"I have loved you with an everlasting love...And I know the plans I have for you says the Lord"
Jeremiah:29-31
I have asked the Immaculate Queen to comment on these words in the intimacy of your soul, to bring Jesus closer to you, or rather to open your eyes to his adorable presence, for he is always with you. My whole intention has been to give him to you in a more profound way and to plunge your hearts for time and eternity into his heart, the abyss of fire and blood opened for you. But that is the work of Mary. Jesus has belonged to Mary since her fiat in Nazareth. It is her prerogative to give him to you, and it is also through her that he wills to receive your gifts and especially your hearts. May she hide you in his heart and keep you there forever…. Mary is the most imitable of all the saints. If I search the catalogue of the saints for a model of the most humble and poorest of women on earth, I find not a single one who is more truly this model than Mary. In our time Jesus also wants hidden saints like the woman of Nazareth, who distinguish themselves in nothing exteriorly, but who burn interiorly. Never, moreover, have there been more saints of this kind than in our day. A jewel in the heart of Mary was her total abandonment: her living and limitless faith. The angel brings her the phenomenal announcement: she will be the mother of the Messiah; the Son of God will be her Son. Seeing her moved in her humility and not understanding how she will remain a virgin, the angel reassures her, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. He reminds her that nothing is impossible to God. He gives her a sign. God has spoken, and the response pours forth from the depths of the soul of Mary: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word. This is the fiat of Mary, pronounced in the name of all humanity. Without her we would not have Jesus; we would not have our Brother, our Friend, our Savior. The loving abandonment of Mary is at the origin of our redemption. At the origin of the redemption of those souls whom God has resolved to save through you must be also your loving abandonment, your Ecce ancilla, your fiat. He asks you to pronounce these words very often each day, which sometimes cost our feeble nature so much, with unreserved acceptance of the divine will, whatever it be—so often crucifying yet always to be held in adoration. Father Jean du Coeur de Jésus d’Elbée Holy fear which is the beginning of wisdom will also be the beginning of true humility; for as the inspired Word says, humility and wisdom are inseparable companions: Where humility is, there also is wisdom (Prv 11:2).
There is no saint however holy and innocent who may not truly consider himself the greatest sinner in the world. It is enough that he knows himself to be man to recognize that he is liable to commit all the evils of which man is capable. And if I do not commit them it is through a special grace of God which preserves and restrains me. A tree does not fall while bending under its own weight, and this must be attributed to the strength of its support; and in the same way if I have not fallen into every kind of iniquity, it must not be attributed to my own inherent virtue but only to divine grace, which by its goodness has supported me. Therefore, how can I regard myself more than another man while we are all equal in human weakness? For what is my strength? (Jb 6:11). I am a son of Adam like every other man. It would be well to say: O my God, I can do all things if I am strengthened by your help; but without it I can do nothing, nor will I ever be able to do anything. As Saint Augustine instructs me: “Whether it be little or whether it be great, it cannot be done without him.” Father Cajetan Mary da Bergamo, o.f.m. cap. What is God but love? It is hard to believe in this love because it is a tremendous love. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:31). If we do once catch a glimpse of it, we are afraid of it. Once we recognize that we are sons of God, that the seed of divine life has been planted in us at baptism, we are overcome by that obligation placed upon us of growing in the love of God….
The love of God and man becomes the love of equals, as the love of the bride and bridegroom is the love of equals, and not the love of the sheep for the shepherd, or the servant for the master, or the son for the father. We may stand at times in the relationship of servant, and at other times in that of son, as far as our feelings go and in our present state. But the relationship we hope to attain to is that of the love of the Canticle of Canticles. If we cannot deny the self in us, kill the self-love, as he has commanded, and put on the Christ-life, then God will do it for us. We must become like him. Love must go through these purgations…. Love must be tried and tested and proved. It must be tried as though by fire, and fire burns. Servant of God Dorothy Day |
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I'm not really a writer, but it's on my long list of aspirations to become one. The first on the list is to become a great Saint! My hope is to share knowledge and inspiration as we walk together during our pilgrim journey on earth and guide each other, hand in hand to the gates of Heaven... If you for find this website helpful please consider making a donation today! Archives
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