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A VISION OF GOD

(CHRIST'S REAL PASSION)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION............................................................................................ vii

PREFACE ................................................................................................. viii

PART I. WHY WERE WE CREATED ? ................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION......................................................................................... 1

TO KNOW HIM ........................................................................................... 3

Knowledge..................................................................................................... 3

The Memory .................................................................................................. 7

The Understanding.......................................................................................... 9

The Imagination............................................................................................. 10

TO LOVE .HIM ............................................................................................ 14

What is the Love of God ?............................................................................... 16

The First Stage of love..................................................................................... 19

The Second Stage of Love................................................................................ 23

TO SERVE HIM.............................................................................................. 27

What Does it Mean?......................................................................................... 27

How do We Serve God?................................................................................... 30

PART II. SEEING IS BELIEVING............................................................... 36

NECESSARY PR EPARATIONS.................................................................... 38

Step 1. Purifying our Thoughts.......................................................................... 38

Step 2 Purifying our Hearts................................................................................ 39

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS........................................................................... 42

Pride.................................................................................................................. 43

Covetousness (Greed)......................................................................................... 43

Lust.................................................................................................................... 44

Anger.................................................................................................................. 44

Gluttony.............................................................................................................. 45

Envy.................................................................................................................... 45

Sloth.................................................................................................................... 46

THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES....................................................................... 48

Faith.................................................................................................................... 49

Hope................................................................................................................... 50

Love of God ....................................................................................................... 50

THE VISION...................................................................................................... 53

At the Bottom of the Mountain............................................................................ 54

Halfway to the Top ............................................................................................. 54

At the Top of the Mountain................................................................................. 54

TRUE SIGNS OF.A VISION OF GOD.............................................................. 55

PART III. AFTER THE VISION...................................................................... 59

OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS .................................................................................. 63

Food/Water ......................................................................................................... 63

Clothing/Shelter.................................................................................................... 64

Other Physical Needs............................................................................................ 65

OUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS................................................................................... 67

PART IV. T HE SEVEN PATHS TO GLORY .................................................. 71

PART V. CONCLUSION.................................................................................... 79

APPENDIX. A. PROOF OF GOD'S EXISTENCE............................................. 83

PROOF THROUGH MOTION............................................................................... 83

PROOF THROUGH CAUSE AND EFFECT.......................................................... 87

PROOF THROUGH ORDER.................................................................................. 89

PROOF THROUGH PRE-EXISTENCE.................................................................. 92

Conceiving Something of Which There is Nothing Greater.................................... 95

Archetypes............................................................................................................ 97

Embedded Spiritual Experiences........................................................................... 99

EPILOGUE ........................................................................................................... 101

FAITH HOPE LOVE

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