“Charity proceeds from Father to Son and from both to the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost communicates it to souls (Rom 5.5.) This charity communicated to souls incorporates us with Jesus Christ (Eph 3:6), makes us members of Christ (I Cor. 12:27), makes participators of the being of Christ. Jesus in His turn, whose brethren we are, leads us to His Father, and thus charity, which went out from God, returns to God in passing through us By Him.” Here, then is the circuit – from the Father to the Son; from the Father and Son to the Holy Ghost; from the Holy Ghost by Jesus to our souls: this is the descent. The ascent is from our souls by the Holy Ghost to Christ; from Christ to the Father.” We see then the great purpose and end of devotion to Our Lady as advocated by St Grignion. He is the spouse of the Holy Spirit and will obtain the Holy Spirit for us, the Holy Spirit who will fashion us in Christ; make us more like Him and help us to continue His life on earth. As the soul animates all parts of the body so should the Holy Ghost animate us who are members of Christ’s Mystical Body.
Your dedication should be characterized by: 1. Transformative – helping you become better 2. Imitative 3. Generous – being willing to give your best effort 4. Thoughtful – striving to excel in even the smallest tasks. Insatiable –constantly finding new ways to improve.
The hidden life of Jesus is characterized by obedience, humility, and a deep reverence for his parents. His actions and demeanor are a testament to the importance of quiet service, illustrating that true greatness lies not in ostentatious displays but in fulfilling the will of God with simplicity and dedication. This narrative reminds us to embrace the small, often overlooked tasks with love and fervor, recognizing that in God's eyes, every act done with the right intention holds profound significance. As we emulate the humility and obedience of Jesus, our lives too can become reflections of divine grace and purpose. “By humility and confidence to obtain a greater love for Jesus in the Bless ed Sacrament, using all other creatures as means to this end.” Have you noticed that when you peacefully serve Jesus, quietly keeping near Him as a simple child, your health keeps good. When you strain, become agitated and flounder about, you get headaches, constipation. Why not be a child? “Suffer little children to come onto me”.
The hidden life of Jesus.
“And he returned with them and was subject to them.” This is all that was revealed in the scriptures about Jesus. There was one another interruption in the 30 years, when he was lost and found in the temple at age 12 years. We can see the happy family at Nazareth.
St. Joseph.
See him in the workshop, honest toiler, faithful to duty, a great devotion to Mary and Jesus. See here again the ways of God. Who was Joseph? But a carpenter who did not a Mass nor worked a miracle and never did a thing of great importance. And yet he was chosen to be foster father of Jesus. Now a saint. Patron of universal Church. Of dying labor and obscurity were Josephs lot. He taught the child how to build things how miracles work.
Mary. The most Holy and purest creature that ever walked the face of the earth. The perfect Mother. Kind, gentle, loving, charitable, thoughtful. We can see her looking after the house, keeping it neat and preparing meals for Jesus and Joseph. She would have to feed, cloth the child the same as any other mother. See how careful Mary is and how she protects the child from harm and danger. And then Mary would go to the well in the evening where women of Nazareth gathered. Mary may take Jesus. The most beautiful women in the world at Nazareth. Mary’s beauty would radiate from her countenance, reflecting the interior beauty, purity and calm of her soul. Women probably envied her child. Mary anxious to help and please Joseph.
Jesus
Obedient in all things to his Mother and foster Father. He was anxious to help his foster Father and would anticipate the wishes of his Mother. The perfect son. A source of joy for Mary and Joseph. He had a great reverence for His parents. We too must serve and honor our parents and do all we can to help them. We should make our home the source of all happiness. At college, to our fellow students should provide all the fun we want. No need to look elsewhere for it. Jesus would be a source of wonder to his neighbors. His radiant countenance reflecting his holiness. They probably wondered what he was going to do. And why was Jesus subject to Mary and Joseph. He was God. Why did he allow St. Joseph to show him how to make a chair when he could have showed St. Joseph how to make an airplane. A lesson in humility to us and Jesus was doing the will of God.
So what does it matter if we are a brilliant scholar and a experienced priest and we are put under a younger man who is not so clever. Shall we rant and rave, refuse to stay. No! Why? Because it is not for us to look at personal attitudes of the man. For me his orders are the will of God. Remember Jesus obeying Joseph and Mary. And why did Jesus spend 30 years seemingly doing nothing. Making a few chairs. In the eyes of the world he had wasted his time. Yes but he wished to show us that it does not matter what we are doing, whether we are successful or a failure, how long we are at it, whether or not the work is below our ability or anything else about it. It is the will of God for us. The will of God. It can be anything. From discussing theology to washing dishes. Both the same in eyes of God provided done with equal fervor. We simply must realize that the will of God is the thing to do. Do not grumble about any personal matter or anything else about it, if it is the will of God do it immediately. Nor does the world have to hear about it. Do not for goodness sake seek the spectacular. Anyone can do that and it is absolutely no value in the eyes of God if done with the view of showing off. Work in obscurity. Our Lord did not convert a single soul nor work miracles in the first 30 years. And yet he came to redeem us. The
world had waited 4000 years for him and when he comes he lives in obscurity in the back blocks of Palestine, living in poverty and humble obedience to his parents.
We must change our views concerning worldly matters and follow Christ.
Why did Jesus do this?
1. Because it was the will of his Father.
2. He wanted to set the example since 99% of his followers would have to live the same life of obscurity. Our Lord did first and then taught. “To do and to teach.”
In the first 30 years of his life Jesus lived a life of obscurity, poverty, labor, obedience, monotony, humility. This describes perfectly our lives in the mission field. There is however great joy and peace attached to it, provided of course that we are free (detached) in knowing that we are doing the Will of Our Father and are storing up multi fold treasures in heaven. See too the great spirit of cooperation in the home in Nazareth. Each one intent on helping the other two. No one thought of self, great charity. That too must be our spirit, the spirit of the house. Another great rule of life, never speak bad things about a person who is not present. If they are said by someone, put forward an excuse for him. “The absent one is always safe when so and so is around.” Great charity. Try to forget self. Must give it many good licks before it goes under. Self causes dissentions. Ruins community life. Always think about the other person. Make lives very pleasant. At table games, free days, holidays, on mission, in study, everywhere. It is too a great sign to see a priest. Happy in his own parish, his own community. Always be happy with our own. If we have the spirit of Christ it should not matter to us what conditions we live in. Do and bear all for him who sent us. Do not worry about material things. Like to be unknown, working secretly for Christ. “How would Christ do this.” Always question. Jesus said, “laborers who harvest.” Work hard. Do first and then teach. “Practice what you preach.”
St. Frances de sales.
Spiritual readings: St. Luke 2:51 Luke 2:51
He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
Thoughts:
“He was subject to them.”
“Good makes no noise and noise does no good.” St. de Sales.
“God must love plain people he made so many of them.” Aspirations: Jesus give me the grace to love obedience rather than fear obedience.
St. John Burchmans
Spiritual reading: St. Luke 10:1-20 Luke 10:1-20
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy (-two) 2 others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.
2 He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
3 Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person 5 lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.
‘We ought not to be swayed by the authority of the writer, whether he be a great literary light or an insignificant person but by the love of the simple truth.’ Thomas a’ Kempis
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’”
Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
The seventy (-two) returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
19
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning 8 from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.
20
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Thoughts: There is no act however trivial but has to train of consequences as there is no hair so small as casts a shadow. “St. Bernard.”
Discernment of Spirits.
We should see in this second week how the good and bad angels work on our souls. Our soul in this 2nd week should be peaceful and calm and if it is disturbed look and see what caused it. The effect of the good angel on the soul should be like a drop of water falling on a sponge, calm and joyful. The effect of the bad angel should be of a sharp nature as of water falling on a rock. See what causes it. If we are full of great joy and consolation let us see what has caused it. If nothing has caused it, well it is from God. But suppose there was a cause e.g. Result of some mortification. Then we shall have to see whether the good or bad angel has caused the joy. If the mortification was done for a good motive, continues for a good result it is from a good angel. If it is from the bad angel the mortification would be done for a good motive would continue for a good motive but would have a bad result. e.g. You may make a resolution not to eat meat on Wednesday and Fridays in China. Done for a good motive but it may end in disastrous results, nervous breakdown of health, incapacity for 2 years. Just because you experienced joy in doing this mortification does not mean that the joy is from heaven. No it was from the devil who is deceiving you. Have to be careful in this respect. Do not be carried away by first enthusiasm. You know yourself that you have often commenced a project enthusiastically but only lasted a couple of day's e.g. some hobby. Do not therefore make resolutions when you are enthusiastic. Wait till you cool off and if you still want to make the resolution and keep it. Be particularly careful in mortifications. Keep to doing small things consistently.
Learning Christ.
Teach me, O’ Lord to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life, in disappointments, in thoughtlessness of others, in the insincerity of those I trusted, in the faithfulness of those on who I relied. Let me put myself aside, to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little heartaches, so that I may be the only to suffer from them.
Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me use it that it may mellow me, not harden nor embitter me, that it may make me patient, not irritable, that suffering may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow, haughty and overbearing.
May no one be less good for having come within my influence, no one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble for having been a fellow traveler in our journey toward eternal life. As I go from one distraction to another, let me whisper from time to time a word of love to thee. May my life be lived in the supernatural full of power for good and strong in it’s purpose of sanctity.
St. John the Baptist & St. Ignatius.
Spiritual readings: St. Mt 10. 16/6/41
Matthew 10
2
3
Chapter 10 1
1 Then he summoned his twelve disciples 2 and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the twelve apostles 3 are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Jesus sent out these twelve 4 after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
5 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. 6 14
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words - go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
9 Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end 10 will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 11
No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master.
It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, 12 how much more those of his household!
“Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. 13
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
14 Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. 33
But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set a man ‘against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and one’s enemies will be those of his household.’
37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
38 and whoever does not take up his cross 15 and follow after me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
“Whoever receives you receives me, 17 and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
18 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple - amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”
Thoughts. “Have the best, Christ is the best.”
Obedience depends on holiness.
The intent to which we are prepared to obey the will of God. Doing God’s will is proof of our union with God. Remember that we belong to God; we are free men, no man has any rights over us whatsoever except those given Him by God. But man must develop himself intellectually morally and physically. We re not like Adam who received all these things direct from God. We must have superiors to guide us. Our superiors get their authority from God and cannot order us to do anything; unlawful or impossible. Furthermore we are bound under them only in so far as they are representatives of God. These are our spiritual superiors. We have our natural superiors; parents, civil authorities and professional. These get there authority indirectly from God. The Pope get’s his authority directly from God. Priests and Bishops indirectly from God through the Pope. You are always safe if you do the will of God’s representatives, no matter if the order is ridiculous do it as God is behind the superior.
The three Degrees of Disobedience
1. Where you do external act of obedience but you grumble and do it unwillingly. You also know a better way to do it or you criticize your superior.
2. You do the external act willingly but you criticize your superior and think he doesn’t know what he is doing.
3. You do the external act, your will and intellect agreeing completely because it is the will of God. No matter how ridiculous the order may seem. You may not know the circumstances. Essential therefore that you keep strictly to a timetable. Tell your superior if you violate it. It is not a matter of honor, keeping the timetable is a matter of doing the will of God.
Remember how Jesus who was perfect, obeyed Joseph and Mary. Remember mind your own business. If your superior gives you an imprudent order he will have to answer to Almighty God for that. All you are concerned with is the doing of the order. Of course you can humbly suggest a different way of doing a thing. That is not disobedience.
John the Baptist.
The people were prepared for his coming by the dumbness of Zachary, the conception of Elizabeth in her old age and the subsequent speech of Zachary and his prophesy, also stipulating his name is to be John. Ask
St. John the Baptist for love of solitude, prayer and purity of intention. John the precursor of Christ did not go into Jerusalem to prepare. No he went out into the desert. Did penance clothed in camels hair and lived on locusts and honey. Slept on rocks of a barren desert. Great spirit of prayer and purity of life. No softness about John. He taught on the banks of the Jordon, he did not go into the city. As a result of his life of prayer and penance he became a man of strong character and will. He feared nobody. He called the Pharisees vipers. Our Lord came to be Baptized by John. John claimed he was unworthy but Our Lord told him to. After 18 years of preparation he only did 18 months of teaching. Herod clapped him in prison and kept him imprisoned for a year and then beheaded him for a whim of his daughter. Jesus never came to see or console him the whole time he was in prison. We would think this strange but no, Jesus knew that John could bear, he was not soft. John was no reed shaken with the wind. What is our attitude towards pictures and the gaiety of the world in general. Would we prefer this to solitude? Are we soft? Do we like mortification?
Remember that we are too be John the Baptists and voices crying in the wilderness. We are showing and telling the people all about God and heaven. So it is for us to imitate John making ourselves strong of will and mortifying ourselves. We can make ourselves strong of will by going against our human natures. Forcing our indolent wills to do things they do not like doing. See how John shunned the spectacular. He was content with what
God gave him, no comforts. Did nothing spectacular. We all have our fads and fancies. Do not yield to them. Have the same zeal on all duties. Do not be afraid of work. Resolve to be faithful to your spiritual duties for the rest of your life. Be careful about losing your patience. When you lose your temper you lose your Christ likeness and people lose respect for you. You are another human. You must train your will in this respect. Make it do things it does not like.
As father says we are very fortunate in getting all this material of the 30 day retreat. Especially regarding the devil and the way he works. There is no excuse for us now. We know what to do, so we must concentrate on putting the principles into practice. As time is too short we now move on to the public life of Our Lord. But make absolutely certain that you have attained all the lessons out of the hidden life of Our Lord. Obscurity, poverty, humility, blind obedience, labor, prayer and solitude.
The public life of Our Lord.
We can see Jesus leaving his cottage for the last time. He has said goodbye to his Mother and is now setting off alone to redeem the world. What are his weapons? His powers of poverty, humility and suffering. He is doing his Fathers will and is going to do and to teach. He was to bring tidings of great joy to a people who heeded him not. They sought to ensnare him at every turn and tried to ridicule him and malign his best works. Jesus had no real friend who understood him. He was a lonely man. He felt sorry at leaving a comfortable home and a good understanding Mother. He did not however allow this to come between him and his Fathers will. He was a free man, free from all attachments. So should we be on a mission. No attachment to any friends or relations who are a hindrance to a man of action. Jesus came to John on the banks of the Jordon, he listened to him like any other sinner then asked to be Baptized. The first act of his ministry was an act of humiliation.
Jerusalem a city of peace, obedience, poverty, humility, love, fidelity, sincerity, and truth.
Imagine a city of darkness, desolation, sin and confusion rebellion, a den of iniquity filled with smoke and fire. In Jerusalem is Christ going among his followers telling them the truth about heaven, the virtues and his goodness and love. He is clad as the people and altogether is one of them, poor, humble. Lucifer is seated on a high throne of smoke and fire, proud and disdainful, rebellious and hateful. All is confusion. The smoke and fire is symbolized of the screen he uses to conceal his true colors. With great pomp he calls his satellites. In between the two cities is great swarm of people who have sworn fidelity to Christ but leaving themselves open to the attacks of Satan. Let us consider the two standards.
Satan.
He is proud disdainful and rebellious. All the darkness and confusion. No peace. Satan despises and hates all. He calls his satellites to his thrones and then sends them to every human soul on earth to lay his snares and lay his traps. Every devil is to use his own discretion. They have however strict orders not to worry the sinner. He can end his own destruction by himself. They lay their snares for all who are trying to better themselves in the spiritual life. Profess to follow Christ. What is the snare? It is this. Satan by his rules wants you to get an inordinate love for something. When this is accomplished pride comes and the devil has completed his work. The soul completes it’s own destruction. It may be love of ease, food, money, lust, honors, success, pleasure. It could be love of peace, bodily comfort, clothes, anything at all, quite alright in itself usually. Suppose love of bodily comfort. You do not break yourself into hardships and after ordination you are sent to some forsaken hole with a shack for a presbytery. Sleep on the floor, eat on the floor with chop sticks, no fire and many other discomforts.
This is where the devil is. When you get there your pride wells up, “I’ll not live in this God forsaken hole. Who do they think I am? Is this a pig sty or what?” And you will not serve, the devil has won. It’s the same with everything. If you get an inordinate affection for something the devil will use it to bring out your pride, so look into yourself and see if there is anything. If there is, break it. Mortification and humiliation will break it. Bear all patiently. Kill self. The more you die yourself the more pleasing to God you become. Is success in a parish is where your popular in doing great things? Too busy to do your spiritual duties. You are then sent to back blocks away from the glamour and previous success. Your pride comes up. On no account neglect your spiritual duties. Your finished if you do. In your daily exam see whether or not any little inordinate attachment has crept in. if one has, root it out now. It only requires 1% of our will power now but if you let it go it may take 100% of will power later on, in fact it may be impossible to root it out. e.g. love of money. Some trail will come sooner or later. Prayer is the only thing. Never grumble. Watch the devil, he gets his chain around your neck and tightens it slowly. Pride then knocks you off your pedestal and you’re hanged.
Christ’s Standard.
On the other hand how different is the standard of Christ. He never asks us to do anything he has not done himself. He has prepared the way for us. He is lovable, kind, generous, open, sincere, truthful leader. He tells us straight, no deception. “If any man want’s to be perfect let him deny himself and taking up his cross come and follow me.” If we fall he helps us up again. We only have to ask him. Necessary to die to self. His weapons are poverty which becomes selfeffacement, which becomes humility. Once we are humble we are right. The devil can not touch us. In electing the state of life which will help us best to save our soul.
St. Ignatius gives us various rules. There are two rules of elections. (choices)
1. Immutable elections.
These are the steps that cannot be changed; sacraments, priesthood- a priest forever.
2. Mutable elections.
Where there is a choice but if after selecting one and finding it not suitable you can change.e.g. Doctor or engineer.
If in an immutable election a man makes a choice and is unhappy in it he has to put up with his mistake. If a man is happy in a mutable or immutable choice well he should strive to perfect himself in that. Before making an election detach yourself from all inordinate affections and wait till you are calm and tranquil. Be careful that you are not influenced by momentary enthusiasm.
St. Ignatius has three methods of making a choice.
1. First propose to myself the matter to be elected in.
I must be careful to keep always in view the end for which we were created, the salvation of our souls. Then detach yourself and wait till you are calm and tranquil. Then ask yourself, “Will I save my soul better by doing this or that. Choose not according to your feelings or in the direction that your senses or passions would like you to turn. Choose the way sound reasoning suggests.
Ask Our Lord to help you and to make known to you what is best. Consider pros and cons for salvation of my soul. See when reason inclined. Offer to God your election and may he be pleased to affirm it if it was greater honor and glory.
2. Ask yourself whether you love a particular choice for your own or God’s sake. Make a case of somebody a complete stranger coming to you, putting to you the circumstances of your case. What would you advise him? Act yourself accordingly.
3. If I were on the point of death would I liked to have taken this path?
This would show whether I was acting for my own ends or in the best interests of my soul. Once we have chosen our state we must strive to perfect ourselves in this state. We must realize the more we die to ourselves and our affections the more we advance in holiness. How far am I prepared to go for Jesus? By his side or far off.
There are three followers of Christ.
1. A perfect example is the rich man.
He was a good man, had kept all the commandments, evidently employed his wealth to good purpose. But he let his money come between himself and perfection. He wanted to serve Our Lord and keep his money. Would probably save his soul but would not be perfect. Are we keeping ourselves from drawing nearer to Jesus by some inordinate affection, it may be only a small thing. Test; Would you be prepared to give up any or all of your possessions if your superior asked you to. Your answer would not be “all except this,” would it? If that is the case then root it out. No peace until you do.
Regarding your talents, do you use them for God or for your own ends. Regarding comforts are you prepared to forfeit all the luxuries of a cosy home for a frozen hut in China. Are you prepared to submit you will to your superiors in all things, to the extent of blind obedience? It is no good procrastinating, e.g. money is alright. I’ll keep it till my ordination. You won’t be able to give it up
then. Have you good wishes and intentions e.g. I’d like to be able to keep all the rules of the house or try to do any work well but you never try. You have got to do these things now. “I will.” if you’re not prepared to make sacrifices now you won’t later on and might as well throw it all in now.
2. In this case Judas the perfect example.
He had good intentions and was a good man. He was quite content following Our Lord and seeing Our Lord getting rather unpopular he probably thought, “Oh I sacrificed everything for Him; I might as well get something out of it, no harm in money anyway. I’ll share it with others, must have a few bob in my old age. Anyway he will escape them as he has done before.” Judas got to love money so much that he would get it at any cost. Yet very slowly the devil deceived him into believing that there is nothing wrong with money and he was quite safe with it. The money was alright but the inordinate affection was no good. Watch yourself. This is what can happen to you. Maybe not money but something else. The devil is so clever that unless we are careful he can lead us to get an inordinate affection for something and at the same time think we are quite holy. We cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore go about this duty of killing self in all actions seriously. Force yourself to do things that hurt or go against your inclinations or against the grain. Humiliate yourself at every possible occasion. Consider yourself lower and more despised than other students. Hurt your natural feelings and rely solely on God for your pleasure and joy. Seek no joy in material things, e.g. food. If you are looking forward to something then you are probably attached to it and it will be a source of distraction to you. By this means you will become pleasing to Jesus, you follow Him more closely and you see how great a distance has yet to be covered to get close to Him in battle.
3. This is the type of follower we must strive to be.
Jesus was passing a customs office and seeing Mathew seated at the desk among the books, money and papers. He said, “Come, follow me.” Mathew never said a thing but promptly got up and followed Our Lord. He is now a saint in heaven. He left all for Our Lord. He was attached to nothing. Make sure you are not attached to anything except Jesus. If you are detached your reward will be a 100 fold in this life and eternal life in the next. The devil doesn’t write up on his standard. “If you follow my standard of sin you are tortured in hell for all eternity.” Do not listen to him. Sure to be some deceit. Get into the election habit. Is this good for my salvation or not. In this life we are all useful but not necessary.
St.
Columban.
Spiritual reading: St. Mt 11:25-30. St Lk: 8:19-28 Matthew 11:25-30
The Father Revealed in the Son
At that time Jesus said in reply, 14 “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.
15 “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, 16 and I will give you rest.
17 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Lk: 8:19-28. Jesus Mother and Brothers.
Then his mother and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.”
He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
8 One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A squall blew over the lake, and they were taking in water and were in danger.
They came and woke him saying, “Master, master, we are perishing!” He awakened, rebuked the wind and the waves, and they subsided and there was a calm.
Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” But they were filled with awe and amazed and said to one another, “Who then is this, who commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?”
Then they sailed to the territory of the Gerasenes, 9 which is opposite Galilee. When he came ashore a man from the town who was possessed by demons met him. For a long time he had not worn clothes; he did not live in a house, but lived among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him; in a loud voice he shouted, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me!”
Thoughts:
“If a man is genuinely superior to his fellows, the first thing that he believes is equality of men.”
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters— yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:25-27 “Believe me our faults of frailty, our miseries, our human limitations burden our union with God, infinitely less than the habitual attitude of the soul which wills to keep in everything the proper step of it’s activity. A. Marmion.
Now is the time to reinforce our weaknesses. Impatience, selfishness, self love. I must reform my character now. Am I always going to be the same in my faults? I will be worse if I do not sort them out now. Empty ourselves of all self love.
Humility.
Is the knowing and realizing the truth about ourselves, I came from God, I belong God, I am destined for God. All my talents, senses, passions, attributes all belong to God. If He has given you a special talent thank Him for it. The hardest sentence Our Lord said, “Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Full of simplicity, meekness and purity an humility. So must we be. And how can I acquire true humility. By accepting all humiliations with exterior and interior resignation.
No criticizing or losing temper even interiorly. To acquire humility, it is essential to die to self. And you can die to self by being as charitable as possible with others. Think of their happiness and pleasure all the time. Leave yourself out together. Accept all humiliations in the right spirit, no resentment. By becoming charitable and forgetful of your own interests, humility will come. After all too we have not much to be proud and vain about. Nothing of us belongs to us and as it is we are only dust. Vain glory is setting forth our own excellence as though we were responsible for it.
Vanity is contemplating your own supposed excellence. “What do you think of me?”
Pride is: “I do not think much of you.” Watch for false humility. Do not go boasting you are terrible sinner.
Patrons: St. James and St. Andrew.
Spiritual readings: St. Mathew 4:17-22. 17
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 18
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
19
He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20
At once they left their nets and followed him.
21
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.
Thoughts:
The love of God was the power in the heart of St. Paul that not only lifted him to the 3rd heaven but which drove him from end to end of the then known world. Hungerering and thirsting to give glory to God by pouring blessings on his fellow men. “Give and it shall be given unto you. Good measure pressure down and shaken together and running over, shall they give into your bosom.” “Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart.” “Christ poor and I rich; Christ fasting and I full; Christ naked and I clothed; Christ suffering and I in enjoyment.
Aspiration:
O’ Jesus, make me meek and humble of heart.
Remember that we must help ourselves in the spiritual life. The supernatural state does not destroy our natural qualities and talents. In fact it aids and perfects them.
These three bones we must possess.
1. Backbone
Good character comes from performing good acts, forming good habits, and developing a solid character. Learn from mistakes but be proactive. Use initiative and strengthen willpower by challenging yourself. Endurance, both physical and spiritual, is crucial. Perseverance and grit are essential, especially in difficult conditions like those in China.
2. Chest bone.
Virtuous ambition.
Aiming high, seeking to perfect oneself in each and every virtue. Tackle them all, you can do it. Exercise the virtues and keep them active, not stale. Initiative.
Take upon yourselves to do things. We will not always have a superior to guide us. Enterprise. Be prepared to take things on. Never venture, never win. Think up and work up various little snares for catching our souls for Christ. Take an interest in your work.
Optimism.
Hope for the best in all enterprises. For heavens sake do not be a pessimist and say “Oh What’s the use.” You may not always be successful but if you keep trying, success will follow.
3. Funnybone.
A sense of humor after the grace of God is the most important requirement for a missionary. Be prepared to see the funny side of life and do not take life too seriously. The Chinese are sure to be up to some tricks and you do not want to always loose your temper. Be able to take a joke. Remember Our Lord had a keen sense of humor.
Description of the person of our Lord.
The following was taken from a manuscript now in the possession of Lord Kelly, and in his library and was copied from an original letter of Publius Lentullies at Rome. It being the usual custom of Roman governors to advertise the Senate and people of such material things as happened in his provinces, in the days of Tiberius Caesar, Publius Lentullius, president of Judea wrote this epistle to the senate concerning our savior. “There appeared in these our day’s a man of great virtue named Jesus Christ who is yet living
amongst us, and of the Gentiles who is accepted as a prophet of the truth, but his own disciples call him the Son of God, he raiseth the dead and cured all manner of diseases. A man of stature somewhat tall and comely, such as the beholders may both love and fear, his hair of the color of chestnut full ripe, plain to his ears, whence downward it is more curling and wavering about Holy Spirit shoulders. In the midst of his head is a seam a partition in his hair. His forehead plain and very delicate, his face without spot or wrinkle, his nose and mouth so formed as nothing can be remembered, his beard thickish, in color like his hair, not very long but forked, his look innocent and mature, his eyes grey clear and quick. In reproving he is terrible, in admonishing courteous and fair spoken, pleasant in conversation, mixed with gravity. It cannot be remembered that any have seen him laugh, but many have seen him weep. In proportion of body, most excellent, his hands and arms are delicate to behold. In speaking very temperate, modest and wise. A man for his singular beauty, surpassing the children of man.
The point of election ought to be made now.
The end in view is an ideal which I wish to realize, or a transformation to be brought about little by little. Ideal must be clearly seen. In other words what failure is holding me back? What means am I going to take to gradually crush it? Want of generosity, a worldly spirit, selfishness, love of popularity and success and praise.
1. I must see now what I have been as a sinner in these things and no longer wish to be.
2. What I wish to be and what I ought to be. Motive of choice Generosity and charitableness to others. Your generosity and charitableness gradually stifles self. It gives you strength of will in that it will often be difficult to prefer others before self. Often you will be humiliated in yourself and slowly you may acquire this virtue from constant Charity. This will also prevent you from wishing to be in the limelight and to be popular. You would prefer others to be in the limelight. Gradually all selfishness will be rooted out and all affection for material things. i.e. if you keep the spirit of Charity in everything. Therefore your principal desire and pleasure in the future will be to see and make others happy, forgetful of self.
Choose the means for all weathers: in calm, storm
The means chosen should have.
1. Strength-vigor. So I should foresee; how it will help me. How I can renew my tendency by means of it. How I can detect and check failure in my examination of conscience.
2. Attractiveness or sweetness, viz. in harmony with my natural bent of character, my natural tendencies. This attractiveness may be helped by some image. -Generosity in home of Nazareth. -Generosity of Jesus in Monstrance.
Main points of reform.
The past.
What have I done for Christ? Nothing but Sin.
Chief sins; predominant passions, selfishness, desire for praise and popularity, impatience, vanity.
Defects; over talkative, critical, cynical, allowing too much liberty to the eyes and tongue.
Illusions are often thinking of self as someone.
What must I do for Christ?
Dangerous occasions and sins we must avoid.
Time to work for Him, time to learn to love Him, time to atone for my sins and those of fellow members of the Mystical Body and the children of Mary. And besides giving me the time, He has given me an offer of the priesthood in His service- as it were forgetting all my past heinous crimes against Him. Ask Mary to make you realize at least a little of the goodness of Jesus.
“This is the Will of God – your sanctification.”
Every work, every creature, every circumstance, the Father gives you only that you may be helped by these means to achieve greater union with Him.
Watch your desires. Are you desiring only what the Father wills and only as a means to gain union with Him.
There may be creatures you desire for their own sake; root them out. Your only purpose in life, the only reason the Father conserves you at the moment is in order that you may achieve union with Him. Anything done without the view to union with God is purposeless, irrational, time wasted. And time is too short. Mary, help me.
If you knew God, there would never be any strain in your bearing, in your recollection in Him, in the company of his children.” There is no happiness like that of the children of God. God wants you to enjoy the holiday and help to make others happy. Pray for a balanced outlook on things; wrong to smile at everything people may say to you. Be careful in your theology.
Work quietly – avoid strain or worry, especially if the work is difficult. He remarked that you had been doing odd things during the year and had strained unduly. You were unbalanced.
You can see that pride is the root of most of these troubles.
1. Wanting to be singular; thinking you were someone special.
2. Want of strict adherence to the Will of God.
3. Want of child-like confidence, trust, simplicity.
4. And was all this strain, worry and self-imposed penance for the love of God. No, it was entirely selfish. God wants our love; He wants us to be His children.
5. Beware interfering with the work of the Holy Spirit, especially if he invites you to the deeper stages which are but normal development of the Christian life. In all prayer, pray with Mary – she will guard you against delusion. God is Being, Truth itself, Immutable.
Every now and then ask yourself, does He want anything of me? My advance will be measured by how much I give up. The joy of the risen Christ. The only way to become happy is agre contra. The Apostles after the crucifixion how sad they are? Their hopes had been shattered, the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. Is it right to go through life in a gloomy fashion? Peace be to you. He has fixed his tent among us, our friend and companion. How tender is the love of the savior for the saved. To be really happy, our hearts must be fixed in heaven, we must use creatures only as a means to our supernatural end. Sadness is the companion of distrust and anger. These afflict the Holy Spirit. Every cheerful man does good. Renew the fervor of devotion to Mary. Athanasus (d 373) opposed Arianism Born in Alexanria about 297. Mt 14.25 showed his omnipotence. “Truly thou art the Son of God.” this is the foundation of our faith. Meditation shows us always be on or around Christ. To know Him more clearly. To love Him more dearly. To follow Him more nearly. We must come into personal union with Christ by interior prayer. 326 the reign of Constantine the great. On digging foundations, they found the cross the inscription was still on the cross. See Jesus on Calvary. King of supernatural world, only through Jesus can we penetrate to the supernatural. Christ has outgrown the pleasures and occupations of this world. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. Lay-up treasures in heaven. Imagine Paul’s feelings when he came to Jerusalem for the first time as a Christian. Jesus was lifted up like the serpent in the desert. We were purchased by the blood of Christ. We have here no lasting city. Jesus, destitute of all on the cross was the richest man.
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God.
Our Lord’s whole life was an illustration not only of actual poverty but of poverty of spirit or perfect detachment from riches and honors. Humility and detachment are the essential qualities of a follower of Him because they make him unselfish so that he is able to spend himself in doing God’s work, not in pleasing himself. Riches are things or pleasures which money can buy. These things are essential in moderation but they must be kept in control, otherwise we will be wasting our time in trifles. In order
also to be detached from praise and honour we must love humiliations if we are to do Christ’s work well. e.g. if you visit a bad Catholic in order to bring him back and he blows you up, you only reveal your own vanity and attachment to your own honour if you blow him up. And you can see that you wouldn’t do him any good. There is a danger for you in pride. You mightn’t seek the praise of others but the tendency in you is to think yourself a mighty good bloke. If your resentment wells ups at some criticism, this shows you are not perfectly humble. If it is deserved well you should admit your faults, if it is not, well, Our Lord never lost patience in humiliations.
Three degrees of humility.
(1) To prefer the loss of all things rather than commit a mortal sin.
(2) Not to prefer sickness; dishonour, short life, poverty to health, honour long life or riches if by having the latter or seeking them too strongly, I shall commit a venial sin.
(3) This degree is here on account of the bias in our nature towards the above mentioned goods. In order to strike a balance we must create a bias in the other direction by preferring, when left to our own choice (and provided our sanity, work, good temper will be safe) sickness to health, a short life to a long one, pain to pleasure, poverty to wealth, dishonour to honour, and this for the love of Jesus Christ and in order to become more like Him.
