Meditation on the Gospel of the day (Lk 11:29-32):
The rejection of useless thoughts
Yesterday we focused on showing the importance of the asceticism of thoughts in order to gain mastery over them and to be the ones who decide what kind of attention we give or don’t give each thought. We had focused especially on the fight against bad thoughts, which we must fight decisively so that they do not gain ground inside us. Read More
115th Meditation on God the Father
“Yet you are merciful to all, because you are almighty, you overlook people’s sins, so that they can repent” (Wis 11:23).
These words of Sacred Scripture reveal to us why our Father often waits so long for humans to convert, while we would have long since lost patience and invoked judgment upon them. The disciples also had to learn this lesson, when they wanted to bring down fire from heaven on a village that did not welcome Jesus (Lk 9:51-56). Read More
NOTE: As long as we continue these lectures on the spiritual life, we will always include in the text a link to a meditation on the reading or the Gospel of the day, if we have them available.
Gospel (Lk 17:11-19):
Rejection of evil thoughts
Every voluntary – that is, conscious – thought that is opposed to God and mankind must be radically combated.
Just as in following Christ we avoid every evil action, even if we have to do violence to ourselves in order not to give in to temptation, so we must do the same with our thoughts. In fact, thoughts normally precede actions and prepare the way for their execution and realization. Read More
NOTE: During these days we will be developing in our meditations a theme for the spiritual life. For those who would like to listen to a meditation based on the reading of the day (Gal 3:7-14), we leave the corresponding link here: http://en.elijamission.net/the-law-kept-us-under-guard/
“Perverse thoughts separate people from God.” (Wis 1:3)
With the virtue of temperance, we try to order, with God’s help, the disharmony which our senses have generated in our life. In this process, the so-called “asceticism of the thoughts” plays a fundamental role, so that we may also regain control over our thoughts, and not be helpless at their mercy. Read More
114th Meditation on God the Father
Our Father’s love is poured out upon us especially through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, whose worthy celebration and participation He commends to us. Here again we are the recipients and the guests – as long as we are in a state of grace – and we simply give God the opportunity to shower us with His goodness, as He is so fond of doing.
Thus He tells us in the Message to Sr. Eugenia Ravasio:
“Through this Sacrament you are intimately united with Me. It is in this intimacy that the outpouring of My love makes My holiness spread into your souls” (Father’s Message to Sister Eugenia Ravasio). Read More
NOTE: During these days we will be developing a theme in our meditations for the spiritual life. For those who wish to listen to a meditation based on the reading or the gospel of the day, we leave here the corresponding link:
First Reading (Gal 3:7-14): http://en.elijamission.net/children-of-abraham/
Gospel (Lk 11:14-26): http://en.elijamission.net/a-stronger-had-to-come-2/
Yesterday we had thematized the virtue of fortitude, which is so important for following the Lord firmly and perseveringly. Today we will look at another of the four cardinal virtues: temperance. Read More
113th Meditation on God the Father
After having thematized in these last two daily reflections the goodness of our Heavenly Father and His desire to forgive even our most atrocious sins, I would like to simply “let” the Father Himself speak today, by quoting two passages from the Message to Mother Eugenia Ravasio on this subject.
My intention is to give encouragement to each person. Whatever the situation in which we find ourselves, we can always turn to our loving Father. We must never let ourselves be carried away by despair! Each person, having received the Lord’s forgiveness, can begin to “lay up treasures in heaven” (Mt 6:20), to gather gold for the Kingdom of God. Read More
NOTE: During these days we are developing in the meditations a theme for the spiritual life. For those who wish to listen to a meditation based on the reading or the gospel of the day, we leave here the corresponding link:
http://en.elijamission.net/the-gift-of-salvation/
To advance in the spiritual life it is essential to obey the Holy Spirit. He is our inner guide and teacher. When we become familiar with Him and learn to listen and follow His voice better, our spiritual path can become lighter and more agile. Read More
112th Meditation on God the Father
“Even if your sins were as repulsive as mud, your confidence and your love will make Me forget them, so you will not be judged! I am just, it is true, but love pays for everything!” (Father’s message to Sr. Eugenia Ravasio).
Our Father speaks here of grave and repugnant sins, which perhaps we ourselves find it difficult to forgive. Not infrequently it happens that people, once they recognize the magnitude of their faults, fall into despair and are unable to forgive themselves. Thus, they block their own lives and, despite having received God’s forgiveness, sin continues to cast its shadow over them. Read More
NOTE: During these days we will be developing a theme for the spiritual life in these meditations. For those who wish to listen to a meditation based on the reading of the day, we leave here the corresponding link:
We had concluded yesterday’s meditation with these words of the Lord: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
To better understand the path of inner transformation that God works in us, let us first look back at the original state that humanity enjoyed in Paradise and see the ways our souls bore the consequences for our fall into sin. Read More
