The Detachment

because of your fallen nature-
the inheritance from
Original Sin-whereby your
intellect is darkened and
subject to deception while
your will is weakened and
vulnerable to emotional manipulation
which can trigger unhealthy
offensive / defensive reactions
in addition you are attracted then
attached to many things of which
some are harmless in themselves-
preferences you might say-
but which nevertheless nourish
your self-satisfaction...
others are chosen because they
will patronize your pride-the
driving force for ego's
self-aggrandizement in a world of
egos fighting for attention-
still others because they feed
your natural inclination for pleasure-
risking self-indulgence's transition of
attraction into obsession
choice into compulsion
joy into sorrow...life into death
thus in light of this Reality / Condition
and by reason of your Calling to be
Holy as Jesus is Holy-Set Aside for
His Glory-you are called to appropriate
The Way of the Cross by
following the Lord's example of
letting go of everything precious-
even life itself-to accomplish the
Father's Will out of Love- a
Graced-Pursuit of putting to death
the deeds of the flesh and turning
away from the things of this world
whose demonic prince possesses
enticements of every kind-shiny objects
appealing to your distorted passions-
tempting you in the end to "eat of the
forbidden fruit" unto death...
but The Way is much different...
simple yet sublime..."Ask and
you shall receive"...Grace to
"detach from and attach to"
out of Love for Jesus...
this Spiritual Combat is the
Death-to-Self and this World vs.
Life-in-the-Spirit-a detachment journey
from...your old ways to His New Ways....
your thoughts to His Thoughts...
your will to His Will...control to Surrender...
self-reliance to Dependence...
pride to Humility...passion-trinkets to
the Pearl of Great Price...idols of
money...power...lust...to the Lord
and Savior... possessions that possess you to
Holy Indifference.. the enthronement
of your feelings to the Truth of
His Word...distrusting yourself to
Trusting the Lord....pleasing others to
pleasing the Lord...your reputation to
His Glorification...indeed...you are
endowed with Spiritual Eyes to
see beyond this passing world to
the Eternal and Infinite World of Love..
Joy...and Peace which flows
from His Pierced Heart...a Grace for
Freedom to Flourish even in this
Veil of Tears ...in all these things you
shall Conquer moment by moment...
experience by experience...
detachment by detachment
ultimately to Attach Only To
Jesus- your "Alpha and Omega...
First and Last...
Beginning and End"...
The Source of All
Truth and Life

Reflection/Discussion:

-Explain what our "fallen nature" is.
-What is detachment?
-Why is detachment an important Spiritual Principle?
-What does "trigger unhealthy offensive/defensive reactions" mean? Examples?
-What does it mean to "distrust yourself"? Give examples from your life.
-What is something that is difficult for you to detach from? Why?
-How can you implement detachment into your life?
-How can self-indulgence transition into obsession/compulsion?
-What is "Holy Indifference"?
-Why is this process called "Spiritual Combat"?
-How can a Spiritual Director / sharing group help you in your Combat?

The Human Condition

let's see...how should I put this?   

how about....without Grace...you're 

done....finished...kaput....nope - 

can't make it...no chance...zilch...

zero....nada....not only in this 

passing life but totally in the eternal 

life to come...or to put it more crassly...

you're screwed....why do I say that?...

well...let's think about it...

with just a cursory glance at  history

the corruption of the human condition 

screams out its wounded nature for 

anyone who cares to examine its ghastly 

behavior in all its evil wars...concentration / 

death camps...holocausts....totalitarian 

re-education centers...slavery...religious 

persecutions.. .Nazis...Communists...

Terrorists....Mafia...Cartels....now...all of 

that might seem somewhat distant to a lot 

of people so...then...how about somethings 

a little more 'nightly news' like...

why are there such things as...

police....jails...soaring crime / murder rates..

rape...muggings...shop-lifting....pedophilia...

child abuse...infidelity...self-defense classes...

security systems...guns...guard dogs....

fences.....ID's...speed limits...even

locking your home / car doors?....

then how about the great cultural issues 

such as the killing fields of abortion then

selling the baby parts for research...

addictive behaviors destroying families for 

generations as one disorder causes others-

falling like dominoes - 'baby daddies' / 'baby

mommies' instead of Fathers and Mothers  

creating a spider-web of chaos / crime...

prostitution....gangs.....drive-by's...

dropouts...joblessness... poverty which captures 

young and old alike gasping for breath in the 

air of fear / despair and then...last but certainly 

not least...if you dare and are honest with yourself...

look in the mirror...have you ever lied?...cheated / 

stolen?...given into lust using others for your own

pleasure?...maybe porn?....how are you at forgiving 

others?...asking for forgiveness?...how about 'taking

the Lord's name in vane'?...any unhealthy habits in 

your life?...self-indulgence?...anger / hatred /

resentment issues?...any selfishness?...how are you 

at serving others' needs? self-sacrifice?...do you 

'worship false gods' ie. build your life around things 

like money...reputation...power...sex...Satan's shiny

objects instead of the 'Pearl of Great Price'...or something 

more coarse like 'anything goes as long as it makes 

you happy...what you want...whenever you want...

with whomever you want...?

so, now... what is your assessment of the human 

condition after a brief glance at history...society / 

culture...the news...yourself?....

all that has been described above has a name -

it is called Sin which is Evil because it separates

us from the Lord and one another and those who 

sin - embrace evil - are called Sinners...that's the 

state of the human condition -a matter of fact - 

and, then, after a life of sinning comes death...

and then, comes Judgement...Heaven or Hell...

and if. that's the end of the story...you're screwed...

BUT...that's NOT the end...there is ONE who 

stands in the breach...a Savior...

Jesus is the Way...Truth.....Life...He bore all 

your sins / guilt / punishment and put them to 

death through the horror of  the Cross out of 

Love for you... personally... then Rose to a New 

Life which He now offers you....in a Word...

Grace...a Free Gift...to be "Divinized'...but 

just as with any gift...it must be accepted....

you must decide whether or not to receive 

Him as your Personal Lord and Savior...you 

must CHOOSE to accept His Mercy / Forgiveness / 

Grace or reject it...and, BTW...NOT to choose 

IS a choice...then to let Him begin to transform 

you through the Power of the Holy Spirit to 

'Put to death the deeds of the flesh'... by living 

a New Way of Life to Love Him Above All...

then one another.. a Journey to Freedom.by 

forming you into a New Creation...His Disciple..

but....that's just the Beginning...it will be a 

Battle because...

you still bear the wounds of Original Sin...

you are attracted to that which will

harm you...and Satan- our Enemy -  still wars 

against you through temptations...deceptions...

accusations to destroy you in this life and

therefore in the next...the 'world' -the Godless

Culture -is still in Satan's hands...many fight 

against the Kingdom of God but your Calling 

is the same...you are commissioned by Him -

just as the first Disciples -to 'Preach the Good 

News' /  Witness by your words / deeds that 

Jesus is the Answer to the Human Condition...

So...yes...All is Grace...and yes without it...

you're screwed...not only in this life but Forever..

Reflection / Discussion:

-The Lord hates your sins...do you?

-What is Original Sin?

-What are its consequences?

-How does your life manifest this condition?

-Where do you struggle? 

-Have you decided to follow Jesus- to accept His Grace?

-If not, what is holding you back? 

-What does it mean to be 'Divinized'?

-Find someone to help you navigate this decision.

- Find a support group / vibrant Church to be part of

-How does your life manifest your choice?

-What are you doing to grow in that relationship?

-How are you helping others to make that decision?