";s:4:"text";s:24008:"Well, in that case, wed just be disagreeing widi Therese and siding with Sr. Febronie. And diat may be die text youd like to use and pray with, even daily. Includes: Retreat Companion (workbook with daily and weekly questions, written by Fr. Of course not! DAY 21 The Offering (Part Two) Yesterday, we covered the first four paragraphs of the text of the Offering to Merciful Love. After all, shes a creature like us. (3) Keep trusting: Keep trusting and believing that God will satisfy our desires for holiness, even if we dont yet fully understand how. In this way you will console My Heart.169 The Catch Alright, but if we offer ourselves to Merciful Love, whats the catch? Its to see that Jesus Heart aches because he wants to pour out his Mercifiil Love to sinners, but so many just dont want to receive it. How can we console Jesus! Fill my heart with a deeper and deeper longingfor God, even unto the martyrdom of love. Heres what I mean: Jesus likes to keep little souls little. Consoling the Heart of Jesus, and the new book 33 Days to Merciful Love. M. Verda Clare, CSC (Chicago: Fides Publishers Association, 1953), p. 25. (See endnote 159 for instructions on how to pray it.) And I can say in all sincerity that my house is at rest. The Apostles Creed 6. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face. The Child Jesus part should be clear in light of the saints emphasis on the importance of having a childlike trust in God. In fact, several times, she urged her superior with words such as these: One could think that it is because I havent sinned that I have such great confidence in God. Now, the difference between many of us and St. Therese is that she clung to Gods promises of mercy and the memory of his love (consolation), especially in the midst of darkness (desolation).163 She didnt give up. In fact, he even commands us to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:48). 33 Days to Merciful Love Group Retreat; Divine Mercy in the Second Greatest Story Ever Told Series; Leaders . So, not wanting to gather merits with downward facing, grasping hands, Therese wants to appear before the Lord with upward facing, poor, and empty' hands that are ready to receive Gods gift of himself. It was June 9, 1895 Trinity Sunday. So whether you want to deepen your love of Divine Mercy or have a devotion to St . Conrad de Meester explains Thereses teaching on this point: Therese knew how God's life could lie hidden below the sur face of a human psyche and temperament, and that some souls were much closer to God than might be apparent if they were judged merely by their struggles and inhibitions. More specifically, we love the Father with the perfect love of the Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Work of Mercy. He pours out his life for us in his Passion and Death and we complain about a headache. Mark said, No problem. Moreover, such holiness is not a human work but, rather, Gods work, a work of Divine Mercy rushing down to the lowest place. At the same time, it consoles her. Yet hardly anyone has ever even heard of her Offering to Merciful Love! 124 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE It has to do with the reality of Gods love his burning, passionate, infinite love. So, whether you want to deepen your love of Divine Mercy or have a devotion to St. Therese, 33 Days to Merciful Love is the book for you. Michael Gaitley, MIC, this 33 Days to Merciful Love Retreat Companion goes even deeper than the book alone and explores new material on the heart of St. Thrse of Lisieux's Little Way, uncovering the power of trust in the face of personal darkness, inspiring participants to become great saints amid ordinary circumstances, and laying the . Anyway, Therese responds to Marie with her glorious Letter 197. That program is called Hearts Afire: Parish-based Programs from the Marian Fathers ofthe Immaculate Conception (HAPP), and you can learn more about it in the Resource Pages. Now, of course, the piercing of her Heart hurt. and commentary, Fr. I aim to keep before my eyes my poverty, weakness, brokenness, and sin, trusting that my littleness and contrite heart will attract your Merciful Love. Nothing has ever hit me so strongly. Its called the Spiritual Communion of Merciful Love. I felt I had found what I was looking for. Yes. At such moments I have the feeling that the whole world is depending on me (ibid., 870). Therese herself explains Gods goodness in waiting: 108 33 DAVS TO MERCIFUL LOVE Never have I felt before this how sweet and mer ciful the Lord really is, for He did not send me this trial until the moment I was capable of bearing it. The certainty of victory comes from Jesus own words, If only you are willing to fight, know that the victory' is always on your side (ibid., 1560). Abraham stopped there, and because there werent 10 righteous people in the city, it was destroyed. During her life, she wasnt famous or well known. Well, basically, to offer oneself as a victim soul to Gods justice, as Sr. Marie did, is to make a sort of deal with the Lord, a deal that would go something like this: Lord, please give to me all the punishment thats due to sinners, and then give to sinners the blessings I would normally receive as a faithful religious. Perhaps surprisingly, the Lord would take people up on such an offer. The heart-healing graces of die Offering to Merciful Love dont usually come all at once. However, as we learned in point two, for the sake offriendship, in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God chose to need our love. Yes. Therese was completely sane, and her words are actually consistent with the doctrine of her Little Way. She brings them to Jesus. (See chart on pages 22-23 for other recommended feast days.) You should not fear purgatory 80 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE because of the suffering there, but should instead ask that you not deserve to go there in order to please God, Who so reluctantly imposes this punishment. Yesterday, not meaning to do so, she tore off a small piece of wallpaper. Truly blessed is she who clung to the memory of Gods love in the midst of darkness! 76 Niels Christian Hvidt, Christian Prophecy: The Post-Biblical Tradition (Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), p. vii. Finally, because Jesus wants to bring us home to the Father, we arrive at 33 Days to Greater . He hurries to give Himself to the soul, and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings or falls absolutely nothing. Copyright 2023 DOKUMEN.PUB. 140 Cited in Gaucher, p. 186. For instance, as a child, when ever shed make some mistake or do something wrong, even without meaning to, shed be filled with anxiety34 and ask for pardons which never end.35 Her mother relates, We tell her shes forgiven but in vain. aint Friend: A Source of Hope. According to traditional Catholic spiritual wisdom, to think you will be a great saint is basically to dis qualify yourself from becoming one. ortege Friend: A Sequel to Marian Consecration. We ask this so as to console your Heart and because we need your mercy. Yet, when we speak it, it has a bit of a different meaning than Marys fiat. We, too, will want to sing out, Magnificat! In the last section on one act of perfect love, I pointed out that the best way to console the Heart of Jesus is to trust him. So, I will say no more, especially because weve already covered the heart of all this during the retreat, namely, the idea of recognizing our litdeness. In other words, it shows us what we are of our own sinful selves: empty, weak, and on the verge of passing out. Lets just say it didnt take much for me to get discouraged and de pressed. Truly, its the secret to happiness in this life. No. 62 Cited in With Empty Hands, pp. Therese so strongly' wanted to make this point about Gods great mercy that, even after shed lost the strength to write, she basically pleaded with Mother Agnes to conclude the thought for her. My mortifications consisted in breaking my will, always so ready to impose itself on others, in holding back a reply, in rendering little services without any recognition, in not leaning my back against a support when Endnotes 195 seated, etc., etc. Emphasis added. 80 Story of a Soul, p. 174. But why is there sin? He will know how He can come and get you. He can get Sr. Marie, St. Therese, and all little souls by preparing us in one instant to appear before him.126 And so, without any fear, Therese comes to the Offering itself: WEEK THREE: The Offering to Merciful Love 89 (9) In order to Live in one single act of perfect Love, I OFFER MYSELF AS A VICTIM OF HOLOCAUST TO YOUR MERCIFUL LOVE, asking You to con sume me incessantly, allowing the waves of infinite tenderness shut up within You to overflow into my soul, and that thus I may become a martyr of Your Love, O my God! Let me explain. Help us to trust in Gods mercy, especially during times of darkness, with your own steadfast faith at Calvary. 33 days is a long time to be on retreat, and it just might happen that, despite our good intentions and best efforts, we'll miss a day (or days) of the readings and prayers. Were sinners who would die of terror if we fully realized our selfishness and sin. On the same page, Foley goes into further detail about Zelies excessive fear and what it was like for her, growing up in a home that was dominated by a certain atmosphere of austerity, constraint and scrupulosity. 34 Full quote: She becomes emotional very easily. Consider this: Jesus once told St. Faustina Saint Faustina If I were to reveal to you the whole misery that you are, you would die of terror.144 Now, I hesitate to bring up that quote, because 1 dont want little souls to begin beating themselves up and tailing into discouragement. Thankfully, he was overjoyed to hear of my change of heart and enthusias tically gave me the green light. For instance, she wrote: I made a resolution to give myself up more than ever to a serious and mortified life. 170 Diary, 86. Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. My grace is not lost; if the soul for whom it was intended does not accept it, another soul takes it (1017). 30? 97-100. Yes, it is as bad as that. Here, we see that Therese docs not want to rely on her own merits but, rather, on those of Jesus. 61-62. Okay, but in another sense, I think it could have something to do with perfection on our side. Yes, I know it may seem that Gods love would destroy us. Witness that 1 choose to accept St. Thereses help as 1 prepare to offer myself to Merciful Love. One day, Fr. I created you and hold you in existence. Later, Jesus himself revealed to St. Faustina the importance of trust for receiving the graces of his mercy, which form us into saints: Let souls who are striving for perfection particularly adore My mercy, because the abundance of graces which I grant them flows from My mercy. Be the first to ask a question about 33 Days, to Morning Glory Retreat Companion. Please read it slowly and prayerfully: Dear Sister, How can you ask me if it is possible for you to love God as I love Him? Let me explain this crucial point. -- Week two: The little way -- Week three: The offering to merciful love -- Week four: Into the darkness -- Final five days: Synthesis and review Jesus. Now, of course, as we learned on Days 20 and 21, St. Therese has already composed such a marvelous prayer. (Imperfect contrition, on the other hand, is sorrow for sin because of fear of hell and punishment.) Recognizing the darkness that comes from being little, helpless, and weak. Why? Mother Agnes recalled the occasion during an interview: When she asked me this, her face was all lit up, as ifshe were on fire with love. Also, recall that Thereses words here are similar to something else she said, which we read on Day 15: What sweet joy it is to think that God is Just, i.e., that He takes into account our weakness, that He is perfecdy aware of our fragile nature. Also, regarding the idea of Gods amazing mercy for sinners being beyond the power of words to express, Jesus once said to St. Faustina, My daughter, do you think you have written enough about My mercy? See Therese solves the mystery as to why the great saints see them selves as great sinners. It would be wonderful to pray it Its to praise and thank God in all circumstances, because while we may not always understand his ways, we know and believe the love God has for us (1 Jn 4:16). His goodness. But, of course, we cant just sit back, relax, and enjoy such happiness. Sister Faustina Kowalska, the Polish nun who had mystical encounters with the merciful Christ in the early 20th century, Describes the events surrounding the Battle of Dunkirk and the rescue of British troops from the beaches of Dunkirk duri, How to get legs and glutes QuarantinedIn 21 daysSexy body! Maybe its just the big way wrapped in a sugar-coated crust and a flowery rhetoric. And with that, Id get discouraged. (When I renew my consecration annually, I like to recite the prayer from the original copy and then sign and date it again.) Perhaps its to have a business meeting, a celebration, or simply to get die furnace fixed. I will not stop singing my song of love until the choir ofAngels picks it up. In the mercy of God the world will find peace and mankind will find happiness! And we should listen to Pope Francis, who said, The Lord never tires of forgiving, never! Ah! Otherwise, we cannot hope for mercy (see Mt 5:7, 18:21-35).112 The second potential objection to making the Offering to Merciful Love has to do with those who have begun to feel that theyre in a bit too deep with this Offering stuff. Copyright 1988 by Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites ICS Publications 2131 Lincoln Road, N.E. And so, through our prayers and deeds of mercy that are the fruit of our Offering, theyll get a second chance to receive Gods mercy'. Her loving confidence in our Lord made her extraordinarily daring in the things she asked him for. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, STL National Shrine of The Divine Mercy Stockbridge, Massachusetts December 8, 2015 Solemnity' of die Immaculate Conception Beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy Acknowledgements Permission to cite from the following is gratefully acknowledged: From Story ofa Soul, translated by John Clarke, O.C.D. Apparendy so.) Still, from the time of her youth, she had bold desires: She wanted to become a saint, and not just any saint, but great saint. In fact, you might say that, in a sense, its the most powerfill prayer there is. 40 Cited in With Empty Hands, p. 47. That sounds scary! 83 Ibid. I dont have any sins. Now, there are two problems here. Well, if we can discover the secret to her littleness, then well discover the secret to her sanctity. My explanation of the next word will say more about this. 171 Saint John of the Cross, The Living Flame of Love, commentary on stanza 1, line 6 (cited in Gaucher, p. 221). O my God! We tend to distrust God. Specifically, it follows the theology of her Offering to Merciful Love, which is essentially a consecration to Divine Mercy. Accepting such suffering becomes easier when we learn from Therese just how loving and tender God really is. 3: Christ dwells in men through faith . 212 See endnote 191. It means striving to never tire of asking God for forgiveness. Now, yes, we w'ould still be obligated to follow our conscience under such circumstances. "With one servant, I set out on the 500-mile trip. But Mary isnt God shes our tender, loving mother. station19.cebu Now, while its beautiful to have a compassionate heart, it does hurt. Its because, again, weve arrived at the perfection of faith. But true friendship is a two-way street. To use Thereses own words, her teaching set me full sail upon the waves of confidence and love.1 18 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE With this book, I now want to share those amazing treas ures that gave me hope in the seminary and inspire me still. Help me to believe in God and bis love for me, even when life seems meaningless, routine, and empty. Maybe youre saying to yourself, That sounds wonderful, but whats the catch? In other words, Whats it going to cost me? Great question. An Age of Divine Mercy. Then, perhaps, when the son was ready to speak, he spoke. that the more You want togive, the more You make us desire. 37 And now, reflect on St. John Paul Ils reaction to and commentary on those words in view of Marys ultimate trial of faith: [S]tanding at the foot of the Cross, Mary is the witness, humanly speaking, of the complete negation of these words. Now I know that even [some] souls that are chosen and well advanced in the religious life or the spiritual life do not have the courage to entrust themselves completely to God. 2, s.c. and ad. Why? With exquisite timing in this Jubilee Year, Fr. Inhale after doing about 20 seconds of empty lungs. Also, the fact that, on the Cross, Jesus is a victim to divine Justice certainly does not exclude him from being a spiritual victim in other ways. Finally, I offer You, O Blessed Trinity! He made me understand my own glory would not be evident to the eyes of mortals, that it would con sist in becoming a great saint! 210 Diary, 761. So, he can share with us not only his joys but also his needs, sorrows, and pains and we can console him. For instance, she records the following in her Diary. I think back to the words of Gods servant John Paul I, who during a Wednesday audience said, The Lord loves humility so much that sometimes he permits serious sins. Rather, its more accurate to say that the Lord couldnt help but reveal it to her: Because I was little and weak He lowered Himself to me, and He instructed me secretly in the things of His love.*2 In the following passage, she sets up this joyful revelation of the things of His love: I have always w'antcd to be a saint. Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more (Rom 5:20). A related quote from Pope Francis came during an interview on the plane ride back from World Youth Day in Brazil on July 28, 2013: 1 believe that this is the season of mercy. That is, we call down (fiat) the Lords blood and water (mercy) into our emptiness. But no human being makes more of a difference than Mary when it comes to helping people obtain the grace and mercy flowing from the Heart of Jesus. Amen. Again, these three things are recommendations. I thank You, O my God! - Additional DVD from Episode 2 of the acclaimed Catholic documentary, Divine Mercy in the second greatest story ever told based on the book, 33 Days May the blood and water that flows forth from your Heart always be upon us! Well, its not. The wound, then, is clearly about God. But thats actually where things start to get interesting. We saw how that love humbles us, making us realize that we cant compete, that we cant love God as he loves us, that we cant be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. 81-83 to learn more about how she lived a spirituality of consoling Jesus.) 76-81. Or we at least need to be properly taught from diem. Recall that one of -L VI. It includes my sins and your sins. Unsere Partner sammeln Daten und verwenden Cookies zur Personalisierung und Messung von Anzeigen. In other words, people have already said through their words or actions that they dont want them. Then, together, each in his own way, we offer Jesus infinite sacrifice of love to the Father WEEK FOUR: Into the Darkness 101 and ourselves along with it.150 Thats the moment when Jesus sacrifice becomes our sacrifice, when Jesus love becomes our love, when Jesus offering of himself becomes our offering of ourselves. Because, in a sense, the world has already been saved. In the lives of the desert fathers, it is told how one of them con verted a public sinner whose evil deeds were the scandal of the whole country. Its to allow our hearts to become more like die heart of St. Francis of Assisi, who, in his great compassion for Jesus, went around weeping and crying out loud, Love is not loved! So, what is it? Then, three months later, she appeared to St. Therese in a dream. She appeared ravishingly beautiful and had a heavenly smile.164 Remember that smile. If we can do that, then well be living in one single act of perfect love, like St. Therese and St. Faustina. In other words, after he flattens us with his overwhelming love, God then lifts us up and fills us with his love so we actually can love him as he loves WEEK FOUR: Into the Darkness 99 ns. Its to ignore the thieves of hope and to believe in Gods promise of mercy. Tired of being on such a roller coaster of spiritual ups and downs, I decided to read just about everything St. Therese ever wrote, trying to find out if the Little Way really could help someone like me to become a saint. For today, though, lets look at those who feel they cant relate to Therese or her teaching because they actually struggle with attachments, deliberate venial sins, and maybe even grave sins. Through our suffering, lovingly united with Christs, we can obtain for people the grace to accept lais gift of salvation. Address: Be the first to receive exclusive offers and the latest news on our products and services directly in your inbox. Its these kinds of sinners who often find themselves slipping into discouragement and even despair. 154 Cited in Ahern, p. 52. Y26-0NE book: Y26-EB0NE Consoling the Heart of Jesus This do-it-yourself retreat combines the Spiritual Exercises ofSt. Moreover, by striving to quench his thirst for love, by loving him in return, we have mercy on him. In a certain sense, God needs this womans help. Elsewhere she writes: The soul which offers itself to love does not ask for suffering, but, in delivering itself up entirely to the designs of love, it ac cepts all that Providence permits for it of joys, labor, trials, and it counts on infinite mercy for everything (Cited in Pere Jean du Coeur de Jesus dElbee, 1 Believe in Love: Retreat Confer ences on the Interior Life, trans. Its a beautiful thing to be moved by the suffering of the Heart of Jesus. Moved by this merciful perspective, Therese comes up with a spiritual victimhood thats based on mercy not justice, on love and not fear, on tenderness and not severity. And so, she bore both of those temptations, and not just for a day but for more than a year. The retreat book, 33 Days to Merciful Love, is not included in this kit. 2 See The Kolbe Reader: The Writings ofSt. Using the same 33-day preparation format 33 Days to Merciful Love. Kazimierz Chwalek, MIC' Provincial Superior The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy Province January 1, 2016 Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2016930904 ISBN: 978-1-59614-345-6 Layout and page design: Kathy Szpak St.Therese of Lisieux (1873-97) 1928 (w/c on paper), Maxence, Edgar (1871-1954) 2015 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York ZADAGP, Paris; Private Collection/Archives Charmet/Bridgcman Images. For instance, the Lords moving words from the Gospel of Luke come to mind: I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! (12:49). Thats what were going to ponder this week, using Sacred Scripture and its giants of trust. Now, of course, the little bird with the eyes and heart of an eagle also wanted to be generous with the Lord. When she thought of his all-powerful love, she had no doubts about anything (By Those Who Knew Her, p. 46). Looking at a picture of two children with Jesus, she said: The other little one does not please me as much; hes acting like an adult. Now realize this: Each inhale can be a spiritual communion. "71 Actually, come to think of it, she did have one merit: her trust. More on that tomorrow. Join us for our spring Bible study and retreat, 33 Days to Merciful Love, the stirring sequel to the international sensation, 33 Days to Morning Glory.Using the same 33-day preparation format, 33 Days to Merciful Love journeys with one of the most beloved saints of modern times, St. Therese of Lisieux, and concludes with a consecration to Divine Mercy. ";s:7:"keyword";s:46:"33 days to merciful love retreat companion pdf";s:5:"links";s:483:"Vodafone Priority Concert Tickets,
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