Psychological Healing
in the Roman Catholic Mystic Tradition

Questions and Answers

What do you think of Cursillo? My priest wants me to go through it and commit to having group meetings in our parish. He will be one of the spiritual directors. Several people in our diocese have asked me to be involved as well.

 
ather than say anything specific about any particular organization, apostolate, or lay association, let me just provide a simple way to sort out truth from lies. That way you can make your own decision about any group.

In general, most groups that thrive on popular enthusiasm are just a lot of sugary sweet sentiment that makes you feel good but that has little to do with the core basis of Christianity: “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me” into a life of self-sacrifice and suffering for the salvation of others.

So, if you say you love Christ, and if you want to follow Him, and if you are willing to do anything it takes to fulfill your desire, then pay attention to several things.

•	Cling reverently to four fundamentals of Christianity: the Eucharist, the Passion, repentance of sins, and a holy lifestyle. Any teaching that neglects these fundamentals should be shunned. Be wary, too, of any bishop or priest who advocates any teaching that neglects these fundamentals.
•	Avoid any group that spreads through peer pressure. In its proper place, peer pressure does have a value because it can help you avoid certain behaviors. For example, in regard to overcoming addictions, peer pressure can be helpful in supporting you to avoid the use of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, and unchaste sexual behaviors. But peer pressure cannot make you acquire virtue. Virtue is an expression of love, and love is an act of free will, and so, if you are pressured into doing something, it is not an act of love. Keep in mind, therefore, that genuine Christianity is a matter of pure love which spreads through a quiet, humble demonstration of self-sacrifice despite tribulations and persecution. Consequently, if you do anything to gain the acceptance of others, or to keep them from rejecting you, it’s a defilement of love, and, in the spiritual sense, it’s all a fraud. Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. —Matthew 6:1
•	Assess the value of any teaching according to its fruits: the fruits of the Holy Spirit. If these fruits are not being clearly manifested in a group or association, just focus on living the Faith quietly and privately.

 
Summary

Given the choice between feeling good or suffering hardship and sacrifice, most persons today will choose the former. Even those who call themselves Christian want enjoyment and excitement from life so much that they will even go so far as to purge the Church of any reminders of the Crucifixion so as to revel in the glory of the Resurrection. They will sit or stand rather than kneel, they will hold hands rather than pray, and they will babble rather than contemplate the divine mystery in loving, prayerful silence.

But Saint John of the Cross warned us:

So listen to his warning—at least, if your desire to follow Christ is not just another way to feel good about yourself, and if you sincerely struggle to carry your cross rather than wear it around your neck as a pretty piece of jewelry.

Back to the list of questions

DID MY WORK help you? Have you found insight into your behavior? Have you found information unlike anywhere else? Then why not make a Quick & Easy donation to this freewill website to express your gratitude for my labor in creating something substantial, something that can change your life for the better? Huh? Donations? Freewill website? What’s this about?