11 March 2013 4th Week of Lent -- Monday Be Artisans of the Charity of Christ “Those who believed were together and shared all things in common; they would sell their property and goods, distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (cf Acts 2:44-5) Our relationships with our neighbor are of capital importance. ‘Neighbor’ obviously means those who live beside us, in the family, neighborhood; in the town or village, in the city. Also those we work with, those who are suffering, are sick, know loneliness, are really poor. My neighbor is all those who are geographically quite distant, or who are exiled from their own countries, lack food and clothing, often lack liberty. My neighbor is all those unfortunates who have been completely or almost ruined by unforseeable and dramatic catastrophes, which have thrown them into physical and moral want, often enough also into the sadness of losing their dearest ones. ... ‘Sharing’ is a duty which no one of goodwill, above all no disciple of Christ, can evade. Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, pp148-9 Interior life is expressed in deeds The Christian’s interior life, if genuine, is accompanied by fruits, practical deeds of service to others. “The danger of deeds done without interior life has been emphasized, but we should also underline the danger of an interior life, if such could exist, without deeds.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Letter”, 6 May 1945, 44) We must live by faith and use whatever available means always. We cannot wait for the ideal moment, which might never come, to start doing apostolate. We must not wait for everything to be just right in order to work for God. Our present actions should show the love in our heart. God will multiply and bless our efforts, puny though they may be, in answer to his demands. And we will be filled with gratitude and admiration. If our interior life is genuine, our conversation with God in prayer and the Sacraments should continually overflow in works of mercy (catechism classes, advice to the ill-informed, visiting the sick or aged, etc.) and in deeds of apostolate. Interior life which is not expressed in deeds fades away and dies. As our intimacy with Christ increases, it is logical that our work, our character, our readiness to undergo sacrifice will all improve. So also will our way of dealing with others, aided by the virtues of social harmony -- understanding, cordiality, optimism, order, friendliness. Love to survive and grow, must express itself in deeds. Ref: Cf Francis Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 3:447-8 Activism Interior life means living with God’s vision, seeing our apostolic task from his viewpoint. Apostolic fruit cannot be lasting when a Christian falls prey to ‘activism’, the tendency to be ‘doing things’, to rush around, without the support of a deep prayer life. In the end, the furious activity is sterile and ineffective, clear sign of a lack of rectitude of intention. A purely human activity without any supernatural context could be the consequence of ambition, a desire to attract attention. There is the danger of ‘activism’ -- of multipying deeds which, though good ‘per se’, have no interior life to support them. St Bernard and many others called such works “accursed occupations”. (cf J D Chautard, “The Soul of the Apostolate”, p69) But the lack of real fruit in our apostolate can arise also from ‘passivity’, when deeds of love are absent. And if 'activism' is bad and sterile, 'passivity' is deadly, for it can make us think that we love God because we perform works of piety. Such pious acts are done but not perfectly since they do not lead to good actions. Genuine love of God is seen in an apostolate carried out with tenacity. And if our Lord were to find us passive, content to perform pious practices without the accompanying cheerful and constant apostolate, then perhaps he might say to us in our heart: ‘More deeds, please, and fewer excuses.’ Can we present the ripe fruit God is looking for, practical results attained by a willing spirit of sacrifice? He approaches us with a hunger and a thirst for souls. In spiritual direction we learn to distinguish between what could be 'activism' (where we must pray more) and what could be lack of initiative (to ‘get moving’ more). The Blessed Virgin Mary will teach us to act so that our interior life, our desire to love God, will never become a producer of worthless foliage like the fig tree. Ref: Cf Francis Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 3:448-451 The Charity of Good Example Penitence is synonymous with conversion. Conversion means overcoming everything contrary to the dignity of the children of God; it is sincere return to the heavenly Father, who is infinitely good and merciful. ... This return is the fruit of an act of love. It will be more expressive and pleasing to him the more it is accompanied by the sacrifice of something necessary and, above all, of superfluous things. A very vast range of acts is open to our initiative, from assiduous, generous doing of our daily duties to humble, joyful acceptance of annoying disappointments which can be endured in the course of the day, up to renunciation of something very pleasant in order to be able to succor someone in a state of need. But ‘the charity of good example’ is above all most pleasing to the Lord. Good example is required by the fact that we belong to a family of faithful whose members are independent; but still need help and support from the others. Good example does not affect only exterior action but goes deep and builds up the most precious and most active gifts in the other, namely, adherence to one’s own Christian vocation. All these things are difficult to put into practice, for our weak powers need a supplement of energies. Where can we find them? Let us recall the words of the Divine Savior: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5) We must turn to him. You know, anyhow, that Christ is to be found in the personal dialogue of ‘prayer’, particularly in the ‘reality of the sacraments’. We reconcile ourselves to God and the brethren through the Sacrament of Penance; we receive Christ in the Eucharist, which sustains our weak and wavering wills. Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, p153 • Our Lady of the Forests, at Porto, in Portugal. This image was found again in a forest, where it had been hidden by Queen Matilda, wife of Alphonsus I.—(Joannes Barrius, lib. de Rebus Interamnensibus, c. 12.) “Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar (http://www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Nossa Senhora das florestas / Our Lady of the Forests. Porto, Portugal, 12th Century; Britain, 1419. Triptych Our Lady of the Forests. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Madonna da Costantinopoli Society. Bitritto (Bari). (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of the Forests, Porto, Portugal (12th Century), and Britain (1419) (http://www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Our Lady of Forests (Porto, Portugal). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)