Day 13: Rooted in and built up in Christ; swallowed up in Christ Crucified means letting go of self and the concerns of life, to fix my eyes on Him so He can show me what He is doing. The circumstances of life agitate and distract; resting in my crucified Lord, contemplating His Face brings the strength of peace. Josephite shared earlier: Dear LynnFiat, Yes, when we enter this Holy fortress of recollection, St Elizabeth says... God the Father encloses us in His Will, where we are free in the solitude only because His son Jesus dwells in this immeasurable space!
Day 14: The mission of the Father: We must be transformed into Jesus Christ; again it is St. Paul who teaches me this: “Those whom God has foreknown, He has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son." What I'm about to say isn't an attempt to belittle indulgences, but I rather ask what is the best attitude in approaching my personal purification? We have been taught that indulgences either partially or completely remove the temporal punishment which our sins have incurred. This is due to the transitory or imperfect love by which I live my life. Here the focus is on the justice of God and a gift of His which deflects judgment in regard to my imperfect love. So I can receive the gift of a partial or full indulgence by following sincerely the prescriptions of Mother Church. But Elizabeth points out a more profound path. Prayer leads us into recollection, to an experience of solitude and recollection where the Father renews us immaculately , conforming us to the image of His Son, where perfect love casts out all fear. It is a purification wrought not by a tender prescription (indulgence), but by a wondrous encounter of love between the Lord and one praying, between Perfect Love and beloved child. The encounter is a foretaste of the Beatific Vision: 1 John 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. It appears to me that the encounter of recollection is a foretaste of seeing Him as He is. Perhaps this is why the Little Flower believed there would be no excursion for her in the purifying flames, but simply a rush into the Arms of God!
Here's my belated comment on day 12. I believe St Elizabeth is saying, that when we make space for God in the presence of our brokenness, we are saying, I no longer pretend that I am in control of the ambiguities of my life, because either I have exhausted all psychological and/or natural solutions and found them impotent or I have suffered enough without relief and now surrounded all to God. In this humility, we allow God to enter in ways that are alien to our natural belief systems! For God says (after this invitation of humility) I will enter this persons life and accompany and heal them no matter what they suffer! This is the exceptionable love and mercy of God! He draws us into Himself.... His incomprehensible Love, rooted in truth, which He wills we experience in its fullness! In this Fortress of Holy Recollection as St Elizabeth puts it....is here we experience the invitation to truth, the truth that brings Peace. Our Lord Jesus's Peace surpasses all experiences of.... our joy or pain or our exaltation or suffering. Because Our Lords Peace, is the joy of knowing.... I'm, in the arms of my Father!
Our Lord Jesus's Peace surpasses all experiences of.... our joy or pain or our exaltation or suffering. Because Our Lords Peace, is the joy of knowing.... Amen!
Day 14: Part 2: The Master was truth itself in this first oblation! His life was as it were but the consequence of it! “My food,” He liked to say, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me.” 218 It should also be that of the bride, and at the same time the sword that immolates her. . . . “If it is possible, let this cup pass me by, yet not as I will but as You will.” 219 And then she will joyfully go in peace to every sacrifice with her Master, rejoicing to “have been known” by the Father since He crucifies her with His Son. The food of Jesus is to do the Father's Will. My food is to entrust to God all circumstances in my life, and those I love. But also, I must entrust my prayer life to Him. This does not mean devotions, or petitions, or even the Rosary are to be abandoned, nor especially my participation in Holy Mass. But I must be crucified with Christ, allowing the context of silence to declare that God has the authority and freedom to lead me where He chooses. Also, Dr. Lilles once more emphasizes the need to carve out silences when receiving Our Lord at Holy Mass. Dear Lady, cover me with your Mantle when I pray.
Forgive me for getting off of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity for a moment, but this pertains to that "humility" which St. Elizabeth speaks of without which God cannot, as Josephite says, enter in so that "we (may) allow God to enter in ways that are alien to our natural belief systems!" Our Lord to St. Catherine of Siena: “Do you know, my daughter, who you are and who I am? If you have this two-fold knowledge you will be happy. You are she who is not, I am He who is. If you keep this truth in your heart, never will the enemy be able to deceive you. You will escape his snares. Never will you consent to commit an act which is against My Commandments, and you will readily acquire all grace, all truth, all clarity.” Ven. Conchita de Armida (Diary, August 8, 1896): “…I can but lower myself into the bottomless abyss of my nothingness. I close my eyes, I believe, and I adore...! I believe there is no better lesson of humility than this. How can anyone believe, before God and in the presence of such grandeur, that he is something of grandeur, miserable atom that he is? How can he think he is something good in comparison with this goodness without limits? How can he declare himself perfect in the presence of such a light on these infinite perfections. How can he esteem himself pure, in the face of this eternal Truth? Oh what fools we are, we others, poor beings of this world, when we believe we are something or consider ourselves capable of the least thing! In truth, after I touched God and had an imperfect notion of His Being, I wanted to prostrate myself, my forehead and my heart in the dust and never get up again!”
Ven. Conchita says: ...How can anyone believe, before God and in the presence of such grandeur, that he is something of grandeur, miserable atom that he is? How can he think he is something good in comparison with this goodness without limits? How can he declare himself perfect in the presence of such a light on these infinite perfections. _______________________________________________ Thank you for the above, lynnfiat. Where pride can sneak in: when I compare where I am with where I was. It may appear significant, but in realty it is mere pittance. Eyes on the Lord only. Consider the humility of Our Lady who told convert Roy Schoeman when he marveled at her beauty: "Oh no, I am nothing, He is everything!" Who is like unto God!
Day 15: Interestingly enough, this day focuses on Our Lady, who after Gabriel's salutation and announcement, in charity seeks out Elizabeth, not focused on herself, but on her cousin. In a true and absolute sense, Mary is radiant with the full justice of God (i.e. justified as Paul would say). In her person and in her life Mary reflects the beauty and glory of God. Unlike me, she is unhindered by guilt. In her passion at the foot of the Cross, Mary reflects the Son, embraces pain and anguish with no bitterness toward me, the one who afflicts her Child (a sword shall pierce your heart). She humbly obeys Jesus and accepts me as her child. 2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with faces unveiled reflecting as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into his very image, from glory to glory, as through the Spirit of the Lord. Mary reflects the Justice of God and extends mercy. To imitate her, I must also be forgetful of self, allow the Word in my heart and adore; then go out in haste to each Elizabeth in my life.
Day 15: Part 2 So much in this segment, and while most are about 29 minutes this one was no longer than 25 minutes! I must remember that in the original retreat, St. Elizabeth is now close to death. In His death, Jesus substitutes... me for Himself on the Cross so that “I may suffer in my body what is lacking in His passion for the sake of His body, which is the Church,” 250 the Blessed Virgin is again there to teach me how to suffer as Jesus did by her own example... Exteriorly, everything might appear to be falling apart (interiorly I am no longer carrying my Cross but am being nailed to it); thus by good example I become a hope for others as St. Elizabeth was for her community. In this spiritual death hope abounds: I rejoiced when I heard them say let us go unto the House of the Lord!
Day 13 St Elizabeth teaches us that Contemplative prayer is the awareness of the heart, to the presence of God amidst the ambiguities of life! Keeping our gaze, on the gaze of God, while standing alone on the rock. St Elizabeth exhorts us to be constantly vigilant to the powerful things the Lord is doing in our life. Be vigilant because self-control is hard work and we can be discouraged easily, especially when we are aware of our weaknesses and imperfections. However, we are not defined by our imperfections nor by our achievements. What defines us is the Love of God! In applying this to my life, it seems that this powerful work that God is doing in our life may not look beautiful to us, but we are to trust. To walk in Jesus letting go of self and even letting go of our dreams, in order to enter deeply into Him in every passing moment, we let Jesus, define us, direct us and even dream for us. Living moment by moment in Jesus, God purifies our imperfections.
Day 14 Session 20 (part 1) Conforming ourselves to the Image of Jesus by studying Him. Here St Elizabeth looks at the prayers of Jesus to God the Father in order to know Jesus. Recognising Christ by His prayer. “Here I am Oh God, I come to do Your will” By surrendering to Jesus, we too say “Here I am Oh God I come to do Your will”. In the solitude of Our Lords Holiness, our weaknesses and imperfections are purified, and here with Jesus we are not crushed by our nothingness (as Dr Lilles says) because Jesus’ power is greater than our sins! I thought the following was particularly beautiful... Captivated by Jesus, knowing Him, suffering only in Him, the soul who keeps their eyes on God; unceasingly reveals Jesus to the Father’s Gaze.
Day 14 session 21 (part 2) God does not judge us on our ability to master techniques and forms of prayer. Praise be Jesus He will judge us on our love. Therefore what I have concluded in day 14 is that Contemplative prayer means we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. Jesus says… My food is to do the Father’s will. Dr Lilles draws a beautiful parallel to Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist, here we receive the sacrifice of Love, a love worthy of God! we receive the Fathers will, Jesus in Holy communion is our access to God the Father. St Elizabeth speaks of a holy silence that carries our hearts deeper and deeper. And we learn that this silence is not interrupted by our circumstances, it can be a silence amid noise. God seems to be silent and just as Jesus prayed “My God My God Why have You abandoned Me” we too will feel this in our hearts but with Jesus we remain aware that not one moment of suffering is wasted. It is here in God’s love that we are purified, the more we plunge into the depths of silence and solitude. Every obstacle is removed by the fire of God’s love burning within us; it’s painful and difficult but once submerged in purification the more one aches for this gift of purification. Sometimes when we see our brokenness and weaknesses, we become discouraged but this is only a temptation to define ourselves in terms of our failures this blocks God from being able to complete the work he wants to do. We must humbly submit these failures to the Lord and let go of them, by turning our attention back to the Lord, then the possibility that I can be a praise of Gods glory begins to emerge in our heart. I pray that Our Lady be with me in this purification as she was with her son Jesus. Thank you Lord for the gift of Your most pure, sorrowful and Immaculate mother. Amen The below teachings of day 14 were also edifying. St Elizabeth says those that the Father has foreknown, He predestined that His work be completed in them before the foundation of the world! God will bring to completion His work, even in the face of all our failures, because what God is bringing to completion is not subject to the present moment or circumstance. God has worked it out before any of these circumstances came into being, because His Love for the soul started above and before all these circumstances. This is the mystery of predestination, in the purification of the soul! When my heart lifts itself to His presence even when feeling the deepest rejection; in seeking Him, it discovers it has already been grasped by him!
Mario as you have pointed out in your comments above, St Elizabeth refers to the souls predestination. 212 The Apostle has often revealed the greatness of this vocation: “God,” he says, “has chosen us in Him before the creation of the world that we might be holy and immaculate in His presence in love. . . . We have been predestined by the decree of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we may be the praise of His glory.” 213 37. But how do we respond to the dignity of this vocation? This is the secret: “Mihi vivere Christus est! . . . Vivo enim, jam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus. . . .” 214 We must be transformed into Jesus Christ; again it is St. Paul who teaches me this: “Those whom God has foreknown, He has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” 215 It is important then that I study this divine Model so as to identify myself so closely with Him that I may unceasingly reveal Him to the eyes of the Father. First of all, what did He say when He came into the world? “Here I am, O God, I come to do your will.” 216 I think that this prayer should be like the bride’s heartbeat: 217 “Here we are, O Father, we come to do your will!” Below is how I see this "predestination and the foreknowing of God", that St Paul describes. God knows all things, and has a Holy plan for all His creation but this Holy plan even though predestined is also subject to our free will. Therefore God in His goodness is able to restore those who use their free will to submit to Him and live according to His Truths and His Love. However, God will not interfere with His gift of free will to man, because here lies the proof of Love, so God awaits on man to use his gift of free will to choose Him freely and when man does this God completes His plan of perfect predestination. Is this how you see it?
Dearest Mario, Day 15; has been a revealing walk with our Lady for me. I don't know where to start or how to articulate this, at the moment. I've listened many times to both parts of day 15 but I have been unable to submit my reply. Maybe the Lord wants me to understand something more deeply, something of greater credence maybe? I know that I don't know anything and maybe God is hinting that I just be quite! At the moment! I will try to comment tomorrow. (hopefully) My prayers and blessings always to everyone! As a by the way, I think God maybe is revealing to me His incomprehensible Love ! As I've had some extraordinary revelations in my soul during my prayer life since starting this retreat. I thank you and St Elizabeth for placing this retreat in my path! A Little Reflection on Mary Pure Love. I cannot look upon the Cross For I am unworthy to witness this awesome sight. Yet the I see the reflection so painfully clear On the One who watches beneath. Silent she stands Eyes wide, transfixed on God before her Brow heavy, straining ears catching the last words He speaks Humiliation consummate, torture ultimate Grief, Pain , Sorrow. With hands clasped she kneels! Blood staining Her garments pulsates from her breast He has died. Nature answers this almighty event. Light is shut out and the earth convulses! Stars descend adorning Her Head As prostrated she lays Beneath Her son.
Ah Josephite, I would not strain too much on an intellectual level. Obviously, to express our thoughts we have to be rational. But notice, you made use of poetry, which is a matter of your heart, much more prayerful than only the intellect. After all, if I pray the Rosary on a purely mechanical level, treating it like a scorecard, as if x number of prayers wins me x number of graces (sadly misguided), I choose to place myself back onto a superficial level. The Two Hearts want to draw us much deeper. That is why you decided to redo this retreat! Reject the doubtful darts of the enemy; rather let the love of God pierce your heart! 1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
Day 16: 42. “As the thirsty doe longs for the springs of fresh water, so my soul longs for You, O God! My soul thirsts for the living God! When will I appear before His face? . . .” And yet, as “the sparrow has found a home,” and “the turtledove a nest in which she may lay her young,” 255 so Laudem Gloriae has found while waiting to be brought to the holy Jerusalem, “beata pacis visio” 256— her retreat, her beatitude, her anticipated Heaven in which she begins her life of eternity. “In God my soul is silent; my deliverance comes from Him. Yes, He is the rock in which I find salvation, my stronghold, I shall not be disturbed!” 257 This is the mystery my lyre sings of today! My Master has said to me as to Zacchaeus: “Hurry and come down, for I must stay in your house today. . . .” 258 Hurry and come down, but where? Into the innermost depths of my being: after having forsaken self, withdrawn from self been stripped of self in a word, without self. Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to [me, “Terry], make haste and come down; for [you] must stay at [My] house today.” 6 So I made haste and came down, and [followed Him] joyfully. Psalm 26:8 O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy glory dwells. Amen. Wonderful to spend time with you, Josephite, Wherever, Garabandal, et al!
Day 16 Dearest Mario, I am sorry for the long awaited reply to the final day of St Elizabeth's final retreat, please forgive me. Below is my last comment on St Elizabeth's wonderful retreat. St Elizabeth tells us .... that Mary is the transparent light that mirrors the sun of Justice! Therefore the Most Blessed Virgin Mary was the transfigured one at the incarnation! She was however supernaturally veiled for protection and she keep all these things (these Splenda's) in her heart Mary held heaven, Mary contained the totality of Gods glory within her humble self, Mary was and is the pinnacle of praise of Gods Glory! Therefore as St Elizabeth and all saints We are called to imitate Mary! Mary in her wise simplicity; beheld Gods infinite Mercy and beheld Gods just Justice, she was and is the ultimate praise of His Glory! She who has suffered so much, implores Gods mercy for us who are responsible for the torture and death of her son. How beautiful is Our Lady! Our dearest mother Mary with her divine spouse St Joseph are our vessels of grace, through our repentance to God , in these times! Most Holy Family of Nazareth, Pray for us. Amen
How wonderful to hear you share your thoughts again, Josephite. God bless you and your family! ...she was and is the ultimate praise of His Glory!
