On Sitting and Serving
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May 25, 2016. Wednesday
of the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time
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Father John Doyle, LC
Mark
10:32-45
The disciples were on the way, going up to
Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those
who followed were afraid. He took the Twelve aside again and began to tell
them what was to happen to him, saying, "See, we are going up to
Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and
the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over
to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and
kill him; and after three days he will rise again." James and John, the
sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you
to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What is
it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to
sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But
Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able
to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am
baptized with?" They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said
to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with
which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at
my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been
prepared." When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James
and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among
the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and
their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but
whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever
wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came
not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as ransom for many."
Introductory Prayer: Once again, Lord, I come to You to pray.
Even though I cannot see you, I trust that You are present and very much want
to instruct me in Your teachings. In the same way that You demonstrate Your
love for me by spending this time with me, I want to express my love for You
by dedicating this time to You with a spirit of faith, confidence and
attention. Here I am, Lord, to listen to You and respond with love.
Petition: Lord, help me imitate your example of loving service.
1. Jesus Sets His Face Toward Jerusalem: Jesus is walking ahead of his disciples,
firm and determined. A few of those following him are growing uneasy, but James
and John seem not to grasp the seriousness of the situation. Jesus is
accompanied, but in a certain sense, he is alone. Again and again he has
tried to explain to his followers that his mission will lead him to be
rejected and mocked and eventually to suffer the cruelest of deaths. But they
seem incapable of grasping the message; from their vantage point, none of
this makes any sense. At times we, too, hear Christ’s words about taking up
our cross daily and losing our life for his sake, and we are either terrified
at the prospect or its meaning eludes us. Jesus, however, continues inviting
us to follow in his footsteps and carry our daily crosses with our eyes fixed
on our heavenly home, the New Jerusalem.
2. The Ambitions of James and John: James and John were hand-picked disciples of
the Lord. Jesus had often allowed them to accompany him when he went off
alone to pray. They both felt a deep affection for Our Lord, and so it is not
surprising that they wished to be near him when he entered into his glory.
Jesus doesn’t reproach them for their petition even though it comes at a
moment when his heart is burdened with deeper concerns. Rather, Jesus invites
them to reflect on the consequences of their request. To be on Jesus’ right
and left in his glory means to pass through a similar trial as the one he
must soon undergo –– they would have to be situated on his right and left on
the day he is lifted up on the cross. Jesus also invites us to “seek the
things above” and place our ambitions on heavenly sights and not earthly
glory. If our love for Jesus is true, then it must withstand the test of
trial and suffering.
3. The True Meaning of Authority: Most of us prefer to command than obey.
Ambition quickly leads to rivalry and bitter feelings, as happened to the
twelve apostles. Jesus quickly intervenes and gives us a valuable lesson on
the meaning of authority, a lesson to be taken to heart. Authority of any
kind has only one purpose: service. Do I view the authority that I have been
given as a service? Am I more concerned about being obeyed –– immediately and
exactly –– than about setting an example for others? How can I be more like
Jesus in exercising my authority? Do I realize this is a specific way of
picking up my cross and following after Jesus?
Conversation with Christ: Jesus, help me to be zealous for the things
of above. Do not allow my heart to be ambitious but rather be meek and gentle
like Yours.
Resolution: I will seek to serve others no matter who
they are.
Excerpts from the DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
36 Once I was summoned to the
judgment [seat] of God. I stood alone before the Lord. Jesus appeared such as
we know Him during His Passion. After a moment, His wounds disappeared except
for five, those in His hands, His feet and His side. Suddenly I saw the
complete condition of my soul as God sees it. I could clearly see all that is
displeasing to God. I did not know that even the smallest transgressions will
have to be accounted for. What a moment! Who can describe it? To stand before
the Thrice-Holy God! Jesus asked me, Who are you? I answered, "I
am Your servant, Lord." You are guilty of one day of fire in
purgatory. I wanted to throw myself immediately into the flames of purgatory,
but Jesus stopped me and said, Which do you prefer, suffer now for one day in
purgatory or for a short while on earth? I replied, "Jesus, I want
to suffer in purgatory, and I want to suffer also the greatest pains on
earth, even if it were until the end of the world." Jesus said, One [of
the two] is enough; you will go back to earth, and there you will suffer
much, but not for long; you will accomplish My will and My desires, and a
faithful servant of Mine will help you to do this. Now, rest your head on My
bosom, on My heart, and draw from it strength and power for these sufferings,
because you will find neither relief nor help nor comfort anywhere else. Know
that you will have much, much to suffer, but don't let this frighten you; I
am with you.
41 On one occasion I saw a servant
of God in the immediate danger of committing a mortal sin. I started to beg
God to deign to send down upon me all the torments of hell and all the
sufferings He wished if only this priest would be set free and snatched from
the occasion of committing a sin. Jesus heard my prayer and, that very
instant, I felt a crown of thorns on my head. The thorns penetrated my head
with great force right into my brain. This lasted for three hours; the
servant of God was set free from this sin, and his soul was strengthened by a
special grace of God.
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."
300 +Ask of my faithful servant
[Father Sopocko] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of My great
mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted
complete remission of sins and punishment.
+Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy. +Oh, how much I am hurt by a soul's distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify My Justice but do not believe in My Goodness. My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy.
301 Proclaim that mercy is the
greatest attribute of God. All the works of My hands are crowned with mercy.
458 During the ten-o'clock
meditation, Father [Rzyczkowski [98]] spoke about divine mercy and about God's
goodness to us. He said that as we review the history of mankind, we can see
this great goodness of God at every step. All the attributes of God, such as
omnipotence and wisdom, serve to reveal to us the greatest of His attributes;
namely, His goodness. God's goodness is the greatest of God's attributes.
Many souls striving for perfection, however, are not aware of this great
goodness of God. Everything that Father said in the course of the meditation
about the goodness of God, was exactly what Jesus had said to me concerning
(the Feast of Mercy. I have now come to understand clearly what the Lord has
promised me, and I have no doubt about anything; God's language is clear and
distinct.
525 O Holy Trinity, in whom is
contained the inner life of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
eternal joy, inconceivable depth of love, poured out upon all creatures and
constituting their happiness, honor and glory be to Your holy name forever
and ever. Amen.
When I consider Your greatness and beauty, O my God, I rejoice exceedingly that the Lord I serve is so great. With love and joy I carry out His will, and the more I come to know Him, the more I desire to love Him. I burn with the desire to love Him ever more and more.
543 The duration of the
postulancy. The postulancy will last one year. During this time, the
candidate should examine whether she is attracted to this type of life and
whether it is suitable to her. The directress should also diligently consider
whether or not the person in question is suitable for this type of life.
After a year, if the postulant shows evidence of a stable will and an earnest
desire to serve God, she should be admitted to the novitiate.
573 December 21, 1935. One day my
confessor [Father Sopocko] told me to go and look at a certain house to see
whether it was the same house I had seen in my vision. When I went with my
confessor to see that house, or rather those ruins, at a glance I recognized
that they were the same as I had seen in my vision. The moment I touched the
boards which had been nailed together in place of the doors, a strength
pervaded my soul like a flash, giving me unshakable certitude. I went away quickly
from that place, my heart full of joy, for it seemed to me that there was a
certain force chaining me to that place.
I am very happy to see that everything agrees perfectly with what I saw in the vision. When the confessor spoke to me about the arrangement of the cells and other things, I recognized everything to be the same as had been told to me by Jesus. I am delighted that God is acting in this way through my confessor, but I am not surprised that God is giving him so much light; since God, who is Light itself, lives in a pure and humble heart, and all sufferings and adversities serve but to reveal the soul's holiness. When I returned home, I went immediately to our chapel to rest a while. Then suddenly I heard these words in my soul: Do not fear anything. I am with you. These matters are in My hands and I will bring them to fruition according to My mercy, for nothing can oppose My will.
634 March 22,[1936]. When I
arrived at Warsaw, I went into the small chapel for a moment to thank the
Lord for a safe journey, and I asked the Lord to give me the assistance and
the grace necessary for everything that was in store for me here. I submitted
myself in all things to His holy will. I heard these words: Fear nothing;
all difficulties will serve for the fulfillment of My will.
764 November 24. Today, I received
a letter from Father Sopocko. [147] I learned from it that God himself is
conducting this whole affair. And as the Lord has begun it, so will He
continue to carry it along. And the greater the difficulties which I see, the
more am I at peace. Oh, if in this whole matter the glory of God and the
profit to souls were not greatly served, Satan would not be opposing it so
much. But he senses what he is going to lose because of it. I have now
learned that Satan hates mercy more than anything else. It is his greatest
torment. Still, the word of God will not pass away; God's utterance is
living; difficulties will not suppress the works of God, but show that they
are God's...
929 When I had rested near His
sweetest Heart, I told Him, "Jesus, I have so much to tell You."
And the Lord said to me with great love, Speak, My daughter. And I
started to enumerate the pains of my heart; that is, how greatly concerned I
am for all mankind, that "they all do not know You, and those who do
know You do not love You as You deserve to be loved. I also see how terribly
sinners offend You; and then again, I see how severely the faithful, especially
Your servants, are oppressed and persecuted. And then, too, I see many souls
rushing headlong into the terrible abyss of hell. You see, Jesus, this is the
pain that gnaws at my heart and bones. And, although You show me special love
and inundate my heart with streams of Your joys, nevertheless, this does not
appease the sufferings I have just mentioned, but rather they penetrate my
poor heart all the more acutely. Oh, how ardently I desire that all mankind
turn with trust to Your mercy. Then, seeing the glory of Your name, my heart
will be comforted."
Jesus listened to these outpourings of my heart with gravity and interest, as if He had known nothing about them, and this seemed to make it easier for me to talk. And the Lord said to me, My daughter, those words of your heart are pleasing to Me, and by saying the chaplet you are bringing humankind closer to Me. After these words, I found myself alone, but the presence of God is always in my soul.
948 February 13, [1937]. Today,
during the Passion Service, [170] I saw Jesus being tortured and crowned
with thorns and holding a reed in His hand. Jesus was silent as the soldiers
were bustling about, vying with each other in torturing Him. Jesus said
nothing, but just looked at me, and in that gaze I felt His pain, so terrible
that we have not the faintest idea of how much He suffered for us before He
was crucified. My soul was filled with pain and longing; in my soul, I felt
great hatred for sin, and even the smallest infidelity on my part seemed to
me like a huge mountain for which I must expiate by mortification and
penance. When I see Jesus tormented, my heart is torn to pieces, and I think:
what will become of sinners if they do not take advantage of the Passion of
Jesus? In His Passion, I see a whole sea of mercy.
+ J.M.J. February 12, 1937 + The Love of God is the flower - Mercy the fruit.
1000 In the terrible desert of life,
O my sweetest Jesus, Protect souls from disaster, For You are the Fountain of Mercy. Let the resplendence of Your rays, O sweet Commander of our souls, Let mercy change the world. And you who have received this grace, serve Jesus. Steep is the great highway I must travel, But I fear nothing, For the pure fount of mercy is flowing for my sake, And, with it, strength for the humble soul. I am exhausted and worn out, But my conscience bears me witness That I do all for the greater glory of the Lord, The Lord who is my repose and my heritage. [End of Notebook Two of the Diary.]
1029 The doctor did not allow me
to go to the chapel to attend the Passion Service, although I had a great
desire for it; however, I prayed in my own room. Suddenly I heard the bell in
the next room, and I went in and rendered a service to a seriously sick
person. When I returned to my room, I suddenly saw the Lord Jesus, who said, My
daughter, you gave Me greater pleasure by rendering Me that service than if
you had prayed for a long time. I answered, "But it was not to You,
Jesus, but to that patient that I rendered this service." And the Lord
answered me, Yes, My daughter, but whatever you do for your neighbor, you
do for Me.
1286 + Thank You, O God, for all
the graces
Which unceasingly You lavish upon me, Graces which enlighten me with the brilliance of the sun, For by them You show me the sure way. Thank You, 0 Lord, for creating me, For calling me into being from nothingness, For imprinting Your divinity on my soul, The work of sheer merciful love. Thank You, O God, for Holy Baptism Which engrafted me into Your family, A gift great beyond all thought or expression Which transforms my soul. Thank You, O Lord, for Holy Confession, For that inexhaustible spring of great mercy, For that inconceivable fountain of graces In which sin-tainted souls become purified. Thank You, O Jesus, for Holy Communion In which You give us Yourself. I feel Your Heart beating within my breast As You cause Your divine life to unfold within me. Thank You, O Holy Spirit, for the Sacrament of Confirmation, Which dubs me Your knight And gives strength to my soul at each moment, Protecting me from evil. Thank You, O God, for the grace of a vocation. For being called to serve You alone, Leading me to make You my sole love, An unequal honor for my soul. Thank You, O Lord, for perpetual vows, For that union of pure love, For having deigned to unite Your pure heart with mine And uniting my heart to Yours in the purest of bonds. Thank You, O Lord, for the Sacrament of Anointing Which, in my final moments, will give me strength; My help in battle, my guide to salvation, Fortifying my soul till we rejoice forever. Thank You, O God, for all the inspirations That Your goodness lavishes upon me, For the interior lights given my soul, Which the heart senses, but words cannot express. Thank You, O Holy Trinity, for the vastness of the graces Which You have lavished on me unceasingly through life. My gratitude will intensify as the eternal dawn rises, When, for the first time, I sing to Your glory.
1290 September 19, 1937. Today, my
own brother, Stanley, visited me. I rejoiced greatly in this beautiful soul,
who also intends to devote himself to God's service. That is to say, God
himself is drawing him to His love. We talked for a long time about God,
about His goodness. During this conversation with him, l learned how pleasing
his soul was to God. I received permission from Mother Superior to see him
more often. When he asked my advice about entering religion, I replied,
"Surely you know best what God is asking of you." I mentioned the
Jesuit Order, but said, "Enter wherever you like." I promised to
pray for him, and I decided to make a novena to the Sacred Heart through the
intercession of Father Peter Skarga with the promise of having it announced
in the Messenger of the Sacred Heart, [212] because he is having great difficulties
in this matter. I understood that, in this case, prayer was more useful than
advice.
1343 Third day. In the meditation
on death, I prepared myself as if for real death. I examined my conscience
and searched all my affairs at the approach of death and, thanks be to grace,
my affairs were directed toward that ultimate goal. This filled my heart with
great gratitude to God, and I resolved to serve my God even more faithfully
in the future. One thing alone is necessary: to put my old self to death and
to begin a new life. In the morning, I prepared to receive Holy Communion as
if it were to be the last in my life, and after Holy Communion I brought
before my imagination my actual death, and I said the prayers for the dying
and then the De Profundis for my own soul. My body was lowered into the
grave, and I said to my soul, "See what has become of your body, a heap
of dirt teeming with vermin-that is your inheritance."
1720 There are moments when Jesus
gives me knowledge within my soul, and then everything that exists on earth
is at my service: friends, enemies, success, adversity... all things, willing
or not, must serve me. I do not think of them at all; I strive to be faithful
to God and to love Him to the point of complete forgetfulness of self. And He
Himself looks after me and fights against my enemies.
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-36, 41, 55, 300-301,
458)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-525, 543, 573, 634, 764, 929, 948)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-1000)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1029)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-IV-1286, 1290)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1343)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1720 )
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