Jesus Blows me Out of my Comfort Zone – Again!
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October 24, 2016. Monday
of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
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Father James
Swanson, LC
Luke
13:10-17
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the
sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a
spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus
saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your
infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight
and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had
cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days
when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath
day." The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one
of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out
for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen
years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this
bondage?" When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and
the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in You with a faith that never seeks to test
You. I trust in You, hoping to learn to accept and follow Your will, even
when it does not make sense to the way that I see things. May my love for You
and those around me be similar to the love You have shown to me.
Petition: Lord, protect me from spiritual old age.
1. Jesus Is Showing his Messiah Credentials Again: Jesus’
opponents were desperate. They didn’t want to believe that he was the
Messiah, and they especially didn’t want anyone else to think he was the
Messiah. But there was the pesky problem of his miracles. They knew that when
God sent someone to speak for him, he usually performed signs through the
person so that people would believe in him. The sign was proof that the
person (Jesus in this case) was sent by God. Jesus was doing plenty of
miracles, which most people were taking as the sign that he was sent by God.
What could Jesus’ opponents do? They could only try to discredit the miracles
any way possible.
2. You Can Do a Lot More than You Think on the Sabbath:
This miracle was done on the Sabbath. The head of the synagogue had a problem
with that. Didn’t God himself rest on the sixth day? Oughtn’t we to do the
same? How does this Jesus heal on the Sabbath if he is truly from God? In
fact, there were many exceptions to the rules about the Sabbath. In another
place, Jesus himself says that the Sabbath is made for man, not man for the
Sabbath (Mark 2:27). Certainly, the observance of the Sabbath was always
subject to the practice of charity, that it was always permissible to break
the Sabbath rest in the case when needed to do some necessary act of charity
for another. Jesus mentions situations when for practical reasons (necessary
farm chores, like watering animals) work can be done without breaking the
Sabbath rest.
3. Lord, Please Let me Keep my Mediocrity: And so, there
is really nothing to the objection. The head of the synagogue does not want
to believe because what Jesus says and does seems threatening to him. If
Jesus is the Messiah, he foresees having to change his life, and he does not
want to do that. He may not even realize that this is his real objection, but
it is. We can be this way, too. We don’t want to accept something Jesus
teaches us through his Church because it would mean that we have to change
our lives, and we don’t want to. We are comfortable the way we are. If we had
to do what Jesus asks, it would take us out of our comfort zone. Sometimes it
is mere fear of something different. Jesus always is offering us something
different, but we don’t want it. We want to stay in our rut. We have
surrounded ourselves with limited horizons and are afraid to stretch them.
Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, help me to accept You fully. If I am rejecting You
or Your teaching without realizing it, show me. Help me to overcome my
attempt to construct my own little universe in which I am God. If I have
grown old spiritually, renew my youth and help me break through my
restricted, shrunken horizons that exclude You.
Resolution: Where in my life have I settled into spiritual routine and old
age? Do I habitually skip some prayer I should be saying, telling myself it
isn’t that important? I will make an extra effort to pray it today. Is there
some other aspect of my spiritual or moral life that I have removed to make
life “more comfortable” for me? Time to start doing it again!
Excerpts from the
DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
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.
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.
320 Jesus made known to me how
very pleasing to Him were prayers of atonement. He said to me, The prayer
of a humble and loving soul disarms the anger of My Father and draws down an
ocean of blessings. After the adoration, half way to my cell, I was
surrounded by a , pack of huge black dogs who were jumping and howling and
trying to tear me to pieces. I realized that they were not dogs, but demons.
One of them spoke up in a rage, "Because you have snatched so many souls
away from us this night, we will tear you to pieces." I answered,
"If that is the will of the most merciful God, tear me to pieces, for I
have justly deserved it, because I am the most miserable of all sinners, and
God is ever holy, just, and infinitely merciful." To these words all the
demons answered as one, "Let us flee, for she is not alone; the Almighty
is with her!" And they vanished like dust, like the noise of the road,
while I continued on my way to my cell undisturbed, finishing my Te Deum and
pondering the infinite and unfathomable mercy of God.
323 After I received the last
sacraments, there was a definite improvement. I remained alone. This lasted
for half an hour and then came another attack; but this one was not so
strong, as the doctor intervened.
I united my sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus and offered them for myself and for the conversion of souls who do not trust in the goodness of God. Suddenly, my cell was filled with black figures full of anger and hatred for me. One of them said, "Be damned, you and He who is within you, for you are beginning to torment us even in hell." As soon as I said, "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us," the figures vanished in a sudden whir.
324 The next day, I felt very
weak, but experienced no further suffering. After Holy Communion, I saw the
Lord Jesus just as I had seen Him during one adoration. The Lord's gaze
pierced my soul through and through, and not even the least speck of dust
escaped His notice. And I said to Jesus, "Jesus, I thought You were
going to take me. "And Jesus answered, My will has not yet been fully
accomplished in you; you will still remain on earth, but not for long. I am
well pleased with your trust, but your love should be more ardent. Pure love
gives the soul strength at the very moment of dying. When I was dying on the
cross, I was not thinking about Myself, but about poor sinners, and I prayed
for them to My Father. I want your last moments to be completely similar to
Mine on the cross. There is but one price at which souls are bought, and that
is suffering united to My suffering on the cross. Pure love understands these
words; carnal love will never understand them.
326 Once, Jesus said to me, My
gaze from this image is like My gaze from the cross.
327 Once, my confessor [Father
Sopocko] asked me where the inscription should be placed, because there was
not enough space in the picture for everything. I answered, "I will pray
and give you an answer next week." When I left the confessional and was
passing before the Blessed Sacrament, I received an inner understanding about
the inscription. Jesus reminded me of what He had told me the first time;
namely, that these three words must be clearly in evidence: "Jesus, I
trust in You. "["Jezu, Ufam Tobie.'] I understood that Jesus wanted
the whole formula to be there, but He gave no direct orders to this effect as
He did for these three words.
I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: "Jesus, I trust in You."
328 O purest Love, rule in all
Your plenitude in my heart and help me to do Your holy will most faithfully!
367 +On one occasion, Jesus gave
me to know that when I pray for intentions which people are wont to entrust
to me, He is always ready to grant His graces, but souls do not always want
to accept them: My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and
especially for poor sinners. If only they could understand that I am the best
of Fathers to them and that it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed
from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy. For them I dwell in the
tabernacle as King of Mercy. I desire to bestow My graces upon souls, but
they do not want to accept them. You, at least, come to Me as often as possible
and take these graces they do not want to accept. In this way you will
console My Heart. Oh, how indifferent are souls to so much goodness, to so
many proofs of love! My Heart drinks only of the ingratitude and
forgetfulness of souls living in the world. They have time for everything,
but they have no time to come to Me for graces.
So I turn to you, you-chosen souls, will you also fail to understand the love of My Heart? Here, too, My Heart finds disappointment; I do not find complete surrender to My love. So many reservations, so much distrust, so much caution. To comfort you, let Me tell you that there are souls living in the world who love Me dearly. I dwell In their hearts with delight. But they are few. In convents too, there are souls that fill My Heart with joy. They bear My features; therefore the Heavenly Father looks upon them with special pleasure. They will be a marvel to Angels and men. Their number is very small. They are a defense for the world before the justice of the Heavenly Father and a means of obtaining mercy for the world. The love and sacrifice of these souls sustain the world in existence. The infidelity of a soul specially chosen by Me wounds My Heart most painfully. Such infidelities are swords which pierce My Heart.
378 Who will proclaim My great
mercy. I shall protect them Myself at the hour of death, as My own glory. And
even if the sins of soul are as dark as night, when the sinner turns to My
mercy he gives Me the greatest praise and is the glory of My Passion. When a soul
praises My goodness, Satan trembles before it and flees to the very bottom of
hell.
1499 At that moment, I saw Jesus,
who said, I am pleased with what you are doing. And you can continue to be
at peace if you always do the best you can in respect to this work of mercy.
Be absolutely as frank as possible with your confessor.
Satan gained nothing by tempting you, because you did not enter into conversation with him. Continue to act in this way. You gave Me great glory today by fighting so faithfully. Let it be confirmed and engraved on your heart that I am always with you, even if you don't feel My presence at the time of battle.
1579 + It is when I meet with hypocrisy that I suffer
most. Now I understand You, my Savior, for rebuking the Pharisees so severely
for their hypocrisy. You associated more graciously with hardened sinners
when they approached You contritely.
1702 Towards the end of the Way of the Cross which I was
making, the Lord Jesus began to complain about the souls of religious and
priests, about the lack of love in chosen souls. I will allow convents and
churches to be destroyed. I answered, "Jesus, but there are so
many souls praising You in convents." The Lord answered, That praise
wounds My Heart, because love has been banished from convents. Souls without
love and without devotion, souls full of egoism and self-love, souls full of
pride and arrogance, souls full of deceit and hypocrisy, lukewarm
souls who have just enough warmth to keep them alive: My Heart cannot bear
this. All the graces that I pour out upon them flow off them as off the face
of a rock. I cannot stand them, because they are neither good or bad. I
called convents into being to sanctify the world through them. It is from
them that a powerful flame of love and sacrifice should burst forth. And if
they do not repent and become enkindled by their first love, I will deliver
them over to the fate of this world...
How can they sit on the promised throne of judgment to
judge the world, when their guilt is greater than the guilt of the world?
There is neither penance nor atonement. O heart, which received Me in the
morning and at noon are all ablaze with hatred against Me, hatred of all
sorts! O heart specially chosen by Me, were you chosen for this, to give Me
more pain? The great sins of the world are superficial wounds on My Heart,
but the sins of a chosen soul pierce My Heart
through and through...
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-190, 200, 300-301, 320, 323-324)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-326-328, 367, 378)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-V-1499, 1579)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-VI-1702)
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Oktubre 24, 2016
Jesus Blows me Out of my Comfort Zone–Again!-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
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