Dec. 4 - Day 7 of our Advent Journey on this First Friday

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today is the First Friday of Advent, and I cannot help but think more on what I just replied to hazcompat in my response to him this morning, after reading his post for Day 6. He quoted from the beautiful classic book, “The Imitation of Christ”: On the example of the Holy Fathers and sufferings they endured for love of Christ.

The words hazcompat posted, reminded me of the “First Friday” Reparation Jesus asked for in His appearances to St. Margaret Mary. If you are unfamiliar with these appearances, it might be good to ponder at least the words below from Jesus’ third apparition to St. Margaret Mary and relate them to our Preparation for Total Consecration to Jesus. St. Louis ide Montfort urges us to “empty ourselves of the spirit of the world which is opposed to the Spirit of Christ”. Perhaps reading these words below as well as hazcompat’s post yesterday and my reply to him today, may help “empty ourselves” of whatever opposes the Spirit of Jesus.

The third apparition in 1674:

One day, as I knelt before the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar, after feeling withdrawn within myself by an extraordinary recollection of all my senses and faculties, Jesus Christ, my sweet Master, presented Himself to me, all resplendent with glory, with His five wounds shining like so many suns. From all parts of His Sacred Humanity there issued flames but especially from His adorable breast, which was like a furnace. Opening it, He showed me His loving and lovable Heart as the living source of those flames. Then He revealed to me all the unspeakable marvels of His pure love, and the excess of love He had conceived for men from whom He had received nothing but ingratitude and contempt. “This is more grievous to Me,” He said, “than all that I endured in my Passion. If they would only give Me some return of love, I should not reckon all that I have done for them, and I would do yet more if possible. But they have only coldness and contempt for all My endeavours to do them good. You, at least, can give Me the happiness of making up for their ingratitude, as much as you can.”

Come, Holy Spirit, kindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Jesus I trust in You! Mary Mother of the Church pray for us.