I am not advocating for schism. My prayer is for the healing of schisms and for ecumenical reconciliation according to the faith of the early church as decided by the ecumenical councils.
Well that will only happen if the schismatic mind undergoes repentance. Yes it is a humiliating experience and I argued ever more strongly that the Church had to compromise and meet me in the middle or had to come to me and explain their position
That never happened, but through His incredible mercy, God did not give up on me. I can’t tell you how or why it happened, as who knows the mind of God? But when I gave up my demands and submitted to the Lord, I received grace above what I could ever hope to ask or think. The contentious spirit within me and the warring nature in my flesh was gone. The mortal sin that would come so easily as breathing was now gone. It was relaced with thoughts of why would you ever want to do that? That path is unprofitable and the short term pleasure you receive will cost you eternity.
Jesus had the twelve Apostles with Him, and if He wanted to, He could have said, you are my friends and my council, and on this council, I will build my Church, but we all know that He did not say that. It is on the Rock of Peter that the Church is built. My flesh did not like that, and I wanted to use every excuse to say it isn’t so, it is when I humbled myself and submitted to the full authority of the Church, God opened my eyes as He did Paul, whose shadow I am not worthy to even consider that I get close to. Jerome(my name), son of Jerome(my father) why persecutest thou Me? It was not an audible voice but a level of understanding I had not considered. It came to me when reading John of the Cross, Ascent of Mt Carmel.
My reasoning is questionable, but the grace I received is undeniable, and as Satan does not cast out Satan, I know who gave it to me.
Peace be with you
