“Every word that comes from my Son’s mouth is true life.” (Inner Word)
It was the Desert Fathers who drew our attention to the fact that we should “chew the Word of God”, that is, repeat it over and over again. In this they found the true nourishment for their spiritual life.
“The soul does not find silence and peace through many reflections, but simply by meditating on the truth.” (St. Peter of Alcántara)
St. Peter of Alcántara, who was endowed with great mystical gifts by God and led an exceptionally ascetic life, points us to this invaluable source of prayer. Time and again, such gifted souls remind us that we should seek simply to dwell in the presence of God.
“Just let the truth triumph” (Inner Word)
A few words from the priest, Mag. Don Michael Gurtner, may inspire us to reflect once more on the infinite value of truth and to commit ourselves to it with all our hearts.
The priest writes with a critical eye on the current state of the Church, which is, after all, called to be the guardian of truth:
“The truth has the power to endure.” (Inner Word)
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Mt 24:35)
What a comforting word from our Lord! The truth remains unchanging and is a sure anchor in a time when it is not widely loved, or when people ask, like Pontius Pilate: “What is truth?” (John 18:38).
“The truth is like love. The more you speak it and put it into practice, the deeper it penetrates your being and shapes who you are” (Inner Word).
Living in the truth and speaking the truth is the highest good and makes us like the Son of God, who can say of Himself: “I am the truth.” (cf. John 14:6) While lies and insincerity distort our lives, the truth is different. It does not tolerate lies or pretense; rather, it shapes us according to the image in which God created us.
“First learn to know Me better and to love Me to the extent that I desire, that is, not only as a Father, but as your Friend and Confidant.” (From God the Father’s message to M. Eugenia Ravasio).
What does such a friendship, to which the Divine Father calls us, look like?
“What we see is beautiful, what we recognize is even more beautiful, but what we cannot comprehend is far more beautiful still.” (Nicolaus Steno)
We, too, can view this world in the same way as that great Danish scholar Nicolaus Steno, who later joined the Catholic Church because of his convictions and even held the office of bishop.
“May my guidance always order everything in wisdom” (Inner Word)
Our divine Father not only gives us general guidance in our lives through His commandments and His holy word, as well as through the circumstances of life in which He has placed us. God also wants to take direct control of our lives. This becomes easy to understand when we realize that our Father sees our entire life before Him and has given it meaning and a purpose from the very beginning. Ephesians 2:10 states: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
“Never let yourself be intimidated by the schemes of demons.” (Inner Word)
We cannot and must not ignore this anti-God dimension on our spiritual journey. As St. Thérèse of Lisieux says, it is true that cowardly demons cannot harm us if we live in a state of grace. The Lord has also given his followers power over demons (Mark 3:15). Yet, Scripture warns us: “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“Every battle you take on, and every one we fight and win, contributes to the salvation of humanity.” (Inner Word)
When we allow this statement to sink in, many things change. Of course, inner struggles are burdensome, and they remain so until the very end. After all, no one enjoys it when the flesh rebels against the Spirit, and everyone longs for the day when this will finally cease in eternity.
