Spiritual Journey

Reflection 82: Attachments

Rembrandt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

There are many things in life we can become attached to. Sometimes we can even become attached to things that are good. Most often, what we become attached to is our own stubborn will. We want what we want when we want it. One key to authentic holiness is to strive to be detached from everything but God and His holy Will. This requires much “letting go” in our lives and much surrender (See Diary #338).

What is it that you are attached to? What comes to mind first? What is it that you would not want to let go of? Even attachment to good things in life is a way of trusting more in creatures than in God. And, in fact, the only way to authentically love another, be it God, family, friends, or anyone else, is to detach from your selfish attachments so that the love of God can flood you and love others through you with His pure and perfect love.

Lord, help me to let go of all that is not of You. Help me, especially, to see my sin and to surrender it over to You. Help me to detach even from family in a holy way so that I am free to love them with Your Heart. May You, my Lord, be my one goal and love, and in this love may I discover how to love everyone with Your Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.

Meditation for the Third Sunday in Lent:
40 Days in the Desert

Reflection 81: Power and Mercy

Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Imagine a dictator of a country who has absolute power and is also a very angry, malicious and vengeful man. This is not someone you would want to upset. Now imagine the opposite. Imagine one who has absolute power and is also blessed with a heart of pure Mercy. This is our God. And in addition to our God having these qualities, He passes them on to His Mother. She is Queen and exercises her queenship with great authority. But it’s an authority that is expressed in perfect Mercy. We should always trust in the power of God as it is made manifest through the mediation of our Mother of Mercy (See Diary #330).

Reflect upon that for which you are in need of Mercy. It could be sin, or it could be a heavy cross that seems too much to carry. It could be the need to forgive and to exercise charity toward a person who has wounded you. Whatever it is, turn to our Blessed Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and entrust your need to her glorious heart. With the authority entrusted to her by God, an abundance of grace will be given to you in your need.

Dearest Mother, Mother Most-Powerful, you have been entrusted with the grace of Heaven. As Queen, your Divine Son has given to you the glorious privilege of dispensing His Mercy. I beg of you, dear Mother, to bestow that grace in abundance so that we, your children, may know the Mercy and goodness of God. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

Day Sixteen Meditations:
40 Days in the Desert & 40 Days at the Cross

Jesus Mary, via needpix.com

Reflection 80: At the Hour of Our Death

If you have prayed the “Hail Mary” prayer, then you have prayed for your last hour in this world: “Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.” Death is frightening to many people, and the hour of our death is not usually something we want to think about. But the “hour of our death” is a moment we should all look forward to with the utmost joy and anticipation. And we will look forward to it only if we are at peace with God, within our soul. If we have regularly confessed our sins and sought the presence of God throughout life, then our last hour will be one of great comfort and joy, even if it is mixed with suffering and pain (See Diary #321).

Think about that hour. If God were to give you the grace to prepare for that hour many months in advance, how would you prepare? What would you do differently so as to be ready for your final passing? Whatever comes to mind is most likely that which you should do today. Do not wait until the time is near to prepare your heart for your passing from death to new life. See that “hour” as an hour of the greatest grace. Pray for it, anticipate it and be watchful for the abundance of Mercy God wishes to bestow upon you, one day, at the glorious conclusion of your earthly life.

Lord, help me to be rid of all fear of death. Help me to continually remember that this world is but a preparation for the next. Help me to keep my eyes on that moment and to always anticipate the abundance of Mercy You will bestow. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

Day Fifteen Meditations:
40 Days in the Desert & 40 Days at the Cross

Reflection 79: Our Blessed Mother of Sorrows

Stained Glass Colorful Crucifixion, via Needpix.com

Mother Mary endured so much in life. She endured suspicion and ridicule at the miraculous conception of her Savior. She watched with a perfect motherly love as her Divine Son was rejected and misunderstood. And she stood by Him in His agony and death. And through it all, her motherly love was perfect and powerful. She stands by us, also, in all that we endure in life. And she gives us a perfect witness of love and compassion through her tender heart (See Diary #315).

Ponder the heart of the Mother of God this day. Ponder your Blessed Mother, the true mother of Jesus, as she loved her Son throughout His life. Imagine the sword of sorrow that pierced her heart countless times. And strive to understand the perfect and tender love with which she loved both her Son and those who treated Him so cruelly. Seek her prayers, this day, to imitate her love and ask her to shower that love upon you. She will not let you down.

Dearest Mother, my Queen, please pray for me and help me to know your motherly care. Help me to turn to you in all things so that I may receive the abundance of Mercy flowing from your pure heart. Give me the grace to imitate your kindness and tenderness and to stand by all those who are in need. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

Day Fourteen Meditations:
40 Days in the Desert & 40 Days at the Cross

Reflection 78: Desire for Happiness

Jesus Mercy via Needpix.com

The most basic desire we have is for happiness. Everything we do, in some way, is done so as to help us achieve this goal. Even sin is committed with an erroneous sense that it will lead us to happiness. But there is one source of human fulfillment and one source of authentic happiness. That one source is God. Seek our Divine Lord as the fulfillment of every human longing that you have (See Diary #305).

What is it that you seek in life? What is it that you long for? Is God the end of all your longings? Do you believe that God and God alone suffices and fulfills all you desire? Look at your goals, this day, and reflect upon whether or not God is the ultimate end of those goals. If He is not, then the goals you seek will leave you dry and empty. If He is, you are on the road to more than you could ever hope for.

Lord, please help me to make You and Your most holy Will my one and only desire in life. Help me to sift through the many longings I have and to see Your Will as the one and only goal that I must seek. May I find peace in Your Will and discover You at the end of every journey. Jesus, I trust in You.

Day Thirteen Meditations:
40 Days in the Desert & 40 Days at the Cross

March 19: Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary

Reflection 77: The Lord Knows All Things

Needpix.com

It is most certain that our Divine Lord knows all things. He is aware of every thought we have and every need we carry far more than we will ever realize. At times, as we come to realize His perfect knowledge, we may expect Him to answer all our needs even if we do not acknowledge them. But our Lord often wants us to ask. He sees great value in us discerning our needs and offering them to Him in confidence and prayer. Even if we do not know what is best, we must still bring our questions and concerns to Him. This is an act of trust in His perfect Mercy (See Diary #295).

Are you aware of your own needs? Can you articulate the challenges you face in life? Do you know what you should pray for and what to offer our Lord as your daily sacrifice? Reflect upon that which Jesus wants you to entrust to Him this day. What is it that He wants you to be aware of and present to Him for His Mercy. Let Him show you your need so that you may present that need to Him.

Lord, I know that You know all things. I know that You are perfect wisdom and love. You see every detail of my life and love me despite my weakness and sin. Help me to see my life as You see it and, in seeing my needs, help me to make a continual act of trust in Your Divine Mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.

Day Twelve Meditations:
40 Days in the Desert & 40 Days at the Cross

Reflection 76: Unjust Accusations

The Pardon of the Good Thief by James Tissot, via Brooklyn Museum

Perhaps everyone has experienced an unjust accusation by another. It may be because another is honestly mistaken about the facts or about our motivation for what we do. Or, it may be more malicious and cruel. Being falsely accused can be quite painful and will most likely tempt us to react in anger and defensiveness. But what is the proper response to such nonsense? Should we weary ourselves with silly words that mean nothing in the Mind of God? Our response should be one of Mercy. Mercy in the midst of persecution (See Diary #289).

Have you experienced such an injustice in your life? Have others spoken ill of you and twisted the truth? Reflect upon how you react when this may happen. Are you able to receive these accusations as our Lord did? Can you pray for those who persecute you? Can you forgive even if no forgiveness is asked for? Commit yourself to this path, for you will never regret taking the path of Divine Mercy.

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” These were Your perfect words of Mercy spoken from the Cross. You forgave in the midst of Your brutal persecution. Help me, dear Jesus, to imitate Your example and to never allow the accusations, malice or persecution of another to distract me from You. Make me an instrument of Your Divine Mercy at all times. Jesus, I trust in You.

Day Eleven Meditations:
40 Days in the Desert & 40 Days at the Cross

Reflection 75: Encountering Christ in Others

Image via pxhere.com

The Blessed Sacrament is truly sacred. It is revered and treated with the greatest respect. We would never throw our Lord away or discard Him on the floor or in some irreverent place. And yet we often fail to treat others with the same respect we show Jesus present in the Sacred Host (See Diary #285).

Do you realize that each person is a tabernacle? Each person is an image of God and is precious and sacred beyond imagination. We must see all people this way and we must seek to treat them with the greatest reverence and respect. In doing so, we honor our Divine Lord more than we could ever know. Reflect upon how you treat others this day. Reflect upon whether or not you treat them with the same love and respect you would show our Lord in the Sacred Host. Ask Jesus to help you to see His divine presence in everyone you meet.

Lord, may I love You always in all people. May I see You in every soul and honor Your divine presence within them. You, oh Lord, are alive in the heart of every creature. I love You and desire to love You more as I encounter Your divine presence in everyone I meet. Jesus, I trust in You.

Meditation for the Second Sunday in Lent:
40 Days in the Desert

Reflection 74: A Compassionate Heart

Meester van de Barmhartige Samaritaan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Is there a difference between “sympathy” and “compassion?” If so, what is the difference? And which is more desirable? Sympathy simply means that we feel bad for another. It means, in a sense, that we pity them. But compassion goes much further. It means that we enter into their sufferings and carry their burden with them. It means we suffer with them just as our Lord suffered with and for us. We must only seek to offer true compassion for others and to invite them to offer compassion to us (See Diary #279).

How well do you do this? How well do you offer true compassion? Do you see the hurt of others and seek to be there for them, encouraging them in Christ? And when you suffer, do you allow the compassion of others to flood your soul? Do you allow the Mercy of God to reach out to you through them? Or do you seek only pity from others allowing yourself to fall into the trap of self-pity? Reflect upon the difference in these two qualities and ask our Lord to make your heart one of authentic compassion for all.

Lord, please do give me a heart full of Mercy and compassion. Help me to be attentive to the needs of others and to reach out to them with Your own Divine Heart. May I long to bring Your healing grace to all those in need. And may I never soak in my own self-pity or seek that pity from others. But may I be open to the compassion Your Heart desires to offer me through the love of others. Jesus, I trust in You.

Day Ten Meditations:
40 Days in the Desert & 40 Days at the Cross