The above described
Christian life is certainly impossible without God's grace. We must be
deeply aware that grace is a gratuitous gift which we cannot achieve by
our natural efforts. But God offers grace in abundance. Our problem is
that we do not respond to grace as we should. We tend to minimize the
Father's great designs for us. We are tempted not to take His words at
face value, those which tell us of the fathomless love He has for each
one of us, and what that love can accomplish in us. To help ourselves
maintain the proper perspective in these matters, we should often remind
ourselves of these words of St. Paul: "We were still helpless when at
his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die
even for a good man— though of course for someone really worthy, a man
might be prepared to die—but what proves that God loves us is that
Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us
righteous, is it likely he would now fail to save us from God's anger?"
(Rm 5:6-9).
We have, therefore, an irrevocable and overwhelming testimony of the
Father's love for us. Because of this love, the Christian can
increasingly assimilate the Father's will in his own response of love.
Through this mutual self-giving, God and the Christian are meant to be
united in the deepest possible love.
The above passage from St. Paul not only tells us of the Father's
great love for us, but it also tells us that this love has come to us
through Christ and continues to do so. There is no other way. This is
the eternal design of the Father. Our grace-life as well as all creation
takes its meaning from Christ: "He has let us know the mystery of his
purpose, the hidden plan he so kindly made in Christ from the beginning
to act upon when the times had run their course to the end: that he
would bring everything together under Christ, as head, everything in the
heavens and everything on earth." (Ep 1:9-10).
6) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 48-49
b) Relationship
with Christ
Scripture, then, indicates the necessity of seeing our grace-life in its
relationship with Christ. It is rather amazing that dogmatic theology in
its treatment of grace has traditionally said so little about Christ.
With a bit of sarcasm, Rahner says: "The tractate de Gratia is
commonly entitled de Gratia Christi. Commonly it contains little
else about Christ. And yet we only have a Christian understanding of
grace when it is conceived of not only in the most metaphysical way
possible, as a divinization, but rather as assimilation to Christ. And
the existential transposition of this is the following of Christ. . . ."
9
How is this assimilation to Christ which Rahner speaks of initiated?
Our life in Christ begins in a formal, ecclesial manner with baptism of
water—notice, we are not saying that the grace of Christ cannot be had
without baptism of water. As baptism marks us as members of the Church,
it also indelibly imprints upon us the image of Christ.
The life of the Christian, consequently, is a development of the
image of the Incarnate Word given in baptism. The Christian, as he grows
in grace, is being shaped more and more after this image of Christ: "We
know that by turning everything to their good God co-operates with all
those who love him, with all those that he has called according to his
purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to
become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of
many brothers." (Rm 8:28-29).
9Cf.
Karl Rahner, Theological Investigations, Vol. 1 (Baltimore:
Helicon, 1965), p. 199
7) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 49-50
The Christian requires motivation if he is to allow this Christ-likeness
to permeate his existence more and more. The Christian must strive to
catch a glimpse of that burning vision of St. Paul. For Paul, Christ was
the fiery center of an intense existence: "Life to me, of course, is
Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if
living in this body means doing work which is having good results—I do
not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be
gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me
to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake." (Ph
1:21-24).
Each Christian, according to the graces God gives him, can model his
life after the example of Paul. Each of us also can make Christ the
dynamic center of our existence. If we dare to live in this way, Christ
will fulfill us; for in Christ we possess everything else. In Him we are
deeply related in love to God, man and the whole of creation. To develop
as fully as possible the image of Christ implanted through baptism is to
exercise the only fully true life. So has the Father willed it.
You will remember that we also spoke of the persons of the Trinity
imprinting their image upon us as they communicate the life of
sanctifying grace. What is the connection between the image of Christ
and the image of the Trinity, both imprinted upon the Christian? The
connection between the two lies in the fact that the life of grace, the
image of the Trinity, comes to us through Christ and is to be lived
according to the pattern established by Christ. Our life of grace is
indeed a share in Trinitarian life. But we must live out this
Trinitarian life according to the basic manner in which Christ lived out
the grace-life in His own human nature. Here we emphasize the fact that
Christ as man possessed His own life of sanctifying grace.
8) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 50-51
Why must our life of
grace be modeled on Christ's grace-life? We cannot give others
sanctifying grace. But the man Christ, head of the human race, does give
men a share in the life of sanctifying grace which He possesses within
His human nature. Theologians call this grace to be given to His members
the grace of Christ the Head. Our life of grace, consequently, since it
is the grace of Christ, has been structured according to the modalities
or characteristics implanted by Christ. Christ established this
structure as He exercised His own life of grace in His human, historical
existence. While not claiming to be exhaustive, we will now examine
various characteristics of Christ's life of sanctifying grace. Through
such a procedure we thereby understand various characteristics and
thrusts of our own life of grace.
First of all, Christ's life of grace was filial. The dynamism of this
particular modality always led Christ to a perfect, loving service of
His Father. His Father's will was all in all to Him. It was the guiding
principle of everything He did, of everything He thought, of everything
He spoke. Zeal for His Father's glory consumed Him. He would not rest
until the work of the Father which he had been sent to accomplish was
fulfilled in every detail. To love the Father's will was Christ's
attitude towards life. He would cling to this principle even at the
expense of a death of excruciating agony in body and soul. The words
which Christ uttered in Gethsemane perfectly sum up His existence as
man: " 'My Father,' he said 'if this cup cannot pass by without my
drinking it, your will be done!' " (Mt 26:42).
Christ's life of grace was also salvific. His life always had that
very obvious dimension of being orientated in love to man's good. All of
Christ's life as man, swelling up from the unfathomable depths of the
most intense love, was redemptive. Everything He did was gradually
accomplishing a change in man's stance before the Father. He was
bringing man from a state of enmity to a state of friendship and sonship
with the Father. Christ's life, then, was magnificently selfless. Guided
by love of His Father's will, He gave Himself completely to men. He gave
until there was nothing more to give. This is the poignant beauty of
Christ's life.
9) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 51-52
Christ's grace-life was
also social, communal and ecclesial. His redemptive work was directed
towards drawing all men together in a deep bond of love as brothers of a
common Father. The establishment of His Church would perennially
guarantee that there would be a visible source of grace for a growing
sense of community among men. At the same time, this Church, the People
of God, is intended to give a visible example of how the Lord desires
men to be united in mutual bonds of love.
Christ's life of grace tended toward an epiphany. That is, it tended
toward sacramentality, toward a manifestation of divine realities in
space and time. Christ's grace-life, working through His sacred
humanity, used the ordinary events and conditions of human existence and
the created things of man's world to reveal the Father and the Father's
plan for men.
Christ's life of sanctifying grace was also transfigurative. Christ
did not come to suppress, but to elevate. He came to transform—to
transfigure—man and his world. Anyone who considers Christianity to be a
negative religion does not really understand the work of Christ.
10) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 52-53
These are some of the chief
modalities or dimensions of Christ's life of grace. These modalities, in
turn, were concretely expressed through the various mysteries or events
of Christ's human life. Central to these mysteries were His death and
Resurrection. We will discuss these mysteries of Christ at greater
length in the chapter devoted to the liturgy. For it is within the
eucharistic liturgy that we encounter the mysteries of Christ in a very
special manner.
At this point we again remind the reader of the connection between
Christ's life of sanctifying grace and our own. Rahner puts it very
succinctly: "And yet every grace has analogously the same structure as
its source, viz. the structure of the Word become man. . . ."
l0
Consequently, as Christ's life of grace was filial, salvific, social,
communal and ecclesial, so must be ours. As Christ's grace-life was
sacramental (tending toward manifestation) and transfigurative, so
likewise must be ours. Finally, let us remember that the Christian
expresses these various dimensions of grace as he relives the mysteries
of Christ, especially those of death-resurrection.
We have briefly considered the relationship between the
graced-Christian and Christ. As this relationship grows in mutual love,
the Christian understands with maturing penetration what it means to be
incorporated into Christ Jesus. He becomes more aware of the full
implications of St. Paul's words: "I have been crucified with Christ,
and I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who
lives in me." (Ga 2:19).
10Karl
Rahner, Theological Investigations, Vol. II (Baltimore: Helicon,
1960), p. 33.
Marriage at Cana
1) John 2:1-11
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee.
The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been
invited. And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast
had all been used, and the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no
wine.’ Jesus said, ‘Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not
come yet.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells
you.’ There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the
ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or
thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water,’
and they filled them to the brim. Then he said to them, ‘Draw some out
now and take it to the president of the feast.’ They did this; the
president tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea
where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew—the
president of the feast called the bridegroom and said, ‘Everyone serves
good wine first and the worse wine when the guests are well wined; but
you have kept the best wine till now.’ This was the first of Jesus’
signs: it was at Cana in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his
disciples believed in him.
2) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 53-54
c) Relationship
with the Holy Spirit
After the glorified Christ was established in power and glory with the
Father, He sent the Holy Spirit to sanctify the world. The task of the
Holy Spirit is to imprint the mystery of Christ ever more deeply upon
the whole of creation. The Holy Spirit gradually is leading man and his
universe to a greater Christo-finalization. This Christo-finalization
will reach its completion at the time of Christ's second coming. Then
creation will receive its final transformation. Then the movement of
creation to the Father, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit will be complete.
As this process evolves, the Holy Spirit concentrates His action upon
the Church of Christ; for this evolutionary movement of creation in
Christ has as its dynamic center the evolution of the Church. The Church
progressively evolves by assimilating more perfectly the mystery of
Christ. The Holy Spirit guides this process. He is the soul of the
Church because He constantly labors to unite the diversified elements of
the Church into a more perfect image of Christ.
The Holy Spirit as sanctifier not only guides the entire Church, but
He also guides each member of the Church. Here again His task is
basically the same. He strives to deepen the image of Christ which has
been indelibly imprinted upon the Christian. He labors to Christo-finalize
more radically all areas of the Christian's existence. In this regard we
notice the biblical distinction of living according to the Spirit rather
than according to the flesh. To live according to the flesh does not
refer only to sins against chastity. It refers to anything in my life
which is not according to the Spirit. Therefore, intellectual pride,
something very "spiritual," would be living according to the flesh in
the biblical sense.
3) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, p. 54
On the other hand, to
live according to the Spirit can include the most intense involvement
with material creation or use of the senses. All of this can be
profoundly Christian as long as we are following the lead of the Holy
Spirit. In this context we again emphasize that everything about
the Christian has been elevated by grace, not merely his spiritual
nature.
To live fully according to the Spirit demands a growing realization
of the manner in which the Holy Spirit leads the Christian to a greater
Christ-likeness. This involves discernment of spirits. This concept will
be developed at some length in a later chapter.
In summary, the Holy Spirit promotes the process of our becoming sons
in the Son. The Christian's response to the Spirit measures his degree
of incorporation into the adoptive sonship of the Christ-life. "Everyone
moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the
spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit
of sons, and it makes us cry out, 'Abba, Father!' " (Rm 8:14-15).
4) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 54-55
d) Relationship
with Mary
Karl Rahner tells us that devotion to Mary is one of the great signs of
final perseverance.11
By such a statement Rahner emphasizes for us the great role Mary
exercises in the life of the Christian. Really, the emphasis of Rahner
is merely a continuation of the great importance attributed to Mary by
the Fathers, doctors, and saints of the Church throughout the ages.
Mary assumes such a concrete importance in the life of each of us
because she is the mother of the Church and the mother of each
Christian. She is a mother to all men, but in a special way to the
Christian.12
Mary's spiritual
motherhood toward us had its beginnings at the time of the Incarnation.
As Mary conceived Christ in a physical manner, she at the same time
conceived us in a spiritual manner. In her holy womb she bore both
Christ, the Head, and us, His members.
11Cf.
Karl Rahner, Spiritual Exercises (New York: Herder & Herder,
1965), p. 283.
12Cf. Edward Schillebeeckx, Mary, Mother of the
Redemption (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1964), p. 128.
5) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, p. 55
The second great stage
in Mary's maternal relationship toward us was accomplished upon Calvary.
There, in extreme spiritual suffering, she offered Christ to the Father.
From the pierced side of Christ the Church was born. Mary, in the
extreme anguish of spiritual childbirth, brought us forth to
supernatural life. "Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing
near her, Jesus said to his mother, 'Woman, this is your son'. Then to
the disciple he said, 'This is your mother.' " (Jn 19:26).
The third and final phase of Mary's spiritual motherhood is a
continuing process. Under God, she gives us our life of grace. In her
maternal love she protects and nourishes this life. She intercedes for
all the graces necessary for its proper growth. As Mary cooperated with
the Holy Spirit in first giving Christ to men, so she continues the same
cooperation in regard to each Christian. Through the life of grace
Christ is meant to take deeper and deeper possession of each one of us.
Mary and the Holy Spirit continually labor to achieve this. Mary's only
desire for us is that we grow more and more into the full stature of
Christ. Her overwhelming love for us is evident. We manifest our love
for her by committing ourselves to her maternal love and care so that
she can achieve her desired purpose. That purpose, again, is to form
Christ in us.
6) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 55-57
e) Relationship
with Members of the Church
There is but one true Church of Christ. Yet this one Church has three
different states of existence. There is the pilgrim Church, the Church
of this world, composed of members who have received the grace of Christ
and strive for its development. They have not yet obtained the goal of
their efforts, as have the members of the heavenly Church, who enjoy God
in eternal happiness. The Church suffering is an intermediate state of
existence necessary for those who had not achieved the required
purification as members of the pilgrim Church. Although there are these
three phases of the Church's existence, there is a profound union
existing between all the members. All these members possess the same
basic life of grace in Christ, and this common life establishes the most
intimate bonds of love. In our preceding chapter, we discussed the
pilgrim Church. Let us now consider the Church suffering and the
heavenly Church.
The members of the Church suffering are those who have departed from
this life in an incomplete state of Christian development. Their
development is incomplete in the sense that grace has not fully taken
possession of them, and, as a result, they are yet closed in upon
themselves to a greater or lesser degree. They as yet cannot open
themselves out in complete love to the Triune God in the beatific
vision. They must undergo a further purification, a purification which
could have been achieved upon earth with merit. Now the purification
must be achieved with no merit attached. The pain of this purification
is mixed with the certain expectation of achieving the vision of God. We
can hasten the advent of this vision for this people by the offering of
prayers and other good works. Scripture itself refers to our action on
behalf of those in purgatory in Chapter 12 of the Second Book of
Maccabees beginning with verse 38.
The members of the heavenly Church are those in whom the life of
grace has taken full possession and has reached its completion in the
life of glory. Faith now is unnecessary, as the light of glory gives the
human intellect a new strength and capacity for seeing God face-to-face.
While the Christian was a wayfarer, he received the imprint of the
indwelling Trinity as he shared in God's own life. Now in heaven that
grace-life and possession of God reaches its completion—the absolute
completion is not achieved, however, until the resurrection of the body.
The divine persons give Themselves to the beatified in a profound union
far surpassing that of the indwelling of the Trinity experienced here
below.
7) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, pp. 57-58
This life of heaven is still
the Christ-life, for just as we possess a share in Trinitarian life here
below as mediated by Christ, and exercise this grace-life as structured
by Him, so also in heaven is the mediation of Christ present. In the
words of Rahner, "One always sees the Father through Jesus. Just as
immediately as this, for the directness of the vision of God is not a
denial of the mediatorship of Christ as man."13
And not only does the humanity of Christ unite the blessed to God, but
also, in some way, to the whole of creation. This is merely a completion
of what is begun here below, namely, the union with Christ in His
humanity establishing the Christian in a special relationship with God,
with other men, and with the whole of creation. We have a glimpse,
therefore, of the fullness of life which members of the heavenly Church
possess.
The heavenly Church, as St. Thomas says, is the true Church.14
The Church of this earth and the Church of purgatory are, each in its
own way, reaching out in loving hope for the heavenly Jerusalem. Vatican
II puts it very simply: "The Church, to which we are called in Christ
Jesus, and in which we acquire sanctity through the grace of God, will
attain her full perfection only in the glory of heaven."15
The members of the heavenly Church can help us in living our life of
grace until we too share its fullness with them. Their power of
intercession on our behalf is but another ramification of the communal
aspect of Christianity. We are meant to help others grow in Christ. We,
in turn, are intended by God to receive aid from others—yes, from
members of the heavenly Church, as well as from those with whom we dwell
here below.
13Karl
Rahner, Theological Investigations, Vol. III (Baltimore: Helicon,
1967), p. 44.
14Cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, In Ad Ephes., c. 3, Lect.
3.
15Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Church,
No. 48.
8) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, p. 58
Not only can we be aided
by the saints' intercession, but the example of the canonized saints can
also be of great value to us. They have concretely proved that full
holiness is possible. Such an inspiration is of real worth when
we are tempted to think that Christian sanctity in its higher degrees is
impossible of attainment. Moreover, the canonized saints, in their
diversity, teach us that there are many authentic versions of Christian
holiness. They can be innovators in showing us that there are numerous
possibilities in assimilating the mystery of Christ, although the basic
assimilation remains the same for all Christians of all times. In the
opinion of Rahner this is one of the chief roles the canonized saints
exert in the life of the Church.
16
16Cf.
Karl Rahner, Op. cit., pp. 100-101.
9)
Matthew 26: 67
Then they spat in his face and hit him with their fists; others said
as they struck him,
Let me tell you about how
we are called to love God
and love each other —
Why do we give into hatred —
Do you see Mary and how she
obeyed —
how Christ obeyed His heavenly
Father.
10) Jesus says: Study Me in the garden
sweating blood —
Why do you sin?
Why do you offend Me?
Mark 14: 38
Stay awake
and pray not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing enough,
but human nature is weak.’
John 13: 21
Having said this, Jesus was deeply
disturbed and declared, ‘In all truth I tell you, one of you is
going to betray me.’
Kingdom of God
1) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, p. 58
f) Relationship
with Man and His World
The Christian's Christ-life also establishes a special relationship
between himself and all other men and the world in which both are
situated. This is so because of the basic nature of grace—the fact that
it is a share in God's life. The object of life in God is not only
Himself, but also His creation. The Christian, through his life of
grace, shares in this double dimension of God's life. Just as God not
only loves Himself, but also His creation, so also must the Christian
love both God and His creation. The Christian is called in a special way
to further the creative and redemptive work of God.
2) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, p. 58
This aspect of the
Christian's grace-life is also mediated by Christ. Christ, through His
human enfleshment, has immersed Himself into man's world. Through His
humanity he unites all men and all authentic human and temporal values
to Himself. Through His redemptive love Christ has elevated the Father's
creation to a new level of existence. Christ has initiated a process of
gathering up all of creation for the glory of His Father. This process
will reach its completion at the parousia. Meanwhile the Christian
labors with Christ to further this evolutionary process of creation and
redemption. Consequently, in faith, hope and love, the Christian assumes
a new responsibility and privilege toward man and his world.
3)
The Our Father
Our Father, Who art in
heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
4) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, p. 59
He must take this
privilege and responsibility seriously. Men of our era such as
Bonhoeffer and Teilhard de Chardin have strikingly placed this
responsibility before Christianity. Christianity has to show the
contemporary world that it is profoundly interested in all its authentic
values and aspirations. Christianity must further demonstrate that the
principles of Christ are the only ones which can guarantee the true
progress of man's world. The world belongs to Christ and it is
impossible for it to develop authentically outside of Christ.
5) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. -
The Christian Life of Grace, p. 60
We have traversed a
rather wide area in this chapter dealing with the life of Christian
grace. Grace, in its inner reality, and in its various relationships and
ramifications, is complex to a certain extent. But ultimately it has a
profound simplicity and unity. Christ is the one who gathers up and
unifies. He is the one who makes grace tangible, concrete and personal
to the Christian. Radically, the life of grace is life in God as
mediated by Christ. "We can be sure that we are in God only when the one
who claims to be living in him is living the same kind of life as Christ
lived." (1 Jn 2:5-6).
6) Malchus was the servant of
the high priest —
Peter meant to hurt Malchus —
He took the sword on the side
of the head —
Jesus fully healed Malchus —
Jesus didn't teach Peter
to take up the sword —
Isaiah 53: 5
whereas he was being wounded
for our rebellions,
crushed because of our guilt;
the punishment reconciling us fell on him,
and we have been healed by his bruises.
7) Luke 23: 34
When they reached the place called The Skull, there
they crucified him and the two criminals, one on his right, the
other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; they do not
know what they are doing.’ Then they cast lots to share out his
clothing.
1 Peter 4: 13
but in so far as you share in the
sufferings of Christ, be glad, so that you may enjoy a much greater
gladness when his glory is revealed.
Christ suffered for our sins —
How pompous to offend God
with sin and to deny it!!
Christ was put to death for our
sin —
We are to see the ugliness of
sin —
of malicious intent to
hurt our brothers —
not act like Christ
doesn't know our
hearts and our sins.
8) One man's sin caused sinfulness
on the whole human race —
We are born with original
sin —
Adam's sin is passed on to
us —
9) We are to make reparation for our
sins
Act of consecration
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and
the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
"Lord Jesus, Chief
Shepherd of the flock, I consecrate myself to Your most Sacred
Heart. From Your pierced Heart the Church was born, the Church You
have called me, as a member of Shepherds of Christ
Associates, to serve in a most special way. You reveal Your
Heart as a symbol of Your love in all its aspects, including Your
most special love for me, whom You have chosen as Your companion in
this most important work. Help me to always love You in return. Help
me to give myself entirely to You. Help me always to pour out my
life in love of God and neighbor! Heart of Jesus, I place my trust
in You!
10)
"Dear Blessed Virgin
Mary, I consecrate myself to your maternal and Immaculate Heart,
this Heart which is symbol of your life of love. You are the Mother
of my Savior. You are also my Mother. You love me with a most
special love as a member of Shepherds of Christ Associates,
a movement created by your Son as a powerful instrument for the
renewal of the Church and the world. In a return of love, I give
myself entirely to your motherly love and protection. You followed
Jesus perfectly. You are His first and perfect disciple. Teach me to
imitate you in the putting on of Christ. Be my motherly intercessor
so that, through your Immaculate Heart, I may be guided to an ever
closer union with the pierced Heart of Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the
flock."
Transfiguration
1) There is a disorder in the man
from original sin that
makes it easy to fall into
personal sin —
2)
Matthew 17: 1-2, 5-8
Six days later, Jesus
took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a
high mountain by themselves. There in their presence he was
transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as
dazzling as light.
He was still speaking
when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly
from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the
Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this,
the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus
came up and touched them, saying, ‘Stand up, do not be afraid.’ And
when they raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus.
3) We have a wounded human
nature because of original
sin — to deny that we
are sinners is to be a liar
1 John 1: 8-10
If we say, ‘We have no sin,’
we are deceiving ourselves,
and truth has no place in us;
if we acknowledge our sins,
he is trustworthy and upright,
so that he will forgive our sins
and will cleanse us from all evil.
If we say, ‘We have never sinned,’
we make him a liar,
and his word has no place in us.
4) Every man is free to choose
good or evil —
If a man chooses evil it is because he wills evil —
The devil can tempt —
But the man is free to
not fall into sin —
Our personal
sins are our sins
5) We can help build the Kingdom
of God and be more and
more like Christ —
Or give into satan
help satan — give our
power to satan and promote him — (satan)
We have a free will to choose
good or evil.
6) Sin is due to our bad will —
We make ourselves unhappy —
We have a free will to build
up the virtues within
our souls —
7) Man exists to be happy —
Sin makes man miserable —
It is our own making —
St. Thomas says:
"Sin corrupts human nature —
stains the human soul and
makes man liable to punishment."
8) Sin stains the soul!!
This darkens our light of reason.
A soul in sin is out of order —
It is against the order
willed by God —
St. Thomas says
"God punishes sin in this
present life and even
after death"
9) St. Thomas says
"Law is the road to happiness"
This happiness depends on the
pursuit of truth and goodness —
God is Truth
God is all good —
10) Satan wants a man to
disobey God's law and
to put into effect
laws against God's will —
Satan uses men who give in
The law is not a ball and
chain stopping our freedom —
The laws of God are friends
The laws of God are to be obeyed —
Institution of the Eucharist
1) Happiness is a gift from God
Grace is a gift from God
The Church is a gift from God
2) John 6: 48-58
I am
the bread of life.
Your fathers ate manna in the desert
and they are dead;
but this is the bread
which comes down from heaven,
so that a person may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread
which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread
will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give
is my flesh, for the life of the world.'
Then
the Jews started arguing among themselves, 'How can this man give us
his flesh to eat?' Jesus replied to them:
In all
truth I tell you,
if you do not eat
the flesh of the Son of man
and drink his blood,
you have no life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh
and drink my blood
has eternal life,
and I shall raise that person up
on the last day.
For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
Whoever eats my flesh
and drinks my blood
lives in me
and I live in that person.
As the living Father sent me
and I draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me
will also draw life from me.
This is the bread
which has come down from heaven;
it is not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead,
but anyone who eats this bread
will live for ever.
3)
The Mass is the Sacrifice of Calvary
sacramentally made present.
4)
A Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass
Let me be a holy sacrifice and unite
with God in the sacrament of His greatest love.
I want to be one in Him in this act of
love, where He gives Himself to me and I give myself as a sacrifice to Him.
Let me be a holy sacrifice as I become one with Him in this my act of
greatest love to Him.
Let me unite with Him more, that I may
more deeply love Him. May I help make reparation to His adorable Heart and
the heart of His Mother, Mary. With greatest love, I offer myself to You and
pray that You will accept my sacrifice of greatest love. I give myself to
You and unite in Your gift of Yourself to me. Come and possess my soul.
Cleanse me, strengthen me, heal me.
Dear Holy Spirit act in the heart of Mary to make me more and more like
Jesus.
Father, I offer this my sacrifice,
myself united to Jesus in the Holy Spirit to You. Help me to love God more
deeply in this act of my greatest love.
Give me the grace to grow in my
knowledge, love and service of You and for this to be my greatest
participation in the Mass. Give me the greatest graces to love You so deeply
in this Mass, You who are so worthy of my love.
-Mass Book, December 27, 1995
5) Song: A Priest is a Gift from God
6) 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.
end of excerpt
7) The Mass is a sacrifice!!
Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - The Sacraments and the Mass,
pp. 74-75
5) The Banquet in Christ's
Sacrifice
The cycle of sacrifice is strikingly completed by God graciously
extending an invitation to partake of the offered victim. This element
of sacrifice is miraculously fulfilled in Christ's oblation. By the
words of consecration the bread and wine become Christ. In this manner
Christ gives Himself to His disciples at the Last Supper. We will
further develop these ideas of eucharistic communion in our
consideration of the Mass.
We hereby complete the consideration of the elements of Christ's
sacrifice. According to the unicists there was but one sacrifice of
Christ. The Last Supper, death and Resurrection each contributed
essential elements. This one sacrifice of Christ endures in its efficacy
for all time. In itself it is not to be repeated. Its sacramental
renewal, however, is repeated daily on our altars in the Mass.
8) Each of the sacraments deepens
our incorporation into
Christ's death - resurrection —
9) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - The Sacraments and the Mass,
pp. 86-87
1) The Baptized Christian and the Mass
Once again the reader is reminded that through
baptism the Christian becomes incorporated into Christ and His Church.
Confirmation perfects this incorporation. Although baptism incorporates
us primarily into Christ's death and Resurrection, we again stress that
it also unites us with Christ in all His mysteries. This is so because
all Christ's mysteries are essentially one mystery, for none of them
stands separately by itself. Consequently, one cannot be initiated into
Christ's paschal mystery without simultaneously being incorporated into
all of His mysteries.
The fact that all of Christ's various mysteries
are contained in the total mystery of Christ enables the Christian to
encounter the entire Christ in the liturgy. Mention of this fact brings
us to our next point.
10) Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - The Sacraments and the Mass,
pp. 87-88
In baptism the Christian first encounters and
relives the mystery of Christ. He thereby receives a new life. But this
life must be nourished. The Christian must constantly re-encounter the
mystery of Christ, and this he does chiefly through the eucharistic
liturgy. Here the Christian is daily privileged to encounter Christ in
the most intimate fashion. Here above all he exercises his priesthood
and consequently grows in supernatural vitality. We use the word
exercise purposely, since the liturgy is primarily an action, an
exercise of the priestly office of Christ.
Since the baptized Christian is sacramentally
participating in the mystery of Christ at the Mass, his priestly act
must be modeled after that of Christ's. This is true because the life of
grace flowing out of the seals of baptism and confirmation is structured
according to certain modalities or characteristics based on the life of
Christ. This truth was developed at some length in the previous chapter.
There we stated that Christ, the head of the Mystical Body, has
determined, through His own life of sanctifying grace, the general lines
of development according to which His members' lives of grace grow and
mature.
Therefore it is evident that the whole of the
Christian's life must be orientated to the Mass and be centered about
it; for in Christ we see His entire life centered around His priestly
act of Calvary. This is true because His interior sacrificial
disposition, the essence of His priestly act, permeated everything in
His life.
The baptized Christian should also bring his
daily life, his whole life, to the eucharistic sacrifice. The Church
which assembles about the altar is not a nebulous, ethereal entity, but
the Church of this earth. It is the Church of men and women who are
immersed in the work of this world. As they gather for the eucharistic
sacrifice, they are therefore not removed from the world of their
ordinary daily lives to an unreal world of ritual which has no
connection with their temporal cares and activities. Rather it is the
reality of this ordinary daily life which they bring to offer as priests
and victims in union with Christ, priest and victim. In such a manner,
then, the eucharistic sacrifice looks to the past life of the Christian.
34
Yet the Mass also looks to the future of the
Christian. By his participation in the Mass he receives grace to
assimilate in a more perfect manner the mystery of Christ. Ideally, each
Mass participated in by the Christian should mean that he leaves the
eucharistic assembly with a greater Christ-likeness. Thus he takes up
his daily life as a more fervent Christ-bearer.
The Mass as it looks to both the past and future
embraces the Christian's entire life. It is meant to be lived each
minute of the Christian's life. Durrwell says: "The Mass is said in
order that the whole Church and the whole of our life may become a Mass,
may become Christ's sacrifice always present on earth. St. Francis of
Sales resolved that he would spend the whole day preparing to say Mass,
so that whenever anyone asked what he was doing, he might always answer,
'I am preparing for Mass'. We also could resolve to make our whole lives
a participation in the divine mystery of the Redemption, so that when
anyone puts the question to us, we can always answer, 'I am saying
Mass'."
35
34. Cf. Jungmann,
"Eucharistic Piety" in Worship, Vol. 35 (1961), p. 419.
35. F. X. Durrwell, In the Redeeming Christ (New York: Sheed &
Ward, 1963), p. 63.
Romans 8: 22-23
We are well aware that the whole creation, until
this time, has been groaning in labour pains. And not only that: we
too, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we are groaning
inside ourselves, waiting with eagerness for our bodies to be set
free.
We petition God
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We love God
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