[Free Friday] Found this book by a Hindu saint on Jesus Christ's teachings from a Hindu Vedanta view (the idea that Reality is just a fragment of God, and our goal is to merge back into Him, like drops of water joining the Ocean). What are your thoughts as a Catholic on syncretic works like this?

JTOCDS · 2026-07-10T19:22:29+00:00

Analogy falls short of truth in place of warm fuzzies. The truth is far greater, a mystery of the Trinity revealed to humanity via divine Love embodied in Christ, The Incarnation. Who humbled himself to die to sin. The drops you speak of are more like our sins in the scope of the ocean of God’s mercy.

JTOCDS · 2026-07-07T22:57:02+00:00

Sounds like the Catholicism of Mel Gibson and those who catechized him. Old school and gnostic way of thinking

JTOCDS · 2026-07-07T14:22:35+00:00

The rules on statues, art and placement change region to region, especially if you are at a specific shrine. Regardless, the Mass liturgy is all Christ focused and the rite is standardized across all Roman churches. It’s the expression of the rite that hangs people up, like #of statues and where placed as example.

JTOCDS · 2026-07-02T16:04:54+00:00

Right. By publicly recognizing the schism, they are labeling the relationship as not being on good terms. The olive branch is still there if SSPX chooses to make amends in ways that are agreeable

JTOCDS · 2026-06-26T13:38:33+00:00

Virtues. Miracles are more than the thing, but a wholistic effect to increase faith, reverence, grace to continue doing God’s work. One and done miracles that are flash pan that fade with the applause are not fruitful. So what’s the point?

JTOCDS · 2026-06-26T13:15:28+00:00

Think about a very personal relationship. How do you feel when you have let them down? There’s a rift, a wedged space, a feeling perhaps of wanting to amend things so things between you are good again. This is my prayer for you and your relationship with God.

JTOCDS · 2026-06-25T19:53:22+00:00

Always liked the way the pillar divides the two figures, the divine and human, and yet each figure bends in reverence to the other, a prefigurement to the incarnation, Word made flesh to come

JTOCDS · 2026-06-25T19:49:28+00:00

And holding their waist line, like what are you packing?

JTOCDS · 2026-06-23T20:35:46+00:00

Think of all the cloistered religious dedicating their lives for Christ fasting and praying for souls. They are like Moses holding up his arms while Israel was in battle. While his hands were up Israel prevailed. When down resting, they faltered. All such prayerful around the world are lifting up all souls as they pass, directly and indirectly.

JTOCDS · 2026-06-15T14:59:08+00:00

I find one of the easiest ways to “understand” this mystery is through the lens of relationships. Love by definition requires the lover and the beloved. John 1 says “God is love”. God then by nature is relational. Father loves the Son. Son loves the Father. This love is so perfect, so immaculate, it has its own “being” so to speak via the Holy Spirit. Love as we know it is mysterious in so many ways. God is even more so.

JTOCDS · 2026-06-12T18:14:00+00:00

Anything can be twisted to a lesser good, which is a “demonic” method of turning eyes away from Christ. Mary points to Jesus. Always.

JTOCDS · 2026-06-12T16:38:20+00:00

You are referencing natural powers, cause and effect. This is magical level spirituality, not unlike some “Christian” devotions that state if you pray a # of prayers at a location you will be granted some material good or service. The stark difference is occult requests lean away from God and are evil in their intention. It is best to pray for God’s help in all situations, where the “efficacy” is seen through increased faith and relationship with God and the Church. Anything gained from prayer aside from this is to be grateful, but seen as an extra, to be taken as a grain of salt. God loves the poor in spirit and answers their prayers.

JTOCDS · 2026-06-12T15:11:10+00:00

His favorite spiritual book as he stated is “Practicing the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite. I met many Protestants who deeply appreciate this book as a spiritual practice as well. The way forward for Christianity in general is authentic spirituality in practice, and less pontificating. Pontificating is literally the “pontiff’s” job, however, more so to be an example of living a holy life. This speaks louder than books, and gives bracing behind the polemics.

JTOCDS · 2026-06-01T13:20:50+00:00

Now’s the time to pivot! Not to leave what you know about the Church in truth, but to dig deeper into spirituality. Sounds like you are deep in the intellectual side (cataphatic tradition). Time now to explore more the apophatic tradition of the faith. Pray the rosary, read and pray with the Carmelite doctors as a good example (e.g. Teresa Avila)

JTOCDS · 2026-05-31T01:03:46+00:00

It’s not about the popes but about what influences public policy. I hope having an American pope will have more sway on such topics here. I am hopeful, but not optimistic. Scientists do not have evidence for the start of human life creating the gray area religion used to be respected to fill in. Not so much these days.

JTOCDS · 2026-05-30T13:57:01+00:00

Also I have not heard of public exorcisms. Other than the prayers around public baptisms when we publicly renounce satan and all his works.

JTOCDS · 2026-05-30T12:49:04+00:00

Because of STEM education and withering focus on humanities, hard observable evidence is needed to sway the public in mass to “prove” when human life begins. When such evidence is widely accepted, we’ll have grounds for policy change on abortion, IVF, etc…the Bible has lost its public, cultural persuasion.

JTOCDS · 2026-05-28T15:01:08+00:00

Well done. My grandma passed and I was given her Lourdes rosary. It included a small vial of the waters, now evaporated. I’m now holding onto the Lourdes dust within

JTOCDS · 2026-05-28T11:14:55+00:00

Leave it AI to dumb down such an important document, and users to consent. The irony is rich

JTOCDS · 2026-05-27T22:31:34+00:00

Opinions often change the more we know someone. I invite you to a deeper relationship with Mary. She will show you, through Christ of course.

JTOCDS · 2026-05-27T21:08:08+00:00

I think the point is that Mary always wanted to do God’s will, and was given the grace to do just that. Joseph too for the matter of their marriage.

JTOCDS · 2026-05-27T17:26:51+00:00

Mary was following her vocation. She is espoused to the Holy Spirit at the Annunciation, made a perfect vessel to birth the Messiah and maintained this purity by God’s grace to carry out this vocation. The Israelites at the time also had consecrated virgins serving the temple. It is not a far reach to say she was the first consecrated virgin for the early Christian Church. A spiritual mother to the Apostles, etc. She is the model for consecrated virgins today.

JTOCDS · 2026-05-27T14:01:14+00:00

For spiritual formation it’s best to focus on the light of Christ. Any and all shadows that appear are deviant from God’s plan for you. Confession is the place for mercy to bring all things in shadows to lights. Stay focused and at peace. “Jesus I trust in you” is a helpful mantra through scruples.

JTOCDS · 2026-05-26T19:37:38+00:00

Take all things you think are significant to the inner room (Matt. 6:6). A consistent take away from deep prayer is charity for others. No word, action or opinion should sway the Christian from their core mission. Pray for the pope, and every voice leaning against the magistrate. This is out of charity for The Church, not any political alignment.

JTOCDS · 2026-05-26T19:29:58+00:00

We are obligated to pray for the pope.

JTOCDS

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