DAY 14 OF 33 TOTAL CONSECRATION

[Dawn Marie]

Begin With The Following Prayers:

Come Holy Ghost fill the hearts of Thy faithful...

The Holy Rosary

The Litany of the Blessed Virgin

 

Saint Bernard subject to Jesus and Mary

 

 

Imitation of Christ, by Thomas á Kempis: Book 3, Chapter 13

Of the Obedience of One in Humble Subjection,

After the Example of Jesus Christ

 

My son, he that endeavoreth to withdraw himself from obedience, withdraweth himself from grace; and he who seeketh for himself private benefit (Matt. 16:24), loseth those which are common. He that doth not cheerfully and freely submit himself to his superior, it is a sign that his flesh is not as yet perfectly obedient unto him, but oftentimes kicketh and murmureth against him. Learn thou therefore quickly to submit thyself to thy superior, if thou desire to keep thine own flesh under the yoke. For more speedily is the outward enemy overcome, if the inward man be not laid waste. There is no worse nor more troublesome enemy to the soul than thou art unto thyself, if thou be not well in harmony with the Spirit. It is altogether necessary that thou take up a true contempt for thyself, if thou desire to prevail against flesh and blood. Because as yet thou lovest thyself too inordinately, therefore thou art afraid to resign thyself wholly to the will of others. And yet, what great matter is it, if thou, who art but dust and nothing, subject thyself to a man for God's sake, when I, the Almighty and the Most Highest who created all things of nothing, humbly subjected Myself to man for thy sake?

I became of all men the most humble and the most abject (Luke 2:7; John 13:14), that thou mightest overcome thy pride with My humility. O dust! learn to be obedient. Learn to humble thyself, thou earth and clay, and to bow thyself down under the feet of all men. Learn to break thine own wishes, and to yield thyself to all subjection.

Meditation: 1-How Burdens must be Borne to win Eternal Life

CHRIST. My son, do not let the work that you have undertaken for My sake break your spirit, nor any hardships discourage you. Let My promise be always your strength and comfort; I can give you a boundless reward. You will not labor here for long, nor will sorrow always be your lot. Wait but a short while, and you will see a speedy end to your troubles. The time will come when all toil and trouble will cease. Everything temporal is short lived and of little consequence.

Labor with all your might. Work faithfully in My vineyard ;(Matt. 20:7) I myself will be your reward. (Gen. 15:1) Write, study, worship, be penitent, keep silence and pray. Meet all your troubles like a man: eternal life is worth all this and yet greater conflicts. Peace will come at a time known only to the Lord. It will not be day or night as we know it, (Rev. 22:5) but everlasting light, boundless glory, abiding peace and sure rest. You will not say then, 'Who will free me from this mortal body?';(Rom 7:4) nor cry, 'Alas, how long is my exile!'(Ps. 120:5) for the power of death will be utterly broken,(Isa.25:8) and full salvation assured. No anxiety will remain, but only blessed joy in the fair and lovely fellowship of the Saints.

If you could but see the Saints crowned in endless glory,(Wids.3:1 ;6:16) you would at once humble yourself to the dust, and would rather be the servant of all than lord it over a single person; for the Saints are now as high exalted as they were formerly accounted by this world low, despicable, and unfit to live. You would not hanker after a pleasant time in this life, but rather be glad to suffer for God's sake, and account it the greatest gain to be considered of small importance among men. If the things of God were your true delight and pierced your inmost heart, you would never complain. Is not all labour to be endured for the sake of eternal life? It is no small matter to win or lose the Kingdom of God. Raise your eyes to Heaven. See, here am I, and with Me are all My Saints, who in this world fought a great fight (Heb.10:32; 11:34) They are now filled with joy and consolation; they are now safe and at rest ;(John 14:3) and they shall remain with Me forever in the Kingdom of My Father.

 

Reflection: Taken from the book “Absolute Abandonment”

How much Easier Sanctity becomes when studied from this Point of View.

If the work of our salvation offers obstacles apparently so insurmountable, it is because we have not a just idea of it. In truth, sanctity consists in but one thing—fidelity to the order of God; and this fidelity is equally within the reach of all, whether in its active or in its passive part.

The active part of fidelity consists in fulfilling the duties imposed upon us either by the general commands of God and the Church, or by the particular state we have embraced. Its passive part consists in lovingly accepting all that God sends us each moment.

Which of these two parts of sanctity is above our strength ? Not the active part, since the duties it enjoins cease to be duties for us the moment our strength is really unequal to them. Will not the State of your health permit you to hear Mass ? You are no longer obliged to do so. And so it is with all positive obligations which prescribe duties to be fulfilled. Only those precepts which forbid things evil in themselves admit of no exception, for it is never permitted to do evil.

Is there anything easier or more reasonable? What excuse can be urged against it? Yet this is all the co-operation God requires of the soul in the work of its sanctification. He requires it of great and small, of strong and weak ; in a word, of all, at all times, in all places.

Therefore He only requires of us what is easy, since to attain eminent sanctity requires but a simple goodwill. If over and above the commandments He shows us the counsels as the more perfect end of our efforts, He is ever careful to accommodate their observance to our position and character. As the chief mark of our vocation for the counsels He sends us the attractions and graces which facilitate the practice of them. He urges no one but in pro portion to his strength and according to his attainments. Again I ask, what could be more just ?

Reflection: Taken from: Mystical Flora

by Saint Francis DeSales

The first condition necessary for praying well is that we must, in our humility, be little in our own eyes. The spouse in the Canticle of Canticles fills the angels with wonder, and makes them cry out in amazement: "Who is she that goeth up out of the desert as a pillar of smoke of aromatic spices, of myrrh, and frankincense, and of all the powders of the perfumer, and leaning upon her beloved?" (Cant. iii. and viii.) These words may well be applied to a humble soul who practises perfectly the beautiful virtue of humility ; for although she may be very fruitful in good works, this lowly sentiment that she has of herself makes her see no good in herself; nay, she thinks that she does nothing/and seems to herself to be like a barren desert, which has no fruit-trees, because in herself she does not perceive a single virtue. And as this humility raises the soul nearer to God, it makes the angels say: Who is she that goeth up out of the desert?  The lily and the rose of prayer are only preserved and nourished amon the thorns of mortification.

Those who walk through a beautiful garden do not like to leave it without gathering four or five flowers, to keep near them for the rest of the day, and to enjoy their scent. Thus, when our minds have been occupied with some mystery in holy meditation, we must choose two or three points which we find to our taste, and which may help us in our advancement in virtue, and remain with us during the day, to delight us by their spiritual perfume.

In leaving this interior prayer you must be very careful not to give a shock to your heart, for in that way you may spill all the balm which you have received from your prayer. I mean that you must try, if possible, to keep a little silence, and to pass gently from your meditation to your business, keeping the sentiments and affections that you may have conceived as long as possible within your heart and mind.

[AnnaMaria]

Amen

[Leontine Bajer]

Amen+

[Michael]

Amen. 

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

Amen. 

[Joseph]

Day 14.

[Birgitta]

Day 14 prayed. "If the things of God were your true delight and pierced your inmost heart, you would never complain."

[Dawn Marie]

Its passive part consists in lovingly accepting all that God sends us each

moment.

If I could get that through my head!

[Alley]

Amen!

[Copacabana]

Day 14

It is no small matter to win or lose the Kingdom of God.