17 May 2010: Humility

“For all your learning, all your fame, all your eloquence and power, if you’re not humble, you’re worth nothing. Cut out that ego that dominates you so completely -- root it out. God will help you. And then you’ll be able to begin to work for Christ in the lowest place in his army of apostles.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 602)

“You’re not humble when you humble yourself, but when you are humbled by others and you bear it for Christ.” (Ibid, op cit, 594)

The Gift of Wisdom

Through this gift, the Holy Spirit places this knowledge within the reach of simple souls who love God; a knowledge not learned from books but given by God who illumines and fills our mind and heart, will and understanding, with love. We develop a more intimate and joyful knowledge of God and his mysteries.

Just as a mother knows her child by the love she has for him or her, so too, through charity, a soul attains a deep knowledge of God who lovingly bestows light and the ability to know divine mysteries. This gift is the fruit of charity which the Holy Spirit gives to each one. It is a sharing in God’s infinite wisdom.

St Thomas Aquinas teaches (cf “Summa Theologiae”, I, 45, 2) that the object of this gift is principally God himself and divine things; but it also includes the things of this world insofar as they come from God and are ordered to him.

No higher knowledge of God is possible than this wisdom. It enriches and facilitates our prayer and life of service to God and men; prepares the soul for “a certain experience of the sweetness of God”, (St Thomas, Op cit, I-II, 112, 5) both in himself and in created things insofar as these refer to him.

By this gift, so closely united with the virtue of charity, we are better able to live amicably with others. Daily we find very many opportunities to serve and help those around us. In our prayer let us see whether we serve others as we ought to, whether we try to make their lives pleasant and joyful.

“Among the gifts of the Holy Spirit, ... there is one which we all need in a special way: the gift of wisdom. It makes us know God and rejoice in his presence, thereby placing us in a perspective from which we can judge accurately the situations and events of life.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 133)

The saints, illumined by this gift, understood that illness is not a misfortune. They endure sufferings because they accept God’s mysterious ways, who frequently blesses with the Cross. They know that all things, even those not understood from the purely human viewpoint, work for the good of those who love God. (cf Rom 8:28)

“The gift of wisdom, the principle of a living contemplation that directs action, enables the soul to taste the goodness of God, to see it manifested in all events, even in the most painful, since God permits evil only for a higher good, which we shall see later and which is sometimes given us to glimpse on earth.” (R Garrigou-Lagrange, “The Three Ages of the Interior Life”, II)

Through this gift the motions of grace will bring great peace to us, our neighbors and friends. We then bring joy wherever we go; find the right word to reconcile whoever are at odds. Thus, it jibes with: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’ Those who enjoy internal peace can bring peace to others. This peace which the world cannot give comes from seeing all things in God’s providence, who never forgets his children.

The gift of wisdom gives us a loving faith and an understanding of the great mystery of God which we never thought possible. It might involve the presence and nearness of God, or the Real Presence of Christ in the tabernacle, which produces an incredible happiness.

“The soul remains there, without saying anything or saying only a few simple words of love, in deep contemplation, with its eyes fixed on the Sacred Host, never tiring of looking at him. It seems as if Jesus were seeing into its very depths.” (A Riaud,”The Action of the Holy Spirit in Souls”, Madrid)

This loving action of the Holy Spirit will be possible only if we take good care of the times set aside for God: Mass, at personal prayer, visits to the Blessed Sacrament which must be given priority in our normal day, even at times when we are very busy or tired.

“May the Mother of God and our Mother protect us, so that each one of us may serve the Church in the fullness of faith, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and with our contemplative life. May each one of us joyfully honour the Lord by carrying out his own duties, those which are properly his; each one of us, in his job or profession and fulfilling the obligations of his state in life.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 316)

Ref: cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:549-54

` ` ` MAY DEVOTIONS ` ` `
Mary the Sorrowing Mother

“Our Lady is there listening to the words of her Son, united to him in his suffering, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ What could she do? She united herself fully with the redemptive love of her Son and offered to the Father her immense sorrow which pierced her pure heart like a sharp-edged sword.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 288)

Let us offer our Mother today: ‘The mortification of keeping quiet about any pain or discomfort, any inconvenience or disappointment, uniting them with her pain as she stood by Jesus on the cross.’

Ref: Fr Charles Belmonte and Fr James Socias (Eds), “Handbook of Prayers”, 1988, p309

When and where to pray the Rosary

The Rosary could be said any time during the day or at night; alone or with another person; as a communal prayer in a group or as a devotional prayer in church. The Rosary could be recited anywhere: kneeling, standing up or sitting down; while walking or traveling, resting or walking; even in a hospital bed.

Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p57

Our Lady of Tears, in the duchy of Spoletto, Italy. It is said that this picture, painted on a wall, shed many tears in the year 1494. — Gabriel Pennotus, lib. iii., Historia Tripartita, c. 34. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com)

Our Lady of Tears (Spoletto, Italy). (MaryLinks Calendar.htm; http://www.starharbor.com/santiago/m feasts.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)

Beatification of Venerable Josemaria Escrivá, Founder of ‘Opus Dei’ In Rome on this day in 1992 attended by over 300,000 persons from all over the world. (“L’Osservatore Romano”, 20 May 1992, 1)

Ten Day Devotion to the Holy Spirit

Introductory Prayer

Come, O Holy Spirit! Enlighten my understanding in order to know your commands; strengthen my heart against the snares of the enemy; enkindle my will ... I have heard your voice, and I do not want to harden my heart and resist, saying, “Later ... tomorrow.” ‘Nunc coepi!’ Right now! Lest there be no tomorrow for me.

O Spirit of truth and of wisdom, Spirit of understanding and of counsel, Spirit of joy and of peace! I want whatever you want; I want because you want; I want as you want; I want whenever you want ...

Ref: St Josemaria Escrivà, “Prayer to the Holy Spirit”. In Postulation for the Cause of Beatification and Canonization, “Historical Registry of the Founder of Opus Dei” 20172, p145.

Consideration -- Decenary to the Holy Spirit: 5th Day

Prayer and duties are never incompatible

The Apostles prayed without neglecting their duties; these are never incompatible. The apostasy of Judas had apparently upset the plans of Jesus, who had chosen ‘twelve’ Apostles to be witnesses throughout the world of his resurrection and teaching. But the malice of men cannot hinder God’s designs.

Peter, the head of the Apostolic College, felt inspired from on high, rose and said, ‘Men, brethren ... the Scriptures must be fulfilled; ... for it is written in the book of Psalms ... And his ministry let another take ... Wherefore of these men who have been in our company all the time that the Lord Jesus moved among us, ... one of these must be made a witness with us of his Resurrection’ (Acts 1:16-22). The whole assembly agreed, and at once took steps to ascertain God’s choice.

When one is tempted to abandon his vocation, he cannot enjoy the folly or vanity of supposing that the cause of God, or that of his group, will suffer from his defection. On the contrary, we learn by this episode that God will provide a worthier substitute. He alone will be the loser; another will wear his crown.

The votes of the assembly being equally divided between ‘Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias’ (Acts 1:16-23), there seemed to be some risk of contention in making a decision. To put an end to the doubt, they had recourse to prayer, and cast lots to discover the will of God. All with one voice said, “‘Thou, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show who of these two you have chosen’, and they gave them lots” (Acts, 1:24-6).

We, too, sometimes have doubts and perplexities. We are at a loss on how to decide. Let us follow the example of the Apostles -- pray that God would make known his will to us.

“The lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.” (Acts 1:26) The will of God being manifested, every one submitted unanimously. All discord instantly ceased. They readily acknowledged the elect of God. Matthias did not show any hint of pride, nor Barsabas of jealousy.

Be ready to practise the golden rule of St Augustine -- ‘In things doubtful and not decided by authority, let every one be free to think or choose as he will; but in what is authoritatively laid down, let there be perfect unanimity both in thoughts and words.’ This rule is an excellent means for preserving peace and charity among colleagues. Let us be faithful to it.

Ref: cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp281-3

Mary, a Vessel of the Spirit

The Creed professes that Jesus was “born of the Virgin Mary by the work of the Holy Spirit”. The Holy Spirit who descends on Mary and surrounds her is “he who gives life”. It is he who from the beginning of time has progressively made known in history the Word of God. And, now, in the fullness of time, the Son of God, through the Spirit’s power, is made man in the womb of the Virgin. The Fathers of the Church affirm: “When Mary gave her answer to God, she received the Spirit, who molded in her that flesh equal to God.”

Why does this “becoming flesh” of the Word, his becoming man, take place in the very womb of Mary, the Virgin of Nazareth? Why has such an involvement between a human creature and the Holy Spirit never happened in any other moment of human history? In Mary all this took place with the minimum resistance.

“It is no wonder then that it was customary for the Fathers to refer to the Mother of God as all holy and free from every stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature.” (“Lumen Gentium”, no. 56) Thus did the Spirit, through her and in her, without resistance render the Word fully present. Through the Spirit the Word was ‘introduced into history’.

The Spirit united the visible to the invisible and fulfilled the eternal design of God to recapitulate all things in Christ. Ancient Church tradition affirms that God the Father, making Mary a ‘vessel of the Spirit’, renders Mary’s womb ‘fertile’ thus ‘the ineffable triumph of virginal conception takes place’ (Andrew of Crete).

By reason of Mary’s total ‘spiritualization’, she could offer the gift of Christ. She who was ‘full of grace’, that is, the Spirit, in her total capacity to receive the Spirit can communicate divine life in the Spirit.

Ref: Theological-Historical Commission, “The Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life”, 84-5, 1997

The hiddenness of the Holy Spirit’s Work

You have only to go on as you are doing, but explain yourself in a way that would distress those without experience of this state of prayer [of divine repose].

You say that you do nothing, and yet you are always doing something or you would be in a state of pure idleness; but your soul acts so gently that you do not perceive your interior acts of consent and adherence to the Holy Spirit.

The stronger these inspirations are, the less you should act; you should merely follow what is drawing you and allow yourself to be drawn gently on ...

Your manner of behaving in times of storm and upset enchants me: submission, total self-abandonment without reserve, being content with lack of contentment when God wills it. In those conditions one advances more in one day than in a hundred filled with sweetness and consolations.

Your total, continual and universal self-abandonment to God through a sentiment of confidence and union with Jesus Christ, always doing the will of his Father, is the most divine and surest method of success in everything; try to communicate it to everyone.

Finally, if there is some little act of reparation to be made to our neighbor, let us never fail in this duty, but take the opportunity to conquer generously our pride and human respect.

Ref: “The Fire of Divine Love: Readings from Jean-Pierre de Caussade”, Edited by Robert Llewelyn, 1995, p45

Concluding Prayer

Holy and divine Spirit! Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your spouse, bring the fullness of your gifts into our hearts. Comforted and strengthened by you, may we live according to your Will and may we die praising your infinite mercy. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Ref: Fr James Socias, et al (Editors), “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p2080