Posted by Pete Matthews on January 18, 19101 at 14:30:21:
In Reply to: Re: Ways of Perfection: (Imaginative Prayer Assignment) posted by Theodicy Professor on September 26, 19100 at 08:51:56:
: : You don't hang around forums like this for long without hearing the story of the Chinese farmer, the richest man in the vilage, because he had a horse? And his horse disappears and his fellow villagers arrive to console him: "Too bad about your horse." And he says: "Maybe." And the horse returns with a herd of mustangs and they say:"That's great about those mustangs!" and he says:"Maybe". And his son breaks a leg breaking in a mustang and they say:"Too bad about your son." and he says:"Maybe". And the next day the Emperor impresses all the young men from the surrounding village into military service ... and on and on for 500 verses (like a Johnboy post).
: So imagine yourself the Farmer, his son, the villagers, the horse (if you really want to)...
: In that role, with that "maybe attitide", how do you avoid quietism? pelagianism? (IOW, watch your P's and Q's)---How do you engage Ignatian discernment exercises? How do you respond to consolation? desolation? How do you pray the Prayer of Serenity? How do you make concrete decisions for running the farm, day in and day out? How do you pray prayers of petition? of thanksgiving? of praise? How do you feel toward God as you live out the life of both Job and Sisyphus at the same time, now blessed, now cursed, often not knowing the difference? How do you cope with this existential whiplash? this perennial good news-bad news joke of a life?
: Happy Columbus Day
: Happy Yom Kippur
: Happy Veterans Day
: Happy Thanksgiving
: See you at Hannukah and Advent!
: Your Theodicy Essays are due then,
: jb