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Christian Counseling Courses: The Inner Essence of Prayer

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling People to a Better Prayer Life

In past blogs, we discussed the external nature of prayer, its purposes and benefits.  In this blog, I would like to discuss key points that should be highlighted in one’s prayer life.  Many of these ideas stem from St. Teresa of Avila and other saints whose experience in meditative prayer far outweigh our own.  However before delving deeper into prayer itself, I think we can find the core of prayer found in the words of Christ in the “Our Father“.
Our Lord taught us a few key concepts in the “Our Father”.  First, charity abounds in the “Our Father”.  It adores the Father and seeks forgiveness for one’s enemies.  Second, petition of needs is addressed through the phrase “give us this day our daily bread”.  Yet in this petition, Jesus reminds us that it is the will of the Father that must supersede our own.  Third, contrition of one’s sins is found in the prayer along with spiritual aid against evil.  Of course thanksgiving is implied throughout the prayer and is an essential element of  the prayer.  From these standards, we find the key elements of adoration, petition, contrition and thanksgiving.
Yet it is so amazing to hear when people ask how should I pray.  While ritualistic prayers are wonderful, some people merely mumble the words without any true thought.  Others have no idea on what to say.  The simple reality is love.  If you love God, there is no true structure to follow but to simply love him and please him.  One will be filled with the spirit and find the necessary words to express one’s feelings.
As one delves deeper and deeper into a relationship with Christ, one can experience many exchanges with Christ.   Some can involve consolations or feelings of rapture and love.  Others could possibly involve visions of physical, spiritual or intellectual natures.  Some times in prayer one will experience an intense devotion, while in other sessions of prayer, one will experience an aridity due to no fault of their own.  In other circumstances, one may feel great certitude of what the Lord desires, while in other cases, one may doubt if it was the Lord or one’s own inner voice.
These are all the inner complexities of prayer life.  As one contemplates the life of Christ or invokes dialogue with the Lord, one can find his true voice through pure love, humility and union of will.  Discernment of our Lord’s will can come through a Christian Counselor or Spiritual Advisor who can help one through prayer life.  However, one can rest assured that it is from God if over time it produces good fruits, for the tricks of the evil one can never bring forth abundance of good.  Nor does the promises of the evil one produce fervent love of God or increase sanctity.  Instead, it produces a lack of peace and confusion.  St. Ignatius and St. Teresa both emphasize this fruit of Satan.  They remind us that as one progresses in prayer life, the devil will become troubled and become louder and attempt to ruin the peace.  These hardships should be endured and after they are recognized can be removed through obedience to a confessor or Christian counselor who will guide you away from them.

St. Teresa also emphasizes that our prayer life should seek no spiritual rewards or consolations or visions. Instead she emphasizes that we should prayer for the simple purpose of love.  Our Divine Majesty is owed this love without return of reward.  This is the best prayer.  One should embrace aridity in prayer to better show our Lord how deep our love is for him  Of course our Lord will not be out done in generosity.

I hope some of these ideas from Christ and his saints can aid Christian Counselors in their guidance of their spiritual children.  I will now add some insight from the words of experts on mystical prayer, namely the saints.
Souls that have no habit of prayer are like a lame and paralytic body, which, though it has hands and feet, cannot use them. Therefore, to abandon prayer seems to me the same thing as to lose the straight road; for as prayer is the gate through which all the graces of God come to us, when this is closed, I do not know how we can have any.—-St. Teresa
The soul that perseveres in the exercise of prayer, however many sins, temptations and falls of a thousand kinds the devil may oppose to it, may hold it for certain, after all, that the Lord will sooner or later rescue it from danger and guide it into the harbor of salvation.—-St. Teresa
Mental prayer consists in weighing and understanding what we are saying, Who it is to Whom we are speaking and who we are to have the courage to speak to so great a Lord. To have these and similar thoughts is properly to make mental prayer. Their opinion, however, is not to be followed who believe that its whole essence consists in thinking, so that if they can keep their thoughts fixed by a great effort, then they consider themselves very spiritual and men of prayer; but if they are able to do this no longer, and their attention wanders a little, even to good things, they imagine they are doing nothing. No, the substance of mental prayer, in my opinion, consists in nothing but conversing with God as with a friend. And so, to speak of this thing or of that to Him, Who, we know, loves us, is mental prayer.—-St. Teresa

If, while one is praying, he regards and considers the fact that he is conversing with God with more attention than the words that he utters, he is making vocal and mental prayer at once, which may be of much advantage to him. But if he does not consider with Whom he is speaking, nor what he is saying, it may be thought certain that, however much he may move his lips, he prays very little.—-St. Teresa
When the soul finds herself oppressed by aridity and sterility, she ought to make the prayer of reverence, confidence, and conformity to the Divine Will, standing in the presence of God like a poor man before his prince, making use of such words as express a loving submission to the Divine pleasure.—-St. Jane Frances de Chantal
Whoever wishes to profit by prayers should not take account of spiritual consolations. I know by experience that the soul which has started on this road with a full determination not to consider whether the Lord gives or denies him consolations and tenderness, and really acts on this determination, has already made a great part of the journey.—-St. Teresa
There is another thing which greatly afflicts those who give themselves to prayer. It is the distractions which often come and carry their thoughts, and their hearts too, hither and thither. They come at times from the mortification of the senses; at times with the soul being distracted in itself, and often because the Lord wills it, to try His servants. Now in such cases we must recall our thoughts from time to time, by reviving our faith in the presence of God, and by remaining before Him with reverence and respect. If we do not succeed in fixing them on the prescribed point, we must bear those annoyances and vexations with humility and patience. It will not be lost time, as at first sight it may appear, but such a prayer will sometimes be more fruitful than many others made with recollection and pleasure. For all the actions performed to banish or to endure these distractions, as they are done in order not to displease God, and to become better qualified for His service, are so many acts of the love of God.—-St. Teresa
The whole aim of whoever intends to give himself to prayer ought to be to labor, to resolve, to dispose himself, with all possible diligence, to conform his will to that of God. For in this consists all the highest perfection that can be acquired in the spiritual way.—-St. Teresa
Try to disengage yourself from so many cares, and take a little time to think of God and to rest in Him. Enter into the secret chamber of your heart, and banish from it everything save your Creator alone and what can help you to find Him; then having closed the door, say to Him, with all your soul: “Lord, I seek Thy Divine countenance—-teach me to find it!”—-St. Augustine

In mental prayer, we are not obliged to employ our intellect all the time. We can occupy ourselves in the presence of God by conversing and consoling ourselves with Him, without the weariness of formal considerations and choice words. We can represent to Him simply our necessities, and the cause He has for showing us mercy. For example, when we think of some part of the Passion, it is a good thing to make a consideration first, by meditating on the pains which Our Lord suffered in it. But let not the soul weary itself by seeking too long for this; let it rather sometimes remain still with Christ, and keeping the intellect inactive if possible, let it occupy itself, in thought, in looking upon Him; let it accompany Him, ask favors of Him, humble itself and console itself with Him, and remember that He did not deserve to be there. This method of prayer has many advantages.—-St. Teresa
We should set a high value on meditation upon the Passion of our Redeemer. For a simple remembrance or meditation upon this is worth more than if for a whole year one should take the discipline to blood, or fast on bread and water every week, or recite the whole psalter every day.—-Bl. Albertus Magnus
There is a certain method of practicing the presence of God, by which, if the soul chooses, she may remain always in prayer, and constantly inflaming with the love of God. This consists in realizing, in the midst of our occupations, that we are doing the will of God in each, and in rejoicing and being glad that it is so.—-St. Alphonsus Rodriguez
The highest and most perfect prayer is contemplation. But this is altogether the work of God, as it is supernatural and above our powers. The soul can only prepare itself for this prayer, and can do nothing in it. The best preparation is to live humbly, and to give ourselves in earnest to the acquisition of virtues, and especially, of fraternal charity and the love of God; to have a find resolution to do the will of God in all things; to walk in the way of the Cross, and to destroy self-love, which is a wish, on our part, to please ourselves rather than God.—-St. Teresa

I hope these quotes give some insight in one’s spiritual life.
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, please review the program.
Mark Moran, MA

Obedience: A Bitter Gift

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling and Obedience

If union with God involves submission of our will to God’s will and making two wills become one, then how can one accomplish this feat without obedience.  Obedience is the ultimate bitter gift in which we surrender our own will to God’s will.  How can one surrender without the virtue of obedience?  How can one magically surrender to God, if throughout one’s life, they have manifested disobedience to all forms of authority?  Disobedience is a fruit of pride.  Lucifer in his pride, disobeyed God and refused to submit his will to the divine.
Christian Counseling sessions should seek to uproot any forms of disobedience within spiritual children.  Various exercises of obedience can be employed in which a spiritual child follows the advice of a spiritual superior without question.  Various spiritual tasks can be laid out for the spiritual child to perform within a period of time.  This in turn can lay foundations for spiritual obedience.  Spiritual children should also be encouraged to accept orders of superiors in any field of life as if from God.  Did not Christ tell Pontius Pilate that his authority came from above?  Hence, spiritual children should recognize all temporal authority is from heaven and that one must submit their will to that authority.
Through this submission comes the bitter gift of obedience.  It is bitter because it involves submitting one’s own will to another but it is a gift because it frees one from pride and opens one to the will of God.  When one’s will becomes united with Christ then and only then can true union with the Lord be accomplished.

As in my last blog, I will include various quotes from the saints regarding obedience.  If you have any quotes from scripture or other saints, please feel free to add them as a comment.
All things whatsoever that they command you, observe and do.—-Matt. 23:3

We all have a natural inclination to command, and a great aversion to obey; and yet, it is certain that it is more to our advantage to obey than to command. It is for this reason that perfect souls have so great an affection for obedience, and find in it all their delight-St. Francis De Sales
Obedience is, without doubt, more meritorious than any austerity. And what greater austerity can be thought of than that of keeping one’s will constantly submissive and obedient? —-St. Catherine of Bologna
Obedience is a penance of the soul, and for that reason a sacrifice more acceptable than all corporal penances. Thence it happens that God loves more the least degree of obedience in thee, than all the other services thou mayest think to render Him. —-St. John of the Cross
To pick up a straw from the ground through obedience is more meritorious than to preach, to fast, to use the discipline to blood, and to make long prayers, of one’s own will. —-St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

All the good of creatures consists in the fulfillment of the Divine Will. And this is never better attained than by the practice of obedience, in which is found the annihilation of self-love and the true liberty of sons of God. This is the reason why souls truly good, experience such great joy and sweetness in obedience. —-St. Vincent de Paul
The devil, seeing that there is no shorter road to the summit of perfection than that of obedience, artfully insinuates many repugnances and difficulties under color of good, to prevent us from following it. —-St. Teresa
That obedience may be complete, it must exist in three things: in execution, by doing promptly, cheerfully, and exactly whatever the Superior orders; in will, by willing nothing but what the Superior wills; in judgment, by being of the same opinion as the Superior. —-St. Ignatius Loyola
True obedience manifests itself in executing gladly and without any repugnance, things which are objects of antipathy or contrary to one’s interests. —-St. Alphonsus Rodriguez
A truly obedient man does not discriminate between one thing and another, or desire one employment more than another, since his only aim is to execute faithfully whatever may be assigned to him. —-St. Bernard
If you ever are conscious of impulses, thoughts, and judgments opposed to obedience, though apparently good and holy, do not admit them on any account, but reject them promptly, as you would thoughts against chastity or faith. —-St. John Climacus

It is not enough for obedience to do what is commanded. It must be done without debate, and must be looked upon as the best and most perfect thing possible, though it may seem and may even be the contrary. —-St. Philip Neri

Finally, let us follow the rule of our Divine Lord, who submitted his will to that of his father.  In perfect obedience, even unto death, our Lord, Jesus Christ, accepted the will of the father.  This is the perfect paradigm of obedience.

If you are interested in the Christian Counseling Program, please review the program.
Mark Moran, MA
 

Christian Perspective: What is True Union with God?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Perspectives on Union with God

So many times we get caught up in the romance and excitement of anything in life.  The same is true with spirituality.  Many are deceived by false promises of Eastern religions that teach deification instead of unification.  New Agers, free lance spiritualists and other pseudo Christians speak of the marvels of the East and how one can astral project oneself or become unified with an entity and learn secret and lost wisdom.  Some also boast within the West of great raptures or locutions and visions.  Extraordinary miracles and spiritual favors are equal to union in their mind.  The Christian perspective does not see union in such ways and Christian Counselors need to guide their spiritual children away from such ideals.

While God sometimes does dispose upon the soul various gifts and charisms, union, at least in the temporal reality, is far from glamorous.  It involves a deviation from our fallen nature and a submission of our will to God’s will.  It demands humility, obedience and love of creator and aversion to materialism in this world.  Divine Union is not always filled with rapture but on many occasions is filled with aridity and solitude.  It on many occasions seeks one to choose the hard road instead of the easy road.  Yet be rest assured, one is traveling the correct road which will lead one to paradise when one seeks union with God.  As pilgrims in this temporal reality, union with God gives us a glimpse of heaven but for those who truly seek union, it is not about reward but only love.

Union is a love that is beyond the good feelings upon the outset of a relationship.  Instead it is the love that carries one from the hardships of day to day.  It seeks no reward but only reciprocity of love from the lover.  This type of union hopes to tie the soul to God so intimately, that the two wills become one.  Through this fervent and deep love, the soul progress spiritually while it learns to oppose its illicit desires.
I would like to list various quotes from saints on the issue on union.  These saints represent a universal theology of union that is applicable to both Protestant and Catholics.

The object of all virtues is to bring us into union with God, in which alone is laid up all the happiness that can be enjoyed in this world. Now, in what does this union properly consist? In nothing save a perfect conformity and resemblance between our will and the will of God, so that these these two wills are absolutely alike—-there is nothing in one repugnant to the other; all that one wishes and loves, the other wishes and loves; whatever pleases or displeases one, pleases or displeases the other.—-St. John of the Cross

Those deceive themselves who believe that union with God consists in ecstasies or raptures, and in the enjoyment of Him. For it consists in nothing except the surrender and subjection of our will with our thoughts, words and actions, to the will of God and it is perfect when the will finds itself separated from everything, and attached only to that of God, so that every one of its movements is solely and purely the volition of God. This is the true and essential union which I have always desired, and which I constantly ask of the Lord. Oh, how many of us there are who say this, and who think we desire only this! But, wretched that we are, how few are ever to attain it!—-St. TeresaUnion with God takes place in three ways: by conformity, by uniformity, and by deformity. Conformity is a complete subordination of our will to the Divine Will in all our actions, and in all occurrences and events, so that we will and accept all that God wills and sends, however painful and repulsive it may be. Uniformity is a close union of our will with the Divine Will, by which we will, not only all that God wills, but we will it solely because He wills it, and so all repugnance’s are banished. Deformity is a transformation which renders our will one with that of God, so that it is no longer conscious of itself, as if it were no longer in existence, but only feels in itself the Divine Will, and, as if it were changed into it, no longer desires in any of its acts and operations anything, even what is most holy, with or through the created will, but only in the uncreated, made its own by transformation.—-Fr. Achilles Gagliardi

So great is the delight which the Angels take in executing the will of God, that if it were His will that one of them should come upon earth to pull up weeds and root out nettles from a field, he would leave Paradise immediately and set himself to work with all his heart, and with infinite pleasure.—-Bl. Henry Suso

We ought to submit to the will of God, and be content in whatever state it may please Him to put us; nor should we ever desire to change it for another, until we know that such is His pleasure. This is the most excellent and the most useful practice that can be adopted upon earth.—-St. Vincent de Paul

Perfect resignation is nothing else than a complete moral annihilation of thoughts and affections, when one renounces himself totally in God, that He may guide him as He wills and pleases, as if one no longer knew or cared for either himself or anything else except God. It is thus that the soul, so to speak, loses itself in God, not, indeed as to its nature, but as to the appropriation of its powers.—-Bl. Henry SusoTo lose ourselves in God is simply to give up our own will to Him. When a soul can say truly, “Lord, I have no other will than Thine,” it is truly lost in God, and united to Him.—-St. Francis de Sales

If you give yourself to the practice of holy abandonment, though you may not perceive that you gain at all, you will, in fact, advance greatly, as it is with those who sail upon the open sea with favorable winds, trusting wholly to the care of the pilot.—-St. Francis de Sales
In this holy abandonment springs up that beautiful freedom of spirit which the perfect possess, and in which there is found all the happiness that can be desired in this life; for in fearing nothing, and seeking and desiring nothing of the things of the world, they possess all.—-St. Teresa

When we have totally abandoned ourselves to the pleasure of God, submitting without any reserve our will and affections to His dominion, we shall see our souls so united to His Divine Majesty that we shall be able to say with that perfect model of Christians, St. Paul: “In myself I no longer live, but Jesus Christ in me.”—-St. Francis de Sales

The soul which remains attached to anything, even to the least thing, however many its virtues may be, will never arrive at the liberty of the Divine union. It matters little whether a bird be fastened by a stout or a slender cord—-as long as he does not break it, slender as it may be, it will prevent him from flying freely. Oh what a pity it is to see some souls, like rich ships, loaded with a precious freight of good works, spiritual exercises, virtues and favors from God, which, for want of courage to make an end of some miserable little fancy or affection, can never arrive at the port of divine union, while it only needs one good earnest effort to break asunder that thread of attachment! For, to a soul freed from attachment to any creature, the Lord cannot fail to communicate Himself fully, as the sun cannot help entering and lighting up an open room when the sky is clear.—-St. John Chrysostom

To arrive at perfect union, there is needed a total and perfect mortification of the senses and desires. The shortest and most effectual method of obtaining it is this: As to the senses whatever pleasing object may offer itself to them, unconnected with pure love to God, we should refuse it to them instantly, for the love of Jesus Christ, who in this life neither had nor desired to have any pleasure except to do the will of His Father, which He called His food. If, for example, there should arise a fancy or wish to hear or see things which do not concern the service of God or lead especially to Him, we should deny this fancy, and refrain from beholding or hearing these things; but if this is not possible, it is sufficient not to consent with the will. Then as to the desires, we should endeavor to incline always to what is poorest, worst, most laborious, most difficult, most unpleasant, and to desire nothing except to suffer and be despised.—-St. John of the CrossWhen I see some persons very anxious about being attentive in prayer, and keeping their heads bowed while occupied in it, as if they did not dare to stir in the least, or to move even in thought, that the joy and sensible devotion they have may not leave them even in the slightest degree; this shows me how little they understand the road which leads to union, while they imagine that the whole affair consists in keeping their thoughts fixed. No, no, the Lord desires works. Therefore, when things present themselves to be done, to which obedience or charity obliges you, do not at all regard losing that devotion and enjoyment of God, that you may give Him pleasure by doing these things; for they will lead you more quickly than the others to holy union.—-St. Teresa

Self-will, as God says by the Prophet, is what spoils and corrupts our devotions, labors, and penances. Therefore, not to lose time and trouble, we must endeavor never to act from the impulse of nature, interest, inclination, temper, or caprice, but always from the pure and single motive of doing the will of God, and accustom ourselves to this in all things. This is the most effectual, nay rather the only means of arriving safely and quickly at union with God.—-St. Vincent de Paul

To attain union with God, all the adversities that He sends us are necessary; for His only aim is to consume all our evil inclinations from within and from without. Therefore, slights, injuries, insults, infirmities, poverty, abandonment by friends and relatives, humiliations, temptations of the devil and many other things opposed to our human nature—-all are extremely needed by us, that we may fight until by means of victories we have extirpated all our evil inclinations, so that we may feel them no longer. Nay more, until all adversities no longer seem bitter to us, but rather sweet for God, we shall never arrive at the divine union.—-St. Catherine of Genoa

As Christian Counselors who seek better meditative ideals, it is important to realize as we progress towards God that we must start simply loving God and submitting our will to him everyday.  We should do this without seek of reward but only love.  The rest will fall into place as Our Lord wills.

Mark Moran, MA

Humility is Truth

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Humility Reflects the True Nature of What We Are

Some people need to drink a “tall glass of reality”.  Their narcissistic self love dilutes their sense of reality and enhances their false value in the world.   Conquered by the vice of pride and guided by only material pursuits, they lose value of truth; the truth that without God we are nothing.  When counseling against the vice of pride, one must turn to the virtue of humility.
Humility is an important virtue because it reflects truth.  In the case of Christ, his humility reflected love.  Christ’s humility never reflected any insignificance since he was perfect but instead showed us how someone so powerful and mighty should act in this world.  His humility showed example and pure love.  So much love, that he allowed himself to be taken and crucified.  How much more are we asked to do?  How more important is humility to fallen creatures who are truly imperfect?  Our Lord, the perfect paradigm, teaches us that humility is a prerequisite for understanding our role in this world.   With this, how foolish do some stars or vain individuals seem when they boast or brag of such meager accomplishments?

If humility helps us reflect truth, then we should all strive for it.  We need to find it so we can find our true self and understand how truly helpless we are.  As Lucifer imaged himself greater than he was, we must emulate Mary who found herself, although a queen, a mere handmaid.  The important part is while Lucifer had delusions of grandeur, Mary understood, despite her great grace, that she nevertheless was a creature of God and anything given to her was a gift.  In reward for this great humility and understanding of reality, she would, as the Book of Revelations relates, crush the head of the serpent.

How can Christian Counselors help people who are plagued with delusions of greatness?   The first step is to open their eyes.  People need to understand that they are fallen creatures who without grace and the death of Christ would be pawns of Satan.  With the sin of Adam destroying their spiritual immune system, they would fall easily into sin and their own inherent distorted desires.  Hence, all good flows from one source and that source is Christ.  Second,  people must realize it is through grace that one is capable of good action.  Our fallen nature, while still retaining the image of God, nevertheless, is still weakened due to the sin of Adam.  Even though the ransom has been paid, the scars of Adam have left their mark on our souls.  In this temporal reality, we must strive and reach out to God for mercy and spiritual grace.  It is through this cry for help that man realizes he is nothing without the grace of God.
St. Teresa of Avila speaks about this in great detail.  She emphasizes that if one is praised for good, they should deflect the praise to the source of that good which is God.  If someone does something good, one should respond to praise with a simple remark: “The grace of Our Lord disposed me to this good action and I am thankful for that”.
The devil despises humility and he will attempt to uproot it with all his might.  He will give praise and exaltation for simply good works in hope of inflating one’s ego.  This is why the saints detested praise or remarks of sanctity.  It sincerely bothered them.  They feared the traps of the evil one and also understood their good works and deeds were only at the mercy of God and his grace.  They did not want any praise deflected from the savior to be tied to them.  This was not a false humility but a true fear.  Only after prayer and understanding did they realize it was the will of God that they share their talents and become physical examples and images for God’s greater glory.
In this way, any talent, or grace they possessed was acknowledged and not denied; however, it was acknowledged in such a way that it identified the source and gave thanks to that source.  We should strive in such ways as well because only through the uncracked mirror of humility can we see ourselves as we truly are.
If you are interested in learning about Christian Counseling, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA

Counseling One Through the Mansions of St Teresa’s Interior Castle

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

A Counseling Guide to the Interior Castle

The title of this blog suggests a massive undertaking.  To supply one with a complete narrative and counseling guide to St. Teresa’s Interior Castle would take volumes and would require one with an acute expertise of the writings of St. Teresa.  While I encourage such a work, I am here to only highlight some ideas found in the Interior Castle that can be utilized in Christian Counseling.
When a soul regains it spiritual sight, it naturally seeks entry into the castle of God. The key to this entry is prayer and meditation.  St. Teresa emphasizes as a soul reaches inside and searches out God, it must first pray and meditate.  A soul that cannot pray is like a body that is paralyzed.  It cannot move, nor find its way.  St. Teresa here teaches counselors that we must re-introduce those who have fallen to prayer.  We must encourage it and guide them in it.  Only through the Holy Spirit can souls be won.
The initial mansions of St. Teresa all deal with the re-entry into the castle.  These mansions are filled with good souls, but nonetheless souls who battle everyday with their fallen nature.  They are tied to unnecessary business of the world.  Some are tied to material possessions or various vices.  Yes, these souls have spiritual sight, but the will is tied to the demands of the flesh.  The curse of Adam flows through our veins and taunts our good intentions.  This constant battle requires fortitude but also most importantly prayer.
The souls of the first mansions seek prayer, good works and ultimately their Master in Christ. In the same way, counselors should understand that they are dealing with people who wish and seek conversion.  Yet during this phase of conversion, the devil also hopes to lead astray and deceive.  St. Teresa emphasizes discernment during this period.  Counselors too must discern various movements within the soul.  The soul as it enters deeper into the various mansions that are closer to God is experiencing an amazing transformation–but in its earliest phases, the zeal must be monitored and guided toward its proper end.  This is an awesome time for a Christian Counselor to see his or her spiritual child filled with the spirit, but it is also a time of great caution and guidance.  The spiritual child will need to know where and what to infuse its energies into and behold–the devil lays many traps that could lead them down the wrong road.  One needs to only look at the New Age Movement and its many false doctrines regarding meditation and union.
In helping cultivate one’s spiritual child, St. Teresa offers much advice but these two ideas stood out to me.  First, beyond what has been said regarding prayer and meditation, one must start to live for Christ.  One must see beyond the illusion of this world and seek Christ’s will.  Only through union of wills can union with God ever happen.  Second, St. Teresa is very insistent that one must find Christ in one’s neighbor.  If our life and ministry revolves around self instead of others, then we will never find union with God.  In this way, the soul submits itself to the will of God in service of others.  Through this service, the interior of the soul is rewarded greatly and the love for Christ grows until one enters the deeper mansions.
The deeper mansions may be places we have never been, much less our spiritual children.  One can only imagine the joy we can feel if one of our spiritual children enters into these depths and teaches us!  These deeper levels analogously reflect the soul’s engagement with Christ.  Here the soul learns to purge itself of this world and a love for Christ overflows.  The soul here is more apt to visions of the spiritual and intellectual and other various locutions or joys given by Christ.  Yet, while the soul is given these great gifts, it still fears losing God or offending God.  The soul even weeps over others who offend its Majesty and King.  With these sweet gifts come great crosses.

Among the many crosses is a despair.  If various consolations become less and the soul experiences various episodes of spiritual aridity, then the soul yearns for God and may even fear it offended its Lord.  In this way, one can also become abundantly scrupulous in its fear of offending the Lord.  It is only when mystical union or marriage occurs when the soul finds peace, security and perfect comfort in God’s will.  The two wills become one.
While far from ever experiencing the inner joys of the most center mansions, I can identify one problem that we, or our spiritual children may experience in our attempts to become more holy.  I think to some, it can become an obsession to do right every moment of the day– so much that scruples can torment the soul.  Our nature is fallen and while it is important to avoid sin, our Lord does not wish for us to live in consistent fear of “stepping on a crack”.  While systematic analysis of our spiritual life is crucial, we cannot constantly check on what mansion we are in or not in.  I think St. Teresa makes it very clear that one must simply fulfill one’s vocational duty to the best of his or her ability and to allow love of God to direct our actions.  In this way, the gifts of union will come when our Lord wills it.  They are not to be earned but given.
If we truly love, it is not about reward but merely reciprocity of that love.  Seek God and love God and we will find the deepest mansions of our soul.
If you are interested in taking Christian Counseling courses, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA

Christian Counseling: "Lord, Help Me Up Again!"

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling: What Can Falling Teach Us?

When we fall, the least thing we need to hear is “shame on you” or “you hypocrite” or “you sinner” or some long sermon on what is right.  Most people who continually fall, while in need of spiritual betterment, nevertheless are in the habit of “getting back up”.  In these cases, Christian Counselors need to be more pastoral in their counseling than dogmatic.  Those in the habit of getting back up after moral relapse usually already know the nature of their vice and want to be better.  What they need is love, compassion and spiritual help.
In previous blogs, we have outlined the dangers of our occasion of sin and the inherent inclination towards sin within our own fallen nature.  In this blog,  I would rather focus on a more pastoral level of guidance and an understanding of the emotional and psychological state of those who fall–and ourselves.
Blessed and guided with a certain and correct conscience, we know the nature of our actions.  We are not blinded by ignorance or lured by false teachings.  As orthodox and true Christians, we understand the nature of our particular vice but we can fall due to our own weakness and the company we keep.  The biggest question is when we fall, how do we feel?
Most are stung by their conscience with remorse and guilt.  While the moral subjectivist would deceive us with tales of freedom from guilt, a true Christian cannot escape truth and the light of Christ.  His heavenly presence shines too brightly upon the darkness of our soul to allow us to fantasize that such actions are not sinful.  Instead, our subjective self is brought to the realization that our action is not in conformation with the laws of God and we feel guilt.
Some go beyond mere guilt and feel contrite sorrow.  They realize that our sins crucified Christ and added weight to the cross.  What a blessing it is for one to feel such extreme sorrow as to never wish to sin again!  For one to flee sin at all costs, even life itself.  This was the mentality of the saints.  Many would rather have God strike them dead before they committed a grievous sin that would hurt our Lord.  Yet, God allows us to continue to hurt him.  He hopes we will not fall or at least fall less.  As Jesus endured the slaps of impious Roman soldiers, he endures the slap of our sins.  Christ, as the ultimate example, after falling due the weight of our sins, stood up again.  In this, he encourages us to lift up the sin of our own crosses and move forward.
As inexcusable to our Lord as our sins are, he alone can bring good from our falls.  First, by falling, we learn we are human.  How many are driven by pride and feel they cannot fall?  Or what of those who foolishly feel they have made such great progress in their spiritual life and feel the need for no new improvement?  Then they fall.  They are brought to a humiliating reality that they are weak and so far from a finished spiritual product.  Secondly, by falling, our Lord allows us to see how much we need his grace and love to accomplish any small deed.  Third, when we fall, we are filled with a great motivation not to fall again but to strive to higher heights of spiritual perfection.
We should seek the examples of Samson, David, Peter, Paul, Augustine and other great saints who fell numerous times but always looked for our Lord’s mercy.  The devil knows of our spiritual progress and hopes that if one trips, they will fall into despair or feel  unworthy to continue in the progess of sanctity.  How many feel embarrassed or unworthy to continue the work of the Lord after they fall?  Yet the reality is we are all unworthy and have crosses to overcome.  The moment we stop living the spiritual life, despite occasional falls, is the moment we permanently remain fallen and crippled in the vice of sin.
Rejoice in Christ’s love and embrace the scars of sin because they can ultimately teach us wisdom and how dependent we are on God.  In the meantime, may our Lord be patient with each and everyone of us and guide us through the perils of this world to eternal peace.
If you would like to learn more about Christian Counseling or take courses, please review the program.
If you would like to learn how to become a Certified Christian Counselor, then also review our program.

Mark Moran, MA, GC-C, SCC-C

Do We Flee Our Vocation Like Jonah?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Counseling Those To Their Vocation: Jonah

Many flee their calling from God.  It is hard to help counsel them in the right direction because they are overcome with fear.  In previous blogs, we looked at the faith of Peter to walk on water as he followed Christ.  Peter was filled with faith and wished to follow our Lord without fear.  Only when he took his eyes off his Lord, did he begin to fall, but only to be gently lifted by the hand of Christ.  Peter teaches us that we must follow Christ and accept our vocation.  Fear should not be an obstacle.
Yet, many still flee their vocation, much like Jonah.  Jonah is an excellent example of one who is afraid to undertake his divine calling.  Instead of preaching to  Nineveh, Jonah fled in fear of what might happen if he entered into that city.  He did not have faith in God,  as Peter did, to face his fears.  In his fear, he fled the Lord, but the will of God was strong and in his running, he was swallowed by a great fish and held for three days.  Only till he relinquished his own will, did the Lord release him to carry out his vocation of preaching to Ninevah.
How many times do we flee our vocation because of fear?  Where do we flee?  We will probably not be swallowed by a great fish, but what “great fish” is preventing us from carrying out God’s will?  If we choose to live our own will over the Lord, we may not be imprisoned by a great fish but we will be imprisoned in a life of unhappiness.  Only fulfillment of one’s vocation can give true happiness.
So let us all escape our “great fish” and face our own “Nineveh” with faith and no fear.
If you would like to learn more about Christian Counseling Certification, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA, GC-C, SCC-C

Samson: The Patron Saint Against Despair

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Counseling Despair: Never Forget Samson

Many in the world commit great sins in their life and when the time comes for them to face their Lord, they hide in fear.  Like Adam, they hide in the bushes, or like Judas, may even take their life.  Counseling and removing despair from someone can be a difficult feat, but one needs to look no farther than Samson.

Samson was blessed by the Lord with amazing strength.  This charism from the Holy Spirit enabled him to defend Israel yet his fallen nature fell to the temptation of Deliah, who seduced him and found the key to his power.  Of course, Sampson’s hair was a sacramental symbol of the grace that empowered him.  Once his soul sinned and betrayed the Lord, the cutting of the hair symbolized his fallen state.
Alone, desolate and without his Lord, he was then given over to the enemy.  There he was tortured and tied to two pillars to be mocked by the enemies of Israel.  Yet in this dark moments, Samson remember his Lord.  His power was not his hair, but his faith in the Lord.  Through his act of faith and repentance, the Holy Spirit filled him with his previous power–even without his long hair.
Samson did not find despair but he understood the love of God and in his hope he found salvation.  His power was restored and he offered himself as a martyr and brought justice to the enemies of the Lord.
How many times do we find ourselves feeling that God will not forgive us?  If so, merely remember Samson and in doing so, you will not only be forgiven but also restored to your previous stature before the Lord.
If you would like to take Christian Counseling Courses, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA, GC-C, SCC-C

Christian Counseling Education: The Internal Battle of the Soul: Intellect, Will, Conscience and Grace

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The Christian Counselor as a Pastoral Guide and a Moral Theologian: Helping One Defeat Oneself

There has been much written in this blog and among other theologians and writers regarding the external nature of temptation, occasion of sin and the ploys of Satan in regards to our soul.  I would like to focus more on the internal struggle of temptation between man, the action and God.  Within our fallen nature, we have more to worry about than a diabolical being, corrupted individuals and the whiles of the flesh.  Instead, it is sometimes within our very own will that we experience our most intense battles against concupscience, selfishness and our own desires.  This is where the Christian Counselor must combine the pastoral sensitivity of his vocation with the legalistic understanding of moral theology.

The Mind is Willing but the Flesh is Weak

Christ said it best, “the mind is willing but the flesh is weak”.  This is due to our fallen nature that while made in the image and likeness of God and desiring of good, is still nevertheless inclined to false goods that are detrimental to the soul’s salvation.  The internal struggle to do what is right and to submit one’s will to God is the ultimate battle one will face.
A list of terms will be necessary in understanding the inner struggle of the soul against temptation.  First, when one speaks of man, we see two parts, body and soul.  Within the soul exists to faculties, the intellect and the will.  The intellect is the understanding part of our soul while the will is the decision part of our soul.  The intellect presents information to the will and the will then decides what to act upon or not act upon.  The will, however, is tied up with a multitude of physical sensations that go beyond the mental realm.  The will must deal with various physical appetites that may contradict the understanding of the intellect.  These various appetites are documented in St. Thomas Aquinas’ moral theology and can play havoc within the core of the soul.  If the intellect is guided with a sound and moral conscience, then the battle is more intense with the passions, but if the intellect is guided with an unsound or ignorant conscience, then in many cases the will is subjugated without a ‘shot fired’ to the demands of the passions.  No evil action is detected and the action is carried on without remorse.  Obviously in today’s age of science, other factors of mental illness must also be tied to immoral decision making but we will remain focused on mentally sound decision making agents.
While one is compelled to rectify an erroneous or unsound conscience, many fall to various illicit moral actions without a sense of remorse or fear.  However, the true battle that rages involves the certain and sound conscience that trumpets what is right and wrong despite the desires of the flesh.  While hedonists and other secular materialists would consider this a psychological pathology of a divided man, Christianity would applaud such a stance of a soundly formed conscience.  Only until the next life shall the intellect, will and physical appetites work in harmony.  Until then, the certain and sound conscience voices the demands of Christ despite the body’s other carnal or dishonest desires.
Can we overcome these desires and listen to what is right?  Unfortunately, due to the severity of damage to our nature after Adam’s fall,  one cannot by himself choose good without the grace of the Holy Spirit.  While our free will does play a role in accepting God’s grace, one cannot dare accomplish salvation or good actions without the grace of God.

How Does Grace Work?

Grace is a gift from God given to his creation.  Like a medicine to the soul, it has a variety of functions.  Some grace restores union with God (sanctifying), while other graces are applied to certain needs of the soul (sacramental).  Everyday grace (actual), however, is applied to everyday situations that divide the will between a morally right or morally wrong option.  No good choice is possible without actual grace.

This was once debated between Pelagius and St. Augustine.  Pelagius daringly denied the existence of original sin and concluded that men can make good choices without the grace of God.  Pelagius contended that man is capable of choosing God without grace.  St. Augustine countered that since Adam fell, man’s nature was damaged and needed God’s grace to choose good.
Within the inner workings of the soul, God feeds grace to the intellect and will to overcome temptation.  It there where the battle begins.  Do we accept the gentle whispers of our God to do what is right, or to fulfill a vocation, or do we choose our own will and our own desires?  Counseling can help, but one needs to make one’s own stand.
This dialogue with God can bear fruit if we allow the grace to purify our soul.  Virtue and consistent practice will replace vice, and God’s will shall shine over our own.  Spiritual fruits will grow as our will becomes open to God’s will and we will become surprised to see that submission to God’s will is actually freedom from our fallen nature.
Christian Counseling Education is a great way to learn how to counsel those who need spiritual guidance in their own internal wars against sin.  If you are interested, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA, GC-C, SCC-C

Accomplishing One’s Vocation In Faith

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling to Help Others ‘Walk On Water’

And when Peter arose from the belly of the boat, he saw Christ in the distance upon the sea, walking on water.  He called out to Christ and Christ beckoned him forward.  Peter arose and walked to him but the moment he took his eyes off of his master, he began to sink.  Christ then gently lifted him once again upon the water.
Christian Counseling can also help others “walk on water” if one keeps his eye on Christ.  Peter was called by Christ and despite the “impossible” demand, Peter did walk on water, and continued to, only until his faith was shaken and his eyes turned away from Christ.  Spiritual advisers need to remind their spiritual children that if Christ summons them to any task, great or small, he will give them the ability to accomplish that goal.
How many times do we fear the calling of the Lord and only see the storm and the deep sea?  Yet what we do not understand is when our Lord calls us to a particular vocation, he gives us the ability to overcome any hardships.  As long we keep our eye on the Lord, we will be able to “walk on water” and accomplish any feat.

Hence if it is a ministry call, a marriage vocation, or a particular state of life that Christ wills for us, then we must submit our will to our master and as Peter, walk upon the water to greet our Lord–and if we do, we will not drown but walk upon the water.

I also listed two other pictures from this event in Christ’s life.  They were just too simply beautiful and inspiring to leave out.
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Education Training, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA, GC-C, SCC-C