Phil 4:10-19
As for me, I am full of joy in the Lord, now that at last your consideration for me has blossomed again; though I recognize that you really did have consideration before, but had no opportunity to show it. I do not say this because I have lacked anything; I have learnt to manage with whatever I have. Read More
Jn 10:11-18
A reading for the memorial of St. Charles Borromeo
Jesus said at that time, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. Read More
Phil 3:3-8
We are the true people of the circumcision since we worship by the Spirit of God and make Christ Jesus our only boast, not relying on physical qualifications, although, I myself could rely on these too. If anyone does claim to rely on them, my claim is better. Circumcised on the eighth day of my life, I was born of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrew parents. Read More
Commemoration of the Faithful Departed
Lam 3:17-26
I have been deprived of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is and thought, ‘My lasting hope in the Lord is lost.’ Bring to mind my misery and anguish; it is wormwood and gall! My heart dwells on this continually and sinks within me. Read More
Rev 7:2-4,9-14
Then I saw another angel rising where the sun rises, carrying the seal of the living God; he called in a powerful voice to the four angels whose duty was to devastate land and sea, ‘Wait before you do any damage on land or at sea or to the trees, until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.’ And I heard how many had been sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel. Read More
Today, being the last day of the month of October, we will conclude the series on the spiritual life, which was intended to give us a perspective on what is conducive to the path of following Christ and what makes it fruitful. Before we resume our customary biblical meditations tomorrow, today’s meditation – the last in this series on spirituality – will point us to a basic condition that we must fulfill if we are to grow spiritually. Read More
Even if we apply all our will to carry out in ourselves the active purification, we will not be able to overcome everything that prevents us from fully corresponding to the love of the Lord. There are attitudes and attachments that are too deeply rooted, and often we are not even aware of them… That is why the Lord comes to our aid by means of another process, which goes beyond what our own efforts in active purification could bring us: It is the so-called “passive purification”. Read More
In the classical mystical tradition, the path of following the Lord is usually described in three “ways”: the purgative way (purification), the illuminative way (illumination) and the unitive way (unification).
By having lived a serious conversion, by striving to acquire the virtues and by consciously taking up the fight against our three enemies – the world, the devil and the flesh – the Lord initiates in us the process of interior purification. We are dealing here with our attachments to our passions, as well as to our own ideas, illusions, desires, etc. Read More
“Keep sober and alert, because your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand up to him, strong in faith” (1Pe 5:8-9).
The comparison with a roaring lion makes it clear that, in spiritual combat, we face a terrible enemy. He is ready for anything and stalks his victim carefully and aggressively. To make matters worse, this opponent does not abide by the “rules of chivalry” at all. Read More
In the meditations of the last few days, we had first spoken about that enemy who dwells within us – that is, our flesh – which, because of our fallen nature with its evil inclinations, wants to turn us away from the way of the Lord, or at least make things difficult for us. Then we also discussed the second enemy of our soul – the world – which likewise wishes to lead us away from the spiritual path by its seductions and allurements. Now we must consider one more enemy. Read More
