“Raise yourselves to the dignity of children of God” (Message of God the Father to Sister Eugenia Ravasio).
The dignity that the Father gives us does not come from our own efforts. It is simply a gift of His goodness. In another passage of the Message to Sister Eugenia, the Father tells us: “It was He [Jesus] who showed you the ways to perfection. Through Him I adopted you in My infinite love, as real children. Since then I have never called you simply “creatures”, but “children”.
“There can be no friendship between people of opposing moral views” (St Ambrose).
True friendship is based on common values, and these must be in accordance with the truth. Otherwise it would be a kind of comradeship. Friendship is destroyed when one of the friends leaves the common ground. This is especially important in the case of moral values. In friendship one strengthens and supports the other in the common vision of truth and shares the same principles, so such a relationship cannot survive if moral convictions diverge. This is a debt to truth!
As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the morrow, for it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to about five thousand. On the morrow their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
“If the truth is a scandal, let the scandal be produced and the truth be told” (St Ambrose).
The supreme good of truth can never be sacrificed for the sake of a false unity. In fact, it would only be an apparent unity that could not last. It would be like pretending to live in communion and peace with our Father and at the same time despising His commandments and not striving to keep them. This can be applied to many areas and we would always come to the same conclusion: truth is such a high good that we must submit to it. God Himself is the truth and can never act without it.
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
“God is always within us; it is we who are seldom at home” (Meister Eckhart).
With what insistence the mystics exhort us to seek the inner life, that is, the life of God in our own soul! It is there that the Holy Trinity has established His dwelling. Our Father is always ready to enter into the most intimate dialogue with us. But, as Meister Eckhart says, we are seldom at home, that is, our thoughts and aspirations are often directed outward, and we are therefore easily carried away by the restlessness of this world.
“Who loves us more than the Heavenly Father? No one” (Inner Word).
We human beings are fundamentally dependent on love. It was love that called us into existence, it is our life and it perfects us. That is why we are always looking for love. A life without love is difficult, almost unbearable, and finally withers away.
Now when they hear this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.” And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
