For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. Read More
Showing all posts in June 2025
“LOVE DOES NOT TOLERATE SHADOWS”
‘Cultivate an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit so that all shadows in your life may vanish and He may guide you without hindrance’ (Inner Word).
What is our contribution to true peace, given that we have no external means to achieve it? True peace will only come when we live in harmony with God, because the root of discord comes from separation from God, that is, from sin.
“WAITING FOR GRACE”
“Without God’s grace, I could do nothing” (Saint Joan of Arc).
Saint Joan of Arc expresses a fundamental truth in a very simple way. She knows that she depends on God for everything. However, this dependence does not have the negative connotation we usually associate with this term when we refer to a situation that deprives us of our freedom.
LETTER TO THE ROMANS (Rom 1:1-7,13-17): The obedience of faith
Having meditated on the entire Gospel of Saint John and the Acts of the Apostles, and after turning our attention to the Holy Spirit in the context of Pentecost, I would like to focus on Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans over the next few weeks.
Of all his epistles, this is the most complete and is also known as the ‘Testament of Saint Paul’. We will not read the entire text, but only the most important passages that lend themselves to commentary.
I take this opportunity to recommend that you read this letter of Saint Paul in its entirety and thus put into practice the advice to read the Holy Scriptures daily, which is so beneficial.
“A SMALL SEED”
“To live in love is to sail forever, spreading seeds of joy and peace in hearts” (Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus).
Saint Thérèse refers here to the work of the Holy Spirit through His seven gifts. When these are active in a soul, it begins to sail like a boat, as described so beautifully in ‘The Little Flower’. Before, the person had to row with their own strength, even though driven by the Holy Spirit. But now, under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit, her journey becomes easier.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit (7/7): The gift of wisdom
If the gift of understanding enables us to penetrate the divine mysteries, the gift of wisdom grants us a “delightful” knowledge of God. “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” -exclaims the psalmist (Ps 34:8). First he invites us to taste, and only then to see.
The gift of wisdom gives us an experience of the heart, it allows us a glimpse of God’s love through the heart. That is why we say that it is a “spiritual tasting” of divine love.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit (6/7): The gift of understanding
“The Spirit explores the depths of everything, even the depths of God” (1 Cor 2:10)
While the gift of knowledge helps us to withdraw from the attraction of creatures, recognising in an inner sight their nothingness (inasmuch as they were created out of nothing), and makes us realise that all life and beauty proceed from God; the gift of understanding helps us to penetrate the mystery of God with the light of the Holy Spirit Himself.
Our understanding is not capable of penetrating the divine mysteries with the help of faith alone, even if we hold fast to the revealed truths. For faith is, on the one hand, a great light, but, on the other hand, it is still dark. It is a light in that it conveys to us the truth about God and about all that we need for the path of following Christ. But it does not allow us to penetrate into the mystery of God himself, nor to understand his Being from within. The knowledge of God remains somehow obscure. St. Paul directs our gaze to eternity, where we will see God face to face:
“THE LOVE OF INNOCENT SOULS”
‘I have often heard it said in retreats and on other occasions that an innocent soul never loves God as much as a repentant soul. How I long to prove that this is not true!’ (Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus).
“THINK ABOUT THE END”
“Always remember the end, for lost time never returns” (Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ).
It is not easy for us to put these wise words into practice, even though they would bring so much clarity to our lives. Sacred Scripture also exhorts us: “In all you do, remember the end of your life, and then you will never sin” (Sir 7:36).
The gifts of the Holy Spirit (5/7): The gift of knowledge
“What, then, will anyone gain by winning the whole world and forfeiting his life?” (Mt 16:26)
Through the first four gifts (fear of the Lord, piety, fortitude and counsel), the Holy Spirit guides our moral life above all. Through the last three gifts (knowledge, understanding and wisdom) He directly guides our supernatural life, i.e. our God-centred life.
The first four gifts lead to the perfection of the cardinal virtues; the last three, on the other hand, complete the theological virtues. These last three gifts are related to contemplation, to the life of prayer, to unification with God.