October 31, 2009

                Lord, teach me to be generous.
 

From The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, 
    by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. p.11

21.                     SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

    Which have as their purpose the conquest of self
    and the regulation of one's life in such a way that
    no decision is made under the influence of any
    inordinate attachment

Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. pp. 141-150

  

313. RULES FOR DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
I

Rules for understanding to some extent the different movements produced in the soul and for recognizing those that are good to admit them, and those that are bad, to reject them. These rules are more suited to the first week
  

314.  I.  In the case of those who go from one mortal sin to another, the enemy is ordinarily accustomed to propose apparent pleasures. He fills their imagination with sensual delights and gratifications, the more readily to keep them in their vices and increase the number of their sins.

    With such persons the good spirit uses a method which is the reverse of the above. Making use of the light of reason, he will rouse the sting of conscience and fill them with remorse.

315.  2.  In the case of those who go on earnestly striving to cleanse their souls from sin and who seek to rise in the service of God our Lord to greater perfection, the method pursued is the opposite of that mentioned in the first rule.

    Then it is characteristic of the evil spirit to harass with anxiety, to afflict with sadness, to raise obstacles backed by fallacious reasonings that disturb the soul. Thus he seeks to prevent the soul from advancing.

    It is characteristic of the good spirit, however, to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations, and peace. This He does by making all easy, by removing all obstacles so that the soul goes forward in doing good.

316.  3.  SPIRITUAL CONSOLATION.  I call it consolation when an interior movement is aroused in the soul, by which it is inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and as a consequence, can love no creature on the face of the earth for its own sake, but only in the Creator of them all. It is likewise consolation when one sheds tears that move to the love of God, whether it be because of sorrow for sins, or because of the sufferings of Christ our Lord, or for any other reason that is immediately directed to the praise and service of God. Finally, I call consolation every increase of faith, hope, and love, and all interior joy that invites and attracts to what is heavenly and to the salvation of one's soul by filling it with peace and quiet in its Creator and Lord.

317.  4.  SPIRITUAL DESOLATION.  I call desolation what is entirely the opposite of what is described in the third rule, as darkness of soul, turmoil of spirit, inclination to what is low and earthly, restlessness rising from many disturbances and temptations which lead to want of faith, want of hope, want of love. The soul is wholly slothful, tepid, sad, and separated, as it were, from its Creator and Lord. For just as consolation is the opposite of desolation, so the thoughts that spring from consolation are the opposite of those that spring from desolation.

318.  5.  In time of desolation we should never make any change, but remain firm and constant in the resolution and decision which guided us the day before the desolation, or in the decision to which we adhered in the preceding consolation. For just as in consolation the good spirit guides and counsels us, so in desolation the evil spirit guides and counsels. Following his counsels we can never find the way to a right decision.

319.  6.  Though in desolation we must never change our former resolutions, it will be very advantageous to intensify our activity against the desolation. We can insist more upon prayer, upon meditation, and on much examination of ourselves. We can make an effort in a suitable way to do some penance.

320.  7.  When one is in desolation, he should be mindful that God has left him to his natural powers to resist the different agitations and temptations of the enemy in order to try him. He can resist with the help of God, which always remains, though he may not clearly perceive it. For though God has taken from him the abundance of fervor and overflowing love and the intensity of His favors, nevertheless, he has sufficient grace for eternal salvation.

321.  8.  When one is in desolation, he should strive to persevere in patience. This reacts against the vexations that have overtaken him. Let him consider, too, that consolation will soon return, and in the meantime, he must diligently use the means against desolation which have been given in the sixth rule.

322.  9.  The principal reasons why we suffer from desolation are three:

    The first is because we have been tepid and slothful or negligent in our exercises of piety, and so through our own fault spiritual consolation has been taken away from us.

    The second reason is because God wishes to try us, to see how much we are worth, and how much we will advance in His service and praise when left without the generous reward of consolations and signal favors.

    The third reason is because God wishes to give us a true knowledge and understanding of ourselves, so that we may have an intimate perception of the fact that it is not within our power to acquire and attain great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other spiritual consolation; but that all this is the gift and grace of God our Lord. God does not wish us to build on the property of another, to rise up in spirit in a certain pride and vainglory and attribute to ourselves the devotion and other effects of spiritual consolation.

323.  10.  When one enjoys consolation, let him consider how he will conduct himself during the time of ensuing desolation, and store up a supply of strength as defense against that day.

324.  11.  He who enjoys consolation should take care to humble himself and lower himself as much as possible. Let him recall how little he is able to do in time of desolation, when he is left without such grace or consolation.

    On the other hand, one who suffers desolation should remember that by making use of the sufficient grace offered him, he can do much to withstand all his enemies. Let him find his strength in his Creator and Lord.

325.  12.  The enemy conducts himself as a woman. He is a weakling before a show of strength, and a tyrant if he has his will. It is characteristic of a woman in a quarrel with a man to lose courage and take to flight if the man shows that he is determined and fearless. However, if the man loses courage and begins to flee, the anger, vindictiveness, and rage of the woman surge up and know no bounds. In the same way, the enemy becomes weak, loses courage, and turns to flight with his seductions as soon as one leading a spiritual life faces his temptations boldly, and does exactly the opposite of what he suggests. However, if one begins to be afraid and to lose courage in temptations, no wild animal on earth can be more fierce than the enemy of our human nature. He will carry out his perverse intentions with consummate malice.

326.  13.  Our enemy may also be compared in his manner of acting to a false lover. He seeks to remain hidden and does not want to be discovered. If such a lover speaks with evil intention to the daughter of a good father, or to the wife of a good husband, and seeks to seduce them, he wants his words and solicitations kept secret. He is greatly displeased if his evil suggestions and depraved intentions are revealed by the daughter to her father, or by the wife to her husband. Then he readily sees he will not succeed in what he has begun. In the same way, when the enemy of our human nature tempts a just soul with his wiles and seductions, he earnestly desires that they be received secretly and kept secret. But if one manifests them to a confessor, or to some other spiritual person who understands his deceits and malicious designs, the evil one is very much vexed. For he knows that he cannot succeed in his evil undertaking, once his evident deceits have been revealed.

327.  14.  The conduct of our enemy may also be compared to the tactics of a leader intent upon seizing and plundering a position he desires. A commander and leader of an army will encamp, explore the fortifications and defenses of the stronghold, and attack at the weakest point. In the same way, the enemy of our human nature investigates from every side all our virtues, theological, cardinal, and moral. Where he finds the defenses of eternal salvation weakest and most deficient, there he attacks and tries to take us by storm.

328. RULES FOR DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
II

Further rules for understanding the different movements produced in the soul. They serve for a more accurate discernment of spirits and are more suitable for the second week
  

329.  I.  It is characteristic of God and His Angels, when they act upon the soul, to give true happiness and spiritual joy, and to banish all the sadness and disturbances which are caused by the enemy.
   It is characteristic of the evil one to fight against such happiness and consolation by proposing fallacious reasonings, subtilties, and continual deceptions.

330.  2.  God alone can give consolation to the soul without any previous cause. It belongs solely to the Creator to come into a soul, to leave it, to act upon it, to draw it wholly to the love of His Divine Majesty. I said without previous cause, that is, without any preceding perception or knowledge of any subject by which a soul might be led to such a consolation through its own acts of intellect and will.

331.  3.  If a cause precedes, both the good angel and the evil spirit can give consolation to a soul, but for a quite different purpose. The good angel consoles for the progress of the soul, that it may advance and rise to what is more perfect. The evil spirit consoles for purposes that are the contrary, and that afterwards he might draw the soul to his own perverse intentions and wickedness.

332.  4.  It is a mark of the evil spirit to assume the appearance of an angel of light. He begins by suggesting thoughts that are suited to a devout soul, and ends by suggesting his own. For example, he will suggest holy and pious thoughts that are wholly in conformity with the sanctity of the soul. Afterwards, he will endeavor little by little to end by drawing the soul into his hidden snares and evil designs.

333.  5.  We must carefully observe the whole course of our thoughts. If the beginning and middle and end of the course of thoughts are wholly good and directed to what is entirely right, it is a sign that they are from the good angel. But the course of thoughts suggested to us may terminate in something evil, or distracting, or less good than the soul had formerly proposed to do. Again, it may end in what weakens the soul, or disquiets it; or by destroying the peace, tranquility, and quiet which it had before, it may cause disturbance to the soul. These things are a clear sign that the thoughts are proceeding from the evil spirit, the enemy of our progress and eternal salvation.

334.  6.  When the enemy of our human nature has been detected and recognized by the trail of evil marking his course and by the wicked end to which he leads us, it will be profitable for one who has been tempted to review immediately the whole course of the temptation. Let him consider the series of good thoughts, how they arose, how the evil one gradually attempted to make him step down from the state of spiritual delight and joy in which he was, till finally he drew him to his wicked designs. The purpose of this review is that once such an experience has been understood and carefully observed, we may guard ourselves for the future against the customary deceits of the enemy.

335.  7.  In souls that are progressing to greater perfection, the action of the good angel is delicate, gentle, delightful. It may be compared to a drop of water penetrating a sponge.
    The action of the evil spirit upon such souls is violent, noisy, and disturbing. It may be compared to a drop of water falling upon a stone.
    In souls that are going from bad to worse, the action of the spirits mentioned above is just the reverse. The reason for this is to be sought in the opposition or similarity of these souls to the different kinds of spirits. When the disposition is contrary to that of the spirits, they enter with noise and commotion that are easily perceived. When the disposition is similar to that of the spirits, they enter silently, as one coming into his own house when the doors are open.

336.  8.  When consolation is without previous cause, as was said, there can be no deception in it, since it can proceed from God our Lord only. But a spiritual person who has received such a consolation must consider it very attentively, and must cautiously distinguish the actual time of the consolation from the period which follows it. At such a time the soul is still fervent and favored with the grace and aftereffects of the consolation which has passed. In this second period the soul frequently forms various resolutions and plans which are not granted directly by God our Lord. They may come from our own reasoning on the relations of our concepts and on the consequences of our judgments, or they may come from the good or evil spirit. Hence, they must be carefully examined before they are given full approval and put into execution.

end of excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

                We are to live our vocation in purity --

                A priest is focused on Jesus their Spouse —
                    they are to focus on their intimacy with
                    God — long to serve and love God —
                    to honor God —

                God calls us in a vocation to serve Him —
                    sisters and brothers, priests are to
                    focus on Jesus as their Spouse and
                    be filled with joy to faithfully
                    serve their God —

                God is deserving of our love —

                A person married to God in religious
                    life, in priesthood, is to be faithful
                    to God —

                In the Blue Books Jesus gave His intimate
                    letters of love to us — especially for
                    religious who are married to God —

              

I Love You

 April 13, 1994

 Words of Jesus. Read before the Tabernacle.

Jesus:  How, child, do I, Jesus, tell you I love you? You hold on to silly things when God is in your midst and is ardently loving you. I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am writing to each precious child this day. I am on fire for love of you. I remain in the Eucharist to be with you with My ardent love. I did not want to leave My beloved ones at the Last Supper. I love you so, My dear and ardently loved children. I remain with you this day in the Blessed Sacrament, the same Jesus Who died a brutal death on the Cross.

    Do you know I am truly present there? Do you know that God waits every day for you in the tabernacle? Do you comprehend even a minute amount of My love? You will never know of how I love you on earth.

    I, Jesus, truly the Son of God, came to earth a man and suffered a brutal death for love of you. I love you so much! I remain with you this day. I long for your love. I want you to come and be with Me in front of the tabernacle. I wait, I yearn for you to come and whisper your love to Me. I am a person and I love you this day, with such an ardent on-fire love! No human could ever compare a speck to My love for you.

    I wait, little ones, in the tabernacle. I wait for you to come and receive Me in Communion. I want you to want Me so much you cannot wait to come and receive Me. I want to be the love, the center of your life!

    I am Jesus. I am the Son of God. I am writing to you this day. I want to possess your very soul and live in you. I have all you need, sweet ones. Oh, you are so blind! I long for your union with Me. I wrote the book of love. I instituted it, yet you go to the world for your love and do not even come to Me! Oh, I love you, little ones. Little ones, beloved of the Father, loved by the Holy Spirit, mothered by My very own mother! What more can I say? The rest is up to you!

    I give you your will with such love and I want your love freely given. I am God. What do you think you could ever need that I do not give you? I am the Savior of this world. I am Jesus, the Son of God. I am waiting for you. I am longing for you. I am yearning for you. I am God. I have all you ever will need!

    Surrender this life to Me. Pray My Prayer for Union with Me. I want to possess your soul and operate from your very being. I am Jesus. I am the Son of God. I am the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I am Who am. I died and rose on the third day.

    Harken to My call, harken to My pleading. Spend your days in love with Me. Nothing matters unless it is rooted in Me and rooted in My love. I am the Son of God. I am the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I love you with the tenderest love. I am waiting this day for just you, My beloved one. Come to Me for I am the tenderest of all hearts. I am the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

- God's Blue Book, Volume 2 April 13, 1994

                On April 2, 1994 Fr. Carter got his first public
                    message —

                        From Tell My People

"What I say to you in the dark, tell in the day-
light; what you hear in whispers, proclaim
from the housetops." (Matthew 10:27)
  

Jesus Has Come to Give Us Life

Jesus: "This is the day celebrating My Resurrection (Easter). The day of newness of life. I am Lord and Master. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Tell My people to come to Me if they wish to experience life in abundance. I want to give all an ever greater share in the life of My Resurrection. Without Me you cannot be happy, nor have peace, nor have real joy. Tell My people to surrender to Me more and more. The more they do so, the more they will experience My love, wisdom, power, peace, joy, happiness, mercy, and goodness. Within My Heart My people will find these riches. I am Lord and Master! Please listen to My words."

Reflection: Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has come to give us life, and to give us this life in abundance.

When we were baptized, we were incorporated into Christ and His Church. When we were baptized, we received the life of sanctifying grace. This life is a created sharing in the life of the Trinity. Truly, we are called to live a God-like existence according to the teaching and example of Jesus! It is our duty and our privilege to develop our life of grace—our Christ-life—through our participation in the Mass, through the reception of the sacraments, through prayer, and through all other good works. Indeed, we are called to love God and neighbor more and more.

What a glorious life has been given to us! In a spirit of thanksgiving, and together with Mary our Mother, let us always strive to know Christ more intimately, to love Him more ardently, and to follow Him more closely, so that He will always bring us to a closer union with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

                On April 13, 1994 — I received this message
                    I did not know Fr. Carter very much
                    then

                On January 17, 1994
                    early in the morning — I got this
                    message about the priests —
                    I didn't know Fr. Carter at all then —
 

I Want My Priests To Come Back

January 17, 1994 3:40 a.m.

Jesus:  You know I am He Who lifts you up. In one second I can turn your feelings around and lift you up. Constantly pray to Me. You need Me through these times. Remember, I truly died for you on the cross. Remember, little one, I have chosen you to write to Me. Do you think I will ever abandon you? I am a God who truly loves His people. I love you with such ardent love. You must never doubt.

    Look into My face and see My gentleness. I am the kindest of all hearts. I am He who knows how to love with such love. Become totally lost in My arms.

    Do you think Satan will not taunt you? Put him behind you. You are being guarded by God and His heavenly court. Walk in My ways and the angels walk with you on your path. You are escorted on your way and you are never alone. You are guarded as a precious treasure that is being transported to another place.

    You need to put all your cares in My hands. You are developing true trust when you let go and let Me take over. Keep trusting and silence the ugly prompting of Satan who wants you to worry about useless things. Quit worrying and pray and play with your children. I am telling you there is so much peace and grace gained by private prayer with them. I will tend to all the details of your life. Do not worry for one moment. Put your life in My hands. I am here, little one. Read this message and all of them over and over again.

    You need to go to the Blue Book for your answers. Your answers are found there. I never leave your side. God is guarding you. Just continue to have a union with Me all through the day. All the prayer time alone with Me in one day is not enough. I want you in constant prayer.

    Turn to Me and My Blue Book. This will help many priests to come back and sit before Me in private union with Me. When priests come back to the tabernacle, the flock will begin to be led back to His altar. Priests need to read these letters. They are the preachers. If they do not value their own relationship with Jesus, if they are being led away from Me with busyness, they will not preach the intimate love of Jesus. They are so busy, but it is like throwing out the baby with the bath water. I am the center and their relationship with Me is utmost.

    The priests need these messages. They need to have an intimate, close union with Me. They should be preaching "time in front of the tabernacle." They should be preaching My intense love for My people and how I have so much to give. Some sermons are so complicated—yet nothing about union with Me in the Eucharist and in front of the tabernacle.

    I want My priests to come back and pray before My tabernacle. I want them to read these messages and make Jesus the Center of their lives. When they are led back to Jesus, they will lead the flock home. Priests need adoration every day for at least an hour. I don't care how busy they are. None of it matters if they are not spending time in private prayer alone with Me. They need to come and get their supplies. They need to quit thinking they are doing it and turn back to turning their lives totally over to Me, to totally letting their burdens and busy lives off at the foot of My cross and letting Me lead the way.

    There is not one priest who has so much to do that he cannot do private adoration daily. When the priest comes back to the power in the Eucharist and the tabernacle, the congregation will turn to God for their troubled hearts. Satan has led priests away from Jesus. They are so busy they cannot do all their work, but this must all take second place to praying silently before God and reading His words. These letters will help many priests to come back and be intimate with Jesus.

    All the rituals, all the upkeep of the churches, all the little details, and the King of Glory sits alone! You have thrown out the baby with the bath water. You are missing the boat.

    I want the priests to read this message. Where is the reverence after Communion and who has even heard it mentioned in the church? Private union with Jesus! What an honor! I have all you need. Come to Me and I will give you rest. I am all powerful. I have all the power. I am hyper—vigilant over your lives. I guard you. Quit trying to do it yourselves. Become selfless and let Me possess your souls.

    Have the priests spread these messages. Read them in church. I want adoration of the Eucharist back. I want people to know I am God and I am coming to them in Holy Communion. I want the Blessed Sacrament exposed. I want My churches open. Union with Jesus, the love of Jesus, trust, faith, love for one another, love of God—I want all of these preached from the pulpit!

    I am the Alpha and the Omega. I want My people to be led back to the center, which is Jesus. Pray for your priests. They are under attack. If Satan can wreck the family, the priests, the children, he has it made.

    You are under attack, My beloved priests, and you, in your busyness, are being led away from your union with Jesus. Bring yourselves back to Me and let Me give you My love. I am indeed the bridegroom of your souls. I wait for My beloved ones at the altar. I long for private union with all My beloved ones.

    Come to Me, all who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Come and be lifted up to heights you never dreamed possible. I am God. Put your lives in My hands. Let Me run your life. Quit running amok. You have lost your way and are running down the wrong road. Bring your lives back to Jesus in the tabernacle.

    The world is getting farther from God every minute. Read the messages at prayer meetings. Spread them by word of mouth. The time you waste is valuable. These words are not meant to be saved. Spread them here by any means possible. I want them out, I tell you! If someone wants to read some messages, give them to them and let them read them at prayer meetings. There is no secret here. They are from Me and I want them out. I want you to speak. A lot of your discontent is in sitting around with all these messages and not spreading them. Tell your friends to speak. Speak My words here. You don't have to mention the source. Spread the messages. You are not what is important. The messages are. You will be exposed. Don't worry who knows, but don't spread your own story. Spread the messages. Like ripples on a pond, the love of God will be spread throughout the land. I have so much to give to My hurting ones. I am your God. I died for you out of deepest love. I have come in these messages to lead you back home.

    Quit worrying of details. I am He Who runs the show. Pray for guidance every day. Spend one hour in front of the tabernacle. You cannot do in a million years what I can do in one moment. Quit relying on yourselves. You are only pushing buttons. When you are fixed in Me, the right door opens. When you go it alone, you have a hard road to walk. One hour in private adoration. Be silent or read the Blue Book. Your life will become uplifted by My teaching and you will sail a blue sky.

    Spend time in silence and some in reading My words in front of Me. I am talking to you in these letters. What power, to read them in front of the tabernacle! You can't go it alone. You need My help. You need your supplies. But you must come and get them! You are following your tail around if you do it alone. I am He Who can do all this. When you realize My power in adoration, your lives will change. As long as you are too busy you will have a hard time. The soul craves this union with Me.

    Lead the priests back to adoration and the people will follow. Our leaders have become too busy for adoration. This is the key, the key to unlock the doors to the world's problems. It is found in front of the tabernacle, at daily Mass and Communion. Do the priests ever preach any of this? You have forgotten your center, Jesus, in the Eucharist! All the power is found in Jesus. You have all that you need and you walk about and decorate My churches and clean every speck of dust and repair My pews and carpet My house and fix My organs but you walk about and miss the King of Glory who sits there all alone! Spread the messages on the tabernacle. I want them out!

Prayer for Union With Jesus

Come to me, Lord, and possess my soul. Come into my heart and permeate my soul. Help me to sit in silence with You and let You work in my heart.

I am Yours to possess. I am Yours to use. I want to be selfless and only exist in You. Help me to spoon out all that is me and be an empty vessel ready to be filled by You. Help me to die to myself and live only for You. Use me as You will. Let me never draw my attention back to myself. I only want to operate as You do, dwelling in me.

I am Yours, Lord. I want to have my life in You. I want to do the will of The Father. Give me the strength to put aside the world and let You operate my very being. Help me to act as You desire. Strengthen me against the distractions of the devil to take me from Your work.

When I worry, I have taken my focus off of You and placed it on myself. Help me not to give in to the promptings of others to change what in my heart You are making very clear to me. I worship You, I adore You and I love You. Come and dwell in me now.

end of January 17, 1994

 

                Jerry Ross and Fr. Smith sent this
                    message to all the Bishops and
                    Archbishops in the United States
                    along with this message
    

The Bridegroom Awaits

December 27, 1993 - 4:00a.m.

Jesus: Dear child, the Son of Man waits and you sleep in the night. I wait for you and you sleep. You know I am waiting and you are dead in your bed. Awake, My little one, when I call. You must not give in to the desires of the body. I care for your needs. Your strength comes from Me. Jump from your bed, sound the trumpet and arise, for your Savior comes in the night to bring you a message for all His children. Ready yourself, for I do not like to wait. Get up and come, child. I am God.

I am He Who made the world, He Who makes the sun shine and the baby in the womb! You make Me wait while you sleep. Rise and run, for the Lord is at hand. God awaits you and beckons you to be attentive to your calling. Sound the trumpet! Arise in the night. I am He Who comes to you. You must harken to the call. Come pronto to My request and do not tarry. I wait and I wait and I eagerly want to talk to you.

I am Jesus, Son of the Living God. Oh, child, I want these messages to reach the ends of this earth. I deliver each with such love. Will you deliver My messages to all My loved ones? They eagerly need to hear My words of love. They need to know how I feel about each one of them. They need to know that I am God. I love each child uniquely and My love is the love of God. What can you get on this earth that can compare to the love of God? You have a message declaring My love for each of My children. They are My love letters to them. Please see that they receive this letter. This is your top priority. It is a love letter to My beloved ones.

I am your Savior. I am not a myth. I am alive and I come to you. I wait in the tabernacle every day as a prisoner. Waiting and waiting in the tabernacle and who comes to be with Me? I await you, My children, to come and realize that God is in the tabernacle. I am Jesus, the Son of God, and I wait for you every day. Come to Me in your busy day. Come to Mass. Make ready your hearts and receive Me in Communion. I am there awaiting you as a groom awaiting his bride. I want to be with you, united in Holy Communion. I am truly present there, but which of you come? I wait for each of you. I am God. I can love you each so intently you do not understand. Your brother does not make up your love to Me. I wait, you little ones. Will you come and receive your love this day?

Ready your hearts and keep them holy. God will enter there. Prepare the way for Me. Do not sin. Do not lie to yourselves and tell yourself that some sins are of no account. Every sin is wrong. I tell you what is right and wrong in your hearts. You know the Ten Commandments. Satan tells you "but in this case, you are exempt", "this is out of date, you are allowed here." No, little ones, sin is sin and your heart knows what is wrong! Keep it pure. The more you lie to yourself about evil, the more right it becomes. Oh, how sad to numb your beautiful heart and accept the things of this world that are evil as okay. Evil is evil and you must guard against any evil the world tells you is okay.

I am the way, the truth and the life. When you abide in My ways, you possess the light of life. Do not be pulled into the world and its evil ways. Ready yourself for My love. I am as a bridegroom awaiting his bride. So pure, so white, so untainted she appears, just for her loved one. Her ways are gentle and kind and she is a picture of holiness, dressed in a white gown. Dress your soul in a white gown for Me. Keep your soul clothed in a cloth of dignity, a white cloth untainted by any sin, pure as the bride who meets her groom. Our meeting is with such love.

You enter My church, you walk My aisle. Your bridegroom awaits you in Communion. I am the bridegroom of your hearts. I come with such love to enter your soul. I am He Who walks with you to be united in Communion. I am Jesus. I am your true Love. I wait for you, My child. Please clean yourself up for My arrival! Think of My coming the day before and eagerly await our union. This is the greatest event of your life, union with God. Anticipate it with such eagerness, as the wedding of our hearts. I await you, little ones. I am God. What could this world ever give you that can be likened to God's entering your soul?

I am God and I come to you in Communion. Do you wait for Me, the bridegroom of your soul? Do you wait as one who is going to one's own wedding? This event far surpasses any wedding. It is you who are missing the significance here. I am here every Mass waiting, just for you. Get dressed, purify yourself, see the priest, go to confession, guard your tongue as the opening to your soul. I enter therein and you receive God, my child. Do you not comprehend this a little?

Read My words here. They are as real as the eyes you use to read them. It is you who blind yourself to all I have to give you. You do not reach with the things of the soul. You look for explanations in bodily things. To see the soul and the things of God you must reach with the eyes of God. You must be opened by the faith I eagerly want to give you. Beg to be open to Me so I can give you all you need to know Me. This world is blurring your Godly vision. It is hard to see through the mask of evil it has created. Every day the mask becomes more dense.

I am here, little one. You must die to this world to see Me. You don't need more of the world. You need less of the world. As the world decreases, your knowledge of Me increases. Take the mask off your face. Make your hearts pure. Pray to the Holy Spirit for His gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fear of God-all gifts that only He can give! Fill your hearts with the gifts of the Spirit. He will remove the blinders from your eyes and dwell in your soul. You will know a new life and I will become so much more alive to you. You, child, need the Spirit!

The way to God is through Jesus. You need the Spirit. You need the Father. You need all three. Pray to be made whole in the Holy Trinity. Pray for union with God. Pray for the things of the soul. When your soul is in order, all else falls into order. You needn't pray for things of the world. Pray to know Me more fully. Pray for unity with God. Pray for opening in your hearts. Pray for holiness. Pray for faith, hope, charity. Pray for knowledge of how to please God. These are the true treasures. All else is of no account. Don't recite prayers for worldly things. Pray for your union with God. This is what it is all about!

I am so eager to make Myself known to you. Our love affair awaits and it depends on you. I am here loving you. It is you who keep us apart. What could you find on this earth that could compare with a love affair with God, child? Your soul was created to know love and serve Me. It craves this union with Me. This appetite is stronger than any other you possess. You hold it back and make light of it because this world has taken God out. This world is messed up. I am God and you are a creature of God. You cannot take God from you or you remain only a creature. What dignity you sacrifice to remove God from yourself!

Prepare for the wedding of our souls. Your bridegroom awaits you. I am Jesus, Son of the one, true, God. I await your union with Me. Child, nothing you ever do on this earth can compare with Communion with God. If you do not behold this as something, you need to pray to know Me more. Go to the Spirit and beg Him for understanding and wisdom. Beg Him for all his gifts to enhance your knowledge of God. Beg the Spirit for His baptism. Let Him shower you with His life and you will become alive and on fire in your heart.

Your bridegroom awaits you. Prepare yourself for the wedding. Come, pure and white, and anticipate this union with eagerness. I love you so, My child. You will never find a speck on this earth that can compare with the love of God. Search, you feeble creature, for worldly satisfaction and you will never satisfy one little part of your soul. Your soul can only be satisfied by the love of God. It stalks your restless heart and is only satisfied in God. It craves God like an appetite except that it is much stronger. What is in your heart that is never satisfied by your worldly way? It is the soul that craves union with God. It constantly keeps you in a state of unrest, of searching, of seeking, of looking for more. The more is found in the Eucharist. It is the answer to the empty heart. It is the love you seek, but cannot find anywhere else. It is Jesus, child. It is your Bridegroom. Come and be in Communion with Him. He awaits you and bids you to come, pure in your heart, to the wedding-the wedding of your soul.

R. I felt as if there was so much I just did not understand and I was overwhelmed by the mystery of God. I opened the Blue Book to this:

Nov. 21, 1993:

Jesus: Oh, what glories I have in store for you when you finally see it all, see all there is to Me! Little glimpses I will give you. These are special treats of My love, but you, in your earthly form, cannot even handle it. My power, My light, My fire would blow you off your feet and you would be out cold.

That is how I am at your side, with a power pack like this, and you worry about a power failure? Oh, how silly, when I am with you. Trust, trust. I am here.

end of December 27, 1993

                Jesus is the Bridegroom of our soul —
                    If religious see themselves as
                    single and not married to the
                    Divine Almighty God — they will
                    be tempted to seek affection
                    from other people

                Can you image how this special
                    calling of a religious, priest
                    to be married to Jesus is
                    to Jesus —

                Jesus is on fire for love of His holy
                    priests and religious —

                The letters of love He gives us in the
                    Blue Books have led many priests
                    to deep intimacy with Jesus —

                Jesus wants that hour before the
                    Blessed Sacrament with the
                    religious and priests

                Jesus wants 20 minutes after communion —
                    when He gives Himself to us
                    in such love —

                If we seek to talk about Jesus
                    and be intimately united to others
                    and are a religious — we offend
                    Jesus when we ignore Him and
                    use our vocation to draw
                    others close to us and are
                    unfaithful in our hearts when
                    married to Jesus —

                God calls men and women in married
                    life to be one in Him —
                    The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
                    celebrated at a wedding is
                    a most unifying celebration —

                But religious and priests are to devote
                    their efforts communicating in
                    deep intimate love with Jesus —
                    like the saints —

                    St. John of the Cross loved Jesus
                        so much —

                    St. Ignatius loved Jesus so much —
                        he loved Mary —
                        Mary the Lady

                We are here to serve and love and honor
                    Jesus — not to serve and honor
                    ourselves with selfish
                    allurements that make us
                    feel happy to get affection of
                    others, over God —

                    God is first —

                    A religious doesn't have roving
                eyes or flirtatious ways — the
                business is the business of God —

                    The joy is in serving God —
                not promoting ourselves

                    We see in the spiritual exercises
                we are examining our conscience so
                we aren't being prideful, seeking
                vain affections, wanting power —

                    Once we open the door to pride —
                being over others for our affection,
                control, our vain glory — we lose
                the opportunity to serve God in
                pure love for His honor and glory —

                    God put us here to love and serve and honor
                Him and by this means to be with Him
                forever in heaven —

                    The devil said
                    "we will not serve God"

                    We are here to build relationships
                as brothers and sisters, serving our
                Father — our focus is serving
                God — helping souls — our own and
                others and loving God in this loving
                service of honoring Him our beloved —
                being holy — doing God's will —

                    Not trying to change God's Plan
                for our selfish affections, pride
                and power

                    We are always focused on God
                and serving Him.

From The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, 
    by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. p. 12

                        23. FIRST PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION

                            Man is created to praise, reverence and serve God 
                        our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.

p.11

21.                     SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

    Which have as their purpose the conquest of self
    and the regulation of one's life in such a way that
    no decision is made under the influence of any
    inordinate attachment

                    Mastery of self —

                Not being impure
                Not having impure motives

                Loving God with our whole
                    heart, our whole soul,
                    our whole being —

                When we become the focus with
                    the gifts God gives us —
                    we slip more and more from
                    the mark of loving and serving God

                    God is the focus

                    We live to love and serve and honor
                God — to build His Kingdom for His
                honor and glory —

                    Not giving into the rebelliousness
                of our fallen human nature —
                giving into —

                Purely serving God for His honor and glory —
                    not ours — focusing on God —
                    not us

                Can we see our habits?

                Satan comes in — the focus becomes us —
                What we need to do is to pray and make
                reparation for all the times we failed to
                serve Jesus and made ourselves the focus —

                It is a habit —

                It is our style when we are above others —

                What we need to do is keep our eyes on
                    the great calling God has made to us
                    in all our vocations and

                Tell Him we want to serve Him —

                Keep our focus on Him, not ourselves

                We are one in pleasing Our Heavenly Father —
                    loving God
                    giving Him honor and glory

                Ask the Holy Spirit to help us to make reparation for
                    our past sins of pride, honoring ourselves,
                    lust, affection, envy, jealousy, anger

                All this blocks God's work

                    Let's get with God's program —
                    He is the focus —

                That is the spiritual exercise —
                    we don't give into vices —
                    bad habits —
                    envy, hatred, anger, control,
                    affection for our honor, pride,
                    lust, gluttony — We serve God —
                    We honor God, We love God

                We serve and are trying to please God
                    more and more in purity

                We aren't in competition

                Who is the focus?

                God is
                God's plan
                God's honor

                Serving God

                Be filled with joy to serve God —

                This is why we were created —

                In this lies our happiness

                The Spiritual Exercises are for our soul —
                    Thankfulness to God
                    Examination of Conscience
                    Not rebelling against God's will
                    Not putting ourselves as the god —
                    Sacrifice in service, look
                        at Jesus the suffering
                        servant

                Come Holy Spirit full us —
                Move in us —

                Discern the spirits

                Jesus wants all to be saved —
                    We are called to serve God
                        and help in this work

                Not focus on our own vain glory

                Say Soul of Christ

        Prayer of St Ignatius

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Permit me not to be separated from Thee
From the wicked foe defend me
at the hour of my death call me
and bid me come to Thee
That with Thy saints I may praise Thee
For ever and ever. Amen.  

Matthew 8: 21-23

    Another man, one of the disciples, said to him, ‘Lord, let me go and bury my father first.’ But Jesus said, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.’ 

Then he got into the boat followed by his disciples.

John 4: 34

But Jesus said: My food is to do the will of the one who sent me, and to complete his work.

 

John 6: 38

because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me.

                The angels that fell said "I will not serve"

Genesis 2: 3

                Look at the Crucifix

"What have I done for Christ?"
"What am I doing for Christ?"
"What ought I to do for Christ?"

                Because of sin there are consequences
                    in the world

                Sin is ingratitude to all God has
                    done for us 
 

From The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, 
    by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. p. 25

46. PRAYER.  In the preparatory prayer I will beg God
our Lord for grace that all my intentions, actions, 
and operations may be directed purely to the 
praise and service of His Divine Majesty.  
 

                Pray to be obedient to God's
                    will for us in our vocation

                Jesus gives us His Sacred Heart

                God wants us to do all our actions
                    to build the Kingdom of God

                Mary is the New Eve
                Jesus is the New Adam

                Mary and Jesus' Hearts are pure
                    and sinless  

Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. P.60-61
 

136. THE FOURTH DAY

        A MEDITATION ON TWO STANDARDS

The one of Christ, our supreme leader and lord,
the other of Lucifer, the deadly enemy of our
human nature

PRAYER.   The usual preparatory prayer.

window at a former Jesuit Seminary

137. FIRST PRELUDE.   This is the history. Here it will be that Christ calls and wants all beneath His standard, and Lucifer, on the other hand, wants all under his.

138. SECOND PRELUDE.   This is a mental representation of the place. It will be here to see a great plain, comprising the whole region about Jerusalem, where the sovereign Commander-in-Chief of all the good is Christ our Lord; and another plain about the region of Babylon, where the chief of the enemy is Lucifer.

139. THIRD PRELUDE.   This is to ask for what I desire. Here it will be to ask for a knowledge of the deceits of the rebel chief and help to guard myself against them; and also to ask for a knowledge of the true life exemplified in the sovereign and true Commander, and the grace to imitate Him.
   

FIRST PART

THE STANDARD OF SATAN

140. FIRST POINT.   Imagine you see the chief of all the enemy in the vast plain about Babylon, seated on a great throne of fire and smoke, his appearance inspiring horror and terror.

141. SECOND POINT.   Consider how he summons innumerable demons, and scatters them, some to one city and some to another, throughout the whole world, so that no province, no place, no state of life, no individual is overlooked.

142. THIRD POINT.   Consider the address he makes to them, how he goads them on to lay snares for men and bind them with chains. First they are to tempt them to covet riches (as Satan himself is accustomed to do in most cases) that they may the more easily attain the empty honors of this world, and then come to overweening pride.

   The first step, then, will be riches, the second honor, the third pride. From these three steps the evil one leads to all other vices.
   

SECOND PART

THE STANDARD OF CHRIST

143.   In a similar way, we are to picture to ourselves the sovereign and true Commander, Christ our Lord.

144. FIRST POINT.   Consider Christ our Lord, standing in a lowly place in a great plain about the region of Jerusalem, His appearance beautiful and attractive.

145. SECOND POINT.   Consider how the Lord of all the world chooses so many persons, apostles, disciples, etc., and sends them throughout the whole world to spread His sacred doctrine among all men, no matter what their state or condition.

146. THIRD POINT.   . . .
   

end of excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

                God calls us to submission,
                    humbly, to the will of God 

Luke 1: 46-55

And Mary said:

My soul proclaims
    the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit rejoices
    in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon
    the humiliation of his servant.
Yes, from now onwards
    all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty
    has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age
    to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm,
he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes
    from their thrones
        and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things,
    sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help
    of Israel his servant,
        mindful of his faithful love
—according to the promise
    he made to our ancestors—
of his mercy to Abraham
    and to his descendants for ever.

                Sing: Holy Is His Name

                We must discern the spirits —
                    when in desolation — we do not act —
                    In consolation — we humble ourselves —

                Jesus calls us to build His Kingdom —
                God is all powerful —
                We always have our eyes on God's Plan —
                Our focus building His Kingdom

From The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, 
    by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. p. 12

                        23. FIRST PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION

                            Man is created to praise, reverence and serve God 
                        our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.

                We have a free will to choose
                    God's will — or
                    do our old habits that are
                    impure

                Jesus died for our sins —
                God knows everything —

                God knows when we are unfaithful
                    to Him

                Judas betrayed Jesus

                Peter made mistakes but he was
                    sorry — God made Him
                    the first pope

                How can we sin and act like we
                    didn't
                    Jesus paid for our sins —
                    His body covered with wounds —
                    Jesus died for our sins
                    His body pierced —

                Jesus died and rose on the 3rd day —
                He entered the belly of the earth —
                He came out triumphant
                We must follow Jesus —
                Not give into sinful vices from
                    our wounded human nature

1 Corinthians 15: 20-28

                Intimacy with God —

                    the Blue Books — the letters of His love
                    the Mass Book
                    Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

                Who sees — God sees everything — He died for our sins

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