c. My priests will have to be poor in imitation of my Son Jesus, but they will never lack whatever is necessary to live, and to live with dignity.
Blue Book #35
f. On the other hand, let them be solely and always concerned about the salvation of so many of my children who, more and more each day, are being lost and falling into the hands of Satan. Do they not feel my great motherly sorrow which is growing ever greater?
You can’t live the Gospel of Christ without pain. Christ was the greatest revolutionary on earth. He calls you to the impossible. Are you willing to be totally poor, in spirit or otherwise? Are you able to hope when every hope is gone? Can you love when you are not loved? Can you continue to have faith when all around you faith is dying?Love those who hate you! Renew the faith of those who have lost it! Bring hope and love to everybody! For this you have been created! And you have to do it, my friends, because the time is so short.
Grace in Every Season (February 20)
An ‘assignment’ from Christ, is an invitation to take up our cross and follow Him. We are apt to get that wrong, especially in a Christian society who loves to ‘name it and claim it’. We think that if we can discern things just right then there won’t be any pain in the journey. That’s so wrong. And the love of a cross free life just assures us of more pain.
Practicing Catholics can’t simply ‘coast’, yes there will be amazingly powerful grace filled moments, maybe even entire seasons. But that gift of the Holy Spirit is meant to be passed on. Nothing that we are given is meant for us alone.
As we approach Lent, how about instead if telling God what we will do for Him, what if we were to ask Him and then hold nothing back from Him. What He asks of us might not even end up being as grand as what we were planning… but it will be just what our soul needs to draw closer to Him.