PRAYER INSTEAD OF SWORD; HUMILITY INSTEAD OF ORNAMENTS

“Arm yourself with prayer, not with the sword; clothe yourself with humility, not with fine clothes” (St. Dominic of Guzman).

Undoubtedly, St. Dominic’s advice is still valid today, although in his time he was probably referring to a material sword and not to the sword of the Spirit recommended to us by St. Paul in the Letter to the Ephesians: “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Eph 6:17). This sword is directly related to prayer, as the following verse makes clear: “Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (v. 18).

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Following the impulse of grace  

Mt 13:10-17

Then the disciples went up to Jesus and asked, ‘Why do you talk to them in parables?’ In answer, he said, ‘Because to you is granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not granted. Anyone who has will be given more and will have more than enough; but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has. The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So in their case what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah is being fulfilled: Listen and listen, but never understand! Look and look, but never perceive! This people’s heart has grown coarse, their ears dulled, they have shut their eyes tight to avoid using their eyes to see, their ears to hear, their heart to understand, changing their ways and being healed by me. ‘But blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! In truth I tell you, many prophets and upright people longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it. Read More

The word of the Lord

Mt 13:1-9

‘That same day, Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the shore, and he told them many things in parables. He said, ‘Listen, a sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up at once, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Anyone who has ears should listen!”  Read More

INNER RESISTANCE TO SIN

“I am the resistance against sin within your heart” (Interior Word).

It is said that St. Catherine of Siena suffered terrible temptations against purity at one stage of her life. She then spoke to Jesus and asked Him where He had been while she was going through these attacks, which she found unbearable. Jesus answered that He had worked the repugnance to such impurity in her heart.

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 The Way of Love

Song 3:1-4a

In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not. I will rise, and will go about the city: in the streets and the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and I found him not. The watchmen who keep the city, found me: Have you seen him, whom my soul loveth? When I had a little passed by them, I found him whom my soul loveth. 

This text is read at Holy Mass on the Feast of a great lover who met her Lord: St. Mary Magdalene. Today’s Gospel recounts precisely the encounter of Mary Magdalene with the Risen Lord, and the way in which He makes Himself known to her (Jn 20:1,11-18).

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The Lord fights for you

 

Ex 14:5-18

‘When Pharaoh king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, he and his officials changed their attitude towards the people. ‘What have we done,’ they said, ‘allowing Israel to leave our service?’ So Pharaoh had his chariot harnessed and set out with his troops, taking six hundred of the best chariots and all the other chariots in Egypt, with officers in each. The Lord made Pharaoh King of Egypt stubborn, and he gave chase to the Israelites. The Israelites marched confidently away, but the Egyptians, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, his horsemen and his army, gave chase and caught up with them where they lay encamped beside the sea near Pi-Hahiroth, facing Baal-Zephon. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up — and there were the Egyptians in pursuit of them! The Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help.

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TRUST IN OUR FATHER IN ALL THINGS

“I trust in God, my Creator, in all things. I love Him with all my heart” (St. Joan of Arc).

True love for our Father, which grows day by day, leads us to abandon ourselves to Him in everything. It is not a lethargic attitude, nor does it resemble that mystical current known as “quietism.” The attitude of abandonment in God does not belittle human capacities, nor does it devalue our cooperation in God’s work. However, it decisively changes the focus. Our security and point of orientation are no longer built on ourselves, our faculties, or the various external circumstances, but on God’s love for us.

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Contemplative attitude

Lk 10:38-42

In the course of their journey Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha, who was distracted with all the serving, came to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered, ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said, ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, and it is not to be taken from her.’

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