The Treasure Hunt
August 2, 2017.
Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 13: 44-46
Jesus said to his
disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he
has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and
sells all that he has and buys it."
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, You have made me
for Yourself, and my heart is restless until I rest in You. I want to encounter
You more deeply today so that You can be my treasure. Thank You for the gift of
this new day. I know You love me. I wish to discover Your love more deeply and
give it to others.
Petition: Lord, help me to treasure the gift of Your
friendship.
1. In Search of a
Treasure: The restlessness in
our hearts can be compared to a hunt for treasure. In different ways we all
experience the desire for unconditional love, true goodness, the answer to our
deepest questions. In Christ, God has come to give himself to us. He is the one
we truly long for; he is our greatest treasure. During this time of prayer let
us deepen our awareness of the greatness of his gift of friendship, and let us
strengthen this friendship by our openness to his love.
2. The Priceless
Treasure: In Christ we have
experienced the overwhelming faithfulness of God’s love for us. In his mercy we
discover that our life has infinite value in the Father’s eyes. In his
teachings we discover the wisdom to build our life on solid ground. In his
grace we receive the strength to grow in love and holiness. This is where we
can build a true future. This is where we can live up to our calling to
greatness. But we must be willing to leave aside all other concerns to really
possess this treasure. We must leave aside anything that tries to give us a
false sense of security outside of God. Am I making my friendship with Christ
the one value that guides my heart and my decisions?
3. The Unopened
Treasure Chest: Unpacking this
treasure is the work of our spiritual life. We need to cooperate with Christ’s
grace in order to truly possess this treasure. The cultivation of faith, hope
and charity helps us discover and live this treasure more fully each day. Our
sacrifices and renunciations done to put on the new man help us dig this
treasure out of the earthy make-up of our lives. Living generous charity helps
us make this treasure truly last and enrich our lives. Am I sincerely allowing
Christ’s treasure to transform me?
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, thank You for
the gift of Your love. You are the treasure I truly long for. Help me to enter
more deeply into Your heart this day by doing things Your way no matter what
the cost. Help me to value the gift of Your friendship above everything else.
Resolution: I will make a small sacrifice of my time to do
something extra for someone who needs God’s love.
Excerpts from the
DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
304 +O my Jesus, my
only hope, thank You for the book which You have opened before my soul's eyes.
That book is Your Passion which You underwent for love of me. It is from this
book that I have learned how to love God and souls. In this book there are
found for us inexhaustible treasures. O Jesus, how few souls understand You in
Your martyrdom of love! Oh, how great is the fire of purest love which burns in
Your Most Sacred Heart! Happy the soul that has come to understand the love of
the Heart of Jesus!
338 When I started to
look deep within myself, I did not find any attachment to anything, but as in
all things that concern me, so also in this matter, I was afraid and
distrustful of myself. Tired out by this detailed selfexamination, I went
before the Blessed Sacrament and asked Jesus with all my heart, "Jesus, my
Spouse, Treasure of my heart, You know that I know You alone and that I have no
other love but You; but, Jesus, if I were about to become attached to anything
that is not You, I beg and entreat You, Jesus, by the power of Your mercy, let
instant death descend upon me, for I prefer to die a thousand times than to be
unfaithful to You once in even the smallest thing."
342 Suffering is the
greatest treasure on earth; it purifies the soul. In suffering, we learn who
our true friend is.
343 True love is
measured by the thermometer of suffering. Jesus, I thank You for the little
daily crosses, for opposition to my endeavors, for the hardships of communal
life, for the misinterpretation of my intentions, for humiliations at the hands
of others, for the harsh way in which we are treated, for false suspicions, for
poor health and loss of strength, for self-denial, for dying to myself, for
lack of recognition in everything, for the upsetting of all my plans.
Thank You, Jesus, for interior sufferings, for dryness of spirit, for terrors, fears and incertitudes, for the darkness and the deep interior night, for temptations and various ordeals, for torments too difficult to describe, especially for those which no one will understand, for the hour of death with its fierce struggle and all its bitterness.
I thank You, Jesus, You who first drank the cup of bitterness before You gave it to me, in a much milder form. I put my lips to this cup of Your holy will. Let all be done according to Your good pleasure; let that which Your wisdom ordained before the ages be done to me. I want to drink the cup to its last drop, and not seek to know the reason why. In bitterness is my joy, in hopelessness is my trust. In You, O Lord, all is good, all is a gift of Your paternal Heart. I do not prefer consolations over bitterness or bitterness over consolations, but thank You, O Jesus, for everything! It is my delight to fix my gaze upon You, O incomprehensible God! My spirit abides in these mysterious dwelling places, and there I am at home. I know very well the dwelling place of my Spouse. I feel there is not a single drop of blood in me that does not burn with love for You.
O Uncreated Beauty, whoever comes to know You once cannot love anything else. I can feel the bottomless abyss of my soul, and nothing will fill it but God himself. I feel that I am drowned in Him like a single grain of sand in a bottomless ocean.
Thank You, Jesus, for interior sufferings, for dryness of spirit, for terrors, fears and incertitudes, for the darkness and the deep interior night, for temptations and various ordeals, for torments too difficult to describe, especially for those which no one will understand, for the hour of death with its fierce struggle and all its bitterness.
I thank You, Jesus, You who first drank the cup of bitterness before You gave it to me, in a much milder form. I put my lips to this cup of Your holy will. Let all be done according to Your good pleasure; let that which Your wisdom ordained before the ages be done to me. I want to drink the cup to its last drop, and not seek to know the reason why. In bitterness is my joy, in hopelessness is my trust. In You, O Lord, all is good, all is a gift of Your paternal Heart. I do not prefer consolations over bitterness or bitterness over consolations, but thank You, O Jesus, for everything! It is my delight to fix my gaze upon You, O incomprehensible God! My spirit abides in these mysterious dwelling places, and there I am at home. I know very well the dwelling place of my Spouse. I feel there is not a single drop of blood in me that does not burn with love for You.
O Uncreated Beauty, whoever comes to know You once cannot love anything else. I can feel the bottomless abyss of my soul, and nothing will fill it but God himself. I feel that I am drowned in Him like a single grain of sand in a bottomless ocean.
415 Saturday. During
Vespers I saw the Lord Jesus radiant as the sun, in a bright garment, and He
said to me, May your heart be joyful. And great joy flooded
me, and I was penetrated with God's presence, which for the soul is a treasure
beyond words.
454 Once, the Lord
said to me, My daughter, take the graces that others spurn; take as
many as you can carry. At that moment, my soul was inundated with the
love of God. I feel that I am united with the Lord so closely that I cannot
find words to express that union; in this state I suddenly feel that all the
things God has, all the goods and treasures, are mine, although I set little
store by them, for He alone is enough for me. In Him I see my everything;
without Him-nothing.
I look for no happiness beyond my own interior where God dwells. I rejoice that God dwells within me; here I abide with Him unendingly; it is here that my greatest intimacy with Him exists; here I dwell with Him in safety; here is a place not probed by the human eye. The Blessed Virgin encourages me to commune with God in this way.
I look for no happiness beyond my own interior where God dwells. I rejoice that God dwells within me; here I abide with Him unendingly; it is here that my greatest intimacy with Him exists; here I dwell with Him in safety; here is a place not probed by the human eye. The Blessed Virgin encourages me to commune with God in this way.
608 February 2,
[1936]. In the morning, when the bell awoke me, I was so overcome by drowsiness
which I could not shake off that I jumped into cold water, and after two
minutes the sleepiness left me. When I came to meditation a host of absurd
thoughts swarmed into my head, so much so that I had to struggle throughout the
whole meditation. It was the same during prayer time, but when Mass began, a
strange silence and joy filled my heart. Just then, I saw Our Lady with the
Infant Jesus, and the Holy Old Man [St. Joseph] standing behind them. The most
holy Mother said to me, Take My Dearest Treasure, and She
handed me the Infant Jesus. When I took the Infant Jesus in my arms, the Mother
of God and Saint Joseph disappeared. I was left alone with the Infant Jesus.
649 Mass of the
Resurrection. [April 12, 1936]. When I entered the chapel, my spirit was
immersed in God, its only treasure. His presence flooded me.
763 November 22,
[1936]. Today during confession, the Lord Jesus spoke to me through the lips of
a certain priest. This priest did not know my soul, and I only accused myself
of my sins; yet he spoke these words to me: "Accomplish faithfully
everything that Jesus asks of you, despite the difficulties. Know that,
although people may be angry with you, Jesus is not angry and never will be
angry with you. Pay no attention to human opinion." This instruction
surprised me at first; but I understood that the Lord was speaking through him
without his realizing it. O holy mystery, what great treasures are contained in
you! O holy faith, you are my guidepost!
781 O Love, O queen!
Love knows no fear. It passes through all the choirs of angels that stand on
guard before His throne. It will fear no one. It reaches God and is immersed in
Him as in its sole treasure. The Cherubim who guards paradise with flaming
sword, has no power over it. O pure love of God, how great and unequalled you
are! Oh, if souls only knew your power!
801 Today, I still
managed to pay a short visit to the Lord [in the Eucharist] before going to
bed. My spirit was immersed in Him as in its only treasure. My heart rested a
while near the Heart of my Spouse. I received light as to how I should behave
toward those around me, and then I returned to my solitude. The doctor is
taking good care of me; all those around me are very kind to me.
826 This morning I had
an adventure. My watch had stopped, and I did not know when to get up, and I
thought of what a misfortune it would be to miss Holy Communion. It was still
dark, so I had no way of knowing whether it was time to get up. I dressed, made
my meditation and went to the chapel, but everything was still locked, and
silence reigned everywhere. I steeped myself in prayer, especially for the
sick. I now see how much the sick have need of prayer. Finally, the chapel was
opened. I found it difficult to pray because I was already feeling very
exhausted, and immediately after Holy Communion I returned to my room. Then I
saw the Lord, who said to me, Know, My daughter, that the ardor of your
heart is pleasing to Me. And just as you desire ardently to become united with
Me in Holy Communion, so too do I desire to give Myself wholly to you; and as a
reward for your zeal, rest on My Heart. At that moment, my spirit was
immersed in His Being, like a drop in a bottomless ocean. I drowned myself in
Him as in my sole treasure. Thus I came to recognize that the Lord allows
certain difficulties for His greater glory.
843 December 24,
[1936]. During Holy Mass today, I was united in a particular way with God and
His Immaculate Mother. The humility and love of the Immaculate Virgin penetrated
my soul. The more I imitate the Mother of God, the more deeply I get to know
God. Oh, what infinite longing envelops my soul! Jesus, how can You still leave
me in this exile? I am dying of longing for You. Every touch of my soul by You
wounds me immensely. Love and suffering go together; yet I would not exchange
this pain caused by You for any treasure, because it is the pain of
incomprehensible delights, and these wounds of the soul are inflicted by a
loving hand.
846 December 25,
[1936]. Midnight Mass. During Mass, God's presence pierced me through and
through. A moment before the Elevation I saw the Mother of God and the Infant
Jesus and the good Old Man [St. Joseph]. The Most Holy Mother spoke these words
to me: My daughter, Faustina, take this most precious Treasure, and
she gave me the Infant Jesus. When I took Jesus in my arms, my soul felt such
unspeakable joy that I am unable to describe it. But, strange thing, after a
short while Jesus became awful, horrible-looking, grown up and suffering; and
then the vision vanished, and soon it was time to go to Holy Communion. When I
received the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion, my soul trembled under the influence
of God's presence. The next day, I saw the Divine Infant for a brief moment
during the Elevation.
928 Then suddenly I
saw the Lord, who clasped me to His Heart and said to me, My daughter,
do not weep, for I cannot bear your tears. I will grant you everything you ask
for, but stop crying. And I was filled with great joy, and my spirit,
as usual, was drowned in Him as in its only treasure. Today, encouraged by His
kindness, I conversed with Jesus at greater length.
957 The pure offering
of my will will burn on the altar of love. That my sacrifice may be perfect, I
unite myself closely with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. When great
sufferings will cause my nature to tremble, and my physical and spiritual
strength will diminish, then will I hide myself deep in the open wound of the
Heart of Jesus, silent as a dove, without complaint. Let all my desires, even
the holiest, noblest and most beautiful, take always the last place and Your
holy will, the very first. The least of Your desires, O Lord, is more precious
to me than heaven, with all its treasures. I know very well that people will
not understand me; that is why my sacrifice will be purer in Your eyes.
969 +Today, I went to
meditate before the Blessed Sacrament [in the sanatorium chapel]. When I
approached the altar, God's presence pervaded my soul, I was plunged into the
ocean of His divinity, and Jesus said to me, My daughter, all that
exists is yours. I answered the Lord, "My heart wants nothing but
You alone, O Treasure of my heart. For all the gifts You give me, thank you, O
Lord, but I desire only Your Heart. Though the heavens are immense, they are
nothing to me without You. You know very well, O Jesus, that I am constantly
swooning because of my longing for You." Know this, My daughter,
that you are already tasting now what other souls will obtain only in eternity.
1021 + I have such a
strong desire to hide myself that I would like to live as though I did not
exist. I feel a strange inner urge to hide myself as deeply as possible so as
to be known only to the Heart of Jesus. I want to be a quiet little dwelling
place for Jesus to rest in. I shall admit nothing that might awaken my Beloved.
My concealment gives me a chance to commune constantly and exclusively with my
Bridegroom. I commune with creatures in so far as it is pleasing to Him. My
heart has come to love the Lord with the full force of love, and I know no
other love, because it is from the beginning that my soul has sunk deeply in
the Lord as in its only treasure.
1064 + O my most sweet
Master, good Jesus, I give You my heart. You shape and mold it after Your
liking. O fathomless love, I open the calyx of my heart to You, like a rosebud
to the freshness of dew. To You alone, my Betrothed, is known the fragrance of
the flower of my heart. Let the fragrance of my sacrifice be pleasing to You. O
Immortal God, my everlasting delight, already here on earth You are my heaven.
May every beat of my heart be a new hymn of praise to You, O Holy Trinity! Had
I as many hearts as there are drops of water in the ocean or grains of sand in
the whole world, I would offer them all to You, O my Love, O Treasure of my
heart! Whomever I shall meet in my life, no matter who they may be, I want to
draw them all to love You, O my Jesus, my Beauty, my Repose, my sole Master,
Judge, Savior and Spouse, all in one; I know that one title will modify the other-I
have entrusted everything to Your mercy.
1122 God of great
mercy, who deigned to send us Your only begotten Son as the greatest proof of
Your fathomless love and mercy, You do not reject sinners; but in Your
boundless mercy You have opened for them also Your treasures, treasures from
which they can draw abundantly, not only justification, but also all the
sanctity that a soul can attain. Father of great mercy, I desire that all
hearts turn with confidence to Your infinite mercy. No one will be justified
before You if he is not accompanied by Your unfathomable mercy. When You reveal
the mystery of Your mercy to us, there will not be enough of eternity to
properly thank You for it.
1385 November 19.
After Communion today, Jesus told me how much He desires to come to human
hearts. I desire to unite Myself with human souls; My great delight is
to unite Myself with souls. Know, My daughter, that when I come to a human
heart in Holy Communion, My hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want
to give to the soul. But souls do not even pay any attention to Me; they leave
Me to Myself and busy themselves with other things. Oh, how sad I am that souls
do not recognize Love! They treat Me as a dead object. I answered
Jesus, "O Treasure of my heart, the only object of my love and entire
delight of my soul, I want to adore You in my heart as You are adored on the
throne of Your eternal glory. My love wants to make up to You at least in part
for the coldness of so great a number of souls. Jesus, behold my heart which is
for You a dwelling place to which no one else has entry. You alone repose in it
as in a beautiful garden.
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-304, 338, 342-343, 415, 454)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-608, 649, 763, 781, 801, 826)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-843, 846, 928, 957, 969
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1021, 1064, 1122)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1385)
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