A Christian Way to Respond to Annoyance

About this blogger:

Ronda Chervin received a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Fordham University and an MA in Religious Studies from Notre Dame Apostolic Institute. A widow, mother, and grandmother, she currently teaches philosophy at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut. Write to her at chervinronda@gmail.com.

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“In all this mediaeval religious poetry there is much that we could not use now. Many of the hymns are quite bad, many are frigid compositions containing futile tricks, puns, misinterpreted quotations of Scripture, and twisted concepts, whose only point is their twist. But there is an amazing amount of beautiful poetry that we could still use. If we are to have vernacular hymns at all, why do we not have translations of the old ones?”
— Fr. Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923)

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A Christian Way to Respond to Annoyance

published 22 April 2011 by Dr. Ronda Chervin

I don’t know if you have the same thing, but when I am upset about something and, therefore, in a bad mood to begin with, every single sin or defect I observe became a reason for a highly critical interior analysis of same.

Today, Good Friday, the Lord seemed to tell me: “whenever you see something virtuous or beautiful rejoice in this way My kingdom is here, but when you see something sinful or defective first endure it, and then IMMEDIATELY do penance in reparation for it.”

I thought that by penance he didn’t mean flagellation or any other dramatic thing, though there is a long tradition of that among the saints, but, for weakling me, something tiny such as instead of waiting to do some chore until manana, to do it immediately. Or clear off the dishes on the table instead of waiting for someone else to do it.

Try it! You won’t like it, but it will distract you from useless fulmination.

Dr. Ronda Chervin has many free e-books and audios on her website rondachervin.com. If you go to her website and read or listen and then want to correspond with her she will be available. Her schedule does not permit, however, responding to comments on the Blog, though she enjoys reading them. Dr. Ronda’s newest project is spiritualityrunningtogod.com.

A Pew Book w/ Color Pictures of Mass!

Priests have expressed concern about throwing the Word of God into the garbage every few months. The Isaac Jogues Illuminated Missal contains the complete Sunday readings for Years ABC, complete Gradual texts, and magnificent page layouts.

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