“Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live” (Isaiah 55:3).
Showing all posts by Elija
REFLECTION ON OBEDIENCE: “A royal path to follow Christ”
After having devoted two previous meditations to reflecting on the evangelical counsel of chastity, today I would like to address some general aspects of spiritual obedience, which is so important for all of us in imitating Christ. I hope that this reflection will help us appreciate spiritual obedience a little more.
The Latin word oboedire, from which “to obey” is derived, includes the verb audire, which means “to listen.” Therefore, obedience is related to attentive listening—that is, to hearing correctly and giving our full attention to the One who is speaking to us.
When God communicated His commandments to the People of Israel through Moses, He began by saying: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” (Dt 6:4).
THE LIVE OF THE SAINTS: “Saints Faustino and Jovita, martyrs”
Heb 10:32–38
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on the prisoners, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised. “For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
A SWEET DEATH
“Oh, how sweet it is to die when one has been fully devoted to the heart of the one who is to judge us.” (Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque)
DRINK WITH JOY FROM THE WATERS OF SALVATION
“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Is 12:3).
These words of the prophet convey to us the consolation that our Heavenly Father promises to His faithful people. They are taken from the so‑called “Song of Thanksgiving of the Rescued.” The fountains of salvation are overflowing.
Chastity as guardian of the soul’s original beauty
We continue yesterday’s reflection on the virtue of chastity.
In an age marked by constant sensory overload, everyone must be extremely vigilant in order to protect the virtue of chastity—both externally and internally.
Scripture reminds us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit:
“Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor 6:20)
We glorify God in our bodies when we live in chastity and serve God in this way.
THE BEAUTY OF A SOUL IN A STATE OF GRACE
“Be at peace! God loves you. If only the world could see the beauty of a soul in a state of grace! All sinners and unbelievers would convert on the spot.” (Padre Pio)
What would sinners and unbelievers see? They would surely see the incredible love with which God created and redeemed humanity, and how this love is revealed in a soul living in a state of grace. It would certainly be a light overflowing onto mankind, opening eyes.
SAINT FULCRAN OF LODÈVE: A FRIEND OF CHASTITY!
The Catholic Church knows many saints and honors them in its feasts. I have decided to remember some lesser‑known saints. Today’s saint came from a noble family in France and was consecrated bishop of Lodève on February 4, 949. He served as bishop for 57 years and devoted himself entirely to the sanctification of his flock. He opposed vice, abolished abuses, and established the reign of godliness everywhere. His all‑embracing love always showed him ways to meet the needs of the sick and the poor in his diocese. Moved by the love he had for consecrated persons, he founded the monastery of St. Salvator, restored several others, and led all spiritual communities to discipline and order. He also did great good for churches and hospitals. God confirmed the people’s belief in His holiness through miracles performed at the tomb of His faithful servant. Around the year 1127, his body was exhumed and remained intact until 1572, when the Huguenots threw it into the fire.
EVERYTHING IS ON LOAN FROM GOD
“Everything that is given to us in this life is only for our use and is given to us on loan.” (St. Catherine of Siena)
Observe admonitions
1 Kgs 11:4-13
When Solomon grew old his wives swayed his heart to other gods; and his heart was not wholly with Yahweh his God as his father David’s had been. Solomon became a follower of Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, and of Milcom, the Ammonite abomination. He did what was displeasing to Yahweh, and was not a wholehearted follower of Yahweh, as his father David had been. Then it was that Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, on the mountain to the east of Jerusalem, and to Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who offered incense and sacrifice to their gods. Yahweh was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from Yahweh, God of Israel, who had twice appeared to him and had forbidden him to follow other gods; but he did not carry out Yahweh’s order. Yahweh therefore said to Solomon, ‘Since you have behaved like this and have not kept my covenant or the laws which I laid down for you, I shall tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. For your father David’s sake, however, I shall not do this during your lifetime, but shall tear it out of your son’s hands. Even so, I shall not tear the whole kingdom from him. For the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen, I shall leave your son one tribe.’ Read More