Group: Members Member #54 Joined: January 13, 2007	Bye the bye, Rose. I'm still off it for lent and manage to socalise as well. Bar staff didn't think I would do it - neither did I. The return is I'm feeling good and looking forward to Easter Sunday - in strict moderation of course !!



Emee	Saturday, 31. March 2007, 08:23 Post #12
Posts: 1,279 Group: Members Member #20 Joined: September 26, 2006	Well done James! I heartily congratulate you!! Giving up chocolate these past weeks has had me "climbing up the wall" at times. However, likewise thanks to God I have managed it and am looking forward to my egg (after Mass) on Easter Sunday.



James	Saturday, 31. March 2007, 14:05 Post #13
James Posts: 1,108 Group: Members Member #54 Joined: January 13, 2007	WELL DONE Emee.



Josephine	Monday, 2. April 2007, 11:01 Post #14
Posts: 311 Group: Members Member #25 Joined: September 27, 2006	More power to your elbow, James! I gave don't go to the pub but I do like a glass of wine. I thought about giving it up last Lent but weakened and did something else. This year I was more determined and have taken the plunge. I DID have one glass on Laetare Sunday (it was also Mothering Sunday!). I thought a small relaxation was allowed on that day - pink vestments, etc, you know but I came in for so much teasing from my dear family that now I rather wish I hadn't ( relaxed, I mean). Can someone please tell me - is a slight relaxation allowed on Laetare Sunday or should we just keep going all through Lent ? Josephine



KatyA	Monday, 2. April 2007, 11:13 Post #15
Administrator Posts: 5,407 Group: Admin Member #6 Joined: September 26, 2006	Josephine Apr 2 2007, 11:01 AM I DID have one glass on Laetare Sunday (it was also Mothering Sunday!). I thought a small relaxation was allowed on that day - pink vestments, etc, you know but I came in for so much teasing from my dear family that now I rather wish I hadn't ( relaxed, I mean). Can someone please tell me - is a slight relaxation allowed on Laetare Sunday or should we just keep going all through Lent ? Josephine I stand to be corrected, but I'm sure I have read that, technically, Sundays are not part of Lent because every Sunday is a celebration. There are forty days in Lent excluding Sundays. Not withstanding that, Laetare Sunday is definitely a celebration so I'm sure you're OK Josephine :D KatyA



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