RSVPing the Lord!
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| Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time |
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Luke 14: 15-24
One of those at
table with Jesus said to him, "Blessed is the one who will dine in the
Kingdom of God." He replied to him, "A man gave a great dinner to
which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his
servant to say to those invited, ´Come, everything is now ready.´ But one by
one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ´I have
purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.´
And another said, ´I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to
evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.´ And another said, ´I have
just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.´ The servant went and
reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded
his servant, ´Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and
bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.´ The servant
reported, ´Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.´
The master then ordered the servant, ´Go out to the highways and hedgerows
and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of
those men who were invited will taste my dinner.´"
Introductory Prayer: Oh God, thank You for allowing me to come into Your presence.
Your love enlarges my soul. I long to see Your face! I come to this prayer
with a thirst to just be in Your presence, relax under Your loving gaze. May
my presence here be an expression of my love for You.
Petition: Lord, help me to put aside all excuses when invited to Your
banquet.
1. Valuing the
Invitation: Some of the happiest
moments of our lives are spent around a banquet table. Milestones are
celebrated there, friendships grow deeper, and relationships are renewed.
Could this be why Jesus so frequently used this image to describe heaven?
Let’s spend a moment thinking about the joy of heaven — of this never-ending
feast. We cannot fathom what it will be like to see God and the inexhaustible
beauty of his Triune majesty. And the company will be great! In the heavenly
banquet it doesn’t matter where you sit: you’ll be next to a saint, and the
conversation will be wonderful!
2. Legitimate RSVP? Going to a banquet takes some effort. You
need to get a babysitter, pick out something to wear and possibly alter
previous plans. If the invitation isn’t valued, that effort won’t be
forthcoming; instead, you will make excuses. They may express a reality —
those oxen are ready to go! — but they camouflage the real issue: that
particular banquet doesn’t seem worth it. This should make us reflect on the
excuses we have about our spiritual lives. Do they mask a growing spiritual
mediocrity?
3. The House Will Be
Filled: The master of the
house is upset because the people that should have been the first to accept
his invitation turn him down. But everything is purchased, and the party is
ready to go. Someone will have a chance to enjoy it. Here perhaps is another
angle for reflection: We are that master’s servants. He wants his house to be
filled, and he needs us to make it happen. The servants are quick and agile,
and they understand what the master wants: “There’s still room!” So too,
let’s ask the Lord to give us apostolic hearts that won’t rest until the
house is full. What a feast that will be!
Conversation with
Christ: Lord Jesus, I am looking forward to the day
when we will be with you at the feast of the Kingdom of Heaven. Help me to
understand that the joy and happiness of that banquet are worth the sacrifice
of any worldly priority. So often I have excuses. Give me strength never to
be pulled away from you.
Resolution: I will accept God’s invitation and not put anything in front
of my prayer life today.
Excerpts from the
DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
55
1933. Spiritual Counsel Given Me by Father Andrasz, S.J.
First: You must
not turn away from these interior inspirations, but always tell everything to
your confessor. If you recognize that these interior inspirations refer to
your own self; that is to say, they are for the good of your soul or for the
good of other souls, l urge you to follow them; and you must not neglect
them, but always do so in consultation with your confessor.
Second: If these inspirations are not in accord with the faith or the spirit of the Church, they must be rejected immediately as coming from the evil spirit. Third: If these inspirations do not refer to souls, in general, nor specifically to their good, you should not take them too seriously, and it would be better to even ignore them. But you should not make this decision by yourself, either one way or the other, as you can easily be led astray despite these great favors from God. Humility, humility, and ever humility, as we can do nothing of ourselves; all is purely and simply God's grace. You say to me that God demands great trust from souls; well then, you be the first to show this trust. And one more word-accept all this with serenity. Words of one of the confessors: "Sister, God is preparing many special graces for you, but try to make your life as clear as crystal before the Lord, paying no attention to what anyone else thinks about you. Let God suffice you; He alone." Toward the end of my novitiate, a confessor [perhaps Father Theodore] told me: "Go through life doing good, so that I could write on its pages: `She spent her life doing good.' May God bring this about in you." Another time the confessor said to me, "Comport yourself before God like the widow in the Gospel; although the coin she dropped into the box was of little value, it counted far more before God than all the big offerings of others." On another occasion the instruction I received was this: " Act in such a way that all those who come in contact with you will go away joyful. Sow happiness about you because you have received much from God; give, then, generously to others. They should take leave of you with their hearts filled with joy, even if they have no more than touched the hem of your garment. Keep well in mind the words I am telling you right now." Still another time he gave me the following recommendation: "Let God push your boat out into the deep waters, toward the unfathomable depths of the interior life." Here are a few words from a conversation I had with the Mother Directress [Mary Joseph] toward the end of my novitiate: "Sister, let simplicity and humility be the characteristic traits of your soul. Go through life like a little child, always trusting, always full of simplicity and humility, content with everything, happy in every circumstance. There, where others fear, you will pass calmly along, thanks to this simplicity and humility. Remember this, Sister, for your whole life: as waters flow from the mountains down into the valleys, so, too, do God's graces flow only into humble souls."
67 When I fell sick [probably the beginning of
consumption] after my first vows and when, despite the kind and solicitous
care of my Superiors and the efforts of the doctor, I felt neither better nor
worse, remarks began to reach my ears which inferred that I was making
believe. With that, my suffering was doubled, and this lasted for quite a
long time. One day I complained to Jesus that I was being a burden to the
sisters. Jesus answered me, You are not living for yourself but for souls,
and other souls will profit from your sufferings. Your prolonged suffering
will give them the light and strength to accept My will.
93 The Degrees of Obedience
Prompt and complete fulfillment - the obedience of the will, when the will persuades the intellect to submit to the advice of the superior. To facilitate obedience, Saint Ignatius suggests, moreover, three means: always to see God in our superior, whoever he might be; to justify in itself the order or advice of the superior; to accept each order as an order from God, without examining it or reflecting on it. General means: humility. Nothing is difficult for the humble.
+ The Trial of Trials, Complete Abandonment - Despair
98 When the soul comes out victorious from the preceding trials, even though it may stumble here and there, it fights on valiantly, humbly calling upon God, "Save me, I am perishing!" And it is still able to fight on. At this point, however, the soul is engulfed in a horrible night. It sees within itself only sin. It feels terrible. It sees itself completely abandoned by God. It feels itself to be the object of His hatred. It is but one step away from despair. The soul does its best to defend itself; it tries to stir up its confidence; but prayer is an even greater torment for it, as this prayer seems to arouse God to an even greater anger. The soul finds itself poised on the summit of a lofty mountain on the very brink of a precipice. The soul is drawn to God, but feels repulsed. All other sufferings and tortures in the world are as nothing compared with this sensation into which it has been plunged; namely, that of being rejected by God. No one can bring it any relief; it finds itself completely alone; there is no one to defend it. It raises its eyes to heaven, but is convinced that this is not for her-for her all is lost. It falls deeper and deeper from darkness to darkness, and it seems to it that it has lost forever the God it used to love so dearly. This thought is torture beyond all description. But the soul does not agree to it and tries to lift its gaze toward heaven, but in vain! And this makes the torture even more intense. If God wishes to keep the soul in such darkness, no one will be able to give it light. It experiences rejection by God in a vivid and terrifying manner. From its heart burst forth painful moans, so painful that no priest will comprehend it, unless he himself has been through these trials. In the midst of this, the evil spirit adds to the soul's suffering, mocking it: "Will you persist in your faithfulness? This is your reward; you are in our power!" But Satan has only as much influence over the soul as God allows him, and God knows how much we can bear. "What have you gotten out of your mortifications," says Satan, "and out of your fidelity to the rule? What use are all these efforts? You have been rejected by God!" This word, rejected, becomes a fire which penetrates every nerve to the marrow of the bone. It pierces right through her entire being. The ordeal reaches its climax. The soul no longer looks for help anywhere. It shrinks into itself and loses sight of everything; it is as though it has accepted the torture of being abandoned. This is a moment for which I have no words. This is the agony of the soul.
102 After some time, one of the sisters came into the cell
and found me almost dead. She was frightened and went to find the Directress
of Novices who, in the name of holy obedience ordered me to get up from the
ground. My strength returned immediately, and I got up, trembling. The
Directress recognized immediately the state of my soul and spoke to me about
the inscrutable mercy of God, saying, "Do not be distressed about
anything, Sister. I command this of you in virtue of obedience." Then
she said to me, "I see now, Sister, that God is calling you to a high
degree of holiness; the Lord wants to draw you very close to Himself since He
has allowed these things to happen to you so soon. Be faithful to God,
Sister, because this is a sign that He wants you to have a high place in
heaven." However, I did not understand anything of these words. When I
went into the chapel, I felt as though my soul had been set free from
everything, as though I had just come forth from the hand of God. I perceived
the inviolability of my soul; I felt that I was a tiny child.
105 However, in all these sufferings and struggles, I was
not omitting Holy Communion. When it seemed to me that I should not
communicate, I went, before Holy Communion, to the Directress and told her
that I could not approach the Sacrament, because it seemed to me that I
should not do so. But she would not permit me to omit Holy Communion, so I
went, and I understand now that it was only obedience that saved me.
The Directress herself told me later that my trials had passed quickly, "and this solely because you were obedient, Sister; and it was through the power of obedience that you struggled through this so bravely." It is true that it was the Lord himself who brought me out of this torment, but my fidelity to obedience did please Him.
106 Though these are frightening things, the soul should
not be too fearful, because God will never test us beyond what we are able to
bear. On the other hand, He may never send us such sufferings, but I write
this because, if it pleases the Lord to let a soul pass through such
sufferings, it should not be afraid but, insofar as this depends on the soul
itself, it should remain faithful to God. God will do a soul no harm, because
He is Love itself, and in this unfathomable love has called it into being.
However, when I was so tormented, I myself did not understand this.
113 And again, I would like to say three words to the soul
that is determined to strive for sanctity and to derive fruit; that is to
say, benefit from confession.
First word-complete sincerity and openness. Even the holiest and wisest confessor cannot forcibly pour into the soul what he desires if it is not sincere and open. An insincere, secretive soul risks great dangers in the spiritual life, and even the Lord Jesus Himself does not give Himself to such a soul on a higher level, because He knows it would derive no benefit from these special graces. Second word-humility. A soul does not benefit as it should from the sacrament of confession if it is not humble. Pride keeps it in darkness. The soul neither knows how, nor is it willing, to probe with precision the depths of its own misery. It puts on a mask and avoids everything that might bring it recovery. Third word-obedience. A disobedient soul will win no victory, even if the Lord Jesus himself, in person, were to hear its confession. The most experienced confessor will be of no help whatsoever to such a soul. The disobedient soul exposes itself to great misfortunes; it will make no progress toward perfection, nor will it succeed in the spiritual life. God lavishes His graces most generously upon the soul, but it must be an obedient soul.
131 But I will simply mention here that these various
sufferings had come to a peak, and I resolved to put an end to these doubts
of mine before my perpetual vows. Throughout my probation, I prayed for light
for the priest to whom I was to open up my soul to its depths. I asked God
that He himself would help me and grant me the grace to be able to express
even the most secret things that exist between me and Him and to be so
disposed that, whatever the priest would decide, I would accept as coming
from Jesus himself. No matter what judgment he would pass on me, all I wanted
was the truth and a decisive answer to certain questions. I put myself
completely in God's hands, and [all] my soul desired was the truth. I could
not go on living in doubt any longer although, in the depths of my soul, I
was so very sure that these things came from God, that I would lay down my
life for this. However, I placed the confessor's opinion above all, and I
made up my mind to do as he thought best and to act according to the advice
that he would give me. I looked forward to that moment which would decide the
course of my actions for the rest of my life. I knew that everything would
depend on this. It mattered little whether what he would say to me would be
in accord with my inspirations or quite the contrary; this no longer mattered
to me. I wanted to know the truth and follow it.
Jesus, You can help me! From this moment, I have begun anew. I conceal all the graces within my soul and await whomsoever the Lord will send me. With no doubt in my heart, I asked the Lord himself to deign to help me during these moments, and a courage of sorts entered my soul.
139 Still, a soul which is faithful to God cannot confirm
its own inspirations; it must submit them to the control of a very wise and
learned priest; and until it is quite certain, it should remain distrustful.
It should not, on its own initiative alone, put its trust in these
inspirations and all other higher graces, because it can thus expose itself
to great losses.
Even though a soul may immediately distinguish between false inspirations and those of God, it should nevertheless be careful, because many things are uncertain. God is pleased and rejoices when a soul distrusts Him for His own sake; because it loves Him, it is prudent and itself asks and searches for help to make certain that it is really God who is acting within it. And once a well-instructed confessor has confirmed this, the soul should be at peace and give itself up to God, according to His directions; that is, according to the directions of the confessor.
140 Pure love is capable of great deeds, and it is not
broken by difficulty or adversity. As it remains strong in the midst of great
difficulties, so too it perseveres in the toilsome and drab life of each day.
It knows that only one thing is needed to please God: to do even the smallest
things out of great love-love, and always love.
Pure love never errs. Its light is strangely plentiful. It will not do anything that might displease God. It is ingenious at doing what is more pleasing to God, and no one will equal it. It is happy when it can empty itself and burn like a pure offering. The more it gives of itself, the happier it is. But also, no one can sense dangers from afar as can love; it knows how to unmask and also knows with whom it has to deal.
148 +A noble and delicate soul, even the most simple, but
one of delicate sensibilities, sees God in everything, finds Him everywhere,
and knows how to find Him in even the most hidden things. It finds all things
important, it highly appreciates all things, it thanks God for all things, it
draws profit for the soul from all things, and it gives all glory to God. It
places its trust in God and is not confused when the time of ordeals comes.
It knows that God is always the best of Fathers and makes little of human
opinion. It follows faithfully the faintest breath of the Holy Spirit; it
rejoices in this Spiritual Guest and holds onto Him like a child to its
mother. Where other souls come to a standstill and fear, this soul passes on
without fear or difficulty.
149 When the Lord himself wants to be close to a soul and
to lead it, He will remove everything that is external. When I fell ill and
was taken to the infirmary, I suffered much unpleasantness because of this.
There were two of us sick in the infirmary. Sisters would come to see Sister N.,
but no one came to visit me. It is true that there was only one infirmary,
but each one had her own cell. The winter nights were long, and Sister N. had
the light and the radio headphones, while I could not even prepare my
meditation for lack of a light.
When nearly two weeks had passed in this way, I complained
to the Lord one evening that I was suffering so much and that I could not
even prepare my meditation because there was no light. And the Lord said that
He would come every evening and give me the points for the next day's
meditation. These points always concerned His sorrowful Passion. He would
say, Consider My sufferings before Pilate. And thus, point by point, I
meditated upon His sorrowful Passion for one week. From that moment, a great
joy entered my soul, and I no longer wanted either the visitors or the light;
Jesus sufficed me for everything. The superiors were indeed very solicitous
for the sick, but the Lord ordained that I should feel forsaken. This best of
masters withdraws every created thing in order that He himself might act.
Many a time, I have experienced such sufferings and persecutions that Mother
M. [probably Mother Margaret] herself said to me, "Sister, along your
path, sufferings just spring up out of the ground. I look upon you, Sister,
as one crucified. But I can see that Jesus has a hand in this. Be faithful to
the Lord."
190 Once during an adoration, the Lord demanded that I
give myself up to Him as an offering, by bearing a certain suffering in
atonement, not only for the sins of the world in general, but specifically
for transgressions committed in this house. Immediately I said, "Very
good; I am ready." But Jesus gave me to see what I was going to suffer,
and in one moment the whole passion unfolded itself before my eyes. Firstly,
my intentions will not be recognized; there will be all kinds of suspicion
and distrust as well as various kinds of humiliations and adversities. I will
not mention everything here. All these things stood before my soul's eye like
a dark storm from which lightning was ready to strike at any moment, waiting
only for my consent. For a moment, my nature was frightened. Then suddenly
the dinner bell rang. I left the chapel, trembling and undecided. But the
sacrifice was ever present before me, for I had neither decided to accept it,
nor had I refused the Lord. I wanted to place myself completely in His will.
If the Lord Jesus himself were to impose it on me, I was ready. But Jesus
gave me to know that I myself was to give my free consent and accept it with
full consciousness, or else it would be meaningless. Its whole power was
contained in my free act before God. But at the same time, Jesus gave me to
understand that the decision was completely within my power. I could do it or
not do it. And so I then answered immediately, "Jesus, I accept
everything that You wish to send me; I trust in Your goodness." At that
moment, I felt that by this act I glorified God greatly. But I armed myself
with patience. As soon as I left the chapel, I had an encounter with reality.
I do not want to describe the details, but there was as much of it as I was
able to bear. I would not have been able to bear even one drop more.
257 Tomorrow I am to leave for
Vilnius. Today, I went to confession to Father Andrasz, this priest who is so
filled with the spirit of God, who untied my wings so that I could soar to
the highest summits. He reassured me in everything and told me to believe in
Divine Providence. "Have confidence and walk ahead with courage."
An extraordinary, divine power came over me after that confession. Father
stressed that I must be faithful to God's grace and said, "No harm will
come to you if, in the future, you continue to keep this same simplicity and
obedience. Have confidence in God; you are on the right path and in good
hands, in God's hands."
362 +One day, during the morning
meditation, I heard this voice: I myself am your director; I was, I am,
and I will be. And since you asked for visible help, I chose and gave you a
director even before you had asked, for My work required this. Know that the
faults you commit against him wound My Heart. Be especially on your guard
against self-willfulness; even the smallest thing should bear the seal of
obedience.
With a crushed and humbled heart I begged forgiveness of Jesus for these faults. I also begged pardon of my spiritual director and resolved to do nothing rather than to do many things wrongly.
365 My spiritual director replaced
it with an interior mortification; namely, throughout Holy Mass I was to
meditate on why the Lord Jesus had submitted to being baptized. The
meditation was no mortification for me, for thinking about God is a delight
and not a mortification; but there was a mortification of the will in that I
was not doing [simply] what I like, but what I was told to do, and it is in
this that interior mortification consists. When I left the confessional and
started to recite my penance, I heard these words: I have granted the
grace you asked for on behalf of that soul, but not because of the mortification
you chose for yourself. Rather, it was because of your act of complete
obedience to My representative that I granted this grace to that soul for
whom you interceded and begged mercy. Know that when you mortify your own
self-will, then Mine reigns within you.
376 My Jesus, I trust that Your
grace will help me to carry out these resolutions. Although the above points
are contained in the vow of obedience, I want to practice these things in a
special way, because this is the essence of the religious life. Merciful
Jesus, I beg You fervently to enlighten my mind so that I may come to know
You better, You who are the Infinite Being, and that I may get to know myself
better, who am nothingness itself.
381 When meditating once on
obedience, I heard these words: In this meditation, the priest [90] is speaking particularly for you. Know
that I am borrowing his lips. I tried to listen most attentively to
everything and to apply everything to my own heart, as in every meditation.
When the priest said that an obedient soul was filled with the power of
God... Yes, when you are obedient I take away your weakness and replace it
with My strength. I am very surprised that souls do not want to make that
exchange with Me. I said to the Lord, "Jesus, enlighten my heart, or
else I, too, will not understand much from these words."
1006 + O my Lord and God, You
command me to write about the graces You grant me. O my Jesus, were it not
for a clear command from my confessors,[178] that I am to write down what goes on in
my soul, I would not, of my own choice, write a single word. And so, if I do
write about myself, it is at the formal command of holy obedience.
1023 + Today, I received some
oranges. When the sister had left, I thought to myself, "Should I eat
the oranges instead of doing penance and mortifying myself during Holy Lent?
After all, I am feeling a bit better." Then I heard a voice in my soul:
My daughter, you please Me more by eating the oranges out of obedience and
love of Me than by fasting and mortifying yourself of your own will. A soul
that loves Me very much must, ought to live by My will. I know your heart,
and I know that it will not be satisfied by anything but My love alone.
1267 September 6, 1937. Today, I
begin a new assignment. I go from the garden to the desert of the gate. [210] I went in to talk to the Lord for a
while. I asked Him for a blessing and for graces to faithfully carry out the
duties entrusted to me. I heard these words: My daughter, I am always with
you. I have given you the opportunity to practice deeds of mercy which you
will perform according to obedience. You will give Me much pleasure if, each
evening, you will speak to Me especially about this task. I felt that
Jesus had given me a new grace in relation to my new duties; but, despite
this, I have locked myself deeper in His Heart.
1312 + Jesus came to the main
entrance today, under the guise of a poor young man. This young man,
emaciated, barefoot and bareheaded, and with his clothes in tatters, was
frozen because the day was cold and rainy. He asked for something hot to eat.
So I went to the kitchen, but found nothing there for the poor. But, after
searching around for some time, I succeeded in finding some soup, which I
reheated and into which I crumbled some bread, and I gave it to the poor
young man, who ate it. As I was taking the bowl from him, he gave me to know
that He was the Lord of heaven and earth. When I saw Him as He was, He
vanished from my sight. When I went back in and reflected on what had
happened at the gate, I heard these words in my soul: My daughter, the
blessings of the poor who bless Me as they leave this gate have reached My
ears. And your compassion, within the bounds of obedience, has pleased Me,
and this is why I came down from My throne-to taste the fruits of your mercy.
1374 October 30, 1937. Today,
during the religious ceremonies [217] taking place during Mass, and the second
day of thanksgiving, I saw the Lord Jesus in great beauty, and He said to me,
My daughter, I have not released you from taking action. I answered,
"Lord, my hand is too feeble for such work." Yes, I know; but
joined with My right hand you will accomplish everything. Nevertheless, be
obedient, be obedient to the confessors. I will give them light on how to
direct you. "Lord, I already wanted to begin the work in Your Name,
but Father S. keeps putting it off." Jesus answered me, I know this;
so do just what is within your power, but you must never withdraw your
efforts.
1378 I felt worse today, and I
went to Mother Superior, intending to ask her for permission to go to bed.
However, before I could ask for permission, Mother Superior said to me,
"Sister, you must somehow manage by yourself at the gate, because I am
taking the girl to work at the cabbage, since there is no one else for the
cabbage." I said-good, and left the room. When I got to the gate, I felt
unusually strong, and I was at my post all day and felt well. I experienced
the power of holy obedience.
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-55, 67, 93, 102, 105-106, 113, 131)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-139-140, 148-149, 190, 257, 362)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-365, 376, 381)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1006, 1023 )
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-IV-1267, 1312)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1378)
http://www.saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS10.shtml
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