PRAYERS TO OUR LADY

"I Believe in Love" Day 19 Part One---Fraternal Charity

Excerpts from the book “I believe in love”.

By Father Jean C.J. d’Elbee

DAY 19

PART ONE

FRATERNAL CHARITY

IT IS SAID THAT ST. JOHN, AT THE END OF HIS LIFE, REPEATED A SINGLE TEACHING CONTINUALLY: “LOVE ONE ANOTHER!” WHAT IS NOT SAID, BUT OF WHICH I AM SURE, HE ADDED, OBSSESED BY JESUS AND BY LOVE, “IN ODER TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, LOVE THE LORD; PLUNGE YOURSELVES INTO HIS HEART, AND DRAW LOVE FOR OTHERS OUT OF THIS ABYSS OF CHARITY.”

IF THERE ARE TWO COMMANDMENTS PERTAINING TO LOVE, THE SECOND, THE LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOR, IS ONE WITH THE FIRST, THE LOVE OF GOD WITH OUR WHOLE HEART, WITH OUR WHOLE SOUL, WITH OUR WHOLE MIND, AND WITH OUR WHOLE STRENGTH.

THE GREAT PRAYER OF JESUS TO HIS FATHER AT THE LAST SUPPER---“THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ALSO ARE ONE: I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME”----WAS AT THE SAME TIME A COMMANDMENT TO LOVE, A COMMANDMENT OF UNSPEAKABLE IMPORTANCE: UT UNUM SINT---THAT WE MIGHT BE UNITED COLLECTIVELY, BUT FIRST OF ALL, THAT EACH SOUL MIGHT BE UNITED WITH JESUS AND, IN HIM, WITH THE FATHER.

IN ORDER TO REALIZE THIS UNITY, WE NEED GREAT CHARITY IN OUR COMMON LIFE, WHICH OFFERS A CONTINUALLY RENEWED OCCASION TO PRACTICE IT BY FORGETTING OURSELVES AND PREFERRING OTHERS TO OURSELVES.

DO NOT START THINKING, “I WOULD LIKE TO BE A HERMIT. I WOULD COMMIT FEWER SINS AGAINST CHARITY.” ON THE CONTRARY, PROFIT FROM LIFE IN COMMON WITH OTHERS TO BECOME BETTER---TO BECOME HOLY. WE ARE, WITHOUT INTENDING IT, EXCELLENT INSTRUMENTS OF HUMILIATION AND MORTIFICATION FOR EACH OTHER. LOVE OTHERS, NOT IN SPITE OF THAT, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT.

IN THE SAME WAY AS STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS, CHARITY IS MADE PERFECT IN TEMPTATIONS AGAINST CHARITY. THE OCCASION DOES NOT MAKE THE MAN; IT SHOWS WHAT HE IS. IT WOULD BE EASY TO BE PATIENT IF THERE WERE NO OCCASION FOR IMPATIENCE.

I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU AT LENGTH ABOUT ABANDONMENT. IT RESTS ABOVE ALL ON OBEDIENCE. IT MUST GO FURTHER; IT MUST GO TO THE POINT OF ACCEPTING, WITH A SMILE ON YOUR LIPS, THE PINPRICKS, THE THORNS, AND THE CONTRADICTIONS WHICH COME TO YOU EVERYDAY, FROM THOSE NEAR YOU. YOU HAVE THERE A GOLDMINE TO EXPLOIT WITH MANY SACRIFICES.

Comment

You need to be a member of Crusaders of the Immaculate Heart to add comments!

Join Crusaders of the Immaculate Heart

Comment by MARIA ESTHER DE VALLE on October 22, 2017 at 12:49am: Amen

Comment by bernadette szczepkowski on October 21, 2017 at 9:10pm: Pray for us Little Flower.

Comment by Flavia Talladen Schott on October 21, 2017 at 6:45pm: Amen.

Comment by AnnaMaria on October 21, 2017 at 6:30pm: AMEN

Comment by Michael on October 21, 2017 at 9:16am: Amen.

Comment by Alley on January 21, 2014 at 1:56am: O my Jesus, it is for love of Thee, in reparation for the offences committed

against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the conversion of poor sinners.

O Maria hilf!

Comment by Michael on January 20, 2014 at 12:23pm: Amen.

Comment by bernadette szczepkowski on January 20, 2014 at 11:39am: Ut Unum sint.

Comment by Gloria on January 20, 2014 at 10:32am: I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU AT LENGTH ABOUT ABANDONMENT. IT RESTS ABOVE ALL ON OBEDIENCE. IT MUST GO FURTHER; IT MUST GO TO THE POINT OF ACCEPTING, WITH A SMILE ON YOUR LIPS, THE PINPRICKS, THE THORNS, AND THE CONTRADICTIONS WHICH COME TO YOU EVERYDAY, FROM THOSE NEAR YOU. YOU HAVE THERE A GOLDMINE TO EXPLOIT WITH MANY SACRIFICES.

Comment by Dawn Marie on January 20, 2014 at 7:01am: IN THE SAME WAY AS STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS, CHARITY IS MADE PERFECT IN TEMPTATIONS AGAINST CHARITY. THE OCCASION DOES NOT MAKE THE MAN; IT SHOWS WHAT HE IS.