March 18, 1994 7:15 a.m.
At All Saints, After Communion
R. Dear Jesus, how holy is my soul? I do not see it as you desire. Do I judge my brothers? Do I compare myself to them and tell myself that I am right and they are wrong? Why do I judge at all? My job is to love, to love You with all my heart. My job is to preach Your gospel, to emit Your love from my very being!
When I am caught up in being wronged by my brother, how can Your love radiate to anyone? I am a clogged vessel and the love You want to give to those around me is trapped behind my anger.
Oh Lord, open my heart to Your ways. How easy for Satan to talk in my head and tell me how I should be feeling when I have a job to do. This job is more serious than any worldly job. This job is to spread Your love to a world that is hurting. When I am a clogged vessel, all those around me suffer from the loss of love they would receive if my heart were open and love were flowing out to them.
Oh, how Satan is so crafty as to steal our hearts away and fill them with such impurities, thoughts of anger at our brothers! How easily I comply. This is the self in me. Have I been wronged? Have I been threatened? Will someone think badly of me? Lord, help me to be selfless, to live only for love of You and to know You truly love me, to want not to answer any accusations of others, to remain silent when attacked unless You prompt me to speak.
Control my tongue as the doorway from my heart. Control my heart. Keep it full of Your love and free of all impurities. I want a heart that is free of hate and anger. I have a job to do, Lord, and it is to spread Your love. This job is a top priority. I receive all my love and support from You, Lord. Is that not enough or am I not thinking of how immense is the love of God?
Jesus: Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened and I give you rest. I fill you with such love. I am God. I am love. Why focus on your suffering brothers? Because they are suffering from the evil of this world. You need not suffer if you turn to Me. I have all you need. I never abandon you or leave you. I am by your side. I, Jesus, walk with you where you go, and with such love. The love of God is all-encompassing. When I am by your side, why do you fret because of your ailing brothers? Pray for them. Some are in total darkness. How will My light shine from you if you are clogged with any anger or hatred? You must remain fixed only in love--love of God, love of one another!
Put your anger aside and look to My suffering face. I loved you all to My death. I did not count the cost. I did not number your sins. I loved you. I forgave you. I loved you unconditionally. I gave My all for you. Can you not do this for your brothers? I suffered for the sins of men and I was silent. I speak of My love. I do not speak of your sins. Who of you are sinless? If you expect Me to forgive you, can you not forgive your brothers when they have wronged you?
I am the light that shines through you to the dark world. I want to shine from your hearts. To have the least taint of hate and anger blocks My light from your souls. Clean out your hearts every minute. Let the hate and anger go! Do not let it fester and grow in your hearts. Keep your hearts pure only in the love of God. When your brother wrongs you, forgive him instantly. Do not let Satan talk in your head. Do not let self come to the front lines. Be ready to withstand the attack. Remain selfless and unattached.
I live in you and you live in Me. You are immersed in a vat of My love. My might shines from your being. Your brothers are suffering. Love them, watch them in their suffering and see them as My precious ones in need of My love. They are hurting so. Will you not tend to their bleeding wounds? Or will you scoff at them and go on your way?
This world is suffering. The only cure is the love of God. You have the opportunity to spread My love or act like the world. How can I love My sick ones if you act as they do? Did I argue on the way to Calvary? Did I answer their accusations and say, "Oh, I didn't do that?" I was silent! Can you not remain silent when you are accused? Can you not turn to Me and pick up your cross and see My suffering face?
I suffer for how they are hurting you. But to strike back in anger is not the way of love. This is not My way. My way is to love. I loved those who whipped Me. I loved those who crowned My head with thorns. I loved those who spit at Me and yelled obscenities at Me. I loved you all in all your sins! I loved you to My death! I showed you the way to love. I showed you the way to forgive. I showed you the way.
Why do you look to the ways of the suffering? If they scoff at and persecute you and yell any slander against you, focus on the love of your Father in heaven Who gave His only Son for love of you! The way of God is the way of love. Any taint of anger, of hatred, of getting even, of being wronged and making yourself right, is the way of the evil one.
My ways are steadfast and direct. I operate from love. Stay rooted firmly in the love of God. See Me suffering, beaten, bloodied, crowned, slapped, kicked, slandered--and every vile thing yelled at Me. See Me, see Me and then see Me dying on the cross in sweet surrender, arms outstretched, hanging by nails, head hanging--all out of great and ardent love for you!
I showed you how to love. Can you not forgive your suffering brothers? Can you not love? I loved to My death. Can you not let go of such little things coming from them who are hurting? You are My soldiers in this cold war. Your weapons are your hearts filled with the ardent, on-fire love of Jesus. Your hearts are powerful. God has all the power. Love finds the way. The only way to warm a cold heart is through the warmth of love, true love, unconditional love, that I give to you. Love always. I loved you to My death. Will you love My hurting ones for Me? Can I use you to light the dark world? I call this day. Will you answer?
The way to Me is the Way of the Cross. Do you see your life as the way to Me? Each day is a day on the way to the end which is heaven, hell or purgatory. Do you see yourself as making it for this life or for everlasting life? Oh, if only children were taught to see their lives in their entirety, from beginning to end, only to go to another place. If only children were taught to see that this is a "layover", not the end in itself!
Look at your life. You are on your way to somewhere else. This is a journey to get you to another place. If you are traveling, you do not camp out on the train, or try to make your vehicle an end in itself. You are in transit to another life. You have not arrived. You have not come to your destiny.
I am the Way. I am the Truth. I am the Life. To have eternal life you must model yourself after the Master. I loved you to My death. I love you this much this day. I gave My life for you. Do you not believe that to turn to Me is to give you all you need?
Follow Me. I show you the Way. You need to be led to the kingdom that waits for you. If you follow other leaders, they take you from the correct way. Only one way leads to My kingdom. It is the way I showed you. It is the way I show you this day. Would you go to a tour guide who knows the way or to one who is guessing?
Your brothers are following paths that lead to destruction. I show you the way to the kingdom of heaven. Why would you follow an amateur who knows not the way? You pay the price for your foolishness. My way is the Way of the Cross. If you try to find another way more to your liking, you get off course. The way to My kingdom is led by Me. I am with you this day in the Eucharist and in the tabernacle. Will you come and sit with Me in silence and listen when I give you your directions or will you go to a bad guide and try to find a short cut?
There is no short cut to My kingdom. My way is the only way. Pick up your cross and follow Me. Do not try to put your crosses down. Accept what I send you as coming from Him Who loves you. It is in this acceptance that you grow in your relationship with Me. My hand is in everything you experience.
See Me clothed in a white tunic, My love radiating from My being. See My hand outstretched as I walk before you and say, "Sweet one, this is the way to My kingdom. I bring you such love along the way. You will suffer, but My love will see you through. Come and follow as I lead. I walk before you backwards, right in front of you. Do you not see Me? Keep your eyes on Me, sweet one. I love you so. I will never lead you off the right road. I lead you with such love and peace. You will not know all My love here, sweet one, but when we get to My kingdom, what a reward for following Me! My house has many mansions. I have a place prepared just for you. I ardently love you. I am your Jesus, Son of the Living God. I come, you follow. We will live in My kingdom soon."
9:45 a.m.
Jesus: Unless a grain of wheat dies, it does not produce fruit. Such dying must be cultivated by obedience and your covenant with God, rooted in love and forgiveness. Die to yourself and live in My love, child. Child, I love you. Do you know now?
R. Jesus, I believe. Jesus, I believe. Jesus, I believe. I believe in you.
You know that what I tell you is truth. Do not even think. I will bring them to you. You remain set in your place. Pray all day. Be busy about My work. I need you to do My work for Me.
Copyright
© 1996 Shepherds of Christ.