Regarding yesterday's post; my intention was for you to read the post and then to further read about 20 or so of the replies to the post, mainly to get an idea of what people were saying about the differences between Quiverfull and NFP.
Sorry for making you think that Steve and I were on board with the idea of not having any sort of awareness of our bodies. Yikes. I think that's why God gave us "cycles" and tangible signs of fertility. He wants us to be good stewards of the gifts which He gives, in every area.
As a good blogger friend of mine said, "God's will wins out every time". Our lives and our family size will be exactly what it should be, as long as we are open to what God wants for and expects from us.
I just wanted to see what you folks thought as well.
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7 comments:
Well said! I am in complete agreement with you:
"Our lives and our family size will be exactly what it should be, as long as we are open to what God wants for and expects from us."
So very true. I am so blessed to be married to a man who feels the same way...and so blessed to have found, through the internet, such dear friends who are of the same philosophy!
Thank you so much for the very sweet comment you left on my blog yesterday. I too feel so fortunate to have you, and others, as sources of encouragement, friendship, inspiration...my world is a much brighter place for having you in it. I hope that one day we might actually meet in our "real" lives! But always, you are in my prayers. I love you without ever having met you.
Hope you enjoy every bit of your weekend!
O.K. good for the clarification. I was thinking...that wasn't what we talked about recently. I started to think you were becoming pretty extreme :) I was thinking "I THOUGHT I knew where they stood." Then I read the whole, no intentional spacing thing. Anyway I was confused. Not that it's any of my business :O
Wait...It is my business if you put it in the blog-o-sphere isn't it?
I think the biggest problem with BOTH the Quiverfull camp and the NFP camp is the extreme elements on either side who accuse those who don't see things their way as committing sins.
Only God knows what is in our hearts. Are we having a baby just to show to the world how dutifully we follow God - an act of pride? Are we NOT having a baby because we don't trust God enough to help us provide for his or her needs?
Either way you go: having 15 kids to demonstrate how great of a Christian you are or limiting family size through abstinance with a "contraceptive mentality" as the anti-NFPers call it - either way, the sin is most likely a VENIAL sin. Abortion, sterilization, and contraception are MORTAL sins (assuming that the person knows it is wrong and chooses to do it anyway and if they don't do it with full knowledge it is only venial, but still worse than using NFP as "contraception").
Venial sins, though not good or desirable, don't keep us from God's graces. We need to be unified against true contraception and educate Catholics about the Church's teachings. I hardly think that someone with a true contraceptive mentality would jump on the Quiverfull bandwagon right away. If NFP offers hope to those who despair over the thought of having more than a few kids, then we should work to teach NFP to at least get the general population to commit merely venial sins.
The whole conversation is like bickering over whether blue jeans are acceptable attire for Mass. When the vast bulk of Catholics don't even go to Mass, the problem of how the dress is comparatively minor.
My two cents.
I think you said some very valuable things. I agree that it is better for a Catholic couple to practice NFP in an imperfect way than to knowingly sin using contraception. Because I think God can also work through that use of NFP however imperfect. Even those who try to practice NFP with a true openness to life are imperfect and will use it imperfectly.
I liked the comment "He wants us to be good steward of the gifts which he gives" I think that is so true, and at least in my life so much easier said than done.
PS it was wonderful seeing you.
i want to acknowledge you and all those leaving comments. It is so incredibly wonderful that women your age are so aware and diligent about their faith. I regret, so much, I was not.
Faith is a gift, one we can receive or refuse. It's always an easier road to refuse.....don't have to worry about the thank-yous. Don't have to remember to set it out when the Giver is present. However, you have made the choice to accept God's great gift. And, it truly is the gift that keeps on giving! I admire all of you.
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