Sealed with Divinity

This Nativity night bestowed peace on the whole world - So let no one threaten;

This is the night of the Most Gentle One – Let no one be cruel;

This is the night of the Humble One – Let no one be proud.

Now is the day of joy – Let us not revenge;

Now is the day of Good Will – Let us not be mean.

In this Day of Peace – Let us not be conquered by anger.

Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake - So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask - So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.

This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers - Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.

Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY. 

+ St. Isaac Syrian, Nativity Sermon

Christ as Boddhisattva

As mentioned previously, I have been very interested lately in Mahayana Buddhism, especially concepts that I find are compatible with Catholicism. 

Lojong (mind training) are maxims that have a lot in common with Catholicism, especially the Eight Verses for Training the Mind. I have this printed on my wall at work, along with St John of the Cross' way of Nothingness. 

One of the ideas I have been fascinated with recently is Christ as Boddhisattva - or Christ as the ideal Boddhisattva. Not in the sense of denying his divinity or in some sort of Gnosticism, but as a holy person who takes on suffering for others and leads them away from darkness. 

I recent came across this Kadampa blog that I found wonderful in his Buddhist explanation of Jesus. 

May the peace of Christ be born in your hearts this Christmas, so you can bring the love of God to all people 

Lojong and Catholicism

Recently I have been very interested in the philosophy of Mayahana Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism. There is a practice known as Lojong (mind training) which is a collection of slogans or maxims that can easily be applied by Catholics without needing to abandon their faith. 

Of particular interest to me within Lojong is the practice of Tonglen (giving and receiving). This almost reminds me of how in Catholicism we can take on the sufferings on others, with our own sufferings, unite them in the Passion of Jesus and offer it to God so it is Co redemptive suffering. Anyone reading this blog will know that this concept has a special place in my heart and deep meaning to me. 

In Tonglen you visualise taking in all the suffering and evil around as a black smoke - and inhale it. Then you exhale light, pure blessings and compassion. It's a meditative method to help you develop compassion for other people. In a sense, Catholics could argue that Jesus actualised this by taking on sin and suffering on the Cross, and then turned the curse into the Tree of Life for us. 

I am in no way advocating Buddhism or a non critical approach, however there are some practices and teachings that resonate with our Faith and they may be helpful to some people. This is why I am discussing it as it is helping to deepen my spirituality and outlook - especially as I suffer depression, anxiety and am same sex attracted. 

Peme Chödrön has a very good way of distilling the teachings in a secular psychological way that I recommend checking out. 

https://www.lionsroar.com/dont-give-up/

Original justice of the Immaculata

I came across this quote from a friend on Facebook, and to be honest it blew my mind as I have never thought of it that way before.

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (1695), a Mexican nun and a poet, dramatist, and spiritual writer, wrote this:

The Mystery of the Immaculate Conception

God finished his creations ad extra and perfected them when he formed humans in his likeness as rulers over the entire world.  The creatures created on this day (the animals of the earth and humans) rendered obedience to the one who the Lord predestined and distinguished as Mother of his Son as an act of justice rather than grace.

When Adam was created in original justice and grace, it was his nature to be ruler over all that was created on the earth, and so all the lesser creatures rendered him obedience. When he sinned and transgressed against God he was rejected by his inferiors.  The elements and the rest of the creatures rebelled against him.  Therefore, if Mary most holy was preserved from this original poison, in justice she would be owed all the privileges due her because of being conceived in grace.  Therefore, as a matter of original justice all creatures would be subject to her, because she did not participate in that sin which caused their rebellion against Adam and all of his children.

This benefit is not to be considered as a new gift but a manifestation of the benefit that her Son and our Lord gave to her by preserving her from Original Sin.  And all the homage rendered her by the creatures of the earth resulted from the grace of her conception, like the grace of the original creation of Adam, and is a testimony to her being immaculately conceived.  She alone was the one in whom the image and likeness of God, erased by the sin of our first father, the perfection of all the universe, was restored.  Holy Scripture calls Adam the perfection and ornament of all creation either because the final creature is the crown of the entire work or because the rest of the creatures were created for his sake.  All the other creatures were left imperfect through the sin of Adam.  Divine Omnipotence is to be credited not only with restoring human nature, by redeeming it, but by making use of human nature, by predestining and preserving in his eternal mind a pure creature adorned with sanctifying grace from the first instant of her being.  Through her the image and likeness of God was restored, perfecting the rest of his work and restoring it to its rightful order.

For this reason it is not only human beings who are in Mary's debt but all the other creatures as well because she gives them perfection and nobility.  They all owe her their service for this, if for no other reason.  On this day, therefore, all the brute beasts render her obedience.

The Eucharist - sacrament of mysticism

If you want to get into some solid Catholic theology on the Eucharist that will blow your mind and is not sentimental saccharine piety then I highly recommend you check out "The doctrine of spiritual perfection" by Fr Anselm Stolz (has imprimatur) 

He goes through his definition of mysticism of the spiritual life as union with God, that Christ restored and therefore he follows from Garrigou Lagrange that mysticism is based in baptism and open for all, not for spiritual elite - 

"We merely point out that the Eucharist as a sharing in Christ's sacrifice anticipates in a sacramental manner the union with God one day to be realised, and establishes between a Christian and the Heavenly Father that intimacy which the head of the mystical body enjoys uninterruptedly. Thus the Eucharist, as the perfect fulfilment of what is given at baptism is the proper sacrament of mysticism... 

To understand the Eucharist as the sacrament of mysticism, a person can begin with the fact it conveys to the soul Christ in person, and thus effects the highest degree of union with God...

Participation in the Eucharist is not merely one means among others towards mystical union: rising as it does on the foundations of the Grace bestowed on baptism, it is much more the actual achievement of that mystical oneness, to which so far in the believer there can only be a more or less powerful reaction" 

If this does not set your soul on fire after reading I don't know what else would!! 😍

Pray for Cardinal Muller

This is from Rorate Caeli

“There  is a front of traditionalist groups, just as there is with the progressivists, that would like to see me as head of a movement against the Pope. But I will never do this. I have served the Church with love for 40 years as a priest, 16 years as a university professor of dogmatic theology and 10 years as a diocesan bishop. I believe in the unity of the Church and I will not allow anyone to exploit my negative experiences of recent months.  Church authorities, on the other hand, need to listen to those who have serious questions or justified complaints; not ignoring them, or worse, humiliating them. Otherwise, unwittingly, the risk of a slow separation that might lead to a schism may increase, from a disorientated and disillusioned part of the Catholic world.  The history of Martin Luther’s Protestant Schism of 500 years ago, should teach us, above all, what errors to avoid.”

“The Pope confided to me: ‘Some have told me anonymously that you are my enemy’ without explaining in what way” he recounts unhappily. “After 40 years at the service of the Church, I had to hear this: an absurdity set up by prattlers who instead of instilling worry in the Pope they would do better visiting a 'shrink'.  A Catholic bishop and cardinal of the Holy Roman Church is by nature with the Holy Father. But, I believe, as Melchoir Cano, the 16th century theologian said, that the true friends are not those who flatter the Pope, but those who help him with the truth and theological, human competence.” In all the organizations of the world, delatores of this type serve only themselves.” 

“The tensions in the Church arise from the contrast between an extremist traditionalist front on some websites, and an equally exaggerated progressive front which today seeks to credit themselves as super-papists”.

Prayer ravished by the divine light

'Two states of pure prayer are exalted above all others. One is to be found in those who have not advanced beyond the practice of the virtues, the other in those leading the contemplative life. The first is engendered in the soul by fear of God and a firm hope in Him, the second by an intense longing for God and by total purification. The sign of the first is that the intellect, abandoning all conceptual images of the world, concentrates itself and prays without distraction or disturbance as if God Himself were present, as indeed He is. The sign of the second is that at the very onset of prayer the intellect is so ravished by the divine and infinite light that it is aware neither of itself nor of any other created thing, but only of Him who through love has activated such radiance in it. It is then that, being made aware of God's qualities, it receives clear and distinct reflections of Him.'

St. Maximos the Confessor

Catholicism and the Dalai Lama

Recently I have had a growing interest in Buddhism from a philosophic point of view, especially in regards to mindfulness, inner peace etc. 

I came across this very well written article that I highly recommend. He makes very good points that Catholics interested in Tibetan Buddhism are not spiritually fed in the Church. There's a lack of authentic catechesis, sense of mystery and emphasis of our amazing  spiritual wisdom from Mystics and Doctors of the Church 

https://info-buddhism.com/Dalai_Lama-Catholic_perspective-Alexander_Norman.html

The Eucharist - foretaste of heaven

THE HOLY EUCHARIST

“Receiving the Body and Blood of our Lord is, in a certain sense, like loosening our ties with earth and time, so as to be already with God in heaven, where Christ himself will wipe the tears from our eyes and where there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor cries of distress, because the old world will have passed away.”

St. Josemaria Escriva

Passionately Loving the World, no. 51

Saints - inserted in Christ

Pope Benedict XVI 

Angelus, Solemnity of All Saints, 1 November 2012

Today we have the joy of meeting on the Solemnity of All Saints. This feast day helps us to reflect on the double horizon of humanity, which we symbolically express with the words “earth” and “heaven”: the earth represents the journey of history, heaven eternity, the fullness of life in God. And so this feast day helps us to think about the Church in its dual dimension: the Church journeying in time and the Church that celebrates the never-ending feast, the heavenly Jerusalem. These two dimensions are united by the reality of the “Communion of Saints”: a reality that begins here on earth and that reaches its fulfillment in heaven.

On earth, the Church is the beginning of this mystery of communion that unites humanity, a mystery totally centred on Jesus Christ: it is he who introduced this new dynamic to mankind, a movement that leads towards God and at the same time towards unity, towards peace in its deepest sense. Jesus Christ — says the Gospel of John (11:52) — died “to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad”, and his work continues in the Church which is inseparably “one”, “holy” and “catholic”. Being a Christian, being part of the Church means being open to this communion, like a seed that dies in the ground, germinates and sprouts upwards, toward heaven.

The Saints — those proclaimed by the Church and whom we celebrate today and also those known only to God — have lived this dynamic intensely. In each of them, in a very personal way, Christ made himself present, thanks to his Spirit which acts through Scripture and the Sacraments. In fact, being united to Christ, in the Church, does not negate one's personality, but opens it, transforms it with the power of love, and confers on it, already here on earth, an eternal dimension.

In essence, it means being conformed to the image of the Son of God (cf. Rom 8:29), fulfilling the plan of God who created man in his own image and likeness. But this insertion in Christ also opens us — as I said — to communion with all the other members of his Mystical Body which is the Church, a communion that is perfect in “Heaven”, where there is no isolation, no competition or separation. In today’s feast, we have a foretaste of the beauty of this life fully open to the gaze of love of God and neighbour, in which we are sure to reach God in each other and each other in God. With this faith-filled hope we honour all the Saints, and we prepare to commemorate the faithful departed tomorrow. In the Saints we see the victory of love over selfishness and death: we see that following Christ leads to life, eternal life, and gives meaning to the present, every moment that passes, because it is filled with love and hope. Only faith in eternal life makes us truly love history and the present, but without attachment, with the freedom of the pilgrim, who loves the earth because his heart is set on Heaven.

May the Virgin Mary obtain for us the grace to believe firmly in eternal life and feel ourselves in true communion with our deceased loved ones.

Creative power of love

Christians are not made for boredom

I came across this quote from Pope Francis' General audience  11 October 2017

Christians are not made for boredom; if anything, for patience. We know that hidden in the monotony of certain identical days is a mystery of grace. There are people who with the perseverance of their love become as wells that irrigate the desert. Nothing happens in vain; and no situation in which a Christian finds himself is completely resistant to love. No night is so long as to make us forget the joy of the sunrise. And the darker the night, the closer the dawn. If we remain united with Jesus, the cold of difficult moments does not paralyze us; and if even the whole world preached against hope, if it said that the future would bring only dark clouds, a Christian knows that in that same future there will be Christ’s return. No one knows when this will take place, but the thought that at the end of our history there will be Merciful Jesus suffices in order to have faith and not to curse life. Everything will be saved. Everything. We will suffer; there will be moments that give rise to anger and indignation, but the sweet and powerful memory of Christ will drive away the temptation to think that this life is a mistake

Secret holy whispers of the God who loves you

There is a priest I follow on Facebook and I highly recommend you check out this brief video of his 

https://www.facebook.com/catholiclink1/videos/1426172004142955/

St Lawrence of Brindisi - Marian Doctor of the Church

 

Mary was seen clothed with the sun that we may know that she is like the sun which, although one, illumines and warms each man as if it had been created by God for him alone, for there is no one that can hide himself from his heat. So the Virgin Mother of God is both the mother of all men and the mother of each individual man. To all she is a common mother; to each his own personal mother. As the one sun can be seen in its entirety by each and every man (for every man at the same time sees a complete outline of the sun), so every one of the faithful, who from his heart devotes himself entirely to the Virgin, may enjoy her complete love as if he were her only son. For this reason Christ spoke to Mary in the singular when He said: Woman, behold thy son.


Mary also possessed Christ most perfectly as her only and beloved Son. How was it possible for the Virgin not to shine with sunlike splendor when she carried Christ, the Sun of infinite light, in her virginal womb? If God enclosed the sun in an immense crystal vase, would not that vase seem to be clothed with the very sun? In this way the sun clothes and adorns with its brilliant rays the pure substance of heaven, which it surrounds and engulfs. Just as the sun, glowing within the crystal on every side with its light, so the heavenly Virgin is clothed with Christ, the Sun of justice and glory. This divine vision signifies that, as bride and mother, the most holy Virgin shares in the glory of Christ and God to a high degree, so that no greater sharing or participation can be thought of.

 

 

NT Wright on the Atonement

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qfnV69nIOrw

The Lord has gone up

PSALM 47 

2All you peoples, clap your hands;

shout to God with joyful cries.

3For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,

the great king over all the earth,

4Who made people subject to us,

nations under our feet,

5^*Who chose our heritage for us,

the glory of Jacob, whom he loves.

6^*God has gone up with a shout;

the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.

7Sing praise to God, sing praise;

sing praise to our king, sing praise.

8For God is king over all the earth;

sing hymns of praise.

9God rules over the nations;

God sits upon his holy throne.

1The princes of the peoples assemble

with the people of the God of Abraham.

For the shields of the earth belong to God,

highly exalted.

 

Humble and solitary soul

Came across this quote, it would be great to use for medication and Lectio Divina for anyone deepening their spiritual life 

A humble man is never rash, hasty or perturbed, never has any hot and volatile thoughts, but at all times remains calm. Even if heaven were to fall and cleave to the earth, the humble man would not be dismayed. Not every quiet man is humble, but every humble man is quiet. There is no humble man who is not self-constrained; but you will find many who are self-constrained without being humble. This is also what the meek humble Lord meant when He said, ‘Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.’ [Matt 11:29]  For the humble man is always at rest, because there is nothing which can agitate or shake his mind. Just as no one can frighten a mountain, so the mind of a humble man cannot be frightened. If it be permissible and not incongruous, I should say that the humble man is not of this world. For he is not troubled and altered by sorrows, nor amazed and enthused by joys, but all his gladness and his real rejoicing are in the things of his Master. Humility is accompanied by modesty and self-collectedness: that is, chastity of the senses; a moderate voice; mean speech; self-belittlement; poor raiment; a gait that is not pompous; a gaze directed towards the earth; superabundant mercy; easily flowing tears; a solitary soul; a contrite heart; imperturbability to anger; undistributed senses; few possessions; moderation in every need; endurance; patience; fearlessness; manliness of heart born of a hatred of this temporal life; patient endurance of trials; deliberations that are ponderous, not light, extinction of thoughts; guarding of the mysteries of chastity; modesty, reverence; and above all, continually to be still and always to claim ignorance.

+ St. Isaac the Syrian,  “Homily 72: On the Vision of the Nature of Incorporeal Beings

 

Image of the Church robed in Paschal light

Here is part of Pope Francis' prayer to Our Lady of Fatima. It would be good to meditate on the meaning of this powerful prayer that is trinitarian, filled with biblical imagery and focused on spiritual warfare : 

Hail, Mother of the Lord,

Virgin Mary, Queen of the Rosary of Fatima!

Blessed among all women,

you are the image of the Church robed in paschal light,

you are the honour of our people,

you are the victory over every assault of evil.

Prophecy of the merciful love of the Father,

Teacher of the Message of Good News of the Son,

Sign of the burning Fire of the Holy Spirit,

teach us, in this valley of joys and sorrows,

the eternal truths that the Father reveals to the little ones.

Show us the strength of your protective mantle.

In your Immaculate Heart,

be the refuge of sinners

and the way that leads to God.

In union with my brothers and sisters,

in faith, in hope and in love,

I entrust myself to you.

In union with my brothers and sisters, through you, I consecrate myself to God,

O Virgin of the Rosary of Fatima.

And at last, enveloped in the Light that comes from your hands,

I will give glory to the Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

 

At the feet of the Virgin Mother

This Saturday 13th May marks the 100th anniversary of Our Lady appearing at Fatima

The Pope has released a video message before he leaves for Portugal and left this beautiful message : 

It is as the universal pastor of the Church that I would like to come before the Madonna and to offer her a bouquet of the most beautiful “blossoms” that Jesus has entrusted to my care (cf. Jn 21:15-17). By this I mean all of our brothers and sisters throughout the world who have been redeemed by Christ’s blood, none excluded. That is why I need to have all of you join me there. I need to feel your closeness, whether physical or spiritual; the important thing is that it come from the heart. In this way, I can arrange my bouquet of flowers, my “golden rose”. With all of us forming “one heart and soul” (cf. Acts 4:32), I will then entrust you to Our Lady, asking her to whisper to each one of you: “My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that leads you to God” (Apparition of June, 1917).

 

Let us not forget that Jacinta and Francesco will be getting canonised while the pope is there as well. 

 

STS JACINTA AND FRANCESO - PRAY FOR US

Sheperd and Guardian of our souls

 

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Often this is associated with saccharine piety and imagines of a feminine Jesus holding a baby lamb. However the readings of the day are filled with powerful imagery!

In conjunction with the readings, I went to confession with a great African priest. He reminded me that the Fathers of the Church used to say before they went to pray that they are going into "battle". It was a great reminder of spiritual warfare for me, and the readings reminded me that no matter how weighed down and disappointed I feel in my sins - that Christ has already won the battle for me. He is the Good Sheperd who laid down his life for me and is now the Guardian of my soul. 

Even more powerful is the part of the psalm where it says "you have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes". This can be interpreted as the Eucharist, the great Sacrificial Paschal banquet established by Christ as a reminder of his victory over death, that I am now one of his redeemed who is called treat with him and share in His Divine Life. 

 

Reading 2  1Peter 2:20-251 PT 2:20B-25

Beloved:
If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.
He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.

When he was insulted, he returned no insult;
when he suffered, he did not threaten;
instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Dealing with Spiritual Dryness

Sometimes in our journey of faith, we experience moments of spiritual dryness, lethargy - also known as acedia.

In rare cases, this is also known as the "Dark night of the soul" as coined by St John of the Cross. Many saints have experienced this, one of the more recent examples being St Mother Teresa. This is known as part of the purgative process of purification in the spiritual life. 

In my own case today however, I am suffering  with spiritual dryness caused by my own sins. Often when caught in habitual sins or feeling weighed down by our own weakness in sin we lose the strength or energy to fight and become lethargic. It's during these moments we need to pray the hardest and ask for the Holy Spirit. God is always with us but we don't often see or feel him, or other times we have shut him out through our sinfulness. So we need to turn back to the gaze of Jesus, call on the Father of Mercies and ask for the Comforter to be sent as our Consoler and Advocate. 

But first, something else has to be dealt with, namely, what is called aridity, dryness and desolation in meditation. The one who meditates before a text that is merely printed word and does not open out into any spiritual inner space and perhaps not even to a living presence. "The soul finds itself completely indolent, tepid and sad, as though separated from its Creator and Lord (spiritual exercises 317). Can we speak of a silence of the Word here? In a certain sense yes, since the Word does not seem to want to disclose itself of itself. This condition, as we are taught, can have several causes. It may be out own fault, "because we are tepid, indolent or negligent in our spiritual exercises". Or it may be willed by the Lord in order to see whether we will make the effort to penetrate into his depths even without his perceptible help. Finally, there may be exacted of is the existential experience that we cannot force entrance to these depths by our own efforts, for it "is wholly a gift and grace of God our Lord", and we "may not let our spirit become inflated with some kind of pride or vainglory", thinking we have raised ourselves up to this or that "degree of prayer" by our own power (spiritual exercises 322). We may and should knock, but we may not attribute magical power to our knocking, as though it necessarily demanded the response of an opening. The apparent silence of the Word is in each three aspects an intensive schooling. "Blessed are they who do not see and yet believe" - and believe in an unfelt "unspeakable, radiant joy" (charā anekalētō kai dedoxasmenē, 1 Peter 1:8), whose "radiance", however, rests with the Lord, while we now renounce it... 

Thus what is experienced in meditation as aridity, or even as a dark night, can at the same time in a hidden but true sense be the brightest radiance of love. But this love must hide itself in the nakedness of faith, the only thing that Jesus, deprived of everything exteriorly and interiorly, cannot lose. This definitively confirms the fact that every silence in Christian meditation is meaningful. In other words, where in an earthly sense we experience wordlessness, the sprees of the Word and meaning beyond expression open up 

- Christian Medition Hans urs Von Balthasar 

 

The Mystery of Mercy

 

I have recently finished Pope Francis' interview that became a book "The name of God is Mercy". It has really helped me grown in my appreciation and respect for the Holy Father, and I regret myself allowing my opinion of him to be negatively influenced by blogs and uncharitable comments by certain traditionalists.

At the end of the book, the appendix is the Bull for the Holy Year of Mercy "Misericordiae Vultus". There are two beautiful quotes I would like to share with you for your own personal meditation on mercy and the Holy Trinity. 

We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy . It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate act and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forced despite our sinfulness 

 

From the heart of the Trinity, from the depths of the mystery of God, the great river of mercy wells up and overflows unceasingly. It is a spring that will never run dry, no matter how many people draw from it. Every time someone is in need, he or she can approach it, because the mercy of God never ends. The profundity of the mystery surrounding it is as inexhaustible as the riches which springs up from it. 

Wow what amazing words! Trinitarian mysticism at its best! I don't think Jan van Rosbroek could have said it any better himself! 

Let us pray to the Most Holy Trinity, One God, to wash us in the mystery of mercy, immerse us in divine love, and have mercy on us all so that we may shine the light of Jesus to the world, showing His glorious face - the face of mercy. 

Amen 

 

Some recent purchases

These arrived in the mail today, and I can say I am very happy indeed 🙏🏻😇

 

Michael Horton is a very good Reforned (Calvinist) theologian, I have read his other books on covenant theology and Christless Christianity (an attack on therapeutic deism which neglects the Glory of God) which I found very useful in my spiritual journey. 

John Piper is a Baptist pastor who is also a Calvinist, he is a very passionate preacher who has developed the concept of "Hedonistic Christianity" which basically means it is easier to reject sin if we take delight from following God's commandments instead of falling for the false promises of sin. 

I am sure many of you are already familiar with Cardinal Sarah and Scott Hahn - if you are not, then I highly highly recommend you check them out as soon as possible!! Wonderful authors. 

I have been waiting for ages to be able to afford the book by Ralph Martin. It analyses the spiritual life using the writings of some of the most influential spiritual writers of the Church who are also Doctors of the Church : St Augustine, St Bernard, St Catherine of Siena, St Teresa of Avila, St John of the Cross, St Frances de Sales and St Therese of Lisieux. 

What a wonderful compendium of spiritual writing!!  The book is divided into the traditional 3 paths of the spiritual life - purgative, illuminative, unitive/transforming union. 

Time to get into some deep spiritual reading. 

I buy all my books through bookdepository.com they have most books in stock, are cheap and have free delivery. I live in Australia so the free delivery makes this a much cheaper option for me than Amazon. Plus the books only take 2-3 business days to be dispatched and then 5-8 business days to arrive. 

Finally opening up to Pope Francis - Revolution of Tenderness

As you may have seen in one of my previous posts, I often struggle with Pope Francis. His style often leaves me cold and missing Pope Benedict. 

I have been buying his books recently to try and understand him more and to allow him to challenge my thoughts on him for spiritual growth. 

I just came across this video of him giving a talk to the TED conference and all I can say is ... WOW 

For the first time watching this I was proud he was my Pope and felt I wanted to get to know him more. I just had my own personal revolution of tenderness. 

I highly recommend you to watch the video yourself 

https://www.facebook.com/VaticanRadioEnglish/videos/1534507179894214/

 

Ravens, Providence of God and the Saints

I cam across this article today, about Ravens and their relationship to the saints. It is a very interesting read that I highly recommend.

In pop culture, ravens are often associated with death or dark arts/supersition or witchcraft. However many people fail to realise how often they appear in the lives of saints and especially in the Bible.


For many new age people, the raven is often seen as a symbol of the Morrigan - an ancient Irish goddess of war and magic. However, in Christian literature going back to the prophet Elijah, ravens are associated with hermits, as well as a symbol of God's Providence as the above article outlines.

The author makes a great connection between the ravens as a symbol of God's Providence, and the need for Christian's to reclaim stewardship of Creation and integration with God's creation. In this sense, it could be read as a flow on from Pope Francis' Encyclical Laudato Si.

May we all have a greater awareness of God's goodness and Providence in creation, and learn to adore him through his creation.

Divine Mercy in my Soul

 

Today being the first Sunday after Easter is known as Divine Mercy Sunday as instituted by Pope St John Paul II. The aspects of this devotion are based on the diary of St Faustina Kowalska and visions she had of our Lordspeaking to her. Usually I am not a big fan of revelations and lots of devotions but this is one I have a connection to.  

 

The devotions are mainly about Jesus' Mercy, confession, praying for conversion of sinners, praying for the dying, as well as deeping your relationship with Jesus through trust in His love and mercy. 

. “Today the Lord said to me, ‘Daughter, when you go to confession, to this fountain of My mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flows down upon your soul and ennobles it.  Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself entirely in My mercy, with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul.  When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you.  I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul.  Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy.  Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust.  If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity.  The torrents of grace inundate humble souls.  The proud remain always in poverty and misery, because My grace turns away from them to humble souls.’” (No. 1602)

 

One of the thing I personally love about the Divine Mercy devotion is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It is a very simple prayer and has some similar elements of the Eastern Orthodox Jesus prayer. 

One insight I gained while praying it one day was that it emphasises the common priesthood of the faithful. In the letter of St Peter which I read when I was baptised "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1Peter 2:19 . All Christians participate in the priesthood of Christ, in the sense that we have direct access to God through Jesus, we can offer prayers and sacrifice on behalf of other people. This is the essence of priesthood. 

So when we pray the beginning of the Divine Mercy Chaplet "Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins, and those of the whole world" you can see that this is a priestly prayer. We are offering prayer and sacrifice to God through Jesus on behalf of the world. This prayer really helped me to understand how I can participate more deeply in the Sacrifice of the Mass. It is in a sense a Eucharistic prayer. It helped me to deepen my faith and prayer life that is authentically lay and not a clericalist imitation. 

Just as priests are chosen among the faithful ( the Church) to offer prayers and sacrifice, so are baptised Christians able to offer prayers and sacrifice on behalf of the non baptised to bring them God's Mercy. 

 

Homosexual but still a child of God

Here is a wonderful article by a Russian Orthodox Abbot on same sex attraction and keeping the faith 

http://www.pravmir.com/the-homosexual-person/

 

Doctor of Silence

Although I have not read as much of his writings as I would like, I am a very big fan of St John of the Cross as a master and guide on the spiritual life. 

In some of my previous posts you may notice there is a theme of silence or solitude, this is due to my existentialist leanings. They are also very predominant themes in St John of the Cross as well

“Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.”

St. John of the Cross

 

The Sacred Heart - Heart of the Trinity

The papal preacher Fr Raniero Cantalamessa had this reflection in his sermon on good Friday 

There exists now, within the Trinity and in the world, a human heart that beats not just metaphorically but physically. If Christ, in fact, has been raised from the dead, then his heart has also been raised from the dead; it is alive like the rest of his body, in a different dimension than before, a real dimension, even if it is mystical. If the Lamb is alive in heaven, “slain, but standing,” then his heart shares in that same state; it is a heart that is pierced but living—eternally pierced, precisely because he lives eternally.

There has been a phrase created to describe the depths of evil that can accumulate in the heart of humanity: “the heart of darkness.” After the sacrifice of Christ, more intense than the heart of darkness, a heart of light beats in the world. Christ, in fact, in ascending into heaven, did not abandon the earth, just as he did not abandon the Trinity in becoming incarnate.

 

 

Triumph of the King - Alleluia

Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven,
exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,
let the trumpet of salvation
sound aloud our mighty King's triumph!

Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her,
ablaze with light from her eternal King,
let all corners of the earth be glad,
knowing an end to gloom and darkness.

- Exsultet from the Easter Vigil 

 

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For “God^c has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:20-28

The Lord, the mighty, the valiant in war - he has defeated Satan and death, bringing us all to eternal Life. The Lamb that was slain now reigns in heaven on the throne of Grace. 

He has risen as he said he would! Hallelujah! 

The Silence of Holy Saturday

"This day is meant to be one of recollection in silence and prayer besides the sepulchre of the Lord" says Fr Gabriel of St Mary Magdalene OCD in his book Divine Intimacy 

 

This day of silence and prayer, can often be awkward. But why awkward you ask? We know that Jesus died for us and we are sorry that our sins caused his death, but we are also excitedly anticipating his resurrection which we will celebrate tonight. So we don't know whether to be sad, mournful, happy or excited. It is part of the mystery and paradox of Holy Saturday. 

While we pray at the sepulchre of Jesus, reflecting on his lifeless, bruised and tortured body. We also take refuge in his wounds, knowing that there is healing and safety there. 

Holy Saturday is the Jewish sabbath day, so even in his death he was fulfilling the Law. However we also know that Jesus says that He and the Father are always at work, and that he is the Lord of the Sabbath. In the deathly silence of Holy Saturday, Jesus has descended to Hell (the place of the dead according to the Creed) where he has gone to rescue Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and all the Prophets, holy men and woman who have been waiting for redemption in the realm of the dead. So to outward appearances the dead inactivity of God is ironically a continuation of redemption and salvation. 

How often in our lives do we think that God is quiet, ignoring us, or not present when in reality His power is working in the silence and darkness of our lives? 

 

To finish with one last quote from Divine Intimacy :

"May this Saturday, a day of transition between the agony of Friday and the glory of the Resurrection, be a day of prayer and recollection near the lifeless body of Jesus; let us open wide our heart and purify it in His Blood, so that renewed in love and purity, it can vie with the "new sepulchre" in offering the beloved Master a place of peace and rest" 

The perfection of Redemption

 

Today as I was at the Good Friday liturgy, the homily was on Jesus' words "Cosummatum est" and how as the suffering servant He completed the task of our Redemption - making it perfect. 

The Bible tells us multiple ways in which Jesus redeemed us. By his humility, suffering, setting an example of obedience, his love for us and his bloody sacrifice on the cross. Jesus has opened up the Gates to Heaven for us that we're closed to Adam and Eve. His cross is they key that unlocks our salvation. 

The perfection of our Redemption is Jesus purchasing us back from the snares of Satan and sin, breaking the chains of bondage keeping us in death. We have been Redeemed from the Kingdom of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Light.  

Christ has purchased us with His precious blood, better than any gold or silver. 

 

Although today we mystically participate in Jesus death on the Cross as part of the Paschal Mystery, we also know that His death has Redeemed us, healed us, saved us from sin and the power of Satan. Jesus through dying has gone to experience the darkness and abandonment of death, but also to preach to those prisoned in the bosom of Abraham. With the Prophet Job we can proclaim "I know my redeemer lives!!" 

Holy God

Holy Mighty One 

Holy Immortal One 

Have mercy on us 

 

Everyday holiness with St Josemaria Escriva - be a saint!

I am a big fan of St Josemaria Escriva. I find his short sayings very helpful when feeling unmotivated in the spiritual life, then I read a small quote by him and he is packed with so much gusto and energy!

Some times it can be very easy to get caught up in speculation or mystical idealism that makes it hard to practice the faith in everyday life. Other times faith can be reduced to moralism without any supernatural aspect. We can get caught up in culture wars, liturgy wars, left wing vs right wing, Thomist vs Ressourcement but we forget that at the end of the day, it is all about becoming a SAINT.

St Josemaria is great at reminding us this, sainthood lies in everyday life.