The description of happiness that you gave sounds so foreign to me right now. Pray for me, father, please.

For the past 8 years I have been struggling with intense feelings of sadness, increasingly so, as I've had to deal with the consequences of two grueling battles with cancer. The long-term effects of the illness itself, and the treatments have left me disabled and feeling very isolated (I am bedridden). My greatest source of joy in life is the Lord Himself, and I long to be as close to Him as possible. The miracles of Jesus' birth and resurrection stir deep feelings of joy in me, and I have often been blessed to feel physical pain or sickness (including nausea after chemotherapy, for example) lessen during and after prayer. The loneliness is such a heavy burden, though. I long to be among other human beings again, long to be able to go to work again and feel productive again, long to build a family, long to go to church, spend time in the company of friends, etc. Please pray for me.

Being sad about being good isn't a good thing. Discern the spirits! (Paraphrasing St. Ignatius Loyola) God bless Fr. Pine and OPs. I love y'all's videos

John 11;35 If Jesus can weep and still be perfect, we can weep and still be Christians.

I like that he mentioned that some people romanticize sadness. There are those who cannot deal with seriousness or silence. Everything has to be exciting for them

I’ve been having some really rough past couple days, can’t stop crying. Fr Gregory puts a smile on my heart, though. Thank you for your wisdom, always. 🤍

If Jesus is described as "A man of sorrows" and Jesus never sinned, then there is nothing sinful in experiencing sorrow. Joy is a choice just as being anxious for nothing, but presenting all of our concerns to God, with thanksgiving is a choice. That thanksgiving is where we find peace, and joy. In faith, we know the love of Christ, and in that we have security, and joy.

I'm so grateful for all of our Catholic monks and nuns! I recommend interviewing Brother Kevin Coffey, a Benedictine monk who is also an amazing artist and teacher.

I had a non-Christian friend ask recently why Catholics and Christians are so sad at funerals if they believe in God. This is the perfect video I can send her to answer that question. Thanks Fr Pine 😊

Fr. Pine always has some great insights. I especially liked his point that it's OK to experience sadness as long as we are not overcome by it and fall into some kind of despair. There is always hope!

PLEASE ost a similar discourse on anxiety 🙏🏻

Thanks Fr

I find this “advice” and examination to be balanced and fair in Father Pines’ representation of the humanly experiential dichotomy of sadness and of happiness. When I am sad, and because I have disciplined myself to consider being sad as a call to prayer, I have come to a greater peace in renouncing that which hinders my happiness. I renounce criticism, blame, pessimistic ranting, and basic prejudice that is as discouraging as it is inaccurate and/or inappropriately posited. To console those who are sad, I’d have to say that it is not a personal sin unless feigned into existence on account of despairing and dwelling voluntarily on one’s demonically suggested inability to pray to God. I pray firstly with gratitude for what basic needs are satisfied in my life and then petition for the immaterial goods that one must have in place to feel satisfied about oneself enough to confidently present one’s self before the Lord in greatest confidence of His desire for your being. We should be vigilant against obsession with material satisfaction, externalizing the work needed to overcome this present darkness, avoidance of recognizing our will and part in the sadness we experience, worry, regret, patronization of the ordinary, resentment, envy, blind optimism, pessimism, and despair on account of the presence in this world of suffering. Know and accept yourself. Develop security and simplicity, adapt to the external reality, be uncontentious with reality, seek to act in accordance with rational thought, harmonize will and intellect and feelings, realize personal freedom and personal responsibility, favor creativity, choose goals that make you enthusiastic, order your work towards what is necessary, value gifts, dilute grievances by examining their importance, learn to give and receive affection, enjoy friendship, maintain a sense of humor, put God and others before yourself in the endeavor of loving without self-centeredness And pray in the good and in the bad alike. No such thing as a fairweather saint! Peace and love, to you and yours, TK

Thank you for this Father Pine

Father Pine is awesome! ❤

Thank you, father! Very helpful

Thank you! This was so good.

This was a very insightful explanation!

Today 111 years ago the RMS Titanic at 11:40 PM 4/14/19 collided with an iceburg 6 times her size. And at 2: 24 AM 4/15/19 the RMS Titanic struck the bottom of the atlantic. Out of 2,240 passengers only 712 survived.

Let me introduce you to our Lady of Sorrows lol

Father Pine, this might not make much sense to you, but I strongly you feel you can speak the beauty of the faith to Lex Friedman on his podcast. Is there a way you can arrange to get on?

Mandatory comment

Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus and was sorrowful to the point of death in the garden of gethsemane

What do you say about Catholic Christians who are habitually miserable, unhappy, negative and unable to experience much of anything good or joyful, to the point of causing much pain to those around them? Can such Catholics be okay in the sight of God? Can one be in a state of grace if the fruits of the spirit are not evident? I know we cannot judge the heart of others

So can people experience unhealthy attachments so their sad reaction to loss is wrong?

Dominus flevit.

I have a question and I can't seem to find the answer to it so I wanted to ask if you guys know about it... During the giving of the Sacramental bread, the lady who was previously sitting at my left side was replaced with an old lady. I didn't mind it as much and continued to listen to the priest. When the mass was almost over, we did the usual routine of doing the sign of the cross. I was extremely shocked though when I saw the old lady doing it in the opposite way. Like from bottom to top. I got shivers and wanted to get away as fast as possible. I've heard how the upside down cross and praying in the opposite direction is wrong so I generated the thought that what she did was wrong as well. Because of what happened, I've been scared to go back to that church... I'd love to hear you guys thoughts about it.

Matthew 7:9((N.L.T.))😁

⚠️ Have you ever seen a sad Mormon? I rest my case.

Turnip wants a piggyback ride! 😄