Mary has requested that the daily message be given each day
to the world. It is read nightly at the prayer service from her Image Building in
Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A. This is according to her request. All attempts will be made to
publish this daily message to the world at 11 p.m. Eastern time, U.S.A.
We acknowledge that the final authority
regarding these messages rests with the Holy See of Rome.
|
 |
January 8, 2001
A Prayer for Intimacy
with the Lamb, the Bridegroom of the Soul
Oh Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, come and act
on my soul most intimately. I surrender myself, as I ask for the grace to let go, to just
be as I exist in You and You act most intimately on my soul. You are the Initiator. I am
the soul waiting Your favors as You act in me. I love You. I adore You. I worship You.
Come and possess my soul with Your Divine Grace, as I experience You most intimately.
Messenger: Include Our Lady of the Holy Spirit
Center in 6:20 prayers.
Messenger: Please pray for 5 urgent
intentions!
Messenger: Our Lord has asked us to pray for a special priest and three other
special priests and His designated priests.
Please pray for the priestly newsletter and for the intentions on the prayer list at the
end of the message.
Jesus speaks: I want the following excerpts
from The Pain and the Joy put on the Internet.
Messenger: We include Chapters 1 through 16,
from The Pain and the Joy, by Father Edward J. Carter, S.J. He used
this as one of the text in the college classes he taught.
Excerpt from The Pain and the Joy, by Father Edward Carter, S. J.
1
Jesus and the Christian
We are currently witnessing a resurgence
of interest in popular psychology. Psychology books for popular audiences have
flooded the market in recent years. Of course, this proliferation of
psychological literature is commensurate with readers' demands for such
material, and such, signifies that there are numerous individuals interested
in a more complete understanding of the workings of the human psyche. People
want to learn how to cope more successfully with emotional problems, how to
relate with others in a more mature and satisfying fashion, how to develop
into fulfilled individuals.
As contemporary Christians, we are obviously
exposed to the influence of these publications, but we must take a balanced
attitude toward this literature. On the one hand, we realize that psychology
can certainly tell us much that is true and helpful concerning the behavior of
the human person. On the other hand, we should realize that a certain portion
of psychological literature is either indifferent or even hostile toward
religion.
Even when we assimilate what is good from
psychology concerning the human person and human behavior, we must still
realize we do not possess the entire truth regarding the human personality. As
Christians, however, we do have a source which gives us the ultimate truth
concerning what it means to be human. This source is Christ Himself; Jesus is
the supreme personality theorist. He is the one, who, by His teaching and
example, tells us what human life is really all about, how we must think and
act if we are to satisfy that consistent yearning for fulfillment and
happiness which is etched deeply within the human heart.
Jesus leads us to personality fulfillment, not
by removing us from the human condition, but by teaching us how properly to
live within it. Sometimes we are tempted to think that the best way to be a
good Christian would be to withdraw as much as possible from earthly concerns.
We think how peaceful it would be to dwell alone with God in our own kind of
hermitage, and allow the world with all its worries, anxieties, and
temptations to pass us by. In moments of clear reflection, however, we realize
this is an unrealistic kind of thinking, thinking which does not correspond to
Christ's redemptive plan (indeed, even the cloistered contemplative must
properly encounter the human situation).
Jesus redeemed us within the framework of the
human condition. Jesus' enfleshment placed Him within the world of the human,
and He accepted the implications of His manhood. He lived His humanity to the
fullest by always doing His Father's will with love. He lived a full human
life not only when it was pleasant to do so, but also when this meant being
nailed to a cross in excruciating agony.
All of Jesus' human acts contributed to His
redemptive effort: His relationships with Mary, Joseph, and others; His taking
meals with friends; His gathering the little children to Himself in warm
embrace; His healing of the sick; His thrilling to nature's beauty; the
sufferings of His passion and death. Yes, these and all His other human acts
redeemed us.
As Jesus objectively redeemed us within the
framework of the human condition, so in like manner we subjectively
participate in redemption. We live the life Jesus came to give by experiencing
humanity according to God's will. We are saved, not by fleeing from it, but by
embracing it according to God's designs.
As Jesus did before us, we also must accept
the human experience not only at those times when life rewards us with joy,
success, enthusiasm, and the beauty and tenderness of life. When we experience
failure or misunderstanding, when we taste the bitterness of human existence,
when life seems all too much for us, when anguish and intense suffering make
even one day seem endless—at these times also we must affirm our being
human. In this way we are saved. In this way we help others be saved. In this
way we follow Jesus, who is both God and man.
If we are to live the human condition
properly, we must live it according to the vision of Christ. Indeed, Jesus
came to give us a new vision. As we are drawn into the Jesus experience by
God's merciful love, we are graced with a new way of looking at things. We
must allow this vision to consistently shape the way we view persons, places,
things, and events.
It is not always easy to live according to the
vision of Christ. There is much in the world which is opposed to the teaching
of Jesus. If we do not take the proper precautions, the false views of the
world can gradually blur the vision Jesus has granted us.
A worldly false view, for instance, tells us
that we are successful only if we are successful in the external order of
things. Christ's view tells us that we are really successful only if we live
according to His Father's will.
A worldly false view tells us that the more
material things we possess, the more fortunate we are. Christ's view tells us
that material things are worthwhile in proportion to their helping us live the
life He came to give us, and that we must exercise a constant vigilance lest
material possessions become an end in themselves rather than a legitimate
means to a noble goal.
A worldly false view presents a hedonistic
pursuit of pleasure and an avoidance of suffering at all costs as an ideal to
be pursued. Christ's view assigns pleasure its legitimate place within God's
plan for human existence, but simultaneously reminds us that suffering is also
a part of the human condition, and we must take up our cross daily and follow
Him.
A worldly view uses others in a manipulative
fashion, telling those who would listen, to use others for the attainment of
selfish goals. Christ's view reminds us that each person is made in the image
of God, possesses a priceless dignity, and should be loved accordingly.
A worldly view has no time for meditation and
contemplation, considering such exercises a waste of time—the occupation of
pious individuals who lack the shrewdness and toughness to accomplish
successfully in the arena of worldly competition. Christ's view persistently
reminds us that prayerful communication with our transcendent God is necessary
for a truly human existence.
Christ's view of reality must affect not only
the intellectual aspect of our being, but must permeate our entire persons, if
indeed we are to be mature Christian personalities. In this regard we can make
a distinction between a notional assent and an existential assent regarding
our acceptance of Christ's vision. With a merely notional assent our
intellects do indeed accept Christ's truth. But this notional assent does not
influence our entire persons in a consistent, dynamic fashion. We believe in
Christ and His teaching, but there are numerous areas of our existence which
do not, in a consistent fashion, come under the influence of Christ's truth.
With an existential assent, on the other hand,
we assent to the truth of Christ, not merely in the intellectual dimension of
our personalities, but with our entire being. Through a proper asceticism and
a life of meditation and contemplation, we allow the truth of Christ to more
and more penetrate through the ugly layers of the errant self to the vibrant
realms of the true self in the center of our personalities. This existential
assent to the truth of Christ, is what allows our true personalities to emerge
and to influence what we think, say, and do. Faith, hope, and love more and
more exercise their purgative, illuminative, and transforming effects upon our
personalities, and, consequently, the words of St. Paul increasingly have
meaning for us:
. . .yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;
insofar as I now live in the flesh, live by faith in the Son of God who has
loved me and given himself up for me. (Gal. 2:20).
As Christians then, we are called to
transformation in Christ. This obviously entails a friendship with Jesus, one
which becomes increasingly close.
Friendship is a process of self-liberation. As
I give myself to another in friendship, I am aided in the process of escape
from my false self. I am aided in the process of achieving true self-identity.
The facade of the false self more and more recedes through the dynamics of
friendship. Why is this? When another receives me in friendship, that other
receives me as I am. The friend loves me in my good points, loves me despite
my bad points. In the warmth of this receptive love, I am encouraged to be and
to become my authentic self. I do not have to project a false self in the hope
that such an image might be more acceptable to the other. Rather, I am
encouraged to take the risk of being my true self, since I know the other will
not reject me. Actually, my true self is more attractive to the friend and to
others precisely because it is my authentic self—the self God destines me to
be, possessing the personal uniqueness with which God has permeated my being.
Friendship, therefore, increases my
freedom—the freedom to be my real self. The deeper an authentic friendship,
the more I am encouraged by the other's love to be and to become. I am
encouraged to exercise my talents and to develop them to ever greater heights
in the loving service of God and others.
If friendship with a human person increases my
growth potential, what are we to say about friendship with Jesus? There is no
comparison. Jesus offers me such magnificent opportunities for growth. The
more I am aware of Jesus' tremendous and personal love for me, the more secure
I feel in developing my real self.
Being accepted by Jesus as a friend should
radically change my life. As Jesus has given Himself entirely to me, so I
should give myself entirely to Him. This deep and intense friendship
accomplishes my ongoing conversion, my transformation. This friend Jesus,
through the strength and tenderness of His love, gradually and increasingly
draws me out of my selfish traits. He gradually makes me freer to really be.
He increasingly assists me in allowing my Christic, Trinitarian self to emerge
more and more in expressions of love for God and neighbor.
As I share the pleasant experiences of life
with this friend Jesus, He enhances their joy. Being loved and accepted by
others, enjoying the challenge and success of work, experiencing simple joys
as well as moments of overwhelming happiness, drinking in the breathless
beauties of nature—these and all such experiences take on deeper meaning in
the presence of Jesus.
As I share the difficult aspects of human life
with Jesus, He lessens their burden. If Jesus is my friend, should I ever
capitulate to discouragement. If Jesus is my friend, should a sense of failure
ever extinguish my determination to struggle on? If Jesus is my friend, is
there any cross I can claim is too heavy? If Jesus is my friend, can I ever
allow suffering to make me bitter?
As I strive to grow into a mature Christian,
this friend Jesus is profoundly present to me. He is strong, tender,
understanding, gentle, loving. He sympathizes, encourages, challenges,
inspires. He leads, but does not force. He admonishes us when we are wrong,
but He does not reject us. He is overjoyed at our good deeds, yet gently but
firmly reminds us that there is still much to accomplish as He guides us in
the Spirit to the Father. Jesus is the perfect friend. He is your friend, and
my friend.
An excellent way to grow in our relationship
with Jesus is through devotion to His Sacred Heart. Christ shows us His Heart
as symbol of His love. In His great love for us He asks for our love in
return. Can we refuse? Can we refuse this Christ who, out of love for us,
experienced the piercing of His Heart on a hill called Calvary? Christ gave
Himself entirely. Nailed to the wood of a cross, He poured out His life.
Christ did this for love of us—for you, and for me.
As Jesus gives Himself so completely to
us, it is entirely fitting that we make a return gift. It is entirely proper
that we give ourselves, out of love, to Him. This total gift of self is called
"consecration." Consecration to the Heart of Christ is the gift of
ourselves and all of our faculties to Christ. We in effect say, "Jesus,
take me whole and entire. Out of love I give myself entirely to You. Live in
and through me. In love You have given Yourself completely to me. In love I
give myself completely to You."
To aid us in living out our consecration to
the Heart of Christ we should also consecrate ourselves to the Immaculate
Heart of Mary. At Fatima Our Lady revealed that Jesus desires that devotion to
the Immaculate Heart exist together with devotion to His own Heart. Our Lady
of Fatima promised the great gift of salvation to all those who practice
devotion to her Immaculate Heart. The highest form of such devotion is
consecration to Mary the Immaculate Heart.
Through this consecration we give ourselves
entirely to Mary so that she may lead us ever closer to the Heart of her Son.
Consecration to the Immaculate Heart, then, is a great help in the living out
of our consecration to the Heart of Christ in an ever progressive way.
All we shall say in the following pages has a
relationship to living out this consecration to the Heart of Christ and to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary. Christ and Mary—how much they love us! They reveal
their Hearts as symbols of this love. They ask for our love in return. They
invite us to live within their Hearts. If we accept their invitation, we
experience love and peace despite the painful aspects of life. We experience
security. We experience joy and happiness. Yes, Christ and Mary invite us to
live within their Hearts in order that such a life may be ours. Who can refuse
their invitation?
2
The Pain and the Joy
Certain people
look upon religion as a type of enslavement. Religion, claim these people,
puts shackles on one's desires for full living, pleasure, and happiness.
Religion, they continue, makes you fearful, forces you into a rigid pattern of
dos and don’ts which restricts and even suffocates your thrust toward full
personality development. Whatever the causes may be for one's arriving at this
view, such an attitude grossly misrepresents the nature of true religion.
Jesus has come
to make us happy, not to make us participate in a religion which destroys the
joy-dimension of human life. Jesus has come to increase our capacity for true
self-fulfillment, not to restrict us with a religion which (while encouraging
morbid self-enclosement), destroys possibilities for healthy self-expansion.
Jesus has come to show us the way to true pleasure, not to present us with a
religion which looks askance at such. Furthermore, this happiness and
fulfillment which Jesus has come to give us is meant for this life as well as
for eternal life. Christianity is a religion which gives a here-and-now
happiness that develops into a future and eternal happiness. It satisfies our
deepest desires to be fully alive. Furthermore,
Christianity is a religion which unites pain and joy.
Christ's
followers have looked upon His sufferings—which culminated in the agony of
Calvary—and have been moved to a most unique kind of compassion; for the
sufferings of Jesus are those of the completely innocent one, sufferings of an
extremely kind, sensitive, and loving man. Here was a man who had done nothing
but good, and yet, in the end He suffered rejection, betrayal, and denial.
Nevertheless,
this classical figure of suffering and pathos who is Jesus is also the
classical figure of hope. The crucified Jesus is the great symbol of hope
because His suffering and death point beyond Calvary to His Resurrection. The
suffering and pathos of Jesus opens up into hope-causing and joy-causing
resurrection. The Jesus who exacts
compassion from His followers is the same Jesus who fills them with
resurrection joy, peace, and happiness. Jesus allows the Christian to see that
suffering is not meant to be self-enclosed, but rather open-ended. Suffering
is meant, when properly assimilated, to lead to greater life, to greater love,
joy, and happiness.
The pain and the
joy of life are inevitably linked together. Let us not try to separate them.
On the one hand, let us not narrowly view life's suffering so that we fail to
see it as a means, if properly encountered, to a fuller life. On the other
hand, let us not so exclusively focus on the aspect of joy that we fail to
remember that its presence in our life cannot be maintained and deepened
unless we are willing to suffer with Jesus. Pain and joy—what God has joined
together, let us not strive to separate.
Dying and rising
were inseparable in Jesus' existence. Since we have been baptized into
Christ's death-resurrection, as St. Paul tells us (Rom. 6:1-11), dying
and rising are also inseparable in our own existence. The pain and the joy. In
experiencing humanity, the Christian must assimilate both according to God's
designs.
3
Mother at Our Side
In the Gospel of John we read words which
should always be a source of great consolation for us:
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister,
Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and
the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold,
your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ (Jn.
19:25-27).
In giving Mary to the disciple, Jesus has also given her to each
of us. Behold, then, one of God's greatest gifts to us—Mary as our spiritual
mother.
As Mary cooperated with the Holy Spirit in
first giving Christ to the world, so she continues to work with the Spirit in
giving Jesus to each of us. Under God, Mary gives us our life of grace, our
Christ-life. With her maternal love she protects and nourishes this life.
Mary's desire for us is that we continue to grow in Christ, that increasingly
we experience transformation in Him. Her overwhelming love for us, then, is
evident.
We manifest our love for Mary by committing
ourselves to her maternal, loving care. Let us commit ourselves to Mary
regarding every aspect of our life in Christ. When we are experiencing joy,
let us go to Mary. Let us share our happiness with her. Let us ask for her
assistance so that we may use these times of joy according to God's designs.
On the other hand, when we feel burdened with anxiety and worry, when fear
makes us feel so weak and helpless, when failure and discouragement seem
almost to crush us—at these times let us also look to Mary. Let us ask her
to comfort us, to strengthen us. Let us further seek out Mary when we are
aglow with enthusiasm, when we feel so completely permeated with dreams and
desires to do great things for Christ and the world. Let us ask our mother to
help us to channel this enthusiasm in a way which best serves the interests of
Christ's kingdom.
Let us always thank Jesus for giving Mary to
us as our mother. Let us always strive to be children who fulfill her hopes
for us—that we put on Christ more and more. Let us always rejoice in the
knowledge that Mary is mother at our side.
4
Some Thoughts About the Church
We are called to live our Christian existence
within the Church. This is not always easy. Life within the Church is a life
of death-resurrection. It can be no other way, since this pattern of
death-resurrection is that of Jesus Himself.
One of the sufferings afflicting those in
today's Church is the polarization between liberals and conservatives. While
there will always be a certain tension between these basic groups in the
Church, there is no reason why there should be an unhealthy confrontation
between the two.
Both groups contribute to the life of the
Church. The liberals provide an ongoing thrust for change in the Church, for
adaptation of the Gospel message according to the signs of the times. The
conservatives, on the other hand, caution against change for change's sake, as
they give emphasis to the timeless essentials which must be present in each
and every age of the Church's existence.
Yes, we hear much about liberals and
conservatives in the Church. There is, however, another group which we must
not overlook. This element might be called the centrists. Centrists, standing
midway between the positions of the liberals and conservatives, serve as a
type of mediator between the two. Without this centrist group, there would
tend to be a lack of cooperation between liberals and conservatives.
Centrists, among their other contributions, aid in implementing the good which
both liberals and conservatives have to offer. At the same time, the centrists
are in a credible position to point out the undesirable tenets of both groups.
Liberals, centrists, and conservatives—all
belong to the Church which is the body of Christ. St. Paul tells us:
Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has
designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third,
teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance,
administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all
prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of
healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? (Cor. 12:27-30).
The Church as body of Christ, and under the guidance of Christ,
relives the mysteries of Christ. The Church obviously possesses a tremendous
privilege, but also great responsibility. To continue the mission of Christ
upon earth is the Church's glorious task, one given to Her by Christ Himself.
As Paul indicates above, each member of the
Church has his or her particular role to fulfill in helping the Church carry
out Her mission. I cannot fulfill your role, you cannot accomplish my task. We
labor together, encouraging each other, laughing together, weeping together.
We rejoice as our individual gifts contribute to the life of the Church. We
rejoice as this Church nourishes these same gifts and gives them opportunity
for expression. As we labor together, we strive to put aside the temptation of
jealousy. We try to make the good of the Church our concern. We strive to
promote Her works together. Who gets the credit? Really, this does not matter:
What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you
became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. I planted, Apollos
watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants
nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. The
one who plants and the one who waters are equal, and each will receive wages
in proportion to his labor. For we are God's co-workers; you are God's
field, God's building. (1 Cor. 3:5-9).
Liberals, centrists, conservatives—we are all members of the
same Church, the same body of Christ. If we cannot always agree with one
another, we can always love one another. We must strive to make this love
always present, always growing, always ready to overcome all difficulties for
the sake of Him who has loved us first, and has laid down His life for us.
5
Eucharist—Mass
The Eucharist (The Mass) is a multi-splendored
reality. It is, for example, a narrative. In the Liturgy of the Word we listen
to the greatest love story of all time. It is the story of God's lavish
self-communication in love to the human family throughout the course of
salvation history. This story includes certain central figures, such as Moses,
David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Mary, Joseph, the Apostles, and, of course, Jesus
Himself. The entire Liturgy of the Word focuses upon Christ, delineating from
various perspectives this most important figure of all human history.
There are other dimensions to the Mass. The
Eucharist is a memorial, as it calls to mind the life, death, and resurrection
of the Lord. The Eucharist is likewise a sacrifice, an offering. This particular
aspect includes all the other dimensions, and gathers them together in a
wondrous unity. The Eucharist, then, is the sacramental renewal, the
sign-renewal of Jesus' earthly offering. This sign-renewal contains what it
signifies. Very importantly, to Jesus' offering of Himself to the Father, we add
the offering of ourselves. The closing of the Eucharistic offering highlights
another dimension of the Mass—the fact that it is a meal. The Eucharist as
meal is rich in symbolism. Here is Jesus' self-giving love to us. Here is
symbolized our commitment to Jesus, as we are intimately united to Him in the
reception of the Eucharist. Here is signified our union with one another as we
receive the one Christ, the sign and cause of unity among ourselves.
Furthermore, the Eucharist is also a celebration—the joyous recall of the
Christ event. As with all celebrations, the Eucharistic Liturgy, through its
ritual, reminds us that this is a special occasion. These are some of the varied
aspects of Jesus' great gift to us, the Eucharist.
From whatever perspective we approach the Eucharist, we see that
participation in it involves personal contact. First of all, the Eucharist
brings us into special union with God in Christ. In each Eucharist, God's
communication occurs through Jesus, and this God-gift is supremely personal. God
offers us love, tenderness, mercy, and a sensitive concern for our personal
uniqueness, strengths, weaknesses, hopes, and fears. God invites us to come
closer, and not to be afraid of the divine transforming touch. God wants us to
allow the Divine Will to guide our existence amid all the myriad aspects of life
within the human condition. Strengthened and inspired by the Eucharistic Christ,
we are moved to say "yes" to God's invitation. With Jesus we feel warm
and secure, encouraged to live out our "yes" with Him and through Him.
Our fears fade into the background as we thus meet Jesus in the Eucharist, as we
experience His loving embrace reach deep down where we really live. From past
situations, we know that living out our response will have its share of pain,
frustration, and hardship. Each Eucharistic meeting with Christ, however,
reminds us that if we can do nothing without Jesus, with Him we can do all He
wants of us. As our union with Jesus deepens, we come to realize with increased
conviction that His love for us and ours for Him can surmount all difficulties:
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of
God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39).
The Eucharist is a special source of union not only with God, but
also with the members of the Christian community. Through the Eucharistic Christ
we should become more aware of the bonds of faith and love that unite us.
Through the Eucharistic Christ we derive the light and the strength to work
against those forces which disrupt the love and unity of the Christian
community—jealousies, pettiness, callous unconcern for the other, ruthless
politics, backbiting, lack of teamwork, refusal to love because of wounded
feelings. In union with the Eucharistic Christ we receive the light and the
strength to develop those forces which build up community—selflessness, a
desire to see others succeed, the supportive word, a willingness to give sincere
praise for a job well done, a sense of compassion and empathy, a deep-rooted
desire to really love others as one loves himself or herself.
The Eucharist, then, deepens our union with God and with the
members of the Christian community. The Eucharist also deepens our union with
non-Christians. The Eucharistic Christ enlightens us, strengthens us, inspires
us to give of ourselves in order that the entire human family may better achieve
its destiny. The Eucharist takes quiet hold of us and makes us firmly realize
that everyone really is our brother or our sister. The Eucharist allows us not
only to realize this awesome truth, but also gives us the desire and strength to
live accordingly.
In summary, the Eucharist deepens our
relationship with God, with one another, with the entire human race. The
Eucharist accomplishes this in each of us—to the degree that we open ourselves
to its transforming influence.
6
Faith, Hope, and Love
Faith, hope, and love are
the three main Christian virtues. All the other virtues, important as they
are, ultimately are at the service of faith, hope, and love. Let us look at
this triad.
Today's Christian does not
live in a time outstanding for its religious faith. Long ago, in the golden
age of Christendom, a Christian faith-milieu was much more in evidence. Many
with whom one lived and worked were co-believers. Today, a considerable part
of our culture is not only non-Christian, but is also rife with secularism and
hostile to religious belief. However, whatever may be the problems and
difficulties relative to faith in this or any age, we know that God sustains
the believer. God distributes graces commensurate with the difficulties which
may confront the person of faith.
Faith gives us a new
vision regarding God and all reality. Out of this vision, new relationships
emerge. Faith relates us to God in a new way, and to the human family and the
rest of creation.
Hope allows
us to desire to live the vision of faith and to trust that God will assist us
in living according to what faith proposes.
The exercise of hope
does not always come easily. In times of greater difficulty or crisis, we
realize this. Yet it is precisely at these times that we have a special need
for hope. Despite the suffering, we must trust, even though the darkness seems
to be enshrouding us.
God can
accomplish great things through us if only we cooperate. What God accomplishes
through us may, to a considerable extent, be hidden from others. True
greatness, however, is still there. If we are to achieve truly great
things—great in the eyes of God—we must trust. We must trust that God will
lead us on to Christian maturity. We must trust that God will aid us in
fulfilling our mission in life. Even at those times when we are painfully
aware of how weak we are, we must trust that we can accomplish the task God
sets before us. Actually, at those times during which we are especially
experiencing our weakness, our optimism should grow. The more we realize our
weakness, the more we should throw ourselves into the arms of Christ. We then
are strong and secure in His strength. As long as we do not surrender to our
weakness, we can glory in our helplessness so that the strength of Christ may
support us. This was the attitude of St. Paul:
Therefore,
I am content with weaknesses, insults. . .persecutions, and constraints, for the
sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:10).
There is the
virtue of faith, there is the virtue of hope, and, as the queen of all
virtues, there is love. St. Paul reminds us, So faith, hope, love
remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (Cor.
13:13).
We live
successfully to the degree that we love. Jesus has told us this. Jesus
has summarized His religion in terms of love. The Incarnation, indeed, is a
work of love. In the Gospel of John we read,
For God so
loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him might not perish but might have
eternal life. (Jn. 3:16).
These
words remind us that our insight into the Christ-event deepens as we consider
it in the light of love. Thus, we should think primarily in terms of love.
Christ aids us in this endeavor by showing us His heart as symbol of God's
overwhelming love for us. The heart of Christ also calls us to respond—by
living our lives out of love for God and neighbor.
It is one thing
to recognize the primacy of love. It is another thing to live it. Merely
knowing that Christianity is summarized in terms of love is not enough. We
must allow this truth to penetrate into our inner depths and to influence the
way we think and act. We must consistently live according to love. We must not
fall into the error which says that knowledge is virtue—that to know the
good is necessarily to act accordingly. We know from painful experience that
this is not true, that our activity can proceed in a direction opposite to
what we know is right. We can think love, and yet act selfishly. We can know
that we achieve real happiness only when we love properly, and yet we can
choose to try to find happiness in other ways. We can know that our Christian
personalities develop and expand through love of God and neighbor, yet at
times we foolishly choose a process of self-enclosement—which is what
actually occurs when we refuse to love.
Although we have
sometimes failed to love as we should, we are not hopelessly depressed by this
fact. We also know that many times we have cooperated with God, and we have
loved. We know that in certain instances we have even surprised ourselves
because of the height and the depth of our love.
Jesus, then, has
come to teach us the primacy of love. He went to extraordinary lengths to
impress us with this truth—that love is the chief element of Christianity.
Spurred on by love's relentless drive, He embraced the horrors of Calvary's
cross. He stretched out His arms on this cross, begging us not to miss His
message of love, showing us that love is not measured, but lavish in its
outpouring. We should have to plead guilty to an extreme insensitivity if the
lesson He has so strikingly taught us makes little impression on the way we
live. Let us live love, striving to live it with our entire beings, living it
in full measure. This is what it means to be a committed Christian.
7
What Is Prudence?
Prudence is that virtue which helps us to make correct
decisions—decisions in accordance with God's will.
It seems some have an erroneous idea
concerning the nature of prudence. They think being prudent means being overly
cautious, taking what seems to be the safer route, eliminating that which
seems to involve risk.
Actually, Christian prudence at times will
lead me to do the very bold and daring—if responsible discernment has led to
the conclusion that this is God's will. It is interesting to note that even
when prudence leads one to take the route fraught with risks, this decision is
actually the safe one—for it is the one we responsibly think to be in
conformity with God's will for us.
Prudence, or discretion, is particularly
necessary in contemporary times. Both within the Church community and secular
society we are faced with increased pluralism—many diverse ways of thinking
and acting. Such a setting demands that the Christian strive to sharpen her or
his sense of discretion. With increased frequency I must ask myself, "How
does the Holy Spirit wish me to think and act?" regarding this or that
issue. Amid the diversified opinions on this issue, which seems to be correct?
Or if there seems to be several correct possibilities, which does the Spirit
intend for me? Or is the Spirit telling me that none of the proposed opinions
and consequent ways of acting relative to this particular issue are correct?
Or, am I supposed to be involved with this issue in any way? Does the Spirit
wish me to channel my energies in other directions?
A life of prayer should accompany the exercise
of prudence. Prayer is a source of light which allows us to see things as God
desires. Prayer is also a source of strength which allows us to act upon the
insights prayer affords. It is obvious that if we wish to be persons guided by
a holy discretion, we should also be persons of prayer.
8
Giving Others Their Due
The virtue of justice requires us to give others what is their
due. We must respect the life, good name, and the property of others. We owe
this to others because they have rights concerning these values. Also, we must
give an honest day's work, and employers in turn have an obligation to pay a
just wage. These, then, are some examples concerning the exercise of the
virtue of justice.
We have a duty in justice, not only regarding
individuals as such, but also regarding the broader scope of society at large.
We have an obligation regarding the make-up of social structures and
institutions. It is in this broader area of social justice that I believe we
are less likely to fulfill our responsibilities.
Besides using the universal means of prayer,
each of us should do what he or she can to make the various societal
structures better serve the needs of all members of the human family.
There are numerous social problems facing our
country and the world at large. These problems must be confronted through
individual and collective effort in every way possible. Not all of us are
called to be leaders in the fight for social justice, but each of us has a
certain responsibility. Let us not say the social problems seem beyond
solution, and, therefore, it does not much matter what we do or fail to do.
This may be a handy excuse, but it does not serve the truth of the matter. Let
us rather strive always to remember the teaching of the Christopher Movement:
"It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."
In any case, there are two things we all can
do, and need to do, in this area. First, we can show our involvement by
example—by the life we lead, by our system of values that we show to others.
Secondly, we can contribute through prayer. Prayer can change the world.
9
Coping With the Difficult
We have a tendency to try to avoid that which is hard, difficult,
arduous. We must consistently strive to control this penchant; otherwise, we
wallow in spiritual mediocrity.
The need for a Christian virtue which enables
us successfully to encounter the difficult is obvious. Traditionally, this
virtue has been called fortitude. We can also refer to it as strength of
heart, or courage.
There is a long list of difficulties which are
very indigenous to our human condition. Coping with failure, rejection,
loneliness, and anxiety—these are all common experiences. To cope with the
monotonous element of daily life without allowing it to extinguish the
enthusiasm we should have in Christ's service is another challenge we must
meet on a rather consistent basis. Fidelity to work and duty, even when it
seems to go unnoticed and unappreciated—surely we have had to cope with this
difficulty more than once.
The above are a few examples of facing the
difficult which a Christian of any age could experience. Today, as we are all
aware, we live in an age which has its own particular difficulties regarding
both the life of the Church and human society at large. To live in a Church
which is experiencing a more than ordinary degree of change is a difficult
task, no matter how optimistic we may be about the outcome. Not to shy away
from our part in the renewal process, to maintain a sense of balance amid a
certain amount of confusion which has accompanied change and renewal, to try
to remain open and united in love with those who think and act differently
than we do in today's Church—all this requires an uncommon degree of
courageous dedication.
We must also consider the fact that today's
Church is situated in a fast-paced and rapidly changing world, with all the
problems and difficulties emanating from such an atmosphere. The crucial and
difficult issues facing the human family today are staggering, and the
Christian must bear her or his part of the burden. Here again the demand for
courage in the face of the difficult is endless.
In conclusion, we can make the following
statement: the difficulties accompanying one's presence in today's Church and
the world at large, highlight the importance of the virtue of courage for
successful living. Fortitude is a grace available to us from God. We all need
to invoke the Holy Spirit for this gift.
10
Moderating the Pleasurable
The virtue of temperance gives us the capacity to moderate and
control our tendency toward sense pleasure. It allows us to use the
pleasurable according to God's will. In giving us the capacity to engage in
sense pleasure properly, temperance actually increases our ability to enjoy.
The temperate person can enjoy a meal more than the glutton. He or she uses
the sense of taste as a human should, and, accordingly, experiences the
enjoyment God has attached to the proper use of things. This satisfaction is
greater than that morbid kind emanating from the wrongful use of God's
creation.
We who live in affluent societies must be
aware that our cultures are especially prone to excess in the matter of
pleasure. If we ourselves do not avoid this excess, we not only hurt
ourselves, but in various ways, we also lessen our capacity for service to
others.
The virtue of temperance, then, has multiple
benefits. Two of these are our greater enjoyment of the pleasurable, and the
fact that temperance helps make us more fit for the greater service of God and
neighbor. Self-discipline is a maturing process for all of us. It heightens
our sense of responsibility while actually increasing our sense of
satisfaction. The notion that all pleasure knows no bounds eventually leads to
the loss of pleasure completely.
11
Humility
In our current age, we do not read or hear much concerning the
virtue of humility. The spiritual masters, however, have always emphasized its
importance.
Humility is realizing we are the creatures,
not the Creator, and acting upon this awareness. Humility enables us to
comprehend that all our gifts are from God, that without God we are nothing.
Some mistakenly think that humility means one
must have a low estimate of oneself, that a person should minimize her or his
gifts. This is not true. In fact, humility bids us to look at our gifts—but,
very importantly, to realize the source of these gifts, God Himself. If we do
not properly recognize our gifts, we will not give due thanks to God, nor
sufficiently recognize our responsibility to develop these talents for God and
others. Even the proper recognition that one is greatly gifted is according to
the norms of humility. Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother, is an
outstanding example of this. She recognized the greatness with which God had
adorned her, and, in her humility, she gave thanks to God and lived in perfect
conformity to God's will.
Humility also leads us to look at what is
wrong with our existence. Humility prompts us to admit how we have failed to
live as creatures of God should. Looking at our failings honestly, we
determine with God's help to labor against these in order that we might be
less encumbered in developing our gifts.
Not to live according to humility is to walk
in non-truth, in error. Walking in error, one feels ajar, out of kilter,
uneasy, lacking in desired security, fearful and anxious without fully
realizing why. Failure to live according to the truth about oneself produces
an unstable existence.
On the other hand, humility provides a person
with a truthful perspective concerning himself or herself. Through humility a
person recognizes both one's good points and bad points, and the sources of
both. Being truthful about oneself, and living according to this truth, a
person lives a stabilized existence, a peaceful existence.
12
On Being Thankful
On the occasion of curing a number of lepers, Jesus said:
Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other
nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God? (Lk.
17:17-18).
This Gospel passage is a reminder to all of us
that giving thanks to our Creator is an ongoing responsibility.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have given
themselves to us in love—for this we need to be thankful. For Mary and the
Church and the Eucharist—for these gifts we should also give thanks.
For life itself, for the opportunity to love
and be loved, for the opportunity to accomplish the ordinary, as well as the
extraordinary—for this we need to be thankful.
For the precious gift of sight which allows us
to marvel at the beauties of nature and to read the printed word, for the gift
of hearing which enables us to enjoy the majestic symphonic performance as
well as the gleeful laughter of children at play, for the soundness of limb,
for general good health which accompanies us most of our days—for all this
we owe thanks to God.
For the wonderful people in our lives—for
these, too, we need to be thankful. Some of them have been extremely
instrumental in helping us to be and to become. Indeed, without them perhaps
we might never have grown as we have regarding certain aspects of our
Christian personalities.
The pain and the joy—these permeate our
lives. For coping properly with the pain, for using it as a means of growth
rather than as reason for becoming bitterly self-pitied—for this grace we
should give thanks to God. For the proper use of the joy in our lives, for
allowing it to bring us closer to the Lord rather than permitting it to be a
distraction which makes us forgetful of God—for this, too, we need to give
thanks.
We should, then, endeavor consistently to be
aware of the manifold and precious gifts God abundantly bestows upon us. We
should resolve to maintain and develop that spirit of thanksgiving which will
prevent Jesus from including us among the ungrateful: Where are the other
nine? (Lk. 17:17).
13
The Need for Patience
We hear relatively little concerning the virtue of patience. Its
consistent need regarding Christian living, however, is evident upon a
moment's reflection. Unless a person is fundamentally patient, there is
lacking that peace and acceptance which are so conducive to a reasonably happy
and joyful life.
We have to be patient with others. The
failings of others, their personality flaws, or just the simple fact that they
possess personalities not attuned to our liking—these are some of the
factors which call our patience into play. Our patience is especially tested
when we suffer injustice because of the failings of others. One of the
thoughts a sense of patience readily suggests in such situations is that this
is an inevitable part of life, and that our own failings are also causative
factors in the sufferings of others.
We must not only be patient regarding others;
we must also be especially patient with ourselves. At times we can prudently
avoid an encounter with certain people, and, thus, avoid patience-shattering
possibilities. Regarding ourselves, however, there is no escape. Patience with
the self—this is a constant and courage-demanding challenge.
Patience is required of ourselves in the
never-ending cycle of customary daily duties. The sameness of daily
ordinariness makes faithful performance more difficult. Patience is required
to fight off feelings of boredom and lethargy arising out of the seemingly
uneventful pattern which shapes our days with only minimal variation.
There are those rarer times in life which
demand an unusual degree of patience. There may be a particularly grave
problem crying for a solution, but the appropriate answer still eludes
us—and we must patiently wait. There can also be situations which place us
at a fork along the road of life's journey. The route we choose is
tremendously important, yet the signs indicating God's will are not yet
sufficiently clear—and we must patiently wait. At other times intense
suffering piercingly enters our lives, the severity of which makes us
experience each day as almost endless. We take appropriate means to try to
terminate or at least alleviate the suffering, yet its end is nowhere in
sight—and we must patiently wait.
The virtue of patience, therefore, should be
our constant companion. Indeed, if we recognize the ongoing need for patience,
we have assimilated an attitude required for a correct encounter with a
variety of human experiences. Again, it is a gift—one we need to pray for.
14
Prayer
Prayer is a special dialogue in our
relationship with God. In prayer we become especially aware of God's loving
presence and respond with our own pledge of love. Prayer deepens our desire
for God, unites us more intimately with God, and increases our determination
to carry out God's will.
The best way for you to pray is that method
which at any particular time seems best able to put you in contact with God.
For one person this may be meditative reading—for example, prayerful
reflection on a selected Scripture passage. As many passages may be prayed
over as seems fruitful for a particular prayer period. For another, the best
method here and now may well be a simple discussion with God concerning the
happenings of one's life. Another person may choose reflection on the words of
a favorite prayer. Prayer over a scene of Christ's life is another popular
method. All the above are some of the common methods used in making meditative
prayer. To have a deepened sense of God being present to me and I to God, and
to realize that this occurs in an atmosphere of love—this is the important
thing. The prayer method you use should best serve this particular purpose.
As just stated, love should permeate prayer.
Christianity is a religion of love. Prayer, a particular exercise of the
Christian life, should, then, also center itself in love. To realize anew how
much God loves us, and to respond with a love of our own, this is the heart of
prayer.
The entire Christian life, including prayer,
is mediated by Christ. The Father speaks to us through Jesus:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors
through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom
he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe. (Heb.
1:1-2).
Christian prayer, then, is emphatically Christocentric. No matter
what prayer method I use, no matter to what stage prayer develops, Christ is
at the center of prayer.
If prayer is characterized by love and its
Christocentrism, it is likewise marked with a spirit of openness. We must be
open to what God desires to tell us, to what God asks of us. The Old Testament
figure, Samuel, is a good example of this openness:
When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and revealed his
presence, calling out as before, ‘Samuel, Samuel!’ Samuel answered,
‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ (1 Sam. 3:9-10).
This attitude of openness to God in prayer is of extreme
importance. This is not to say that it is always easy to make this attitude
our own. There is something in us that wants to retain control of our lives,
that wants us to be in charge of how our lives develop. I am not speaking of
that proper and prudent sense of direction that is to be with us in the
planning and execution of daily duties. I speak of that desire to control
things which hinders abandonment to God. We can want to draw up our own agenda
for living without proper reliance on the Lord. To let go, to allow God
increasingly to direct our lives, takes a spiritual maturity which requires
its own suffering—the pain involved in dying to that self which wants to
usurp God's role in the guidance of our existence. To bear with the suffering
is to achieve that joy which those alone experience who know the happiness and
security resulting from casting oneself into the loving arms of our heavenly
Father.
As prayer develops, it usually becomes more simplified. Beginners
in the life of prayer often experience numerous ideas and images regarding God
and the things of God together with varied acts of the will. As prayer
develops, there usually occurs a simplification process which is threefold.
First, acts of the intellect become fewer, even to the extent that one idea
clearly predominates, such as "God's will be done," "Jesus is
with me," or simply the realization of God's presence. The acts of the
will also become fewer, and that of love more and more emerges and, in summary
fashion, contains all other movements of the will. Finally, prayer's
simplification process reaches out and touches everything in the person's
life. She or he sees life harmoniously unified in Christ, and this simplified
vision gives a sense of concentrated purpose and strength to the person's
existence which was previously not present.
Prayer and its growth process are not void of
all difficulties. The path of prayer, as with all spiritual life in general,
is not always a smooth one. Sometimes we encounter lesser sufferings along the
way; sometimes the pain is more severe. It is once again a question of death
and resurrection, of pain leading to joy.
One of the common difficulties encountered in
prayer is that of coping with distractions. It is only in higher mystical
prayer, during which God takes special hold of the faculties, that
distractions are completely absent. In the more ordinary stages of prayer, we
will always have to cope with them. The challenge, then, is not to rid
ourselves completely of all distractions, but to strive to bypass them when
they do occur. Essential concentration on God and the things of God is still
possible although distractions come and go.
Dryness in prayer is another common suffering.
Often God bestows sweet consolations upon one beginning the life of prayer in
order to help the person in prayer's initial stages. Often, as prayer
progresses, the periods of emotionally-felt consolation become less frequent.
A dryness of the emotions is noticeably present. The person, grounded in the
practice of prayer, is now strong enough to continue in it even though times
of consolation may be less frequent. One is learning to seek God, rather than
just God's gifts of consolation. In seeking God, the person will also receive
divine consolations as God chooses to give them.
As prayer becomes more simplified, at times we can be tempted to
think that not much is happening. All the myriad ideas and varied movements of
the will common to the beginner now significantly decrease in number. This
decrease can lead us to think that prayer is less fruitful. Actually, the
opposite is true. Our prayer is becoming more unified, and is penetrating more
into our inner being. Consequently we must bear with this difficulty of
seemingly not accomplishing much during prayer. In due time, the richness and
fruitfulness of this deepened and simplified prayer will manifest itself.
Of all the difficulties encountered during
prayer, surely the most painful is to experience God as very distant. This is
such a penetrating type of suffering because it strikes at the very heart of
prayer—the fact that prayer is a special dialogue with God.
There are two basic reasons for God seeming to be distant. God
can actually be more distant because the person is at fault. There is
something of considerable significance which the person is doing and should
not be doing, or something which he or she should be doing and is not. The
solution to the difficulty is obvious. Corrective action should be taken. If,
however, upon examination the person honestly cannot discover any such
significant commission or omission, he or she can be reasonably assured this
is a trial associated with prayer's growth process. Passing through this trial
successfully, the person will discover that the relative darkness has turned
into light, and a closer love-union with God is now experienced.
Prayer is a great gift of God. So much is
gained if we consistently pray. So much is lost if we do not. Let us always
remember the words of St. Paul:
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all
circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ
Jesus. (Thes. 5:16-18).
15
Contemporary Asceticism
Let us define asceticism here as the effort to
reach a higher spiritual level by rigorous self-discipline and denial.
Asceticism is an important element in the
pattern of death-resurrection. It is one of the more active forms of dying
with Jesus, for the term asceticism implies a chosen kind of effort on the
Christian's part, but, very importantly, an endeavor assisted by God's grace.
There is another fundamental form of the cross which does not require this
more active type of effort and we could label it as passive suffering or
purification, a kind of suffering which we accept in accord with God's will,
but over which we have little or no control. Here, we discuss asceticism on a
different level, as defined above.
The purpose of Christian asceticism is to
cooperate with the Holy Spirit in achieving the necessary discipline required
for the living of the Christ-life, our life of grace. This discipline is meant
to extend to all dimensions of the person. As with many aspects of the
Christian life, the concept of asceticism has undergone rethinking in our day.
The traditional asceticism is seen as deficient in certain respects. A
contemporary asceticism, geared to meet the needs of the modern Christian, has
been gradually developing.
The traditional asceticism was based to a
considerable extent upon the monastic or semi-monastic type of spirituality.
For many centuries this spirituality was a dominant force. It became
systematized and was handed down from generation to generation. Many committed
Christians who were not living a monastic or semi-monastic state of life, more
or less adapted this spirituality as best they could to serve their own
particular vocations. As we know, this monastic spirituality stressed
withdrawal from the world. If one had to live in the world, one endured it for
the proper reasons, but hardly desired such a situation in itself. Many
precautions were given on how to escape basically unscathed from the
engagement. Monasticism's attitude toward secular involvement was to a
considerable extent negative. Its asceticism was oriented toward
non-involvement rather than toward proper engagement. This traditional
asceticism was basically directed toward achieving a particular kind of
contemplative union with God. Its direct objective was not primarily aimed at
the proper building of the secular city, although it did have its own
proportionate concern in this regard.
We should not be overly critical of this
traditional asceticism with its stress on withdrawal, silence, and the like.
It originated and developed to serve the purpose of monasticism, and in view
of this goal we can say it was basically well-conceived. This spirituality
certainly has produced its share of great saints. Its shortcomings arose
because it came to be accepted by many as the universal asceticism—the one
for committed Christians of all vocations.
As stated above, a contemporary asceticism is
being developed to more realistically meet the needs of the vast majority of
today's Christians. The new asceticism is meant to serve the Christian in her
or his secular involvement. It is meant to help the Christian find God in the
market place as well as in times of formal prayer and solitude. Its general
principles can serve the needs of all committed Christians living in the
secular world, whatever their vocations may be. The traditional monastic type
asceticism is still available for those living within that monastic tradition,
and it has also been experiencing its own renewal.
The new asceticism, if it is to be authentic,
has to meet the varied needs of the Christian in the exercise of the
Christ-life. This Christ-life is a relational life. Let us now discuss three
of the relationships which flow from this Christic existence—relationships
with the material world, with one's neighbor, and, most importantly, with God.
The new asceticism assumes a very positive
attitude toward material creation. Yet, as must the asceticism of any age,
contemporary asceticism has to be concerned with the Christian's proper
control relative to the material world. We have a tendency to misuse the
world's material things. At times we use things in excess. At other times we
use things we should not be using. These abuses are present in any age and
culture, but they are apt to be multiplied among people living in affluent
cultures. The new asceticism, while accepting an appreciation of material
things, must also be concerned with instructing us to achieve proper control
relative to the material. There are two facets of this control. One allows us
to relate to the material world properly, while actually using it. The other
facet directs us at times to non-use, either to learn better how to use God's
material gifts, or because there is an indication that the particular use of
something material is simply not according to the Spirit's designs here and
now.
Turning our attention to relationship with our
neighbor, let us say a few words concerning new asceticism and social concern.
There is the constant temptation to settle down in the niche of one's
relatively comfortable existence and act as if there were not extremely
pressing social problems and issues. A Christian could even do this under
pretense that he or she needs peace, a freedom from anxiety, in order to find
God. The person could rationalize that to become mixed up with the murky and
seething waters of social issues destroys this peace of spirit.
The asceticism of social concern points in
another direction. First of all, it gives us the courage to look at the
unpleasant, sometimes hideous aspects of the social structure. The asceticism
of social concern bids us to reflect sufficiently about the actual
situation—long enough and consistently enough so that we no longer block out
that about which we should be aware. The asceticism of social concern makes us
look at racism, at poverty, at the vastly destructive drug traffic, at the
free reign of pornography, at political corruption—at whatever is eating
away at authentic social structures, at whatever helps prevent the
establishment of a more just social order.
The asceticism of social concern makes us
seriously reflect on all this. Obviously, it must do more. It must also
generate the verve to act upon this realization that there is much to be done.
Asceticism must prompt us to embrace the pain involved in bettering the social
structure, whether that pain be, for instance, enduring the anguish attendant
with actual inner-city involvement, or the frustration entailed in painfully
slow court procedures aimed at achieving social justice. Whatever our state of
life, whatever our work or profession, whatever our immediate environment may
be, the asceticism of social concern will prompt us to do something.
This doing can range from the most intense concrete involvement of the social
activist to the prayer and sacrifice of the cloistered contemplative. All of
us must take Christ seriously. May He be able to say to us:
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty
and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed
me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. (Mt.
25:35-36).
Contemporary asceticism looks not only at our
responsibility toward society at large, but also at our dealings with those
relatively few individuals whom we contact in a more direct and consistent
fashion. There is, for example, an asceticism required for giving time and
attention to the individual. This is not always easy. We live in a vastly
advanced technological culture in which the individual can easily be pushed
into the background where she or he tends to be treated as a faceless number
rather than as an unique individual with a priceless dignity. Influenced by
this ugly dimension of our culture, we can rationalize that we are too busy to
give any considerable time to this or that individual. Asceticism, however,
bids us to develop the patience, the loving attention, the selflessness
involved in making ourselves available to individuals, particularly in those
instances when the individual is not especially attractive to us.
Even when the individual is appealing to
us—as, for example, in friendship or marriage—there is still an ascetical
effort demanded. These close relationships are meant to be meaningful and
beautiful occasions for the exercise of the deepest love. If this love is to
grow and flourish, if it is not to wither, and perhaps die, there is a dying
which must take place within us—it is ultimately a dying to the
non-authentic self, to that self which is an obstacle to the relationship. It
is a dying to that which refuses to give oneself in love so that the other may
be aided in becoming more what he or she is destined to be. If these
relationships are to endure properly, there must be at least a basic attitude
of such selflessness. We are not speaking here of those relationships which
are dissolved for legitimate reasons, for instance, a friendship which is
judged by one or both parties to be no longer authentically viable.
Let us consider a few ideas concerning this
new asceticism and the Christian's relationship with God. We have already said
much in this regard. In discussing asceticism's role in helping the Christian
relate properly to material things and to one's neighbor, we have also been
implicitly speaking about one's finding God through such relationships. This
is precisely one of the main thrusts of contemporary asceticism—to enable
the Christian to find God in and through a proper engagement with the world.
To find God in this manner demands discipline.
We have to make the effort to be open to the Spirit's guidance during our
activity. We have to take the means whereby the vision of faith is vitally
operative in our engagement in the market place. Following the lead of faith,
we must allow Christian love to shape and inform our secular activity. If we
fail to make this effort, lesser motives take over. We work and are busy, we
mix in the society about us, simply because we happen to find it all so
interesting, and the overriding influence of the Spirit guiding our activity
fades to the background.
If we are to achieve proper openness to the
Holy Spirit during our secular involvement, it seems a certain amount of
formal prayer and disengagement must be structured into our lives. In this
regard, the new asceticism can borrow from the traditional asceticism.
Figuratively speaking, the Christian must at times go to the solitude of the
desert to meet God in a more direct fashion. The Christian must seek the
solitude of one's room, a church, a walk in the fields or along the lake's
shore. The Christian needs these periods of disengagement in order to pray,
reflect, reorient oneself so that engagement with the world may be truly a
Christic one, one guided by the Spirit.
In conclusion, we can say that a new
asceticism has been developing to meet the needs of today's Christian. If the
current asceticism is a new one, it is not a totally different one. It is not
completely differentiated from the traditional asceticism. But if it is to be
really effective, today's asceticism will necessarily have to incorporate into
its structure some of the practices of the more traditional one. We have just
given one indication of this in our discussion of the need for a certain
degree of disengagement. By having proper regard for certain teachings of
traditional asceticism, the newer form can temper what could be an excessive
optimism regarding our engagement with the world.
If the traditional asceticism was prone to an
excessive fear of the world, the new asceticism is prone to fail to
effectively point out that there are precautionary measures to be taken to
ensure a proper engagement with the world. If the new asceticism can
judiciously blend certain aspects of the older form with its own particular
thrusts and broadened vision, then it certainly will be a more effective and
realistic asceticism for the vast majority of today's Christians.
16
Self-Identity
To achieve an on-going sense of who we are in
Christ is a particular way of stating the goal of the spiritual life. To
become increasingly aware of who we really are, and then to live according to
this awareness, is actually to live the spiritual life.
If spirituality is interested in the concept
of self-identity, so also is the science of psychology. Psychologists have
systems of therapy which they utilize in helping the client achieve a more
stable existence. Most, if not all of these therapies involve the process of
the client gradually revealing the self to the therapist. Through this process
of self-revelation, the client arrives at a greater self-knowledge. He or she
begins to see the reasons for the emotional and mental distress being
experienced, and may gradually realize the necessary steps which are to be
taken to achieve a more balanced personal existence.
We should not limit the idea of
self-revelation to a client-therapist situation. Indeed, we can grow in
self-knowledge—obtain a firmer grasp on our self-identity—from our general
interaction with others. For example, I come to realize that I react one way
with certain types of people, and another way with other people. Also, one
person remarks that I have this particular characteristic of which I was
hardly aware. Then another person makes the same observation, and I come to
realize that this trait is, indeed, a dominant characteristic of my
personality.
If we grow in self-knowledge through a varied
interaction with persons, what are we to say concerning our relationship with
God? God knows us better than do all human persons taken together. Direct
contact with God, then, is the chief source of growth in self-identity.
God increasingly reveals to me my Christic
self. An aspect of this Christic self is my personal uniqueness. God tells me,
this unique individual, that I have a special mission to accomplish.
Let us not fret, then, because we do not
possess this or that particular gift, that we cannot do what this or that
person so admirably accomplishes. We have the gifts God wants us to have, and
we have a mission no one else can achieve.
To realize the above truths is to have a firm
grasp on one's self-identity. In assimilating these truths we achieve a sense
of worth, satisfaction, and purpose which admirably breeds the correct kind of
self-confidence. To achieve this sense of self-identity is to eliminate that
unhealthy restlessness which otherwise plagues our existence. To know who we
really are is a precious gift of God.
(End of Excerpt from The Pain and the Joy)
A rosary can be used to pray for healing. It is powerful to unite our
prayers to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and pray through the powerful intercession of
Our Lady of Clearwater.
In times of trouble, for special prayer, we can use our rosary and pray as
follows.
A Rosary for Healing or for Someone
with Cancer.
On one Hail Mary bead or as many as you desire, say:
May God heal
through the intercession of Our Lady of Clearwater in union with the Mass and all the
Masses being celebrated around the world.
Pray the Hail Mary or Hail Mary's then pray this after the Hail Mary.
May the cancer be uprooted and thrown into the sea.
We believe with all our hearts.
After the Glory Be — pray the following petition.
May
be healed through the intercession of Our Lady of Clearwater if it be the holy will of
God.
 |
Note: You can look at Mary on the image rosary while you pray this rosary. |
 |
Note: The above section can be printed out from a PDF file, and you can pray the rosary looking at
the pictures.
 |
December 17, 2000, Mary speaks:
Help me to circulate my red and blue
Rosary Books and the
prayers my Son gives to you.
This is a gift we give you.
All the revelations are gifts given to you.
My Son is the Light of the World.
He is Jesus born in a stable.
Will you help me?
He is the Light of the World. Help me, help me
reach my children of the world. |
 |
To order your Rosary Book fill out this form and send your donation to
Shepherds of Christ Ministries, PO Box 193, Morrow, Ohio 45152-0193, Telephone: (toll
free) 1-888-211-3041 or (513) 932-4451.
Name: _________________ Street:
_____________________________
City: _________________
State: _________________ Zip: ________
Donation price: $7 A
$15 A $25
A $50 A
$100 A Other $_____ A
Messenger: Mary wants the Red Rosary Book printed. It will cost
$12,000 - $14,000 to get them reprinted. We are out of Red Rosary books. Mary has asked us
to always circulate them. They go with the apparition in Florida.
Messenger: The new Blue Rosary Book
Volume II of Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary has been printed. It cost $21,000.
Please pray with us for funds.
Messenger: CAN YOU HELP US BY GIVING US ROSARIES FOR THE SCHOOLS
REQUESTING THEM?
Mary speaks: PLEASE MAKE WALTER'S ROSARIES. THE
SCHOOLS WANT ROSARIES AND THERE ARE NOT ANY ROSARIES LEFT.
Messenger: Pray for Perry, Ron, Fernando, Hank, Ed.
Prayer List for apostles for interior use in
the Movement. Pray hourly.
Spread the Blood of Jesus on everyone, consecrate their hearts,
cast the devil out, pray for coming of the Holy Spirit in a special way for
all people involved on this list.
Pray for Father Carter and the Jesuits, the people at Colombiere.
Pray for the funeral and all events concerned with that.
Please pray for one new very important intention.
Pray for all involved in buying the building.
Pray for 2 special priests.
Pray for designated priests, Fr. Mike, Fr. Smith, Fr. Ken, all priests involved
in the Imprimaturs translations including all bishops. Pray for Fr. Joe,
Bishop Ed, Fr. Don, Father at Tuesday Masses, Fr. Tom, Fr. Bill, all priests
involved with Walter, Fr. Hagee and special priests.
Pray for Father's sister Merle, for all of us servants, handmaids, apostles and
vocations to all 7 categories.
Pray for the priestly newsletter and all involved.
Pray for prayer book.
Pray for all book covers, pray for Cathy.
Pray for all translations and all involved.
Pray for the elections.
Pray for an audience with the Pope.
Pray for all Jesuits involved, all those over us. Pray for the 4 urgent
intentions.
Pray for the rights to the books.
Pray for the process of getting Father's books on the Internet.
Pray for money to reprint the books.
Pray for the Imprimatur on the Priestly Newsletter Book II.
Pray we can send it to all bishops and Jesuits.
Pray for Perry and family and discernment.
Pray for all sub-centers and all out-of-state rosaries.
Pray for the sisters' mailing, nursing home mailing, bus mailing.
Pray for Rosary Factory.
Pray for Genevieve's daughter and Sheila's mom and Jerry's dad, Bernice's
daughter.
Pray for Paul and Joan discernment.
Pray for B & M and Tina and Terry, all printing jobs, companies involved.
Pray for 5th, the 13th, the 17th.
Pray for the Internet team and the daily messages.
Pray for building up of Morrow, Ohio, Dale, Indiana, other sub-centers.
Pray for the Holy Spirit Center and all involved.
Pray for all our families, children in school, college mailing.
Pray for lots of rosary makers and rosaries for the schools.
Pray for funds and grace.
Pray for Paul C., Margaret Mary, Steve and Sheila, Monica, Angie, Marian, Cathy,
Joe, Nick, Mary, Emily, Joe, Doris, Glaci, Dunkers, Joan R., Morgan, Mark,
Walter, Janice, Mike A., Margaret, Ron, and Harold.
Pray for Fred doing the paper and all involved in priestly "start-up".
Please pray for all Shepherds of Christ children.
Pray for Victor's son, Michael. (Victor and Frances)
(Please copy and pass out to family and friends.)
Mary's
Message from the Rosary of August 27, 1996
Mary speaks: I stood beneath the cross
of my Son, and my Heart was in such pain for I saw Him before my eyes. I saw Him covered
with blood. I saw Him die. My Heart, my children, my Heart to watch my Son, but my Heart,
my Heart, how I suffered for my little children of the world that give in to this world
and give up the love of my Son. O my little children of light, I give you this message.
Carry this light into the darkness for your Mother Mary, for I stood beneath the cross and
I cried. I cried for the little ones. I cried for the young ones, the ones that do not
care and will lose their souls. How do I make you see for you will not listen to me? What
can I do? I come. I appear. I beg. I plead. I give you these gifts from my Son, and you
reject me. I do not deliver messages very often anymore for I have been ignored. The
message is the same. You do not read the messages I have given to you. Please help me.
Help the little children. I appear. I appear. I appear, and I am ignored. I stood beneath
the cross, and I cried. I cried, and my Heart was in such anguish for my little children,
for I am searching for them this day as I searched for the Child Jesus. Please, please
help me. I cannot hold back the hand of my Son any longer. I am Mary, your Mother. I ask
you to help my children. You are my children of light.
Song: O Lady of Light, shining so bright,
be with us this day, guiding our way, O Lady, O Lady of Light.
Mary speaks: I appear to you as
Our Mother of Sorrows.
(End of Mary's Message)
MY
VALENTINE FOR JESUS AND MARY
AND THE WORLD
I _________________ give my
heart to
You Jesus and Mary on this day
_________________
I promise to help spread the devotion to
the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
   |
Question for married couples and others in intimate
relationships:
Q: How can I help to reach the world with the gift
God gives us in the Eucharist? (This can be majorly in being called to spread
His revelations or being an Apostle of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, etc.)
Table of Contents
Previous Daily Message
Main Shepherds of Christ Page
Copyright
© 2000 Shepherds of Christ.
Rights for non-commercial reproduction granted:
May be copied in its entirety, but neither re-typed nor edited.
Translations are welcome but they must be reviewed for moral and theological accuracy by a
source approved by Shepherds of Christ Ministries before any distribution takes place.
Please contact us for more information.
All scripture quotes are from the New Jerusalem Bible, July 1990, published by Doubleday.
Revised: January 8, 2001
URL: http://www.SofC.org
Contact Information for Shepherds of Christ
Email: info@SofC.org
Shepherds of Christ Ministries
PO Box 193
Morrow, Ohio 45152-0193
Telephone: (toll free) 1-888-211-3041 or (513) 932-4451
FAX: (513) 932-6791