{"id":682,"date":"2014-03-16T10:00:25","date_gmt":"2014-03-16T15:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/?p=682"},"modified":"2014-03-15T14:11:44","modified_gmt":"2014-03-15T19:11:44","slug":"being-a-vibrant-parish-20140316","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/?p=682","title":{"rendered":"Being a Vibrant Parish \u2013 20140316"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>\n  <o:AllowPNG\/>\n <\/o:OfficeDocumentSettings>\n<\/xml><![endif]--><\/p>\n<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <w:WordDocument>\n  <w:View>Normal<\/w:View>\n  <w:Zoom>0<\/w:Zoom>\n  <w:TrackMoves\/>\n  <w:TrackFormatting\/>\n  <w:PunctuationKerning\/>\n  <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas\/>\n  <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false<\/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>\n  <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false<\/w:IgnoreMixedContent>\n  <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false<\/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>\n  <w:DoNotPromoteQF\/>\n  <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US<\/w:LidThemeOther>\n  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5.4pt;\n\tmso-para-margin-top:0in;\n\tmso-para-margin-right:0in;\n\tmso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;\n\tmso-para-margin-left:0in;\n\tline-height:115%;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:11.0pt;\n\tfont-family:\"Calibri\",\"sans-serif\";\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}\n<\/style>\n\n\n<![endif]-->One of the final ways to practice the <i>Presence of God<\/i>, according to Anthony M. Coniaris, is rather interesting. He suggests that, like the prodigal son, we engage in <i>speaking to ourselves<\/i>, that is what has come to be known as a <i>mantra<\/i>. Mantras are statements we make to ourselves that will, by their very repetition, will become our automatic thoughts. The psychologist Beck also suggests this approach to <i>reprogram<\/i> our thinking and, hopefully, break the\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 cycle of depressive thoughts. Depression is usually the result of constant, repetitious negative thoughts.<\/p>\n<p>Coniaris suggests that the prodigal son\u2019s conversion began when he spoke to himself and said, \u201cI will arise and go to my father.\u201d David the psalmist spoke to himself saying: \u201cWhy are you cast down, O my soul. Hope you in God.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/image354.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-484\" alt=\"image354\" src=\"http:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/image354.png\" width=\"226\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/image354.png 376w, https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/image354-300x292.png 300w, https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/image354-308x300.png 308w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><\/a>The author shares this insight. He says that when he talks to himself he most often is praying and claiming one of the Bible verses he has chosen for the day. For example, \u201cI can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.\u201d Another affirmation he likes to use is: \u201cI am loved by God the Father, redeemed by God the Son, indwelt by God the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also shares that he knows someone who has made this his affirmation: \u201cI am eternally supported by the loving presence of God within me. I claim His beautiful promise: \u2018I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.\u2019\u201d The use of <i>positive affirmations<\/i> is a well-accepted way to change our negative thinking and, hopefully, become a positive thinking person who truly experiences the presence of God. This is, of course, what the <i>Pilgrim<\/i>, in the Way of the Pilgrim, used in order to establish the Jesus Prayer solidly in his life.<\/p>\n<p>A <i>positive affirmation <\/i>doesn\u2019t have to be a bible verse. I have used all sorts of affirmations that have been of my own construction, although I suspect inspired by God. For example: <i>Life\u2019s Journey is an ascension to the Heavenly Father made through personal change of my mind and heart. <\/i>An affirmation must be positive; state how you want to think; and eradicate a particular negative thought that keeps you from being completely open to life and God Who is within you. <i>Try creating your own positive affirmation<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the final ways to practice the Presence of God, according to Anthony M. Coniaris, is rather interesting. He suggests that, like the prodigal son, we engage in speaking to ourselves, that is what has come to be known &hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/?p=682\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-being-a-vibrant-parish","category-parish-life"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=682"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":684,"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682\/revisions\/684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stmichaelarchangel.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}