Spiritual Empowerment for Single People V

THE EVANGELICAL COUNSELS: PART III

However, in the area of giving, reason and wisdom must prevail in all circumstances.  God gives us common sense, and we must use it.  A radical, but well thought out, profligacy in sharing, well-timed, is always rewarded by our Heavenly Father.  The more of the virtuous acts of the great personages in the Bible we reflect in our own lives, the closer to being like Christ we become.  We can learn from all  of them, from Solomon's asking for wisdom above all else, to Joseph's prompt obedience to heavenly inspiration, to Mary's fiat, etc.  We don't have to be rash, and kill hundreds of Baal-worshippers like Elijah, or like Judith and cut off the head of every Holofernes we run into.  We have been further enlightened by the coming of the Messiah; we must always question our motives and act out of love.  If we are sincere and honest, God will direct our steps, and lead us, if not to lay down our lives, at least to lay down our spare cash.  What spare means to one means something else to another, and we must be wise, prudent and yet still radical.  Because I did Christ's will for the rich young man once or twice, I need not do it again.  Doing it once is enough to bring many graces into one's life.  Jesus asked the rich young man once to sell all he had, and even then he said, "All things are possible with God", referring to achieving the Kingdom of Heaven, when his suggeston was apparently refused.

Be grateful that you are alone with God as your closest companion; your only responsibility is to yourself and to God.  No sensible mother would or should take from her own children's need to give to another.  But you, as a single person, are free, and alone live with the consequences of your action.  Each state of life has both its powers and limits.

Try to be content with what you have, and not make a habit of such things as gambling and chance.  Winning, for most of us, is a rare thing; and even if it weren't, the fewer addictions we have, the better.  It can become a cause of bitterness for someone who keeps praying to win money which is not necessary for life, and never seems to win, but instead, just goes into debt.

Thank the good Lord you live in the USA, if you do, where it is easier on the poor than almost anywhere else.  I have finally adapted to how much God has given me, and feel quite rich and in need of nothing.  Yes, I buy a lot of my things from dollar stores and value stores, but one would be surprised how good the quality is there.  It took years of development for me to accept my financial situation, and to be reasonable in spending on myself and giving to charity.  Now that I am content with my lot, I can work on my real problems, such as sensuality, sloth, concuspicience, over-sensitiveness and using curse words when angry.

I have sent my books to a literary agent, so I will wait to open my business until the response comes back.  Then, I can let the publisher do the marketing, and do what he or she tells me to do.  If they don't want the books, I will find a way to market them myself.

Thank you for reading this blog!

Spiritual Empowerment for Single People IV

THE EVANGELICAL COUNSELS II - The Vow of Poverty

The pain suffered in losing material treasures by choice is very profitable if offered up for the good of souls; if it is borne patiently and cheerfully, and offered as a penance for one's sins, it is of incalculable value. To this day, I try to part constantly with things I become attached to, for the sake of others, to follow Christ with the greatest possible fidelity - not just things I no longer want, but in fact, things I long to keep - anything from prayer cards, which I used to have a fixation on, to money (I try not to save inordinate amounts), to time, to anything I am clinging to, unless it continues to be of use to my soul, mind or body.

We don't know what happened to that rich young man; perhaps Jesus' words were particularly hard for him, since then they were so new. But with hindsight, let us see that sharing is not sacrifice or generosity, but simple justice. If the world is not kind to the poor, the sick and the homeless, we must be. It is our duty.

The alarming disparity in the amount of possessions between the rich and the poor in today's society demands this justice. If there were no billionaires, because all of them kept only a reasonable amount, no one would starve in this entire world. If everything were spread around equally, everyone would be comfortable, if not wealthy.

As a single person, one may have no community with which to share, and thus be required to own some things. But in the end, are not all things, including our very selves, God's possessions, anyway? We simply borrow everything we have, because we can keep nothing in the end. Possession by human beings is an illusion. All things belong to God. We demonstrate this truth in our ability and willingness to give freely to others. Once or more, when I was down to pennies at the end of the month, I gave them all to the collection plate, because I lacked nothing. I did that to imitate the widow in the gospels who won God's favor by giving her last penny. In God we trust.

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In the Love of Christ,

Miss Victoria A. Howard, Anchoress

Spiritual Empowerment for Single People III

THE EVANGELICAL COUNSELS I - The Vow of Poverty

As one reads the Bible, and comes to see it as a personal message direct from God, the urgency of poverty for all becomes clear. Think of the rich young man who walked away from Jesus, sad because he could not part with his material possessions. The message Jesus gave to him is a universal message. The Bible is not just meant for erudition and entertainment; rather, it is to meant to be incorporated, as far as possible, literally as well as metaphorically, into one's life. While it may not be wise to go out and tread on scorpions, being loosely attached to one's possessions is achievable by all, especially single people. In fact, before I made my first year's vows to be a hermit, I gave away 12 bags of perfectly good clothes to Goodwill, trusting that the few things I kept would suffice to cover my needs at the moment, and that I would no doubt receive my hundredfold on Earth and in Heaven. Although I sorely missed some of the clothes, I gained an intoxicating sense of freedom; and I was comforted to think that some far poorer young woman, who perhaps needed fancy clothes to hold on to a man she needed, was at last well-clad. That was what I felt I had to do to be initiated into the hermit life.

Is this generosity? Is this special? Is it tomfoolery? No, it is simply justice. In the end, justice saved me. Soon I was given clothes by others, and had the money to buy more, and now I have a closet full of modest clothes, and I lack for nothing. I put the Kingdom of God first, and I received all that I needed. This kind of move is very pleasing to God, and shows utter surrender to Divine Providence. Jesus told us not to worry about what we should eat, drink or wear and I think, rather I know, that this kind of giving is possible for almost anyone of even modest means at least once in his or her lifetime.

I have some interesting links to share:

Catholic Spiritual Writers

http://spiritualwriters.groupsite.com

The New Jerusalem Laura of Hermits

http://newjerusalemlaura.groupsite.com

The Anti-Abortion Squad

http://antiabortionsquad.groupsite.com

and my Google Profile:

http://www.google.com/profiles/Anchoress61

Join me on these sites! I also am published by the following publisher:

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I have written and published four books:

Hell or No Hell? Mankind's Ultimate Destiny

You Gotta Be Tough to Be God

Tabfa, the Reluctant Saint

Nothing Will Ever Be The Same

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Spiritual Empowerment for Single People II

CHOOSING A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR II

Living the single life can be a lot like being a hermit if you live alone, and you could learn from the hermits of old. The guide you choose could be a priest, a religious, a sponsor or a godparent; indeed, anyone who is experienced in guidance in the church, is detached enough to be objective, has the time and inclination, and is genuinely concerned about your soul. If you cannot find a priest to take any vows, go straight to Jesus and Mary in prayer. They will provide.

In the olden days, hermits like St. Antony of Egypt and St. Paul of Thebes simply left society, and lived under God and the Heavenly Host, or at least until they were discovered by the hierarchy. St. Antony was made into an abbot. St. Paul of Thebes was discovered by Antony just before Paul died, and had been away from the world for a long time, all but forgotten. Until recently, my life was a lot like theirs; totally hidden and obscure. Now I am honored by Cambridge Who's Who and Madison Who's Who because of my writings. But I still live alone quite happily, although at heart, I am as social as it comes.

Tell your spiritual director the truth about yourself, and not so much about your achievements, but about your problems. That is what is most important, because Jesus said he didn't want our left hand to know what our right hand had been doing. What do you talk about? Any of the topics will be covered in this book, including loneliness and affliction, or those questions you yourself may raise about life, love, work, scriptural experiences, even current events that have a bearing on your spirituality, or anything pertinent to your own life, whether it be lodgings to fasting to almsgiving. Before making any major decisions concerning your soul, ask your spiritual director for advice.

Although my spiritual director has little time to talk, I remember everything he says, and take it all to heart to ponder in prayer and reflection. In his decisions regarding me, I find the Will of God.

It is best to choose someone who already knows you, because then that person knows your history. Don't hide any faults. If you get someone gifted, the Holy Spirit will speak through that person Himself. Of course, your spiritual director is finite and imperfect, and occasionally you should rely upon your own personal relationship with God for the right answers. But if God Himself, Jesus Christ, subjected Himself to Mary and Joseph, and was even obedient to a man like Pontius Pilate, you can be sure that a wisely chosen spiritual director, who knows and cares about you, who knows the Church and its precepts, will teach you the value of giving way to authority.

Spiritual Empowerment for Single People I

CHOOSING A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR I

As anything worth its salt, a good spiritual director is hard to find. Look for someone affable, even-tempered, kind but strict, sober, pragmatic and yet capable of ascending to the heights of sublimity; dependable, available and preferably older than you. Occasionally, someone younger is aptly gifted by the Holy Spirit, but even infused wisdom is often no match for years of experience. Though anyone can bind oneself to God by consecration, and advance spiritually on one's own, it is still important to have good guidance.

Solitude and silence can lead to emotional peculiarities and neuroticism; the best way to know that you might be slipping into obsession or losing your way is to have someone to check with from time to time. I talk to my spiritual director frequently on the phone, because I have no car and little money, and for the sake of modesty, since he is a priest.

No one can know all his or her hidden faults; a good guide will hold a mirror up to you and help you to see yourself as others see you, and as God sees you. Without this reflection of reality, one can easily be deceived about oneself and become proud and even smug. Most people can see the faults of others and be totally blind to the beam that is in their own eyes. A good guide will show you the relative gravity of your sins and imperfections, and while comforting you in letting you see that they are to be expected, will be properly capable of making you detest them enough to change. Single people can find all the comfort they need in God alone, and thus, when they are in relationships, can be that much more strong and independent, so that when disappointments come, they have someone to lean on: Jesus Christ himself.