Let me try to explain what I mean. I was worried about Cristo Rey. I don't want him to get so depressed he thinks about suicide. That's a tragedy -- let's not repeat it.
The world has good and evil in it. Even in the worst of situations, you will find glimmers of hope and humanity somewhere; and in the best of situations, you'll find problems lurking tucked away since nothing in this world is perfect. We are apt to get depressed if all we see and think about are the bad things. On the other hand, people who refuse to see evil lurking are apt to take unwise risks and wind up in calamities.
Think about Israel in the wilderness. Okay, so they were living in tents. They had their problems, to be sure. But they also had things to be grateful for which they didn't see. They caused themselves a big problem, a lot bigger than living in tents and having to eat manna every day.
And in the end, it isn't what good we receive from others that counts, since people can be rich and still miserable. It's the good we do others. Remember Zacchaeus? He was miserable because he was short and people probably made fun of him; so he tried to get even by taking advantage of them financially. It didn't make him happy. What made him happy was when Jesus asked a favor from him! Imagine that, asking a stingy man to give you dinner -- but Jesus did it -- and Zacchaeus found it made him happy. Then he started giving stuff away!
In the end, obeying the Golden Rule is what makes us happy. At first glance, you might think it's about being non-selfish and perhaps about making yourself miserable -- but it makes person who obeys it happy.
Cristo Rei has probably heard the prayer of St. Francis. I love this prayer.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O Divine Master, grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand
To be loved, as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
And it's in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born to Eternal Life
Amen
We can't control what other people do. Relax, give up trying that. We can control what we do. Let's do that. I am convinced St. Francis' prayer has a key to happiness in it. So what if the world falls apart around us? Do we need to come apart just because it does? Why give the world that much power over you?
Psalm 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Its all good guys. I took no offense. I knew he was sincere and concerned.
Im on these threads too much i know. Never see me in spiritual threads much... I know...
I appreciate the concern mate.. And often need to remind myself or be remined... Step back...
Where is God now. Where is the evil one now...
Its all been taken out of context... If i have no offence to it then no one else should as it was addressed to me... LoL...
Carry on
And don't mind my silly humour... with the memes... Sometime i just have to laugh at something, even myself.... My serious posts are fairly serious and my silly ones are silly. U can generally tell where i am in a post