A
Joy for the Whole Family
December 27, 2015
-Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
By Father Jason
Smith, LC
Luke 2:41-52
Each
year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was
twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had
completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in
Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the
caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and
acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him
were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him,
they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done
this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great
anxiety." And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you
not know that I must be in my Father´s house?" But they did not understand
what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was
obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus
advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.
Introductory
Prayer: Lord,
I believe in You. I place myself before You. Thank You for the gift of faith.
How can I ever repay You for it? Jesus, I hope in You. May Your presence today
keep my will set on glorifying You. Lord, I love You and I long for my heart to
be filled with Your love.
Petition: Lord Jesus Christ,
help me to value and promote the sanctity of the family.
1. The Holy Family: Today we celebrate
the solemn memorial of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. A family
blossoms with the birth of a child. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem marks the
beginning of the blossoming of the Holy Family. In today’s Gospel, with Mary
and Joseph to guide him, the Son of God grew and was educated. “He went down
with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them.” It is a model for
every family: love, care, education, obedience. Am I grateful to my parents for
my upbringing, and do I seek to express this gratitude in concrete ways? Do I
fully grasp the essential elements of family life and try to promote them the
best I can?
2. Parenting Is Never
Easy:
Mary and Joseph were attentive to Jesus’ every step. But no parent is perfect —
there are times when the child can slip away. Here we see them racing back to
Jerusalem in search of Jesus, as well as their delight at finding him once
again. Mary and Joseph experienced the same emotions every parent does while
raising a child: moments of anxiety and joy. Do I patiently embrace the moments
of anxiety in my family life? Do I strive to spread joy to all the members of
my family?
3. The Obedience of
Jesus:
Every child needs the authority and direction of parents. Number 532 of the
Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Jesus´ obedience to his mother and
legal father fulfills the fourth commandment perfectly and was the temporal
image of his filial obedience to his Father in heaven. The everyday obedience
of Jesus to Joseph and Mary both announced and anticipated the obedience of
Holy Thursday: ‘Not my will. . .’ The obedience of Christ in the daily routine
of his hidden life was already inaugurating his work of restoring what the
disobedience of Adam had destroyed.” Do I appreciate the important role of
obedience in my life, and am I seeking carefully to instill it in my children?
Within the family of the Church do I have a filial attitude towards the Holy
Father? Do I know, understand and support his teachings and guidelines?
Conversation
with Christ: Lord,
help me to keep my mind on the things above. How little I reflect on the
Incarnation, even during the Christmas season! Help me to be ever more mindful
that You dwell in my heart. Let me radiate Your presence today in my own
family. Let them see your goodness reflected in my words and actions.
Resolution: Today, I will pray
for the sanctity of the family.
Excerpts from the
DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
24
One day, just as I had awakened, when I was putting myself in the presence of
God, I was suddenly overwhelmed by despair. Complete darkness in the soul. I
fought as best I could till noon. In the afternoon, truly deadly fears began to
seize me; my physical strength began to leave me. I went quickly to my cell,
fell on my knees before the Crucifix and began to cry out for mercy. But Jesus
did not hear my cries. I felt my physical strength leave me completely. I fell
to the ground, despair flooding my whole soul. I suffered terrible tortures in
no way different from the torments of hell. I was in this state for three
quarters of an hour. I wanted to go and see the Directress, but was too weak. I
wanted to shout but I had no voice. Fortunately, one of the sisters [another
novice, Sister Placida Putyra] came into my cell. Finding me in such a strange
condition, she immediately told the Directress about it. Mother came at once.
As soon as she entered the cell she said, "In the name of holy obedience [16]
get up from the ground." Immediately some force raised me up from the
ground and I stood up, close to the dear Mother Directress. With kindly words
she began to explain to me that this was a trial sent to me by God, saying,
"Have great confidence; God is always our Father, even when He sends us
trials."
I returned to my duties as if I had come out from the tomb, my senses saturated with what my soul had experienced. During the evening service, my soul began to agonize again in a terrible darkness. I felt that I was in the power of the Just God, and that I was the object of His indignation. During these terrible moments I said to God, "Jesus, who in the Gospel compare Yourself to a most tender mother," I trust in Your words because You are Truth and Life. In spite of everything, Jesus, I trust in You in the face of every interior sentiment which sets itself against hope. Do what You want with me; I will never leave You, because You are the source of my life." Only one who has lived through similar moments can understand how terrible is this torment of the soul.
I returned to my duties as if I had come out from the tomb, my senses saturated with what my soul had experienced. During the evening service, my soul began to agonize again in a terrible darkness. I felt that I was in the power of the Just God, and that I was the object of His indignation. During these terrible moments I said to God, "Jesus, who in the Gospel compare Yourself to a most tender mother," I trust in Your words because You are Truth and Life. In spite of everything, Jesus, I trust in You in the face of every interior sentiment which sets itself against hope. Do what You want with me; I will never leave You, because You are the source of my life." Only one who has lived through similar moments can understand how terrible is this torment of the soul.
28
Once Jesus told me, Go to Mother Superior [probably Mother Raphael 18] and
ask her to let you wear a hair shirt for seven days, and once each night you
are to get up and come to the chapel. I said yes, but I found a certain
difficulty in actually going to the Superior. In the evening Jesus asked me, How
long will you put it off? I made up my mind to tell Mother Superior the
very next time I would see her.
The next day before noon I saw Mother Superior going to the refectory and, since the kitchen, refectory and Sister Aloysia's little room are all close to each other, I asked Mother Superior to come into Sister Aloysia's room and told her of the wish of the Lord Jesus. At that, Mother answered, "I will not permit you to wear any hair shirt. Absolutely not! If the Lord Jesus were to give you the strength of a colossus, I would then permit those mortifications."
I apologized for taking up Mother's time and left the room. At that very moment I saw Jesus standing at the kitchen door, and I said to Him, "You commanded me to ask for these mortifications, but Mother Superior will not permit them." Jesus said, I was here during your conversation with the Superior and know everything. I don't demand mortification from you, but obedience. By obedience you give great glory to Me and gain merit for yourself.
The next day before noon I saw Mother Superior going to the refectory and, since the kitchen, refectory and Sister Aloysia's little room are all close to each other, I asked Mother Superior to come into Sister Aloysia's room and told her of the wish of the Lord Jesus. At that, Mother answered, "I will not permit you to wear any hair shirt. Absolutely not! If the Lord Jesus were to give you the strength of a colossus, I would then permit those mortifications."
I apologized for taking up Mother's time and left the room. At that very moment I saw Jesus standing at the kitchen door, and I said to Him, "You commanded me to ask for these mortifications, but Mother Superior will not permit them." Jesus said, I was here during your conversation with the Superior and know everything. I don't demand mortification from you, but obedience. By obedience you give great glory to Me and gain merit for yourself.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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-24, 28, 102, 105-106, 113, 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)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1312, 1374, 1378)
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento