Feb. 22 - Day 2 - "emptying oneself of the spirit of the world, which is opposed to the Spirit of Jesus"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today, Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, let us remember Pope Francis and the Universal Church in our prayers, continuing our journey toward renewing or praying for the first time, our Act of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary.

Yesterday, we pondered words of Jesus, in the Gospel, and today we want to listen again to God’s Word. The Beloved Disciple helps us to recognize the “spirit of the world” and to empty ourselves of it. In chapter 2 of his first letter, verses 15 - 17, John wrote:

Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticements are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

The world God created is still beautiful but when Adam and Eve sinned, their sin became a consequence for us: we have darkened intellects and weakened wills. Even after Baptism cleansed us of the stain of original sin, we remain prone to temptation. As was said at the outset of our journey yesterday, without Jesus, we can do nothing! He came that we might have Life!

So with Mary, we listen to all God tells us in Scripture as well as learning from Saints like St. Louis de Montfort to whom He gave much Wisdom for the Church. In paragraph 81 of “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”, St. Louis wrote:

"…in order to empty ourselves of self, we must die daily to ourselves. This involves our renouncing what the powers of the soul and the senses of the body incline us to do. We must see as if we did not see, hear as if we did not hear and use the things of this world as if we did not use them. This is what St. Paul calls “dying daily”. Unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain and does not bear any good fruit. If we do not die to self and if our holiest devotions do not lead us to this necessary and fruitful death, we shall not bear fruit of any worth and our devotions will cease to be profitable. All our good works will be tainted by self-love and self-will so that our greatest sacrifices and our best actions will be unacceptable to God. Consequently when we come to die we shall find ourselves devoid of virtue and merit and discover that we do not possess even one spark of that pure love which God shares only with those who have died to themselves and whose life is hidden with Jesus Christ in him.

Our journey is on the “narrow road” but our destination is “that pure love…”

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Greenfields, patricius and Christian-ity,

Thanks so much for your “hearts” to let us know you are following the “path” set out for us today by God’s wisdom given to St. Louis de Montfort and have read both God’s Word from John’s First Letter as well as St. Louis’ De Montfort’s words from his treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”.

Please feel free to ask questions or share your reflections as we travel the path together. Often we can help one another – in fact we are called to help – by Building up the Body of Christ in love (cf Ephesians 4: 15 - 16). Blessings to you all on this Saturday – for centuries it has been “Mary’s Day” for Catholics!

 

[hazcompat]

I wish, oh Jesus, that my voice could reach to the ends of the world, to call all sinners and tell them to enter into Thy Heart…Oh, if only all sinners would come to Thy Heart!.. Come! Come sinners, do not be afraid! The sword of Justice cannot reach you Here!"
~St Gemma Galgani

Ecstasies of St Gemma

St Gemma Galgani website

www.stgemmagalgani.com

What smoother or surer path to His most merciful heart than via His Mother?

Peace

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks so much for your reply and for quoting the beautiful words of Saint Gemma Galgani. The Saints give us so much hope for they are human and tempted as we are but they know by God’s Grace, Who Love is!

They also know the Mother He gave us to be our surer, smoother path to Him!
Jesus, we thank you for your gift of Mary and all the saints. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. St. Gemma pray for us. Jesus, we trust in You!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Stephie,

Thanks so much for your faithful “heart” which lets us know you appreciated what you read today. May God’s Word and the words He gave to St. Louis de Montfort, be pondered in all our hearts, that we may truly learn to “empty ourselves of the spirit of the world, which is opposed to the Spirit of Jesus.”