LENTEN ITINERARY | Day 29: Prayer in times of persecution

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We return today to the theme of prayer; this time from another perspective. Undoubtedly, prayer serves first and foremost to glorify the Lord and to bring the soul into and remain in the “great dialogue” with Him.

In liturgical prayer, we take part together with all the faithful in the prayer of the Bride (the Church) to her Bridegroom. In Holy Mass, as the culmination of liturgical prayer, we unite ourselves to the sacrifice of Our Lord on the Cross. This hierarchy in prayer life should always be preserved and cultivated. Read More

LENTEN ITINERARY | Day 28: The splendour of obedience

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In yesterday’s meditation we highlighted the obedience of St. Joseph, who promptly complied with God’s Will, as soon as he had recognised it. His attitude invites us to reflect more generally on the virtue of obedience, which is a great good when properly understood and practised.

Obedience is related to listening, paying attention, hearing, heeding…. Read More

LENTEN ITINERARY | Day 25: “On contemplation (I)”

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Throughout our Lenten journey, I have mentioned contemplative prayer several times. Even if not everyone gets to experience the various levels of contemplation, it is good to at least know what this form of prayer is all about. In addressing this topic, I will keep in mind that most people who listen to these meditations do not live in a monastery, fully immersed in a contemplative life. I hope that some aspects of this meditation on contemplation will be helpful in making our life and prayer even more receptive to God’s presence. Read More

LENTEN ITINERARY | Day 24: “Giving the right place to prophetic messages”

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Today we take up again the theme of “private apparitions and revelations”. The latter are the messages received in apparitions or interior allocutions.

Yesterday I emphasized that we should pay attention to them, because – as long as they are authentic – they are guidelines given to us by the Lord, showing us a way and providing us with help in the concrete situation in which we find ourselves, whether at the level of the world or of the Church. Read More

LENTEN ITINERARY | Day 23: Listen to the prophets

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Today’s reading, taken from the Book of Jeremiah, reminds us to listen to the prophets. God speaks to us through them, to guide us back to the straight path. We know that, since He sent His own Son into the world, God speaks to us through Himself (Heb 1:1-2) and with the voice of the Church; however, it would be wrong to exclude the prophetic dimension altogether now. Read More

LENTEN ITINERARY | Day 22: Faithfulness to Tradition

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Let us begin today’s meditation by listening to the Lord’s words to His disciples in today’s Gospel:

“Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. In truth I tell you, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until all its purpose is achieved. Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:17-19). Read More

LENTEN ITINERARY | Day 18: “Regular prayer”

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“My Lord and my God, grant me everything that draws me closer to you.” – exclaims St. Nicholas of Flüe in the second part of his famous prayer.

In mystical theology this part of the spiritual path would be called the “illuminative way”. This means that after the intense processes of purification – both the active (of which we have already spoken a little) and the passive – we can know God better.  In the illuminative way, Sacred Scripture begins to speak to us more clearly, our way of praying changes, we get more light for our way of following the Lord…. In short, the way becomes easier. Read More