"Wisdom is the Cross and the Cross is Wisdom"

[MariaChristi]

1. The number of fools and unhappy people is infinite, says Wisdom (Ecc 1.15), because infinite is the number of those who do not know the value of the Cross and carry it reluctantly. But you, true disciples of Eternal Wisdom, if you have trials and afflictions, if you suffer much persecution for justice’s sake, if you are treated as the refuse of the world, be comforted, rejoice, be glad, and dance for joy because the cross you carry is a gift so precious as to arouse the envy of the saints in heaven, were they capable of envy. All that is honorable, glorious and virtuous in God and in His Holy Spirit is vested in you, for your reward is great in heaven and even on earth, because of the spiritual favors it obtains for you.
2. Friends of Jesus Christ, drink of his bitter cup and your friendship with Him will increase. Suffer with Him and you will be glorified with Him. Suffer patiently and your momentary suffering will be changed into an eternity of happiness. Make no mistake about it; since incarnate Wisdom had to enter heaven by the Cross, you also must enter by the same way. No matter which way you turn, says the Imitation of Christ, you will always find the Cross. Like the elect you may take it up rightly, with patience and cheerfulness out of love for God; or else like the reprobate you may carry it impatiently and unwillingly as those doubly unfortunate ones who are constrained to repeat perpetually in hell, “We have labored and suffered in the world and after it all, here we are with the damned.” (Wis 5.7) **True wisdom is not to be found in the things of this world nor in the souls of those who live in comfort. He has fixed His abode in the Cross so firmly that you will not find Him anywhere in this world save in the Cross. He has so truly incorporated and united Himself with the Cross that in all truth we can say: Wisdom is the Cross, and the Cross is Wisdom.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

St. Louis de Montfort, by the power of the the Holy Spirit and through the intercession of Mary is speaking God’s Truth to us today concluding chapter 14 in “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”. God willing, tomorrow we begin Chapter 15 on the first means to acquire Wisdom : an ardent desire!

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful; kindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Bring us into complete Truth. Jesus, we trust in You! Mary, our Mother and Model, pray for us.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks for your “heart”, patricius, letting me know you read and appreciated St. Louis de Montfort’s words on the Cross from his book, “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”. Thanks for all your replies, questions and comments as we have pondered this beautiful book.

As indicated above, tomorrow we begin to read and ponder the means to acquire Wisdom, the first being an ardent desire. As we come close to the end of the book, you will especially appreciate his chapter 17, which begins with this paragraph:

1. The greatest means of all, and the most wonderful of all secrets for obtaining and preserving divine Wisdom is a loving and genuine devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

Please let us continue to pray for one another, and for all God’s children, through Mary our Mother.

 

[patricius79]

**True wisdom is not to be found in the things of this world nor in the souls of those who live in comfort

Hi MariaChristi,

I love the full quotation you gave but got a little triggered by this passage about how true wisdom is not found in the souls of those who live in comfort.

I think we have so many creature comforts in the modern world compared to past generations.

I have problems in my life, and need to work on embracing these crosses. But I have refrigeration for plentiful food, air conditioning, washing machine and dryer for comfortable clothing, etc.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear patricius,

Thanks so much for your willingness to share your honest feelings, when you begin to ponder what St. Louis de Montfort wrote. Notice that tomorrow we begin in chapter 15 on the first means for acquire Wisdom: “an Ardent Desire”. God has given you this ardent desire, by His Grace or you would not be willing “to work on embracing” the Cross. I thank God for His graces to you and to all and want to encourage you as well as myself and others to trust Jesus and Mary to guide us into the Wisdom of the Cross.

We all need to remember that without Christ, we can do nothing, so as we are pondering His Word in Scripture as well as the words of the Saints, we need to remember how dependent we are upon his Grace. Jesus and the Father sent the Holy Spirit upon the Church at Pentecost to bring us into the complete Truth. Jesus did not leave us orphans, but gave us our Mother Mary and the Holy Spirit to help us continue the Mission of Jesus on this earth, as members of His Body.

You are right that many of us, especially in the USA have more “creature comforts” than in past generations, and may really begin to love the world more than God. It is a choice each of us makes daily because we cannot serve the Spirit of God and the “spirit of the world” at the same time. We cannot serve 2 masters. We need continually to pray to the Holy Spirit to discern what we truly “need” and what we simply “want” because we want to be entertained or may always want to have fun and simply want to do nothing except what pleases us. I think you will see some obvious differences in choices.

When we have health problems we need to be prudent in doing what will enable us to function properly in the Body of Christ. St. Teresa of Avila, St. Theres of Lisieux, St. John of the Cross and St. Francis of Assisi are examples of saints who needed to help others see the need for prudence in enthusiastic newcomers to their religious orders, who were overly eager to fast or practice rigorous penance. St. Therese Of Lisieux wisely taught her novices the “Little Way” God inspired in her: To do little things with GREAT LOVE! In the evening of life, St John of the Cross wrote: we will be examined on our Love, echoing, St Paul’s Hymn to Charity in 1 Cor 13.

You’ve asked a good question, that each of us needs to prayerfully ask God to help us answer within our hearts where He dwells and waits for us to come to Him.

 

[patricius79]

Thanks so much, MariaChristi.

Yes, it’s an important matter to distinguish between wants and needs.

Also, you commented on how St. Teresa of Avila counseled prudence in regard to mortifications. I know that’s true.

Also, I saw that really long movie about St. Teresa of Avila where one of the novices was making “special food”, which was against the rules. The novice said “but I’m very delicate”. And St. Teresa said, “then you shouldn’t have come here”.

I think St. Teresa would tell me that I need to take reasonable care of my health, especially given my health problems. She also would have told me to do so at my home, and not join a monastery.

 

[IsaiahSpirit]

A good question, because an assertion of ‘wisdom is not to be found…’ does inspire discernment of the phrase to which the not refers.
For the original assertion to be true, it indicates that the meaning of ‘the souls who live in comfort,’ is not to emulate parts of their witness in word & action that exalts living in comfort. It’s not condemning comforts for our well being; for proportional necessary rest & recreation; or they way they can increase the time used for talents in proclaiming The Gospel by ‘Planting Seeds of The Word,’ in words and charitable works.
Peace.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear IsaiahSpirit,

Thanks for your reply. It is a good encouragement to patricius and to others to ask good questions, and trust the Lord to give His Discernment of Truth. The Word of the Lord gives answers we need and whenever we can help one another to remain in His Word and in His Love, — just as St. Louis de Montfort did in his preaching and continues to do in our own day for us through his writing, we begin to hear the Holy Spirit with the ears of our hearts, and begin to obey the Truth.

Please let us pray for one another, for the Church, and for all those in most need of His Mercy, through the intercession of Mary, our Mother and Model.

 

[IsaiahSpirit]

Thank you for starting this thread in Grace, for participating in Christ Jesus,
for as God, The Trinity; and The Angels & Saints always completely cooperating
in The Mediation of Christ, full of Grace in Heaven, Intercessors.
The ‘grooms’ & ‘brides’ espoused by Christ, through Christ, for Christ;
for the work of God’s Created Humanity; Redeeming Humanity, Sanctifying Humanity;
growing in Grace. As the bond of Charity, forms greater; Jesus Christ lifting us to
Heaven, as The Way, The Truth, and The Life - among family members to be more
Godly toward one another growing in heartfelt charity. More loving, caring, self-giving
marriages; with a more nurturing household in Christ and God’s Ways for children.
Loving households are participation in Christ; and since God is Love;
stronger Godly bonds heal families, the building block of society, for
‘Living Sculpted by The Potter’ ‘Stones’ - forming a Living Temple of God.
Peace.