R. Penance –

                    Some people think penance is awful –
                when it should make us feel like
                a new person  with a new
                start –

                    Confession can take a person in
                sin and they can turn around and
                start over – from sin and selfishness
                to turning to God, a turning –
                conversion –

                    It is an inward attitude to
                turn around, to confess one's
                sins and in going to confession
                a person in confessing to have
                Jesus forgive them - they receive grace
                from confession –

                    In confession we are turned to God
                again – we can be sure His life is
                in us – We are friends with God –
                    Confession is a sacrament –
                    We externally tell our sins
                    Going to confession is a help –
                        not torture –

                Christ gives to us forgiveness for
                    our sins in confession –
                    Christ gives us grace –
                    We receive peace

                Christ gave us this sacrament –

                God is merciful

                    Christ preached repentance 

Mark 1: 14-15

                    R. Repent!

                We have the stories of mercy
                    The prodigal son –
                    The lost sheep –
                    The lost coin –
        

John 8: 3-11

    The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in the middle they said to Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and in the Law Moses has ordered us to stone women of this kind. What have you got to say?’ They asked him this as a test, looking for an accusation to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he straightened up and said, ‘Let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and continued writing on the ground. When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until the last one had gone and Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained in the middle. Jesus again straightened up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus. ‘Go away, and from this moment sin no more.’

                    R. The woman taken in adultery

                Christ constantly was forgiving
                    sinner –

                Christianity is a religion of forgiveness.

                Christ takes us to the Father –

                We see Christ's mercy and forgiveness –

                We should see the Church as
                    forgiving

                Christ forgave their sins 2000
                    years ago –

                Christ forgives through Bishops
                    and priests!

                R. A sacrament of peace!

                We see Christ as acting – Christ
                    uses the priest or bishop!

                Christ used mud to cure the blind man –

                The priest acts for Christ –

                This confession, talking to another
                    can help self-esteem –
                    overcome guilt feelings –

                We feel better when we tell
                    another trustworthy person –
   

James 5: 16

So confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another to be cured; the heartfelt prayer of someone upright works very powerfully.

                R. When we go to confession – we
                    know we are forgiven –

                This shows our dependence
                    on God – we go to the
                    priest and ask for forgiveness –

                We go through outward motions –

                    We see we need others –
                    We are humbled –
                    We need God
                    The person needs to be sincere –

                Many people never want to admit
                    they are wrong
                    (but in admitting they are
                    wrong that is where the help is)

                We must open ourselves up to God –
                    We ask God to work in us to
                        confess our sins –
                    Psychologically this is helpful!

                We must be honest with ourselves –

                We must face ourselves –

                Some people put off confession
                    because of fear and it
                    gets worse –

                After confession one feels better –

                The priest could bawl a person
                    out, but if he does it
                    must not stop somebody
                    from going to confession –
                    A person must reflect on
                        the mercy of Christ –

                Going to confession is a chance to
                    grow spiritually – A chance
                    to check up on ourselves –

                Fr. Carter examined his conscience
                    two times a day for ten minutes –
                    it is taking our spiritual pulse
                    to see if we are on the right
                    track – serving God
                            – being loving
                            – saying we are sorry
                            – telling the truth
                            – being kind

                We can see if we are slipping when
                    we examine our conscience –
                    We can see if we are acting
                        like Christ –

                R. Sacrament of Anointing of the sick –

                    Christ acts in healing
 

                Our conscience should help us
                    to live a holy life –

                Think of Pinocchio – watch it

                Examination of Conscience is
                    important –
                    We think all day –
                    We need to examine our conscience

                St. Ignatius developed the
                    Discernment of Spirits

Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. pp. 141-150
    

313. RULES FOR DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
I

Rules for understanding to some extent the different movements produced in the soul and for recognizing those that are good to admit them, and those that are bad, to reject them. These rules are more suited to the first week
  

314.  I.  In the case of those who go from one mortal sin to another, the enemy is ordinarily accustomed to propose apparent pleasures. He fills their imagination with sensual delights and gratifications, the more readily to keep them in their vices and increase the number of their sins.

    With such persons the good spirit uses a method which is the reverse of the above. Making use of the light of reason, he will rouse the sting of conscience and fill them with remorse.

315.  2.  In the case of those who go on earnestly striving to cleanse their souls from sin and who seek to rise in the service of God our Lord to greater perfection, the method pursued is the opposite of that mentioned in the first rule.

    Then it is characteristic of the evil spirit to harass with anxiety, to afflict with sadness, to raise obstacles backed by fallacious reasonings that disturb the soul. Thus he seeks to prevent the soul from advancing.

    It is characteristic of the good spirit, however, to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations, and peace. This He does by making all easy, by removing all obstacles so that the soul goes forward in doing good.

316.  3.  SPIRITUAL CONSOLATION.  I call it consolation when an interior movement is aroused in the soul, by which it is inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and as a consequence, can love no creature on the face of the earth for its own sake, but only in the Creator of them all. It is likewise consolation when one sheds tears that move to the love of God, whether it be because of sorrow for sins, or because of the sufferings of Christ our Lord, or for any other reason that is immediately directed to the praise and service of God. Finally, I call consolation every increase of faith, hope, and love, and all interior joy that invites and attracts to what is heavenly and to the salvation of one's soul by filling it with peace and quiet in its Creator and Lord.

317.  4.  SPIRITUAL DESOLATION.  I call desolation what is entirely the opposite of what is described in the third rule, as darkness of soul, turmoil of spirit, inclination to what is low and earthly, restlessness rising from many disturbances and temptations which lead to want of faith, want of hope, want of love. The soul is wholly slothful, tepid, sad, and separated, as it were, from its Creator and Lord. For just as consolation is the opposite of desolation, so the thoughts that spring from consolation are the opposite of those that spring from desolation.

318.  5.  In time of desolation we should never make any change, but remain firm and constant in the resolution and decision which guided us the day before the desolation, or in the decision to which we adhered in the preceding consolation. For just as in consolation the good spirit guides and counsels us, so in desolation the evil spirit guides and counsels. Following his counsels we can never find the way to a right decision.

319.  6.  Though in desolation we must never change our former resolutions, it will be very advantageous to intensify our activity against the desolation. We can insist more upon prayer, upon meditation, and on much examination of ourselves. We can make an effort in a suitable way to do some penance.

320.  7.  When one is in desolation, he should be mindful that God has left him to his natural powers to resist the different agitations and temptations of the enemy in order to try him. He can resist with the help of God, which always remains, though he may not clearly perceive it. For though God has taken from him the abundance of fervor and overflowing love and the intensity of His favors, nevertheless, he has sufficient grace for eternal salvation.

321.  8.  When one is in desolation, he should strive to persevere in patience. This reacts against the vexations that have overtaken him. Let him consider, too, that consolation will soon return, and in the meantime, he must diligently use the means against desolation which have been given in the sixth rule.

322.  9.  The principal reasons why we suffer from desolation are three:

    The first is because we have been tepid and slothful or negligent in our exercises of piety, and so through our own fault spiritual consolation has been taken away from us.

    The second reason is because God wishes to try us, to see how much we are worth, and how much we will advance in His service and praise when left without the generous reward of consolations and signal favors.

    The third reason is because God wishes to give us a true knowledge and understanding of ourselves, so that we may have an intimate perception of the fact that it is not within our power to acquire and attain great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other spiritual consolation; but that all this is the gift and grace of God our Lord. God does not wish us to build on the property of another, to rise up in spirit in a certain pride and vainglory and attribute to ourselves the devotion and other effects of spiritual consolation.

323.  10.  When one enjoys consolation, let him consider how he will conduct himself during the time of ensuing desolation, and store up a supply of strength as defense against that day.

324.  11.  He who enjoys consolation should take care to humble himself and lower himself as much as possible. Let him recall how little he is able to do in time of desolation, when he is left without such grace or consolation.

    On the other hand, one who suffers desolation should remember that by making use of the sufficient grace offered him, he can do much to withstand all his enemies. Let him find his strength in his Creator and Lord.

325.  12.  The enemy conducts himself as a woman. He is a weakling before a show of strength, and a tyrant if he has his will. It is characteristic of a woman in a quarrel with a man to lose courage and take to flight if the man shows that he is determined and fearless. However, if the man loses courage and begins to flee, the anger, vindictiveness, and rage of the woman surge up and know no bounds. In the same way, the enemy becomes weak, loses courage, and turns to flight with his seductions as soon as one leading a spiritual life faces his temptations boldly, and does exactly the opposite of what he suggests. However, if one begins to be afraid and to lose courage in temptations, no wild animal on earth can be more fierce than the enemy of our human nature. He will carry out his perverse intentions with consummate malice.

326.  13.  Our enemy may also be compared in his manner of acting to a false lover. He seeks to remain hidden and does not want to be discovered. If such a lover speaks with evil intention to the daughter of a good father, or to the wife of a good husband, and seeks to seduce them, he wants his words and solicitations kept secret. He is greatly displeased if his evil suggestions and depraved intentions are revealed by the daughter to her father, or by the wife to her husband. Then he readily sees he will not succeed in what he has begun. In the same way, when the enemy of our human nature tempts a just soul with his wiles and seductions, he earnestly desires that they be received secretly and kept secret. But if one manifests them to a confessor, or to some other spiritual person who understands his deceits and malicious designs, the evil one is very much vexed. For he knows that he cannot succeed in his evil undertaking, once his evident deceits have been revealed.

327.  14.  The conduct of our enemy may also be compared to the tactics of a leader intent upon seizing and plundering a position he desires. A commander and leader of an army will encamp, explore the fortifications and defenses of the stronghold, and attack at the weakest point. In the same way, the enemy of our human nature investigates from every side all our virtues, theological, cardinal, and moral. Where he finds the defenses of eternal salvation weakest and most deficient, there he attacks and tries to take us by storm.

       

328. RULES FOR DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
II

Further rules for understanding the different movements produced in the soul. They serve for a more accurate discernment of spirits and are more suitable for the second week
  

329.  I.  It is characteristic of God and His Angels, when they act upon the soul, to give true happiness and spiritual joy, and to banish all the sadness and disturbances which are caused by the enemy.
   It is characteristic of the evil one to fight against such happiness and consolation by proposing fallacious reasonings, subtilties, and continual deceptions.

330.  2.  God alone can give consolation to the soul without any previous cause. It belongs solely to the Creator to come into a soul, to leave it, to act upon it, to draw it wholly to the love of His Divine Majesty. I said without previous cause, that is, without any preceding perception or knowledge of any subject by which a soul might be led to such a consolation through its own acts of intellect and will.

331.  3.  If a cause precedes, both the good angel and the evil spirit can give consolation to a soul, but for a quite different purpose. The good angel consoles for the progress of the soul, that it may advance and rise to what is more perfect. The evil spirit consoles for purposes that are the contrary, and that afterwards he might draw the soul to his own perverse intentions and wickedness.

332.  4.  It is a mark of the evil spirit to assume the appearance of an angel of light. He begins by suggesting thoughts that are suited to a devout soul, and ends by suggesting his own. For example, he will suggest holy and pious thoughts that are wholly in conformity with the sanctity of the soul. Afterwards, he will endeavor little by little to end by drawing the soul into his hidden snares and evil designs.

333.  5.  We must carefully observe the whole course of our thoughts. If the beginning and middle and end of the course of thoughts are wholly good and directed to what is entirely right, it is a sign that they are from the good angel. But the course of thoughts suggested to us may terminate in something evil, or distracting, or less good than the soul had formerly proposed to do. Again, it may end in what weakens the soul, or disquiets it; or by destroying the peace, tranquility, and quiet which it had before, it may cause disturbance to the soul. These things are a clear sign that the thoughts are proceeding from the evil spirit, the enemy of our progress and eternal salvation.

334.  6.  When the enemy of our human nature has been detected and recognized by the trail of evil marking his course and by the wicked end to which he leads us, it will be profitable for one who has been tempted to review immediately the whole course of the temptation. Let him consider the series of good thoughts, how they arose, how the evil one gradually attempted to make him step down from the state of spiritual delight and joy in which he was, till finally he drew him to his wicked designs. The purpose of this review is that once such an experience has been understood and carefully observed, we may guard ourselves for the future against the customary deceits of the enemy.

335.  7.  In souls that are progressing to greater perfection, the action of the good angel is delicate, gentle, delightful. It may be compared to a drop of water penetrating a sponge.
    The action of the evil spirit upon such souls is violent, noisy, and disturbing. It may be compared to a drop of water falling upon a stone.
    In souls that are going from bad to worse, the action of the spirits mentioned above is just the reverse. The reason for this is to be sought in the opposition or similarity of these souls to the different kinds of spirits. When the disposition is contrary to that of the spirits, they enter with noise and commotion that are easily perceived. When the disposition is similar to that of the spirits, they enter silently, as one coming into his own house when the doors are open.

336.  8.  When consolation is without previous cause, as was said, there can be no deception in it, since it can proceed from God our Lord only. But a spiritual person who has received such a consolation must consider it very attentively, and must cautiously distinguish the actual time of the consolation from the period which follows it. At such a time the soul is still fervent and favored with the grace and aftereffects of the consolation which has passed. In this second period the soul frequently forms various resolutions and plans which are not granted directly by God our Lord. They may come from our own reasoning on the relations of our concepts and on the consequences of our judgments, or they may come from the good or evil spirit. Hence, they must be carefully examined before they are given full approval and put into execution.

end of excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

4 Days Before Fr. Carter's Death

                R. St. Ignatius Five - Step Plan

                1) Turn to God and thank Him for all His gifts –
                    Gratitude is important which is
                        a response to grace helping
                        our lives.

                2) Ask God to be honest looking at yourself.

                3) Review your actions and attitudes
                    from the last time you
                    examined your conscience.

                4) Ask God's pardon for faulty
                    response to His grace.

                5) Resolve to respond more fully
                    to His grace –

                You don't have to be scrupulous –
                    nor does it have to take real long –

                Examination of Conscience

                Relationship with God

                    "You should love the Lord your
                        God with all your heart"    Matthew 22: 37

                    "You are to love one another
                        as I have loved you"     John 13: 34

                    "Be perfect as your Father
                        is perfect"          Matthew 5: 48

                A few things to ask ourselves about
                    love and responsibility.

                Do I try to be like Christ wants –
                    live as Christ showed me –
                    Is this the goal of my life?

                Am I self-centered?

                Do I pray to not be controlling,
                    but surrendering to
                    God's plan?

                Is my whole life focused on God
                    and promoting His Kingdom?

                        23. FIRST PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION

                            Man is created to praise, reverence and serve God 
                        our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.

                R. Do I praise and love and thank God
                    as my best friend!

                Have I shown reverence to God?

                Have I kept holy the Sabbath
                    Day?

                Do I work on my prideful attitude?
                    Am I jealous of others?
                    Am I envious of others?
                    Am I angry and nurse anger,
                        hold out anger to keep
                        division with others
                        and hurt them –

                Do I use holding out in anger
                    to do what I want and
                    then make it impossible
                    for authority to even
                    communicate with me?

                Do I examine my motives
                    and over all conduct?

                Do I work to build God's Kingdom?

                Do I work to divide others because
                    I am jealous and want isolation?

                Do I use my day and time for God's
                    work – to spread love – to
                    bring the light of Christ to
                    others?

                Do I work in unity to solve
                    problems?

                Do I give and take in healthy
                    loving relationships with
                    others?

                Do I use my talents and gifts
                    for God and helping others
                    and am I grateful to God for them?

                Am I cheerful and have a
                    positive disposition or
                    do I want to drag things down,
                    rescue people and need
                    them to have problems so
                    I can act dysfunctionally?

                Do I give into depression?

                Do I give into self-pity?

                Do I give into fear from thoughts
                    that control me and hurt
                    the work I need to do?

                Do I seek personal, spiritual
                    growth, dying to my bad habits
                    and living in virtue?

                Do I deny myself when I am
                    tempted to be sinful and
                    hurt others because I am
                    angry, prideful, jealous
                    or envious?

                Am I always trying every day
                    for personal renewal –
                    living a life of conversion?

                Am I open to changing as God
                    calls me to do in my
                    vocation?

                Do I love my neighbor as
                    myself?

                Have I manipulated others for
                    acting out my will
                    opposed to God's will?

                Do I love my family – in
                    religious life – my sisters
                    and brothers?

                Have I shown a good example?

                Have I been responsible for
                    my job?

                Am I responsible and
                    accountable for my
                    actions?

                Am I trustworthy in my
                    vocation – giving others
                    a good example –

                Am I obedient to those over
                    me?

                When I am wrong do I
                    promptly admit it?   

                Have I stolen or destroyed
                    the property of others?

                Do I strive to reduce
                    violence around me?

                Am I chaste in my life?

                Am I argumentative to start
                    chaos and keep fighting
                    and division always going?

                Do I reverence the dignity of
                    the aged, retarded and
                    mentally ill?

                Am I helping the right to life?

                Do I spread the Good News?

                Do I live by the Gospel?

                Am I an example of Christ?

                Do I see that others see
                    me as an example
                    of the faith I profess?

                Do I try to inflame wounds
                    in others and hurt them?

                Am I a healer and a peace
                    maker –

                Am I working in the loving
                    community God has me in?

                Do I obey legitimate authority?

                Do I act as a leader with
                    responsibility if I am
                    a leader in my vocation?

                Do I work for the betterment
                    of the world and the Church,
                    my family or institution?

                Peace is a fruit of justice –

                A person recognizing how much
                    has been given to them by
                    people of the past and
                    how it is their responsibility,
                    a just way to give to future
                    generations is a person of
                    gratitude and wide vision --

                To have peace – there must
                    be justice!

                Song: I Am a God of Justice

                R. We see the sign of the cross of Christ
                    as a victory for the human
                    race –

                Jesus died and
                Jesus rose from the dead –

                The devil tries to tell a person
                    when they did wrong, that
                    they did not sin –

                Sin darkens the soul and makes
                    the sinner more and more
                    miserable when they live
                    in darkness!

                God wants man to be happy –

                Sin causes unhappiness –
                    We know we have a wounded
                    human nature from the
                    sin of Adam and Eve and
                    tendencies towards the
                    deadly sins –

                In sin man turns from God –
                he chooses the evil over God!

                Sin hurts our human nature.

                The virtues lift us up!

                God wants to give His grace
                    when we turn to Him –

                Here is a song –

                Song: Choose Life

                Song: Why Do We Hurt the Ones We Love

 From the Lectionary

May 2, 2020 - First Saturday

R. Let the thoughts be positive.
My God help everything in my brain and body to work toward health.

God gave us a beautiful body.
The brain is the pilot. Let it be filled with light and healing energy.
God gave us this beautiful machine to operate through life.
Our eyes help us see.

Our brain helps direct the body.

Our ears give us hearing.

Our arms and legs help us live, maneuver.

Oh God thank You for all You have given us.

You gave us breath for our body.
You gave us organs to operate, so we can live.

You gave us cells to reproduce, a skeleton and nerves.

You gave us blood and a system to maintain life.
Oh God thank You for the peace we can have, the interior life, the brain to think,
the heart to love.

Oh God thank You for the world with such beauty, the sky, the rolling hills and mountains, lakes and streams, the ocean so wide and beautiful.

Oh God all the animals, fish, greenery and flowers.

So much beauty, God.

God is love.
God gives us each other to love, to know, to be with.

God gives us our family to love, to be with.

Oh my God, You are so good to me.

My God, Thank You.

I love Thee so.

God is love and in Him is no darkness.

God loved us into existence. God wants us with Him.

Pure and perfect love.

Thank You God for this day and all it brings.

I love You.