I'm not a Catholic and know little about it.
For those of you who have been following my experiences for the past six months, you'll understand why it piques my interest. Call it desperation; call it curiosity. With obstacles and brick walls with an 'as is' home purchase, I've not sat quiet or passive. I've been very proactive with all problems presented to me.
Being a participant in this game called 'life', I've had seven decades of curiosity about life and the inhabitants that roam here. 'Free will' is one of the most intriguing components of life's chessboard. I feel everyone, as I refer to the two-legged human animal, could benefit greatly ... if four-legged animals could only share their viewpoint, ways of life and its components. There is so much wisdom in just observing the animal species, if you 'stop, look, and listen' to them. Be present, without the human thought process that seems to impede the goodness of our option of 'free will' and our decision making.
Back to my curiosity of Catholicism at the current time. Often when searching and/or researching, things I'm not looking for come to my attention. In this situation, that is the case.
One day I was searching about prayer, in general ... who, what, when, where kind of thing ... it's the reporter in me. Catholic prayers and the saints was a link that came up. Growing up, I've basically shied away from the Catholic religion for two reasons ... idolatry and people I knew who left it, and not always for another religion or even a different church - many often turning to atheism.
One of the links I clicked was about the statues of various saints, what they represent, and how they are often 'buried' for help, for various things in one's life. One of the saints I read about was Saint Joseph because it related to selling real estate which, for me, is and continues to be a struggle. Since that's what I am struggling with I, of course, read on.
Once I read the basic teaching, I continued my search for feedback from people who have used this spiritual measure in this way. That in itself is interesting because of our emotions and humane thinking. Some call it idolatry; some call it faith. I have to admit that I've found more who feel it was helpful and/or successful. Hmmm ...
I'll fast forward a bit here. I now own a Saint Joseph statue, and a print out of all the prayers and the manner in which you use them (called a 'novena'). A novena is 'a nine-day period of private and/or public prayer to obtain special graces, to implore special favors, or make special petitions'. St. Joseph is the 'saint of workers'. You can learn more about this here:
https://www.st-josephstatue.com/history-of-st-joseph/
Since receiving the St. Joseph statue I have read and re-read different web links comparing how and where to bury it, its specific purpose, how to do/use a 'novena', and also what to do with it once your prayer petition has been answered. All this is very intense, especially for one who does not regularly practice Catholicism.
As I sit here before my screen, penning this blog entry, I find myself uncomfortable with the physical action of burying a plastic statue upside down in the dirt beneath my feet (no harm intended toward Catholics or Saint Joseph). I am, however, a proponent of prayers, faith, miracles, positive energy, etc.
Also, an obstacle I'm experiencing is someone told me the Saint Joseph statue should be 'blessed', before being buried. I went so far as to make phone calls to a few local churches, to no avail. In my searches of details about burying it, I also found that many simply put the statue in a place where its direction is so it will 'draw' positivity. I have chosen to do that. Right now it is sitting in a window, facing the highway a few blocks away from the front of my home. I also have the 'main' prayer on a card, standing up beside it. Now that I own one, I'm equally as uncomfortable about tossing it in a drawer, etc.
My own father was a self-described atheist, however, my sister would argue with him, telling him he was an 'agnostic' (perhaps a way to soothe her own heart). I just add this because I can imagine him watching my tap, tap, tap as I scribe this blog today (he had an old typewriter that he used). Wherever his soul departed to after leaving this earthly plane, I'm sure he is somewhat sorely amused with his daughter. These are times when it'd be great to have a telephone line to 'the other side'. I love you, pop!
I am ... ~nrl
For those of you who have been following my experiences for the past six months, you'll understand why it piques my interest. Call it desperation; call it curiosity. With obstacles and brick walls with an 'as is' home purchase, I've not sat quiet or passive. I've been very proactive with all problems presented to me.
Being a participant in this game called 'life', I've had seven decades of curiosity about life and the inhabitants that roam here. 'Free will' is one of the most intriguing components of life's chessboard. I feel everyone, as I refer to the two-legged human animal, could benefit greatly ... if four-legged animals could only share their viewpoint, ways of life and its components. There is so much wisdom in just observing the animal species, if you 'stop, look, and listen' to them. Be present, without the human thought process that seems to impede the goodness of our option of 'free will' and our decision making.
Back to my curiosity of Catholicism at the current time. Often when searching and/or researching, things I'm not looking for come to my attention. In this situation, that is the case.
One day I was searching about prayer, in general ... who, what, when, where kind of thing ... it's the reporter in me. Catholic prayers and the saints was a link that came up. Growing up, I've basically shied away from the Catholic religion for two reasons ... idolatry and people I knew who left it, and not always for another religion or even a different church - many often turning to atheism.
One of the links I clicked was about the statues of various saints, what they represent, and how they are often 'buried' for help, for various things in one's life. One of the saints I read about was Saint Joseph because it related to selling real estate which, for me, is and continues to be a struggle. Since that's what I am struggling with I, of course, read on.
Once I read the basic teaching, I continued my search for feedback from people who have used this spiritual measure in this way. That in itself is interesting because of our emotions and humane thinking. Some call it idolatry; some call it faith. I have to admit that I've found more who feel it was helpful and/or successful. Hmmm ...
I'll fast forward a bit here. I now own a Saint Joseph statue, and a print out of all the prayers and the manner in which you use them (called a 'novena'). A novena is 'a nine-day period of private and/or public prayer to obtain special graces, to implore special favors, or make special petitions'. St. Joseph is the 'saint of workers'. You can learn more about this here:
https://www.st-josephstatue.com/history-of-st-joseph/
Since receiving the St. Joseph statue I have read and re-read different web links comparing how and where to bury it, its specific purpose, how to do/use a 'novena', and also what to do with it once your prayer petition has been answered. All this is very intense, especially for one who does not regularly practice Catholicism.
As I sit here before my screen, penning this blog entry, I find myself uncomfortable with the physical action of burying a plastic statue upside down in the dirt beneath my feet (no harm intended toward Catholics or Saint Joseph). I am, however, a proponent of prayers, faith, miracles, positive energy, etc.
Also, an obstacle I'm experiencing is someone told me the Saint Joseph statue should be 'blessed', before being buried. I went so far as to make phone calls to a few local churches, to no avail. In my searches of details about burying it, I also found that many simply put the statue in a place where its direction is so it will 'draw' positivity. I have chosen to do that. Right now it is sitting in a window, facing the highway a few blocks away from the front of my home. I also have the 'main' prayer on a card, standing up beside it. Now that I own one, I'm equally as uncomfortable about tossing it in a drawer, etc.
My own father was a self-described atheist, however, my sister would argue with him, telling him he was an 'agnostic' (perhaps a way to soothe her own heart). I just add this because I can imagine him watching my tap, tap, tap as I scribe this blog today (he had an old typewriter that he used). Wherever his soul departed to after leaving this earthly plane, I'm sure he is somewhat sorely amused with his daughter. These are times when it'd be great to have a telephone line to 'the other side'. I love you, pop!
I am ... ~nrl
