Saving Your Breath (part II?)

See Athos' post Saving Your Breath where he shares a great article (also read the comment).

Lifted from the Magnificat.

When we live with others, obedience also means we set aside our own tastes and leave things in the place others have put them. In this way, life becomes an epic film in slow motion. It does not make our head spin. It does not take our breath away. Little by little, thread by thread, it eats away at the old man's frame, which cannot be mended and must be made new from the ground up. When we thus become accustomed to giving up our will to so many tiny things, we will no longer find it hard, when the occasion presents itself, to do the will of our boss, our husband, or our parents.

And our hope is that death, too, will be easy. - Servant of God, Madeleine Delbrel

Give yourself a treat and link HERE to read the full meditation by Madeleine Delbrel--a French Dorothy Day as well as a nice reflection by Larry D @ Acts of the Apostasy

My added reflection is that we need to appreciate and embrace 'obedience'. We are human and therefore mimetic (see our side panel for all the great Girard articles including Vine and Branches by Gil Bailie). We are always having to come to terms with the fact that we are creatures of obedience - either we are obedient to the Spirit of Love & Charity and “happiness” leading us on “our journey towards Heaven,” or the spirit of death in the relentless pursuit of ... pleasure. There really is no in-between as the last couple of generations have tried to experiment with trying to be 'neutral' and thus getting trapped in the dictatorship of relativism leaving the human family in dire straits.

Don't get stuck in obedience to the myth of the pursuit of pleasure (and gain) for it only leaves you short of breath and reeling from mimetic entanglements of this soap-opera world. Surrender and repent, asking forgiveness and grace to finally free yourself through obedience to The One who gives you breath of eternal life.

And oh, get yourself a copy of this fabulous little book to help guide your steps toward that 'happiness on your journey towards Heaven'. You won't regret it.