Showing all posts by Elija

In Reflexion

Sixth Meditation on the Holy Spirit: The Kindness

Author ElijaPosted on

Holy Spirit, it is said of You that You are a kind and human loving Spirit, and that a fruit that You make grow in the human soul is kindness!

Kindness is an agreeable attitude of man by which one easily wins the other person and makes him feel loved and acknowledged! And if this kindness is without falsehood – which it is without doubt, if it matures in the soul as a fruit of Your work – then it is a sun in the life of man! It reflects the attitude with which God meets us, because God does not only want us to recognize Him as our Father, but He also wants to be our trusted friend!

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In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“GOD’S NEED TO LOVE US”  

Author ElijaPosted on

“As his Creator and Father, I feel the need to love man.” (Message from God the Father to Sister Eugenia Ravasio).

When we ask ourselves what the most concrete reason is for God’s great love for us, our Father gives us a wonderful answer in this phrase from the message to Mother Eugenia Ravasio. Since God is complete in Himself and does not need us for His own satisfaction, His love for us comes solely from His status as Father and Creator. As He Himself affirms, loving us is a necessity for Him. Thus, when God turns toward us, He always does so with the intention of loving us, communicating with us, and helping us understand that we are loved.

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In Reflexion

Fifth Meditation on the Holy Spirit: The Joy

Author ElijaPosted on

Beloved Holy Spirit, one of the most wonderful gifts that You can make grow in us as fruit is joy. It is that joy which, like love, makes everything easier and overcomes the weight that life so often brings with it. A joy that is contagious, and gives a ray of light and some comfort to the other person, as long as they are not closed.

Your friend, St. Paul, even tells us to rejoice at all times (cf. Phil 4:4). Read More

In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“MERCY, TIME AND TIME AGAIN”

Author ElijaPosted on

“I look with favor upon everything done for My glory: prayers, fasting, vigils, and other works of spiritual discipline. But nevertheless—even if it does not seem so to those of little faith—I am with greater affection toward My chosen ones, who, in their human weakness and frailty, trustingly seek refuge in My mercy.” (Words of the Lord to St. Gertrude of Helfta)

Once again, the theme of human weakness and limitation is addressed, which draws the Lord’s loving attention in a special way. Without diminishing the good works of ascetic practices—works the Lord regards with favor—His love inclines even more toward those who, in their inner distress, seek His mercy and trust in it.

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In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“TRUST IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS”

Author ElijaPosted on

“Just remain faithful to Me, and do not lose heart in times of weakness. I will put even these to good use.” (Inner Word)

It may not be easy for us to understand these words. How we would love to be strong and overcome all of life’s challenges. This may be especially true for people with a strong fighting spirit. But then our weaknesses emerge, serving as a constant reminder of the limitations of our human nature. We fall short of what we set out to do and are disappointed in ourselves.

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In Reflexion

Fourth Meditation on the Holy Spirit: The Self-control

Author ElijaPosted on

Holy Spirit, in the beginning you hovered over the waters (cf. Gen 1:2) and brought order to the chaos. You also want to bring order to the chaos caused by sin, order in our inner and outer life. So much has been confused with original sin and the sins that follow it, that even your friend Paul lamented that a different law dwells in his spirit than in his body and – worse still – that he follows the law of the flesh (cf. Rom 7:23). With him we lament: Who will deliver me from this body? (cf. Rom 7:24)

But let it not remain so!

We must regain control over ourselves and not be slaves to our passions and feelings! It was so wonderfully ordered by our Heavenly Father: The Spirit enlightened our human spirit, it put the will into force and the natural drives were at work.

But, dear Holy Spirit, now, unfortunately, they are rebelling against us and are therefore a reflection of the fallen creation, which is rebelling against God, and in addition, the fallen spirits, who are trying to disturb the ways of salvation of God, also want to confuse us.

But it should not remain that way!

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In Reflexion

Third Meditation on the Holy Spirit: Gentleness

Author ElijaPosted on

Beloved Holy Spirit, You gentle soul guest,

let grow in us the spirit of gentleness,

that spirit that permeates everything,

that transforms and softens our heart,

purifying it from all hardships;

that is as mild as Your wonderful Bride, our Mother.

“Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance.” (Mt 5:4)

You do not need us, but rather lure us with Your love. You would rather let Your love taste like honey than give us bitter herb, even if we sometimes need it.

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In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“HONEY OF ETERNAL SWEETNESS”  

Author ElijaPosted on

“But when I pour out My grace upon people and receive it back from them, I prepare in My divine heart the honey of eternal sweetness.” (Words of Jesus to Saint Mechthild of Hackeborn)

Time and again, a loving soul may ask itself how it can repay its Lord for all that He grants it in His lavish goodness. And yet it remains true: “How could I ever thank You enough for all Your goodness?” We will always fall short of what God gives us. And that is just as well, for He gives in a divine way, and we remember that He is the source from which love flows.

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In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“GOD FORCES NO ONE”

Author ElijaPosted on

“God forces no one. He accepts what is given to Him, yet He gives Himself fully only to those who give themselves fully to Him.” (Teresa of Ávila)

If, as St. Teresa of Ávila rightly describes, we are not compelled by God on our path of discipleship, then we must deeply internalize this truth. The saint speaks here of the great respect our Father has for human freedom. He Himself gave it to us as a great gift of love, setting us apart from the irrational natural world.

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In Reflexion

Second Meditation on the Holy Spirit: A pure heart

Author ElijaPosted on

Beloved Holy Spirit, come You, the eternal and pure light and penetrate us, so that nothing can remain hidden from You, no shadow can live on in our soul, every darkness may go away and everything be inflamed by Your love. Awaken us from all inertia and purify our heart so that it may love as God loves; love as You love, so that You and I may be intimately united in the praise of the glory of God.

“O God, create in me a pure heart, renew a right spirit within me” (Ps 51:10).

You, beloved Holy Spirit, are

“…intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, incisive, unsullied, lucid, invulnerable, benevolent, shrewd, irresistible, beneficent, friendly to human beings, steadfast, dependable, unperturbed, almighty, all-surveying, penetrating all intelligent, pure and most subtle!” (Wis 7:22-23)

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