When is a Blog Worthwhile?
“How many people do you have to help before you can say that what you do is worth while?”
January 2012
8 posts
Common Sense Wisdom from St. Francis de Sales
“I advise you to take the trouble now and then to visit hospitals, to comfort the sick, and to have compassion for their infirmities, letting these touch your heart; and pray for the sick even as you give them whatever help you can. But in all this, be very careful that your husband, your servants, and your relatives be not inconvenienced by overly long visits to church, by too lengthy withdrawals to pray and noticeable neglect of your household responsibilities or, as sometimes happens, by your trying to control the actions of others, or showing too much disdain for gatherings where the rules of devotion are not precisely observed. In all these instances charity must prevail and enlighten us so that we yield to the wishes of our neighbor in whatever is not contrary to the commandments of God.”
St. Francis de Sales (May 3, 1604 to Madame Brulart)
Francis de Sales/Jane de Chantal: Letters of Spiritual Direction. Translated by Peronne Marie Thibert, VHM. Paulist Press, 1988. Page 104
What Does Fear Have to Do with Depression?
We can be fearful of many things great and small. We can fear pain and death. Those are big things. We can fear losing a cherished relationship, retirement income, or a place to live. Those are also big things. We can also fear being rejected by an acquaintance or failing at a pet project. Those are little things.
Treated Depression/Healthy Heart
Last Tuesday the topic was hope. Friday it was faith. Today it is love, but not in the same pattern as last week’s posts.
Love is often represented with pictures of the heart. We cannot live if our heart doesn’t function and we cannot live without love.
Depression: Where do you put your faith?
Today, as in days of old, there is much emphasis on putting faith in science and medicine for the healing and explanation of illness. To a great extent this faith is not misplaced. As science progresses and makes its contribution to medicine, new drugs are discovered and sounder treatments replace outdated ones. We certainly don’t bleed patients anymore, nor do we put “mentally ill” patients in institutions for most of their lives.
What Gives You Hope?
Depression can drain us of our ability to hope. It just doesn’t come naturally if pessimism, frustration with persistent symptoms, and discouragement for treatments that aren’t helping continue to plague us.
Here are spiritual suggestions that may help you reconnect and strengthen your sense of hope.
The Fourth Wise Man
Today is the Feast of the Three Kings, who brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus in the cradle. There is another story of the Fourth Wise Man. Here is his story. There is also a movie with the same title. Enjoy the tears in your eyes.
Gene for Depression Localized
I’ve always been concerned by the belief that if we are more prayerful, participate in the sacraments especially Confession, and generally have a better relationship with God that we would not suffer depressive episodes. What bothers me is that no one says the same for heart disease, diabetes II, or the like and if you think about it, you can say those things. After all, there are the sins of gluttony and the virtues of perseverance and temperance.
The reality is that there are genetic factors in the illnesses of heart disease, diabetes II, and depression. And there are the mysteries of why someone who does everything “right” can still get the illness and why someone who does everything “wrong” might not. There is also the consideration for those with those illnesses that spiritual components do help in keeping the illness at bay, in some (not all) situations and for some people. Remember those mysteries.
I read yet another article this morning about how research on the genetic factor of depression continues to progress. Genes alone don’t necessarily make for a depressive episode just as genes alone don’t necessarily make for the development of breast cancer, heart disease, or diabetes II. Remember that mystery again. Remember especially if you feel guilty about your spiritual life or you are one who tends to tell those afflicted that they are not praying hard enough or being better Catholics/Christians.
Here is the article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104111904.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fmind_brain%2Fdepression+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Mind+&+Brain+News+—+Depression%29
