The Solid Foundations Course is designed as a starting point for anyone yearning to explore the depths of their spiritual life. If you’ve established the basics of faith – attending Sunday Mass and praying regularly – and now find yourself asking, “Is there more?” or “How can I grow closer to the Lord?” then this course is for you.
Who Will Benefit from This Course?
This course is ideal for those seeking to:
Build a more profound and personal connection with the Lord.
Lay a strong foundation for spiritual growth, guided by the wisdom of the Church’s great spiritual writers, including St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
What You’ll Learn
The Solid Foundations Course provides practical knowledge and guidance to help you deepen your spiritual journey. You’ll gain insight into two transformative forms of prayer:
Lectio Divina
Learn to listen to God through Scripture.
Discover how to integrate His Word into your daily life.
Prayer of the Heart
Connect with God on a deeper, more intimate level.
Experience His nourishment and presence through contemplative prayer.
These practices extend and enrich the graces of the Mass, helping you “digest” God’s Word and live the Eucharist in your daily life.
Key Features of the Course
Rich and Practical Content: A detailed exploration of spiritual growth and prayer practices.
Climate of Prayer: Sessions foster silence, recollection, and deep reflection.
One-on-One Guidance: Participants can ask questions and schedule private online sessions with the instructor.
Certification: Completion certificates awarded – no exams, no essays, just commitment to the journey.
Accessible to All: No prior courses are required to enrol.
Why Choose the Solid Foundations Course?
This course has been developed with the approval and blessing of H.E. Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark, UK. As with all School of Mary programmes, Our Lady, Mother of Jesus, is the Patroness of this course.
Course Cost
The course fee is $280 / £210 / €240. We are committed to making spiritual formation accessible, so please reach out if financial concerns arise.
How to Enrol
You can take this course as a pre-recorded, on-demand programme. To enrol:
Send us an email explaining your interest in this course.
After confirmation and payment, you’ll receive access to the course playlist.
You’ll have the opportunity to email questions and request additional one-on-one support sessions with the instructor.
Course Syllabus at a Glance
Part 1: Introduction & Lectio Divina
Introduction to Spiritual Life: Its goals and stages.
Lectio Divina: Listening to God’s Word and applying it to life.
Guided sessions and insights into biblical interpretation.
Part 2: General Laws of Spiritual Life
Understanding the dynamics of faith, hope, and love.
Recognising and navigating spiritual challenges.
Exploring Christ and the Holy Spirit roles in spiritual transformation.
Part 3: Prayer of the Heart
Introduction to contemplative prayer: History, method, and practice.
Practical guidance on focusing the mind and heart on God.
Exploring God’s action and response in prayer, including the “Prayer of Quiet.”
This course is more than an introduction – it’s an invitation to encounter God in a transformative way. Lay the foundation for a lifetime of spiritual growth and intimacy with the Lord.
Now, when we talk about the second coming of Jesus in our heart (see previous post), a hidden coming, this gives us the deepest insight on the Grace of Christmas. The Lord alludes to his mysterious coming in our heart during the last supper: “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21) “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23)
The message is clear and all Spiritual Masters dedicated their life to this endeavour: to receive Jesus during this lifetime in their heart in fullness (as much as it is possible here on earth). Many called it: “Union with God” or “Union with Christ”, others: “Spiritual Marriage”. (One can read what St Thomas Aquinas says in the Summa Theologica about the invisible Missions of the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the first part of the Summa, q. 43.) Now, more precisely, liturgically God gives us every year a powerful grace for Christmas, a grace that manifests in the most clear way His Mercy for each one of us. Because through Christ’s birth, the Incarnation (which Christmas celebrates) is the decision that God the Father took, out of an immense and unique personalised love for each one of us, to get closer to us, to the point of uniting himself not only to our nature but also to specifically each one of us. The Birth of the Messiah, King and Saviour of each one us manifests in a most pure way the Mercy of God! We were sinners, we were walking (and still are) in the land of the dead and of Darkness (Isaiah 9:2), and we didn’t even know what Light is, and The Eternal Light, because of His very nature who is Tender Love, decided that it was time to come and unite himself to each one of us. Each year, we celebrate this unique event in History, and it is Christmas. God continues to offer us this same grace he already gave us 2000 years ago, and he showers every year amazing graces of conversions, of liberation for various types of “slaveries”, addictions, darkness, sins, mortal sins,… The last two centuries saw many big conversions happening during Christmas Eve Mass. Remember Paul Claudel, the French poet: he entered at midnight Mass at Notre Dame’s Cathedral, in Paris, he entered atheist and came out after the Midnight Mass a fully Catholic Believer. You can still visit the spot where he was standing, following the right nave, quite ahead. This is just an example of the power of the Grace of God.
Historic floor plaque, site of Paul Claudel conversion, Notre Dame
St. Therese of the Child Jesus had a powerful healing from a very painful deep crisis of scruple: she was pre-adolescent. It was during Christmas. Each one of us should be totally convinced that the Lord has an amazing Present for him every Christmas, a powerful and beautiful grace to receive. Not necessarily visible to others, but “visible” to ourselves. It is something along the line of the mysterious coming of Jesus in our heart. Some spiritual masters even consider that Christmas is the most appropriate liturgical time to mark the spiritual turning points (think for instance the end of the purification, or the Grace of Union with God (Spiritual Marriage)). Now do we only think about ourselves?
It is important to join Mary in her understanding and perception of what is happening: the meaning of the Coming of our Saviour. The reason why he comes is to save us, to take us from the Darkness to his Light, to unite us to him! Mary today is aware of all the persons who need her Son, the Holy Spirit working in her heart freely, deeply totally and powerfully, moves her to Desire the Salvation of the World, the Salvation of each person, especially the ones who need most God’s Mercy. This is the Prayer that the Holy Spirit generates in the depths of Our Lady. We need to joint into this prayer and make space in us for Our Lady and the Holy Spirit in our heart, so we participate this way to the coming of the Saviour for our brothers and sisters who are in need of Him (and they don’t know it). It is by offering sacrifices, little ones, not ostentatious ones, just visible to God, offering them to God, to the Holy Spirit so we can help in the work of Salvation of our Brothers and Sisters. Prayer and Sacrifice offered to the Fire of the Holy Spirit are a very important contribution to Christmas Grace! A sacrifice of patience, of forgiveness, of offering what pains us, of offering even our joys, so the Lord Holy Spirit takes all this and transforms it in his Power of Salvation for the benefit of our Bothers and Sisters. Not only we can contribute in the salvation of the World, we should be worried and busy with it, having it at the centre of our heart! Our brothers and sisters are Jesus’ body. The ones who are far, and live in the darkness are the ones who generate most Mercy and humble compassion in our heart, we are moved by seeing their state, being far from God, we suffer because of this, we want things to change! We offer all of this to the Fire of the Holy Spirit acting in Mary, waiting for Jesus to be Born giving a grace to our brothers, a Salvation Grace, a Grace of Mercy. Let us contribute to the salvation of Jesus’ Body, our brothers and sisters! Prayer and Sacrifice, real love of our “enemies”, of what is “unpleasant”, of what contradicts us… offering it to the Fire of the Holy Spirit, to Our Lady… this is the most important contribution we can give for Christmas! This is to love Jesus.
During the last days of Advent, the seven days that precede the birth of the Lord, the Church uses the ‘O Antiphons’ which all start in a similar manner: ‘O Wisdom…’, ‘O Sacred Lord…’, ‘O Root of Jesse…’, ‘O Key of David…’, ‘O Radiant Dawn…’, ‘O King of all the nations…’, ‘O Emmanuel…’. (See Antiphons at the end of this article)
These antiphons are called the ‘O Antiphons’, because they all open with a literary expression of longing: ‘O’. This short expression, i.e. ‘O’, embodies and voices a deep longing, a suffering that calls for the Redeemer, the Saviour, who alone can save us from our darkness and suffering, our prison of sin that distances us from God. Each day, the ‘O’ is accompanied by one of seven different names of the Messiah Saviour.
These Antiphons belong to Vespers (Evening Prayer), and they are placed right before the Magnificat – Mary’s Prayer – and are repeated after it. They Crown the Magnificat. Why? What, then, is their true meaning? How are we ourselves praying them?
We, on the other hand, take His coming into the world for granted. We take Christmas Grace for granted, as if humanity has no role to play in it. But calling Him, attracting Him is a very important and vital mission in our spiritual life.
But it is very important to notice that before receiving Him in her heart and flesh, she exercised a very forceful and unique power of attraction over God, almost extracting Him from His Eternal sojourn, with her unfathomable yearnings and longings. Who can understand Mary’s prayer before the Annunciation? Who can understand the immense power of attraction her prayer has over God?
In light of this, then, we can safely assume that these seven Antiphons are first and foremost hers. Nobody can utter them in a fruitful way outside of Mary. Let us remember St. Bernard’s teaching in his famous sermon ‘Super Missus Est’ : the whole world, he seemed to say, was suspended to your lips waiting for you to say ‘yes’ to the Angel. This was the case because nobody was capable of believing and receiving the Lord. This same truth of our incapacity should also be applied to her yearnings. Nobody was able to attract the Lord except her. Her prayers alone were able to exercise this unique effect over God, to make Him come out of himself, become incarnate in her. She hastened His coming by attracting Him so powerfully.
We just simply, and much later, become aware that she uttered her yearnings while having all humanity in Her Heart. i.e. she uttered these yearnings both in her name and in ours. We become aware that because of her immense charity, containing all of us in her heart, and our yearning for the Messiah, these Antiphons become ours. What a mystery!
As a consequence, entering in Her, and being united to her, while understanding all together the mystery of her longings and of the charity toward us, we feel we are called to take the place that God had reserved for us in Mary during her Yearnings and so yearn with her, in her.
Let us, then, join in Mary’s Longings, and by her powerful prayer attract the Lord to Our thirsty world wandering in the darkness (Isaiah 9:1).
Maybe this is the reason why the Angel says to Mary: ‘you have found favour with God’ (Luke 1:30). i.e. your yearnings Mary have achieved their Goal, you are attracting the Messiah. You hastened His Coming. Your yearnings Mary are marvelous and pleased God because you weren’t yearning and attracting God in your name only, but in the name of all humanity. You pleased God and seduced Him, so that He hastened and came to dwell in your heart and in your womb.
Today, by joining Mary and by praying the Antiphons, we fulfil our role toward all our brothers and sisters who do not know Jesus, even those Christians who are very far from God or lukewarm or who have regressed in their journey of growth. We have an important role to play, but ‘in Mary’… indeed, these yearnings are a very deep mystery.
It is important to pray this way during the day. As the day progresses, we can repeat the first part of them as a short ejaculatory prayer, or short prayer, or arrow prayer, or aspiration. It is of the essence to join Mary in her prayer and increase Her Yearning to attract the Messiah for our brothers and sisters. We can ask God to shower amazing graces on our world. Let us play our role to its fullness, i.e. in Mary.
Each Antiphon is supposed to exercise the power of attraction over God. If it starts with an ‘O’ that embodies our call and prayer, it ends with a powerful: ‘come…’. Let us, then, unite ourselves to Mary, let us understand that she is the one par excellence who says to the Lord: ‘Come…” and let us humbly join her in saying fervently, with her and in her to the Lord Jesus: ‘Come…’ to our world… shower your infinite and incredible unexpected Mercy on all of us thirsty for Light and Love, and the New World.
Who can understand the power the New Eve has over God? Here are some very deep indications in the Scriptures:
‘You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!’ (Song of Songs 4:9-10)
‘A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed. Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates with the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all choice spices—a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon.’ (Song of Songs 4:12-15)
‘You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners. Turn away your eyes from me, for they overwhelm me — Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead.’ (Song of Songs 6:4-5)
‘How beautiful and pleasant you are, O loved one, with all your delights! Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters.’ (Song of Songs 7:6-7)
‘the fragrance of your breath like apples, and your mouth like the finest wine. May it flow smoothly to my beloved, gliding gently over lips and teeth. I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me. Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside; let us spend the night among the wildflowers.’ (Song of Songs 7:9-11)
Jean Khoury
Advent 2020
Schoolofmary.org
Advent ‘O’ Antiphons
One can pray during Advent, asking for Jesus coming using the O Antiphons that we find in each Vespers, for the Magnificat, starting from the 17th December. These are deep prayers of desire, sang with Mary and under her light in order to attract the Lord:
17th December
O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care: Come and show your people the way to salvation.
O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
18th December
O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.
O Adonai, et dux domus Israël, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.
19th December
O Root of Jesse, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.
20th December
O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.
O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israël, qui aperis, et nemo claudit, claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
21st December
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
22nd December
O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man: Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.
23rd December
O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people: Come and set us free, Lord our God.
O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness.
Ne irascáris Dómine, ne ultra memíneris iniquitátis: ecce cívitas Sáncti fácta est desérta: Síon desérta fácta est, Jerúsalem desoláta est: dómus sanctificatiónis túæ et glóriæ túæ, ubi laudavérunt te pátres nóstri.
Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: thy holy city is a wilderness, Sion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation: our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee.
Peccávimus, et fácti súmus tamquam immúndus nos, et cecídimus quasi fólium univérsi: et iniquitátes nóstræ quasi véntus abstulérunt nos: abscondísti faciem túam a nóbis, et allisísti nos in mánu iniquitátis nóstræ.
We have sinned, and are as an unclean thing, and we all do fade as a leaf: and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away: thou hast hid thy face from us: and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
Víde Dómine afflictiónem pópuli túi, et mítte quem missúrus es: emítte Agnum dominatórem térræ, de Pétra desérti ad móntem fíliæ Síon: ut áuferat ípse júgum captivitátis nóstræ.
Behold, O Lord, the affliction of thy people, and send forth him whom thou wilt send; send forth the Lamb, the ruler of the earth, from Petra of the desert to the mount of the daughter of Sion: that he may take away the yoke of our captivity.
Vos testes mei, dicit Dóminus, et servus meus quem elégi; ut sciátis, et credátis mihi: ego sum, ego sum Dóminus, et non est absque me salvátor: et non est qui de manu mea éruat.
Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know me and believe me: I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour: and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
Consolámini, consolámini, pópule méus: cito véniet sálus túa: quare mæróre consúmeris, quia innovávit te dólor? Salvábo te, nóli timére, égo enim sum Dóminus Déus túus, Sánctus Israël, Redémptor túus.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people; my salvation shall not tarry: why wilt thou waste away in sadness? why hath sorrow seized thee? Fear not, for I will save thee: For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer.
There are three comings of Jesus: 1- Visibly 2000 years ago 2- Spiritually in our hearts (John 14:21.23) 3- Gloriously in the end of time: we say “Maranata come Lord Jesus” (See end of book of Revelation). See also in 1 Thess – 2 Thess how Spiritual Life in us makes us pray, hope and ask for Jesus to come back. The last week of the Liturgical Year is dedicated to n°3. See the Mass readings. Advent is dedicated to 1 and 2. With John the Baptist and Mary. Of course it is dedicated more to Mary with: The Immaculate Conception on the 8th December, the Octave of it, and more specifically from 18th December onwards.
The function of the Liturgical year is the communicate all of the Mysteries of Jesus to us. They are spread over the entire year (or 3 years). Liturgy is the moment in time where Jesus’ Grace is communicated to us. The more we are attentive to its rhythm the more we receive the Grace of God. Everything in the Church is at the service of number 2, i.e. the coming of Jesus in us, His growth in us until He reaches his fullness in us. Everything really in the Church is normally focused on that! The growth of the Church is the Growth of Jesus in us. The more Spiritual Life grows in us and develops, the more we become sensitive to 2, i.e. Jesus growth in us. And it aches to see how far the reality on the ground is from that (see following Post). How the way we celebrate Christmas is far from focusing on the inner reality of it. It is normal to feel this pain and it is the sing that the Grace is working in us. Number 2 is becoming the focal point in our lives.
Note: In the early stages of spiritual growth, we are tempted to start to focus on number 3, forgetting that it alone doesn’t make sense without progress in number 2. Number 2 is the only door to number 3. The coming of Jesus in our heart is the only door to his coming at the end of time. It is the only way to please Him and hasten his final glorious coming. Therefore it is better to concentrate all our energies on number 2 in order to have a real growth of Jesus in the Church and in the World. Why would we focus on His coming back if people are not ready to greet Him? If people don’t have Him in their heart already, is it real love on our part to want Him to come back? Wouldn’t it be spiritually egoistical? If the Love of God is really growing in us, if the love of our neighbour is growing in us, we will want our brothers and sisters to have number 2 before us asking for number 3! This is real love from our part. They are the potential Body of Jesus. Asking Jesus to come back before number 2 has been realised shows a lack of realism and most importantly a lack of real love for Jesus and for his Body. Then, of course, if we start to focus primarily on number 3, our interest will be captured by false prophecies… and our “apocalyptic fantasies” will start to develop.
St Bernard has a Homily on the three Comings (see below). We read it in Advent in the Office of Readings.
The more we are transformed by the Grace of God the more the Holy Spirit calls for Jesus (the desire for Him grows and grows, and it aches! Always more.) The initial work of the Holy Spirit is to prepare the place in us for Jesus. He is the Host who prepares us (the House, the Bride) to receive Jesus in full Union. St John of the Cross described wonderfully this work of the Holy Spirit in the Spiritual Canticle.
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Please find below the Advent Readings we have in the Liturgy of the Hours (copied). St Bernard’s Homily can be found in blue, at the Wednesday of the First Week of Advent:
Liturgy of the Hours for the First Sunday of Advent 1st Reading: Isaiah 1:1-18 2nd Reading
The Twofold Coming Of Christ – St. Cyril of Jerusalem
We do not preach only one coming of Christ, but a second as well, much more glorious than the first. The first coming was marked by patience; the second will bring the crown of a divine kingdom. In general, whatever relates to our Lord Jesus Christ has two aspects. There is a birth from God before the ages, and a birth from a virgin at the fullness of time. There is a hidden coming, like that of rain on fleece, and a coming before all eyes, still in the future. At the first coming he was wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. At his second coming he will be clothed in light as in a garment. In the first coming he endured the cross, despising the shame; in the second coming he will be in glory, escorted by an army of angels. We look then beyond the first coming and await the second. At the first coming we said: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. At the second we shall say it again; we shall go out with the angels to meet the Lord and cry out in adoration: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. The Saviour will not come to be judged again, but to judge those by whom he was judged. At his own judgement he was silent; then he will address those who committed the outrages against him when they crucified him and will remind them: You did these things, and I was silent.His first coming was to fulfil his plan of love, to teach men by gentle persuasion. This time, whether men like it or not, they will be subjects of his kingdom by necessity. The prophet Malachi speaks of the two comings. And the Lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple: that is one coming. Again he says of another coming: Look, the Lord almighty will come, and who will endure the day of his entry, or who will stand in his sight? Because he comes like a refiner’s fire, a fuller’s herb, and he will sit refining and cleansing. These two comings are also referred to by Paul in writing to Titus: The grace of God the Saviour has appeared to all men, instructing us to put aside impiety and worldly desires and live temperately, uprightly, and religiously in this present age, waiting for the joyful hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Notice how he speaks of a first coming for which he gives thanks, and a second, the one we still await. That is why the faith we profess has been handed on to you in these words: He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.Our Lord Jesus Christ will therefore come from heaven. He will come at the end of the world, in glory, at the last day. For there will be an end to this world, and the created world will be made new.
I Sunday of Advent: Second Reading
Brothers and sisters: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.Finally, brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God and as you are conducting yourselves you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. Gospel Jesus said to his disciples: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Commentary on the Readings Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa
I Sunday of Advent (Cycle C) Jeremiah 33: 14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12 – 4:2; Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36.
Autumn is the ideal time to meditate on human things. We have before us the annual spectacle of leaves that fall from the trees. This has always been seen as an image of human destiny. “Here we are as leaves on the trees in autumn,” says the poet Giuseppe Ungaretti. A generation comes, a generation goes … But is this truly our ultimate destiny? Is it worse than the fate of these trees? After it is stripped, the tree regains its leaves in spring. But man, once he passes, never again returns. At least he does not return to this world. … Sunday’s readings help us to give an answer to this most anxious of human questions. There was a particular scene that I remember seeing in a film or reading about it in an adventure story as a child, a scene that left a deep impression. A railroad bridge had collapsed during the night. An unsuspecting train is coming at full speed. A railroad worker standing on the tracks calls out: “Stop! Stop!” and waves a lantern to signal the danger. But the distracted engineer does not see him and plunges the train into the river. … It seems to me something of an image of contemporary society, careening frenetically to the rhythm of rock ‘n’ roll, ignoring all the warnings that come not only from the Church but from many people who feel a responsibility for the future … With the First Sunday of Advent, a new liturgical year begins. The Gospel that will accompany us in the course of this year, Cycle C, is the Gospel of St. Luke. The Church takes the occasion of these important moments of passage — from one year to another, from one season to another — to invite us to stop for a moment and reflect and ask ourselves some essential questions: “Who are we? From whence do we come? And, above all, where are we going?” In the readings of Sunday’s Mass, the verbs are in the future tense. In the First Reading we hear these words of Jeremiah: “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah. In those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just shoot. …” To this expectation, realized in the coming of the Messiah, the Gospel passage brings a new horizon and content which is the glorious return of Christ at the end of time. “The powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” These are apocalyptic, catastrophic tones and images. But what we have is a message of consolation and hope. They tell us that we are not heading for an eternal void and an eternal silence but we are on our way to an encounter, an encounter with him who created us and loves us more than mother and father. Elsewhere the Book of Revelation describes this final event of history as an entering into a wedding feast. Just recall the parable of the ten virgins who enter with the bridegroom into the banquet hall, or the image of God who, at the threshold of the life to come, waits for us to wipe away the last tear from our eyes. From the Christian point of view, the whole of human history is one long wait. Before Christ, his coming was awaited; after him, we await his glorious return at the end of time. For just this reason the season of Advent has something very important to say to us about our lives. A great Spanish author, Calderón de la Barca, wrote a celebrated play called “Life is a Dream.” With just as much truth it must be said that life is expectation! It is interesting that this is exactly the theme of one of the most famous plays of our times: Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” … Of a woman who is with child it is said that she is “expecting”; the offices of important persons have “waiting rooms.” But if we reflect on it, life itself is a waiting room. We get impatient when we have to wait, for a visit, for a practice. But woe to him who is no longer waiting for something. A person who no longer expects anything from life is dead. Life is expectation, but the converse is also true: Expectation is life! What distinguishes the waiting of the believer from every other waiting; from, for example, that of the two characters who are waiting for Godot? In that play a mysterious person is awaited (who, according to some, would be God, hence, “God-ot”), without any certainty that he will really come. He was supposed to come in the morning; he sends word to say that he will come in the afternoon. In the afternoon he does not come, but surely he will come in the evening, and in the evening, perhaps tomorrow morning. … The two tramps are condemned to wait for him, they have no other alternative. This is not how it is for the Christian. He awaits one who has already come and who walks by his side. For this reason after the First Sunday of Advent in which the final return of Christ is looked for, on the following Sundays we will hear John the Baptist who speaks of his presence among us: “In your midst,” he says, “there is one whom you do not know!” Jesus is present among us not only in the Eucharist, in the word, in the poor, in the Church … but, by grace, he lives in our hearts and the believer experiences this. The Christian’s waiting is not empty, a letting the time pass. In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus also talks about the way that the disciples must wait, how they must conduct themselves in the meantime to not be taken by surprise: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life. … Be vigilant at all times.” Of these moral duties we will speak another time. Let us conclude with a memory from a film. There are two big stories about icebergs in the movies. The one is that of the Titanic, which we know well. … The other is narrated in a Kevin Kostner film of several years back, “Rapa Nui.” A legend of Easter Island, which is in the Pacific Ocean, tells of an iceberg that, in reality, is a ship and that passes close to the island every century or so. The king or hero can climb aboard and ride toward the kingdom of immortality. There is an iceberg that runs across the course which each of us travel; it is sister death. We can pretend to not see her or to be heedless of her like the people who were enjoying themselves on that tragic night aboard the Titanic. Or we can make ourselves ready and climb onto her and let ourselves be taken to the Kingdom of the blessed. The season of Advent should also serve this purpose.
Monday of the First week of Advent FIRST READING: Isaiah 1: 21-27; 2:1-5 SECOND READING From a pastoral letter
by Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop The Season Of Advent
Beloved, now is the acceptable time spoken of by the Spirit, the day of salvation, peace and reconciliation: the great season of Advent. This is the time eagerly awaited by the patriarchs and prophets, the time that holy Simeon rejoiced at last to see. This is the season that the Church has always celebrated with special solemnity. We too should always observe it with faith and love, offering praise and thanksgiving to the Father for the mercy and love he has shown us in this mystery. In his infinite love for us, though we were sinners, he sent his only Son to free us from the tyranny of Satan, to summon us to heaven, to welcome us into its innermost recesses, to show us truth itself, to train us in right conduct, to plant within us the seeds of virtue, to enrich us with the treasures of his grace, and to make us children of God and heirs of eternal life. Each year, as the Church recalls this mystery, she urges us to renew the memory of the great love God has shown us. This holy season teaches us that Christ’s coming was not only for the benefit of his contemporaries; his power has still to be communicated to us all. We shall share his power, if, through holy faith and the sacraments, we willingly accept the grace Christ earned for us, and live by that grace and in obedience to Christ. The Church asks us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again. When we remove all obstacles to his presence he will come, at any hour and moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his grace. In her concern for our salvation, our loving mother the Church uses this holy season to teach us through hymns, canticles and other forms of expression, of voice or ritual, used by the Holy Spirit. She shows us how grateful we should be for so great a blessing, and how to gain its benefit: our hearts should be as much prepared for the coming of Christ as if he were still to come into this world. The same lesson is given us for our imitation by the words and example of the holy men of the Old Testament.
Tuesday of the First Week of Advent FIRST READING from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 2:6-22; 4:2-6 SECOND READING
from the Sermons of St. Gregory Nanzianzen, Bishop (Sermon 45, 9. 22. 26. 28: PG 36, 634-635. 654. 653-659. 662)
The Wonder of the Incarnation
The very Son of God, older than the ages, the invisible, the incomprehensible, the incorporeal, the beginning of beginning, the light of light, the fountain of life and immortality, the image of the archetype, the immovable seal, the perfect likeness, the definition and word of the Father: he it is who comes to his own image and takes our nature for the good of our nature, and unites himself to an intelligent soul for the good of my soul, to purify like by like. He takes to himself all that is human, except for sin. He was conceived by the Virgin Mary, who had been first prepared in soul and body by the Spirit; his coming to birth had to be treated with honour, virginity had to receive new honour. He comes forth as God, in the human nature he has taken, one being, made of two contrary elements, flesh and spirit. Spirit gave divinity, flesh received it. He who makes rich is made poor; he takes on the poverty of my flesh, that I may gain the riches of his divinity. He who is full is made empty; he is emptied for a brief space of his glory, that I may share in his fullness. What is this wealth of goodness? What is this mystery that surrounds me? I received the likeness of God, but failed to keep it. He takes on my flesh, to bring salvation to the image, immortality to the flesh. He enters into a second union with us, a union far more wonderful than the first. Holiness had to be brought to man by the humanity assumed by one who was God, so that God might overcome the tyrant by force and so deliver us and lead us back to himself through the mediation of his Son. The Son arranged this for the honour of the Father, to whom the Son is clearly obedient in all things. The Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep, came in search of the straying sheep to the mountains and hills on which you used to offer sacrifice. When he found it, he took it on the shoulders that bore the wood of the cross, and led it back to the life of heaven. Christ, the light of all lights, follows John, the lamp that goes before him. The Word of God follows the voice in the wilderness; the bridegroom follows the bridegroom’s friend, who prepares a worthy people for the Lord by cleansing them by water in preparation for the Spirit. We needed God to take our flesh and die, that we might live. We have died with him, that we may be purified. We have risen again with him, because we have died with him. We have been glorified with him, because we have risen again with him.
Wednesday of the First Week of Advent
FIRST READING from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 5:1-7
SECOND READING from the Sermons of St. Bernard, Abbot
Let The Word Of The Lord Come To Us
We know that the coming of the Lord is threefold: the third coming is between the other two and it is not visible in the way they are. At his first coming the Lord was seen on earth and lived among men, who saw him and hated him. At his last coming All flesh shall see the salvation of our God, and They shall look on him whom they have pierced. In the middle, the hidden coming, only the chosen see him, and they see him within themselves; and so their souls are saved. The first coming was in flesh and weakness, the middle coming is in spirit and power, and the final coming will be in glory and majesty. This middle coming is like a road that leads from the first coming to the last. At the first, Christ was our redemption; at the last, he will become manifest as our life; but in this middle way he is our rest and our consolation.If you think that I am inventing what I am saying about the middle coming, listen to the Lord himself: If anyone loves me, he will keep my words, and the Father will love him, and we shall come to him. Elsewhere I have read: Whoever fears the Lord does good things. – but I think that what was said about whoever loves him was more important: that whoever loves him will keep his words. Where are these words to be kept? In the heart certainly, as the Prophet says I have hidden your sayings in my heart so that I do not sin against you. Keep the word of God in that way: Blessed are those who keep it. Let it penetrate deep into the core of your soul and then flow out again in your feelings and the way you behave; because if you feed your soul well it will grow and rejoice. Do not forget to eat your bread, or your heart will dry up. Remember, and your soul will grow fat and sleek.If you keep God’s word like this, there is no doubt that it will keep you, for the Son will come to you with the Father: the great Prophet will come, who will renew Jerusalem, and he is the one who makes all things new. For this is what this coming will do: just as we have been shaped in the earthly image, so will we be shaped in the heavenly image. Just as the old Adam was poured into the whole man and took possession of him, so in turn will our whole humanity be taken over by Christ, who created all things, has redeemed all things, and will glorify all things.
Thursday of the First Week of Advent
FIRST READING from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 16:1-5; 17:4-8
SECOND READING from the Commentary of St. Ephrem, Deacon, on the Diatessaron
Keep Watch: He Is To Come Again
To prevent his disciples from asking the time of his coming, Christ said: About that hour no one knows, neither the angels nor the Son. It is not for you to know times or moments. He has kept those things hidden so that we may keep watch, each of us thinking that he will come in our own day. If he had revealed the time of his coming, his coming would have lost its savour: it would no longer be an object of yearning for the nations and the age in which it will be revealed. He promised that he would come but did not say when he would come, and so all generations and ages await him eagerly. Though the Lord has established the signs of his coming, the time of their fulfilment has not been plainly revealed. These signs have come and gone with a multiplicity of change; more than that, they are still present. His final coming is like his first. As holy men and prophets waited for him, thinking that he would reveal himself in their own day, so today each of the faithful longs to welcome him in his own day, because Christ has not made plain the day of his coming.He has not made it plain for this reason especially, that no one may think that he whose power and dominion rule all numbers and times is ruled by fate and time. He described the signs of his coming; how could what he has himself decided be hidden from him? Therefore, he used these words to increase respect for the signs of his coming, so that from that day forward all generations and ages might think that he would come again in their own day. Keep watch; when the body is asleep nature takes control of us, and what is done is not done by our will but by force, by the impulse of nature. When deep listlessness takes possession of the soul, for example, faint-heartedness or melancholy, the enemy overpowers it and makes it do what it does not will. The force of nature, the enemy of the soul, is in control.When the Lord commanded us to be vigilant, he meant vigilance in both parts of man: in the body, against the tendency to sleep; in the soul, against lethargy and timidity. As Scripture says: Wake up, you just, and I have risen, and am still with you; and again, Do not lose heart. Therefore, having this ministry, we do not lose heart.
FRIDAY of the First Week of Advent
FIRST READING from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 19:16-25
SECOND READING from the Proslogion of St. Anselm, Bishop
The Desire to Contemplate God
Insignificant man, rise up! Flee your preoccupations for a little while. Hide yourself for a time from your turbulent thoughts. Cast aside, now, your heavy responsibilities and put off your burdensome business. Make a little space free for God; and rest for a little time in him. Enter the inner chamber of your mind; shut out all thoughts. Keep only thought of God, and thoughts that can aid you in seeking him. Close your door and seek him. Speak now, my whole heart! Speak now to God, saying, I seek your face; your face, Lord, will I seek. And come you now, O Lord my God, teach my heart where and how it may seek you, where and how it may find you. Lord, if you are not here, where shall I seek you when you are absent? But if you are everywhere, why do I not see you present? Truly you dwell in unapproachable light. But where is unapproachable light, or how shall I come to it? Or who shall lead me to that light and into it, that I may see you in it? Again, by what signs, under what form, shall I seek you? I have never seen you, O Lord, my God; I do not know your face. What, O most high Lord, shall this man do, an exile far from you? What shall your servant do, anxious in his love of you, and cast out far from your presence? He is breathless with desire to see you, and your face is too far from him. He longs to come to you, and your dwelling-place is inaccessible. He is eager to find you, but does not know where. He desires to seek you, and does not know your face. Lord, you are my God, and you are my Lord, and never have I seen you. You have made me and renewed me, you have given me all the good things that I have, and I have not yet met you. I was created to see you, and I have not yet done the thing for which I was made. And as for you, Lord, how long? How long, O Lord, do you forget us; how long do you turn your face from us? When will you look upon us, and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes, and show us your face? When will you restore yourself to us? Look upon us, Lord; hear us, enlighten us, reveal yourself to us. Restore yourself to us, that it may be well with us, yourself, without whom it is so ill with us. Pity our toilings and strivings toward you since we can do nothing without you. Teach me to seek you, and reveal yourself to me when I seek you, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor find you unless you reveal yourself. Let me seek you in longing, let me long for you in seeking; let me find you by loving you and love you in the act of finding you.
SATURDAY of the First Week of Advent
FIRST READING from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 21: 6- 12
SECOND READING from the Treatise of St. Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr
Hope Sustains Us
Patience is a precept for salvation given us by our Lord our teacher: Whoever endures to the end will be saved. And again: If you persevere in my word, you will truly be my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Dear brethren, we must endure and persevere if we are to attain the truth and freedom we have been allowed to hope for; faith and hope are the very meaning of our being Christians, but if faith and hope are to bear their fruit, patience is necessary. We do not seek glory now, in the present, but we look for future glory, as Saint Paul instructs us when he says: By hope we were saved. Now hope which is seen is not hope; how can a man hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it in patience. Patient waiting is necessary if we are to be perfected in what we have begun to be, and if we are to receive from God what we hope for and believe. In another place the same Apostle instructs and teaches the just, and those active in good works, and those who store up for themselves treasures in heaven through the reward God gives them. They are to be patient also, for he says: Therefore while we have time, let us do good to all, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith. But let us not grow weary in doing good, for we shall reap our reward in due season. Paul warns us not to grow weary in good works through impatience, not to be distracted or overcome by temptations and so give up in the midst of our pilgrimage of praise and glory, and allow our past good deeds to count for nothing because what was begun falls short of completion. Finally the Apostle, speaking of charity, unites it with endurance and patience. Charity, he says, is always patient and kind; it is not jealous, is not boastful, is not given to anger, does not think evil, loves all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. He shows that charity can be steadfast and persevering because it has learned how to endure all things. And in another place he says: Bear with one another lovingly, striving to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. He shows that neither unity nor peace can be maintained unless the brethren cherish each other with mutual forbearance and preserve the bond of harmony by means of patience.
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One can also pray during Advent, asking for Jesus coming using the O Antiphons that we find in each Vespers, for the Magnificat, starting from the 17th December. These are deep prayers of desire, sang with Mary (see this article on the meaning of the Antiphons) and under her light in order to attract the Lord:
17th December
O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care: Come and show your people the way to salvation.
O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
18th December
O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.
O Adonai, et dux domus Israël, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.
19th December
O Root of Jesse, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.
20th December
O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.
O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israël, qui aperis, et nemo claudit, claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
21st December
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
22nd December
O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man: Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.
23rd December
O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people: Come and set us free, Lord our God.
O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness.
Ne irascáris Dómine, ne ultra memíneris iniquitátis: ecce cívitas Sáncti fácta est desérta: Síon desérta fácta est, Jerúsalem desoláta est: dómus sanctificatiónis túæ et glóriæ túæ, ubi laudavérunt te pátres nóstri.
Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: thy holy city is a wilderness, Sion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation: our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee.
Peccávimus, et fácti súmus tamquam immúndus nos, et cecídimus quasi fólium univérsi: et iniquitátes nóstræ quasi véntus abstulérunt nos: abscondísti faciem túam a nóbis, et allisísti nos in mánu iniquitátis nóstræ.
We have sinned, and are as an unclean thing, and we all do fade as a leaf: and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away: thou hast hid thy face from us: and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
Víde Dómine afflictiónem pópuli túi, et mítte quem missúrus es: emítte Agnum dominatórem térræ, de Pétra desérti ad móntem fíliæ Síon: ut áuferat ípse júgum captivitátis nóstræ.
Behold, O Lord, the affliction of thy people, and send forth him whom thou wilt send; send forth the Lamb, the ruler of the earth, from Petra of the desert to the mount of the daughter of Sion: that he may take away the yoke of our captivity.
Vos testes mei, dicit Dóminus, et servus meus quem elégi; ut sciátis, et credátis mihi: ego sum, ego sum Dóminus, et non est absque me salvátor: et non est qui de manu mea éruat.
Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know me and believe me: I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour: and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
Consolámini, consolámini, pópule méus: cito véniet sálus túa: quare mæróre consúmeris, quia innovávit te dólor? Salvábo te, nóli timére, égo enim sum Dóminus Déus túus, Sánctus Israël, Redémptor túus.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people; my salvation shall not tarry: why wilt thou waste away in sadness? why hath sorrow seized thee? Fear not, for I will save thee: For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer.
In the sacramental liturgy of the Church, the mission of Christ and of the Holy Spirit proclaims, makes present, and communicates the mystery of salvation, which is continued in the heart that prays. The spiritual writers sometimes compare the heart to an altar. Prayer internalises and assimilates the liturgy during and after its celebration. Even when it is lived out “in secret,” prayer is always prayer of the Church; it is a communion with the Holy Trinity.” (CCC2655)
This year (2024) dedicated by Pope Francis to Prayer is a great opportunity for us to explore and deepen the multifaceted and intimate relationship between liturgy and prayer. The topic has been the subject of studies and debates during the time prior to Vatican II and it has continued long afterwards[1]. My perspective will be that of Spiritual Theology.
Personal vs. Private Prayer
Let us address Prayer first. By “prayer” we mean the personal relationship between the faithful and God. Since we are baptised in Christ, we not only relate to Christ the Head, but we also belong to Christ the Body. Therefore, any prayer is a “common prayer”. This is why when the Lord taught us to pray, from the first movement of the prayer He invited us to be aware that we are not isolated individuals. He taught us to say: “Our Father” and not: “My Father”. In this sense we need first to be aware of this dimension in prayer. We are never alone. We belong to Jesus’ mystical Body. We can never dissociate ourselves from our brothers. Even worse, the Lord taught us to ensure this communion with our brothers even before praying: when “you present your offering to God” (see Mt. 5:24), i.e. when you are praying, and you remember that there is something unresolved with your brother, go and fix this first
In this sense wherever any of the faithful is praying in Spirit and in Truth, he or she is praying in Christ, the Truth, and in His Spirit and therefore all of Christ, head and body, is present. In this sense, the hermit in his remote cave in the desert is part of Jesus’ Body and his prayer is always the Church prayer. This is why, traditionally, the vocation for hermitic life has to be first tested in a coenobitic environment to allow true charity to grow.
Fr. Jesus Castellano OCD underlined an important point: the Church is found at the centre of the heart of the person who prays[2]. When we pray in solitude, we are never alone. We could be tempted to transform our prayer into a “private” exercise. It is an illusion to build one’s spiritual life in an isolated individualistic way. It is a temptation, the temptation of the beginner. But when our relationship with Jesus grows, when we are introduced into the mystery of his body, when He allows us to see his presence in each and every one of our brothers and sisters, then charity grows and our prayer embraces all Jesus’ Body, not only the ones who are already in his Body, i.e. baptised, but also all God’s children scattered around the world[3] (see Eucharistic Prayer III).
In this sense, if we want to talk about prayer here, about true prayer, made in Spirit and in Truth, it can never be “private” in the sense that it is about me and my God only.
Ritual Liturgy vs Prayerful Liturgy
When I will talk here about “liturgy” I will be focusing more on the Eucharist. By no means, however, do I exclude all other liturgical forms of prayer.
The temptation, here, is to see and experience liturgy more as a ritual rather than a wholesome divine action. In this sense one would be focusing more on the exterior aspects of liturgy. True worship is “in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:23-24) says the Lord.
We can face many temptations when we participate in the Mass. These tend to reduce its deep meaning and its fruitfulness. Routine, ritualism, lack of attention, lack of interior recollection, lack of true contemplation[4],… all contribute to our weak spiritual state, and we are all tempted to fall into these lazy attitudes. All these attitudes, coming from the Celebrant as well as from the faithful, diminish the fruitfulness of the Celebration in our life. Vatican II, however, insists on this by saying that the more the Priest is united to the Lord, the more fruitful is his ministry. These are by no stretch of the imagination mere words. In fact, on the day of his ordination the Bishop reminds the priest to pay attention to what he celebrates and also to conform his life to what he celebrates[5].
The priest himself in the Mass has various opportunities to enter into the depths of the worship in Spirit and in Truth. Thus, when he starts the Mass, he first of all “climbs up” to the Altar: “Introibo ad altare Dei” (Psalm 42), when not only does he start the divine action by reminding us about the grace of our Lord, the Love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit, but then the recollection and examination of conscience, introduce our conscience more clearly into our “inner room” (Mt. 6:6).
Subsequently, for the Gospel we have a procession with the Evangeliarium, which reminds us that the Lord walked among us and is still doing so. Then we greet Him by saying: “Alleluia”. Then this sets the scene for the invocation of the Holy Spirit to listen to Jesus, who during the Proclamation will speak to the heart of each of the faithful present (see Armenian and Byzantine Rites). “He [Christ] is present in His word, since it is He Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the Church.” (Vatican II, SC7)
Note: There are no transparent windows in a church because the focus is on what is happening inside, on the Lord who comes to meet us. Visible to the eyes of Faith. In ancient times in the second part of the Mass, the Eucharist, the catechumens were sent out and the doors of the church were closed. When Jesus appears to the Apostles in John 20 the doors are closed. It showed that the accounts of his apparition in John 20 were very probably an allusion to the weekly gathering (Sunday).
Note: In the Byzantine liturgy, various times during the Divine Liturgy, the Priest says: “Peace be with you”, which is what the Lord says when he appears to the Apostles in John 20.
Further on in the Mass the major invitation comes to enter into the great mystery of the Liturgy of the Eucharist: “lift up your hearts”. The Priest here, while lifting up his arms should be making an interior movement, and by doing so, attracting and lifting his brothers and sisters to communion with God in the Holy Spirit.
One can continue of course. Hence, after the Consecration, the Priest mystically introduces the three “churches” (church militant triumphant and suffering) into Christ now consecrated and prays for all humanity: he mentions the saints, asking for their intercession; introduces all the faithful and all God’s children; he also mentions all those who have died and are waiting to see God. Then comes the great moment of lifting not only Jesus’ Body and Blood to the Father in the Spirit to worship Him, but also of elevating all the people, all the persons he has just mentioned, who are in Jesus’ Body. He represents Christ the High Priest who alone can lift, through his powerful prayer, all the people of God to God the Father in the Holy Spirit, accomplishing here true worship.
Of course, our weakness makes us perform these acts in a rapid, routine way. But isn’t this Jesus’ Prayer? Aren’t we invited to enter in Jesus and pray with Him and in Him? Isn’t this prayer universal, embracing all humanity, past, present and future? Isn’t this the essence of our prayer? Can any prayer depart from this final movement of elevation and worship that the priest performs “in persona Christi”?
Of course, the Mass continues, and we move on to the Communion rites.
The Our Father here, collectively prayed aloud, acquires its perfect density. It is said together, in the spirit of peace and reconciliation with all our brothers, in preparation for receiving the Bread of Jesus’ Body and Blood.
How do we live this moment of communion? The minutes after it? The recollection within ourselves? The silent contemplation and immersion in Jesus’ love? Do we allow the Lord to act in us in his marvellous silent deep action? Do we give time for his Blood to run in our veins to reinvigorate us? Do we take time, allowing the One who Prays in us, Jesus, to irrigate our body, soul, spirit with his divine redemption, blood, soul, spirit and divinity?
Eating is one thing. Digesting another. Assimilating is yet another thing. And finally acting in Him, becomes quite another thing. This way the Mass is alive, it penetrates us, elevates us, introduces us into Christ. This is the heart of Prayer. This is the core of our day, of our week. This is why the Eucharist is the summit of our day or week, and this is why the Eucharist is the source of our day and week: Jesus is the Source and, in the Mass, we have the opportunity of receiving the entire mystery of Jesus: his Word and his Body.
Digesting Jesus: The Liturgy of the Word
We have just witnessed the core of what prayer is. In fact the Mass with all its divine structure and parts, with all its mystery, with all its capacity of wholesomeness, sets the true tone for any prayer. It is the cerebral spine of any prayer. In it we find, day after day, an infinity of aspects, never boring, never exhausted. Every day it is new, every day one aspect of the multifaceted mystery of Christ shines forth for us. The richness of one Mass, of one Mass only, could be enough to feed an entire lifetime. In it we have everything. We have all of Jesus. It is an open book we are invited to explore, day after day. Nobody can exhaust the width, length, height, and depth of the Mass, because all Christ is there, given to us. The Mass teaches us to pray. The Mass helps us discern what true prayer is. It pushes urges us to come out of ourselves and be placed in Christ. It pushes us out of our comfort zone, it shows us the right “orthodoxy” of prayer.
By contrast, the danger we face is following the Mass as a routine. This first danger is to really not enter into the grace of being recollected during Mass. Yes, there is a grace of recollection given to all of us, priests and faithful, to help our weakness of entering into the great and immense mystery of the Mass. Do we know how to receive this grace? Are we taught how to?
The second danger we face is to eat (manducatio) the divine food offered to us in the Mass but not to digest it. The Mass is so substantial that the great risk and temptation is not to take time to digest it, assimilate it. How sad! How sad!
If we recognise that the Mass is the source of our personal prayer, then we have to question whether there is a real connection between our personal prayer and the Mass. Isn’t prayer first and foremost about receiving? What do we have that we haven’t first received from God? Isn’t it God who starts by giving to us, before asking us to give anything to Him? Isn’t it in the Mass that we find all the richness and food that God wants to give us? How could we start our personal prayer if not by living the Mass first? Living it is first during the Mass, but then follows living it during our own prayer. Our own prayer is a prolongation or extension of the Mass. Being the source of our prayer, the Mass nourishes and directs our personal prayer.
Vatican II, Dei Verbum and Sacrosantum Concilium and Verbum Domini remind us that the Word of God has to be at the centre of all liturgical prayers, but also of our personal prayer. Jesus, indeed, comes at each Mass, in an invisible but nonetheless real way, to speak to each one of us during the Proclamation of the Word. Today, thank God, we talk about the Sacramentality of the Proclamation of the Word (see Verbum Domini, 56). This sacramentality should be lived. The sacrament doesn’t end with the end of the rite. It nourishes the rest of the day. So what Jesus came to tell me, (the Divine Word He came during the Mass to give me personally, in my heart), I need to take time to receive, hear, understand, and listen to Him and put it into practice. Otherwise, how can we talk about a “sacramentality” of the Proclamation? In fact during the Proclamation there is a unique grace for each of the faithful present (and I dare to say: absent). A sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible grace. The Proclamation has the voice of the reader (the visible sign) and has Jesus talking in the heart of each faithful (the invisible grace). Sadly however, the Liturgy of the Word, the sacramentality of the Proclamation, because of human weaknesses, goes by too quickly and we often miss the grace. But isn’t this grace still given to us? Does God take back his graces? Never! We need not miss this grace. Therefore, one can see to which extent liturgy (here the Proclamation) is the source of our personal prayer: we need to pause, to sit down, to open the readings of today’s Mass, and do all that is necessary to receive the Grace the Lord wants to give us today, to nourish us, transform us. Putting into practice his received word is essential. It is not an abstract prayer or contemplation. That would be an illusion. What we need is to do is to listen and put into practice what Jesus tells us today. And each day has its own bread.
Here our prayer finds itself intimately linked to liturgy. One finds it impossible to disentangle them.
As we see, Liturgy with all its richness structures and orientates our personal prayer. The relationship between them is direct; more so liturgy shapes our personal prayer. Jesus comes first, He initiates the dialogue, He initiates our prayer, He talks to us. Without his starting to talk we cannot talk back. He is the first one, the Giver. He is the Source of our Prayer.
Digesting Jesus: The Liturgy of the Eucharist
The second part of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist has such incommensurable richness impossible to address here in all its aspects: the work of our Redemption is accomplished, Intercession of Christ for the Church made, Praise given, etc. I will only talk about one aspect: the very moment of Communion. Here also, we receive the Sacrament of Communion. We receive all of Christ: body, blood, soul, spirit and divinity. Because of human weakness, we spend very little time allowing Jesus to really nourish us. This is the Sacrament of Sacraments: the entire Jesus himself is received. Who can understand the immense kindness and generosity of God here? The question we ask is: do we really benefit from this Sacrament? Can the three minutes we are prayer after receiving it be enough to allow Jesus to nourish us? No. This is why we should say that liturgy is the source (fountain) which nourishes our personal prayer. Adoration, silent prayer, Jesus’ prayer, contemplative prayer, the arrow prayer, are all a prolongation of our last Communion[6]. We receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we are living Tabernacles, He is stored in our heart, He doesn’t abandon us, He never takes back the grace He has given us. So what we need to do, is to take a silent moment daily (it can be 30 minutes, two 30 minutes, or two x 60 minutes) and enter into our heart – our “inner room” – and open the tabernacle of our heart and find Jesus and stay with Him. This will allow our last Communion to give forth its maximum fruits in our life.
Pope Benedict reminded us of this very deep theological connection between personal and liturgical prayer when he said: “God’s altar is our heart”: ““in the sacramental liturgy of the Church, the mission of Christ and of the Holy Spirit proclaims, makes present, and communicates the mystery of salvation, which is continued in the heart that prays.” Spiritual writers sometimes compare the heart to an altar” (CCC 2655): “Altare Dei est cor nostrum.”“[7]It is also an image used by St. John of the Cross. The reflection between the objective outer liturgy happening at the Altar and the inner one occurring in our heart[8] is something very deep and sheds an incredible light on the baptismal priesthood and the necessity of developing it, and of noticing how it grows with our spiritual growth until it reaches its culmen with a perfect syntony between the two. Here the “fructuosa participatio”[9] reaches its fullness. This area deserves to be studied and developed more.
Conclusion
I do personally believe that not only is liturgy the source and summit of our prayer but also that the Liturgy of the Mass can offer a solid structure for a renewed Spiritual Theology. May this year dedicated to Prayer be an opportunity to each one of us, and also for our catechesis, to revive our Mass and our personal prayer, and live their deep unity. The Mass is the source and the living spring of our personal prayer, and our personal prayer is a living Mass. Of course, it goes without saying that personal prayer and liturgy cannot be separated from our daily life, and from charity. It is charity, by putting Jesus’ word into practice, which makes us grow, which makes Him grow in us and bear divine fruits.
“The liturgy is also a participation in Christ’s own prayer addressed to the Father in the Holy Spirit. In the liturgy, all Christian prayer finds its source and goal. Through the liturgy the inner man is rooted and grounded in “the great love with which [the Father] loved us” in his beloved Son. It is the same “marvelous work of God” that is lived and internalized by all prayer, “at all times in the Spirit.” (CCC 1073)
[1] Jesus Castellano Cervera, “Liturgia y vida espiritual”, n° 27, Centre de Pastoral Litúrgica, 2006. A whole section of the book is dedicated to the topic: “Liturgia, oración personal, contemplación” with bibliography, pp. 265-281. Not to forget the issues of “Cuadernos Phase” 79 and 139, respectively: “Vida litúrgica y oración personal” and La liturgia escuela de oración”. P Jounel, “Liturgia y oracion”, in Cuadernos Phase n° 52, “Liturgia y vida espiritual”, pp.11-20.
[2] “non si può opporre la preghiera interiore, libera da ogni forma tradizionale, «pietà soggettiva», alla liturgia, che è la «preghiera oggettiva» della Chiesa. Ogni autentica preghiera è preghiera della Chiesa: mediante ogni preghiera sincera qualcosa avviene nella Chiesa ed è la Chiesa stessa che prega perché è lo Spirito Santo, che in essa vive, che in ogni singola anima «prega per noi con inenarrabili sospiri”, the quote is from St. Edith Stein, “La preghiera”, pp. 29-30; GDK, 21-22. quoted in Jesus Castellano OCD, “Edith Stein, la preghiera della Chiesa”, (http://www.nostreradici.it/EdithStein-preghiera.htm). See opus cit. Jesus Castellano Cervera, “Liturgia y vida espiritual”.
[3] “in your compassion, O merciful Father, gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the world” (Eucharistic Prayer III)
[4] See the efforts made by Laurence Freeman OSB to explore a more contemplative Mass and his article: “The Contemplative Parish” in, “Priests & People”, June 2002, pp. 218-222. Translated online here: “La parroquia contemplativa”.
[5] Ordination rite: “Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be offered to him. Know what you are doing, and imitate the mystery you celebrate; model your life on the mystery of the Lord’s cross.” Also: “they are asked to take example from that with which they deal” (Vat II, P.O. 13).
[6] See “Preghiera del cuore e Messa” in Jean Khoury, “Preghiera del cuore alla scuola di Maria”, Edizioni Segno, 2009, pp. 115-137.
[8] Regarding the relationship between the external liturgy at the altar and the internal liturgy in our heart see “l fuoco di Maria”, Jean Khoury, “Andiamo alla scuola di Maria, come entrare nel mistero di Maria”, Edizioni Segno, 2009, pp. 244-269. See also : Jean Khoury, « Mary’s Fiery Prayer, Trinity, Altar, Fire and Offering », Amazon, 2018.
[9] Pope Benedict in his different studies and publications tried to deepen the “Fructuosa participatio” suggested more than once in the documents of Vatican II. See “active participation” in Joseph Ratzinger, “Collected Works, Theology of the Liturgy”, 2014, pp. 106-110. Deepening it would greatly serve in the formation of seminarians also. See “La nozione di “partecipazione alla Liturgia” secondo il Vaticano II” in Jean Khoury opus cit. pp. 264-269.
The goal of this book is to help the faithful to live better the Mass, to enter into the grace of the Mass, to understand what God wants to give us and how we can benefit from the graces of the Mass. The Mass has everything in it; it is the summary of the Gospel; it is the summary of Jesus’ life; it contains God’s entire gift for us. One Mass would be enough! Its richness is incommensurable. With the help of the great masters of spiritual life like St. Teresa of Avila we can enter more deeply in the Mass and benefit from its immense richness. Liturgy is Prayer. Liturgy is the norm of Prayer. Liturgy is the source and summit of our prayer. Have we explored the depth and richness of Liturgy? We often remain fixed on the exterior acts of worship and forget that true worship is “in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:23-24), that we have an altar in our heart because of the Baptismal Priesthood and that we are called to participate in the Mass in a deep and way. St. Teresa of Avila teaches us contemplation –i.e. God’s intervention in our prayer which elevates us in Him– but she recommends a more perfect prayer, a prayer which unites “vocal prayer” and “mental prayer” (the Prayer of the Heart). We can say the same about liturgy: to live liturgy in a more perfect way we need to unite the exterior rites with an inner participation which leads to true contemplation. This book is composed of various articles published on the website of the School of Mary (www.schoolofmary.org). One might find some repetitions, but in spiritual life, repetition is always beneficial. 1- The Specificity of Christian Prayer 2- The Immersion in the Trinity 3- Liturgy as Prayer 4- Two Types of Contemplation 5- Lectio Divina and Contemplative Prayer According to Carmelite Spirituality 6- Raising Awareness of the Liturgy of the Word 7- Proposal for a Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word 8- Prayer of the Heart and Communion 9- Transfiguration and Mass 10- Mary’s Fiery Prayer
This article is significant, but it also presents certain challenges. To fully grasp its intricacies, a solid foundation in Spiritual Theology is essential.
I- Something Important is Missing
Although there is a clear difference between “Spiritual Formation” and “Spiritual Direction” many fail to necessarily grasp it. The weakness of Spiritual Theology, along with its lack of practical application and its failure to create a pedagogy for spiritual formation, leaves this distinction rather unclear. This significantly weakens the Church.
Moreover, the tendency to view Christian life in a static, ‘binary’ manner—either being in a state of grace or in a state of sin—prevents us from recognising the evolutionary process of spiritual growth. Consequently, the sole objective and standard of “spiritual life” becomes to remain in a state of grace, with the hope of dying in that same state and merely, so to speak, having to spend some time in purgatory. With this viewpoint there is a notable lack of support for the true meaning or place in our Christian life of “spiritual formation” and “spiritual direction”.
The situation is further complicated if it is not appreciated that it is with the second conversion that our true spiritual life begins.
Second Conversion
The profound importance of the second conversion is emphasised in the works of two of the greatest Doctors of the Church: St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. Indeed, the former finds it important to map out the spiritual life in which she focuses on growth in particular. This she presents in a dynamic way, conceiving spiritual growth as a journey from where whichever state the sinner is in to the point where he can be united with Christ and serve Him with total dedication. St. Teresa represents this journey as a movement from the outside of a castle to the innermost room of the edifice. The castle here represents the human soul with the innermost room being Jesus’ room at the centre of our being. The journey itself she divides into seven steps with each step having lateral steps. These steps St. Teresa calls “mansions” since they are an integral part of the structure of the castle. At each step or stage of growth she describes the state of the human being and reflects on what God would like this person to achieve in order to move to the following mansion. She then describes the change that God realises, as a result of our collaboration with the work of the grace of God. These seven stages of growth are divided into two main parts: from one to three and from four to seven. Thus, if entering the castle constitutes a major step, where prayer starts and changes such as refraining from mortal sin, etc, occur, the crossing from the Third Mansions to the Fourth is another major step. This can be called the “second conversion” and it corresponds also to her own second conversion. To underscore this, when St. Teresa starts describing the Fourth Mansions she says: “This is now about things supernatural” (Interior Castle, 4 Mansions 1,3).
This new page in our Christian life -after second conversion- is marked by the direct and personal intervention of the Holy Spirit, i.e. the love of God in Person. It is marked also and simultaneously by a personal relationship with Jesus. In fact, they are intimately linked for it is the Holy Spirit who allows us to have this personal relationship with the Lord. He allows us to “see” Him, to “listen” to Him and to “follow” Him. While the Third Mansions are marked by a commitment to the Christian life, avoiding sin and abiding with catholic moral life, it still tends to be all placed under the control of our reason, of what we think is right to do. As yet divine love -this direct intervention of the Holy Spirit in our life- has not touched us and has not inflamed us to go beyond a Christian life led by reason. St. Teresa will say so in no uncertain terms: love has not brought us out of reason (“sacar de razón”) – “You need never fear that they will kill themselves: they are eminently reasonable folk! Their love is not yet ardent enough to overwhelm their reason.” (3Mansions 2,7) (“No hayáis miedo que se maten, porque su razón está muy en sí; no está aún el amor para sacar de razón; mas querría yo que la tuviésemos para no nos contentar con esta manera de servir a Dios, siempre a un paso paso que nunca acabaremos de andar este camino.”)
St. John of the Cross signals the beginning of the new journey of growth, i.e. the second conversion, by singing: “where have you gone? You wounded me, and you left me and fled. I went out then searching for you.” (Spiritual Canticle, stanza one[1]) These heartfelt words, in fact, depict the new degree of effort and commitment needed from now on, namely, not simply trying to abide by a set of rules or commandments, but putting all our energy and desire into searching for the Groom, for the love of the Groom, for union with Him. The intensity of this second conversion is exemplified when one day, at Mass in his parish, St. Antony the Great hears the Lord’s call and leaving everything ventures into the desert, searching for God, for Jesus – for union with Jesus in solitude[2].
As a person embarks on this new stage of life, following Jesus and being inwardly guided by the Holy Spirit, spiritual formation becomes essential. It tells us “what to do” to grow spiritually and helps us to achieve the ultimate goal: union with Christ, the true object of our desire. Once we implement what spiritual formation teaches us, we start to interact with the Jesus through the Holy Spirit in a new way. Once the floodgates of grace have been opened, however, spiritual direction becomes a real necessity in order to discover on a personal level whether we are making optimum use of these graces and what to do in order to stay in tune with the action of the Holy Spirit. In fact, from this moment onward, the Holy Spirit becomes our real spiritual director as St. John of the Cross states it.
The importance of spiritual formation cannot be underestimated because it helps a person manage his or her spiritual life, their very relationship with Jesus. This formation also follows and adapts itself to the different stages of spiritual growth. Indeed, each stage needs its particular brand of “food”. Implementing this spiritual formation will trigger growth and of necessity walks hand in hand with spiritual direction to ensure a very real steady and safe growth in the individual.
As we can now see two types of mentors are indispensable here to help us in this journey of spiritual growth: the Master of spiritual life (i.e. the Spiritual Formator), and the Spiritual Director. The first offers spiritual formation using adapted practical techniques and the second helps ensure steady growth by checking the spiritual life, spiritual growth and the implementation of the received formation.
1) Spiritual Formation
Spiritual Formation is the way in the Church of transmitting the Spiritual Doctrine of the Church in an adapted way to the recipient. Spiritual Doctrine is meant to guide the seeker to Union with God and the Fullness of love. However, this Spiritual Doctrine, although it is to a degree theoretical, is entirely directed toward the practical level: practising and seeing results. In fact, it tells us what to do in order to make us step forward and grow spiritually. Putting into practice this teaching, helps us prepare ourselves to receive God’s transformative and sanctifying grace and grow spiritually. It offers knowledge of the essence of spiritual growth: the goals of spiritual life, the stages of growth, the means of growth, the discernment to ensure spiritual growth.
At each stage of spiritual life it is, then, imperative to have access to this adapted teaching in order to understand what is happening (what God is doing within us), and one’s role must be in order to correspond to his grace as well as to understand what the grace will be bringing about in us, and how to discern it.
Interior Forum vs. Exterior Forum
There are two sides or aspects to our Christian life: the “Interior Forum” and the “External Forum”. The interior forum is about our inner life, our conscience, our intimate thoughts, the movements of our heart and of course our spiritual life, i.e. our relationship with God. It has its sacredness and right to secrecy or privacy. On the other hand, the external forum constitutes all that is visible in our external behaviour, and with it our accountability to the Church, community, and society at large. For instance, Canon Law manages the external forum for it safeguards and protects the internal forum and all its rights. In consequence, the internal forum can -if we choose and when we choose- be exposed during spiritual direction and sins, being part of it, can be mentioned during confession. The confessor and the spiritual director are bound to keep confidential what they hear. The respect of the human conscience (the internal forum) is sacred.
Spiritual Formation, in sum, touches on the interior forum essentially. Therefore, normally it is not visible to the outer world, and it belongs to the secret recesses of the interior forum where only confessor, spiritual director and exceptionally the bishop can “enter”.
It is noteworthy, too, that although Spiritual Formation touches upon what occurs in the interior forum, it never transgresses the interior forum of a specific person, but only addresses individual cases in order to study and understand. It offers indications but never invades the privacy of the interior life of a person.
2) Spiritual Formation’s Requirements
Spiritual Formation needs : a Spiritual Formator, a Science (Spiritual Theology and practical Spiritual Theology), a Discernment (experience from the Formator) and a Pedagogy to transmit formation.
By “pedagogy” we mean the art of adapting and implementing Spiritual Theology to the reality of a person at a specific stage of his growth.
II- What Does Monastic Tradition Tells us
In order to better understand the specificity of Spiritual Formation and of Spiritual Direction, what is common between them and what differentiates them, let us examine how the Monastic tradition deals with them.
In monastic life various people and the functions they perform contribute to the formation and spiritual growth of the monks. Trying to understand them will help clarify the difference between spiritual formation and spiritual direction. Our focus should begin with the first phase of formation in the consecrated life, i.e. the noviciate. It is in this phase where the clarity of the functions shines out best and can help us more fully, as well as what differentiates them. We will consider first the Master of Novices and then the Spiritual Director.
1) The Noviciate: the Master of Novices
The Master of Novices is considered as a spiritual master, the person who is in charge of the formation of the novice monk. Formation is twofold: formation in religious life and formation in spiritual life. Usually, the place of formation is the noviciate room. A room where the novices can gather as often as needed (in some monastic communities it can be every day). This gives the master the possibility of transmitting the wisdom of monastic life and spiritual life to the young monk. Here he explains the form of life (style of life) of his religious/monastic Order to the novices. In fact, the noviciate embodies the first steps in religious life. The format used for this teaching and transmission can be varied: talks, informal lectures, questions and answers.
Examination of these dual types of formation will benefit us greatly here.
a) Formation in Religious Life
This touches on the External Forum. It transmits the tradition of the Order, the Rule, the Constitutions, the Customs and Practices, the form of life, the Vows and their theology, the History of the order, Liturgy,….
b) Formation in Spiritual Life
This touches the Internal Forum. It teaches prayer, spiritual life and it is adapted to the level of the novices, often beginners in spiritual life – but significantly – all called by the Lord, so technically very often they have already undergone the Second Conversion. It teaches the foundations of spiritual life. The Master explains how to implement the “manducation” process (prayer seen as “manducation”). It teaches about the stages of purification and their meaning, purification being the premier work of the grace of God. It teaches how to manage one’s Spiritual Life: prayer time and prayer life, that is, staying united to God during the day – how to live the day spiritually.
As a consequence, it is essential we understand the existence and importance of what can be called the “living tradition of Formation”. Receiving it properly and transmitting it faithfully is of vital necessity. By not paying attention to this aspect, religious life, consecrated life loses its essence, it becomes an empty shell.
This living tradition of spiritual formation makes prayer a real manducation (act of eating), a real purification (purification), and a real sanctificatio (a process of sanctification), and avoids illusions, deviations, emptiness, or going in circles or being ensconced in a state of life finding a numbing security in it, instead of staying alive and maintaining the main drive in it: seeking Union with God and growing spiritually.
When we speak here about Spiritual Formation, however, we are alluding solely to this aspect of the task of the Master of Novices: offering formation in Spiritual Life. Sometimes, too, this earns the Master of Novices the title of “Spiritual Master”.
Note: Sometimes people use the expression “private spiritual life” or “private prayer”. The word “private” can mistakenly lead us to think that prayer is mine alone and that it is disconnected from the life of the Church understood as the Mystical Body of Jesus. In a certain sense, “private” spiritual life does not really exist but is rather an illusion or a deviation. Even if prayer is an intimate and personal exercise, even if it is essentially concerned with the “interior forum”, this does not mean that it is separated from the mystery of the Church. Any true prayer, even if practised in solitude, places us in Christ and therefore places us in the living heart of the Church. Prayer is not an escape from the Whole Jesus, Head and Body. It is important then to understand that “personal” spiritual life or prayer by no stretch of the imagination means “private”spiritual life.
2) The Spiritual Director
The role of the spiritual director touches upon this interior forum. The Parlour, or small room dedicated to private conversation, is where spiritual direction is conducted. The length of time usually devoted to it is roughly one hour, once every one or two weeks for religious, although it can be extended to every four weeks for lay people or those with very active lives.
Spiritual direction, however, must be understood, as being the sacred space which allows the spiritual director to enter the “interior forum”, in order to deal in more detail with the personal prayer of the directee, all the while following the work of the grace of God and in alignment with His grace. It is also not uncommon for it to deal with daily life and its accompanying complexities.
One of the main tasks of Spiritual Direction is to check on the implementation of Spiritual Formation. This process significantly depends upon the formation and teaching given prior to it, the latter triggering in turn spiritual practices and graces to be received. Spiritual Direction intrinsically helps adjust the individual’s spiritual way of proceeding during the day. It is of use, also, in addressing any personal difficulty or question that might arise. Advice can be given here even on subjects other than those appertaining to the spiritual life.
Note: From the seventies onward many preferred to use the expression “spiritual accompaniment” instead of “spiritual direction”. In fact the characteristic way of thinking changed as did thinking on obedience. This came about as one of the consequences of Vatican II, which invited religious and monks in particular to practise responsible obedience, by understanding what was at stake in order to correspond to God’s will more fully as expressed through the Superior. This was a sign of true progress. Exemplary evidence of this is found in the act of obedience of Our Lady to God’s words at the Annunciation. Thus Mary’s initial response is not to say, “amen”, but rather to seek its true meaning so she can understand God’s will, the parts both she and He are to play and so obey more fully. For this reason some preferred to diminish the impression of authority and power conveyed by the word “direction”, to avoid an abuse in its use in “spiritual direction”. Some suggested, therefore, the use of the expression “spiritual accompaniment” to show that the director accompanies instead of directs. However, the disadvantage of this new understanding was that another extreme can emerge where the spiritual companion really fails to make any suggestions and just allows things to develop randomly. This in all fairness is of no real help. As we can see, a renewed understanding of Spiritual Direction was a real necessity, but foregoing its substantial content was not a good alternative to choose. Indeed, full respect for the freedom of the directee, is not opposed to shedding light when needed. In fact, spiritual direction is an art where the director has to align himself with God’s way of thinking and acting in order to follow the rhythm of growth and to encourage it – absolutely never in a “controlling” way but by always maintaining the role of true guide. In addition, classic spiritual tradition talks about the grace of “paternity” or “maternity” in this relationship, necessitating the handling of it with discernment to avoid psychological projection.
Conclusion
Monastic life is a state of life, but also it is a state of life which normally is meant to help the monk to attain union with God and the fullness of love. Therein a particular Rule and Constitutions, combined with a Proven Spiritual Doctrine (the living spiritual tradition of formation), are transmitted to the candidates to help them reach the fullness of love.
Since it is a state of life and it implies obedience (to the Constitutions and to the Superior), attention can be diverted from the essential reason why someone becomes a monk: to pursue the quest for Union with Jesus and the fullness of love. As a result, other aspects of daily life can overwhelm the life of the monk instead of its being a space of freedom to know God and love Him.
What becomes obvious, then, is that we need to clearly understand the difference between religious formation and spiritual formation (see above), even if they are intertwined and are supposed to be of mutual help.
What interests us here is to learn something important from monastic life, that is: the existence and necessity of Spiritual Formation, of a Living Spiritual Tradition which needs to be transmitted, while at the same time recognising the difference between this and Spiritual Direction which is meant to support it.
III- The Call to Holiness
Sometimes the obvious or evident do not appear as such to people. Vatican II reminded us that all are called to holiness (see here). We need to acknowledge on the pastoral level that it is impossible to respond to the call to holiness without Spiritual Formation. The Church has to provide it on the parochial level (see what Pope John Paul II says about it). Otherwise, if we continue to offer “Spiritual Formation” in an amateur way, the conclusion will be to “produce” holiness randomly and to continue with a totally absurd situation: wanting to go to the moon (Holiness) and not being able to fly the rocket (having proper spiritual formation). To date only the very generous, courageous, and perseverant might, I repeat “might”, succeed. Indeed, many people in the Church are convinced that they are offering Spiritual Formation. With deep regret I beg to disagree.
When the Church reminded us in Vatican II that all are called to Holiness, the perspective of holiness was at the reach of each and every one. to all. But at the same time it is imperative we make available to everyone the richness of proven doctrine to attain holiness. We need to open up the wisdom of the Monastery so to speak, we need to figuratively open the “noviciate room”, with all its richness, to all the people of God in a radically new way. Today’s means cannot achieve such a high goal as Holiness. Not only this but we ought to bear in mind that many religious orders have lost the living tradition of formation.
Despite this, however, if we focus on the parishes, we are still far from being able to implement the vision of Pope John Paul II: “to place pastoral planning under the heading of holiness” (NMI 31). We fail to assess the consequences of such a choice. It is indeed “a choice filled with consequences” (Ibid.) For a start we lack spiritual formators in the Parishes. Neither do we have an office directly accountable to the Bishop, an office in charge of Spiritual Formation, as we have for Evangelisation or Pastoral Care in the Parishes. Nor have priests been in any way prepared for such pastoral work. Even more to the point is the fact that the state of Theology today cannot conceivably be adapted to such an endeavour. Theology is still considered to be the “intelligence of our faith” and is not yet envisaged as the “guide who leads us to Union”. Granted, Pope Benedict hinted at the “Monastic Theology” (see Integral Theology here), but much needs to be done to transform Theology. Then, too, in Parishes there is a need to supplement Adult Formation (OCIA), which is based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, with Spiritual Formation.
Most important of all, in the final analysis, is knowledge of the unassailable fact that while it is one thing to know Jesus’ Call, it is another is to be ready to hear it, and yet another is to be enabled to answer it and follow it.
IV- Differences Between the Spiritual Master and the Spiritual Director
1) The Spiritual Master
The Spiritual Master explains the “theory” of Spiritual Life, its theology. He does not participate in the interior forum, but by contrast explains how to practise spiritual life. Pedagogy is his forte, his function being to teach by giving lectures, lessons, and courses.
He can provide personal sessions to make sure the teaching on prayer is implemented properly, but by no stretch of the imagination is this spiritual direction. Without having details of the life of the person, one on one sessions are very limited, as there is no need to know any personal details of the individual’s life.
However, what is worthy of note is that what the spiritual master offers is not pure academia (otherwise it becomes lessons/courses in Spiritual Theology), but rather talks and explanations of the spiritual life on a practical level.
In addition, it is of course very important for him not only to be very knowledgeable in the science of Spiritual Theology, but also to be pedagogically very agile in the sharing of the spiritual life and spiritual formation with fellow believers.
2) Spiritual Director
What, then, is the function of the Spiritual Director (see here)? He or she listens and follows God’s grace manifest in the directee. He checks if the person is doing all that is possible to follow the workings of God’s grace. He knows the line of growth and can follow it, discern it – guide it, being very experienced in Discernment. He totally takes for granted that the person has received (and is receiving) spiritual formation. Being extremely adept at reading what is happening in the directee’s soul he can evaluate how God is acting, “reading” it as he would do in Lectio Divina.
The Spiritual Director, taken as a whole, enters the interior forum of the person and is bound to the secret it reveals. His main area of operation is the session.
The main task in such sessions is to read the action of the grace of God, during which the Spiritual Director will invite the person to do certain things that are lacking. He will shed light on unclear issues in the Spiritual Life of the person when it is the time and the place to do so. In sum he checks the “practice” of the “theory”. He Confirms. He follows the growth and guides it.
Necessary Qualities
He needs to know Spiritual Theology thoroughly, it goes without saying, and this is a heavy undertaking. Of course, first and foremost he needs to practise what he preaches. It would be advantageous to be close to a community or to people who are more advanced than he, in order to grow in understanding through concrete witness of how to encourage “holiness”. This implies that he has received the tradition of discernment through having received Spiritual Direction from more than one experienced Spiritual Director.
VI- Conclusion
Both the Spiritual Formator and the Spiritual Director are greatly needed in the Church. As we have seen, their tasks are very different from one another. They have much in common, but their angle of approach is very different. One demonstrates the theory and the other checks its implementation. In fact, without spiritual formation, Spiritual Direction is a very shallow and vague exercise. To have a spiritual master must needs come first.
Note: Religious life from 1965 to 2015 has been declining as statistics definitely confirm, and the main reason is shallow Spiritual Formation.
Indeed, regarding priestly formation for priesthood, all that is provided covers the stages before the second conversion. The true and vital import of this is that if we want future priests to be capable of handling Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction, Theology itself needs to be radically changed (see here), from “understanding our faith” to being the “guide toward union with God”.
[1] “Where have you hidden, Beloved, and left me moaning? You fled like the stag after wounding me; I went out calling you, and you were gone.” (Spiritual Canticle, Stanza 1)
[2] Chapter 2 of the Life of St. Antony: “He entered the church and it so happened that the Gospel was being read, and he heard the Lord saying to the rich young man, ‘If you would be perfect, go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and come follow me and you will have treasure in heaven’ (Matthew 19:21). Antony, as though God had put him in mind of the saints and the passage had been read on his account, went out immediately from the church, and gave the possessions of his forefathers to the villagers—they were three hundred acres, productive and very fair—that they should be no more a clog upon himself and his sister.”
Our way of understanding the Gospel as the illustration of our spiritual journey of growth, of understanding Christ as our way, can lead us to think that the journey of following in the footsteps of Christ, ends at the conclusion of the Gospel. A conclusion where we are called to the heroism of martyrdom, to carry our Cross and follow Christ to the end and to die like Him for our brothers! The fact is that we do not conceive of a life on earth after this imitation of Christ’s death. This means that implicitly, when in Spiritual Theology we try to understand the shape of the spiritual journey, we place “Union with God” at the journey’s end. Sometimes even in our imagination, we see it as happening “a few minutes”, so to speak, before our death. Often, consequently, we defer Union to a work of purification after death: Purgatory.
In this process of understanding the shape of our journey – a process both important and carried out implicitly (unconsciously) – as we look at the course of the Lord’s life, we apply Christ’s journey as described in the Gospels to ourselves! We do not necessarily think for a second about the fact that the apostles, those who recount Christ’s life to us in the Gospel, did not actually die with Christ’s death. The thought of what became of them never crosses our minds. It has to be said, however, that all this happens implicitly. All the major manuals of Spiritual Theology from the first half of the last century onwards instinctively followed this schema (Poulain, Tanquerey, Arintero, de Guibert, Garrigou-Lagrange, Marie-Eugène, etc.). And for nineteen centuries this is how Christian life was understood: as an ascent into Heaven, an ascent to the summit of the mountain, i.e. as an ascent towards Union, with this being the final stage before death! The manuals fail to give any detail about what happens after Union (or any step inside of this stage), except for the question of Transformative Union described by Saint John of the Cross, which is, in fact, an intensification of the Fire that has transformed us, and a transition to an active form of the Divine Fire. Works such as the entry into the promised land of Origen (Commentary on Numbers 14), “Mystical Theology” of Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite, “The Life of Moses” of St. Gregory of Nyssa, the “Ladder of Divine Ascent” of St. John Climacus, “The Itinerary of the Soul to God” of St. Bonaventure, etc., all instinctively placed union at the end of the journey, as the culmination of the path, the realisation of our life on earth, the supreme fulfilment. They were followed by the scholastic theorists of Spiritual Theology (or Mystical Theology), such as Blessed Bartholomew of the Martyrs, O.P., Philip of the Blessed Trinity, O.C.D., Anthony of the Holy Ghost, O.C.D., Thomas Vallgornera, O.P., Schram, O.S.B.
Involved in this process of the imitation of Christ as presented to us in the Gospel, and in the first Christian authors: the masters of spiritual life, and the monks whose primary aim is to follow Christ to the end, there is a dimension we must keep to the forefront of our thinking. This dimension seems to intertwine seamlessly with the first (following Jesus), namely, the spiritual life, the monk’s life, is in imitation of the angels! The ultimate stage hereby offered to us is to reach Contemplation! In fact, in heaven, the entire heavenly occupation of the saints and the angels is to contemplate God in the beatific vision, so why not begin this activity here on earth? To reiterate: the monastic life was understood very early on as an imitation of the life of the angels! The ideal was twofold both in Christ who dies and the angels who contemplate God! This is the very goal we seek – here on earth to join the angels in heaven, to take the place of the fallen angels (see this doctrine, for example, in Saint Augustine’s City of God), and to praise and contemplate God. This is the Goal of the Monk and his office here on earth!
This is why the scheme of the Greek philosophers, which presents spiritual growth in three stages, with the last being contemplation (union), was easily integrated into our understanding of the Journey, indicating that the goal of the Christian life is union with God—that is, supreme contemplation—namely, being in God the Son and united to Him, before the Eternal Father, in the Holy Spirit. This tripartite scheme of the Greek philosophers (purification, illumination, union) found no difficulty being incorporated almost verbatim into the Christian faith. The final goal is indeed union! And when we say “final goal,” we place it at the end of our lives! For what more can we expect if we have reached the summit, if we have attained the level of the angels? The next stages to join the angels then consist of dying and being inducted into the beatific vision of God.
Saint Francis
Saint Francis wanted to follow Christ with all his being, with total fervour and described his Rule as being simply the Gospel itself, i.e. Christ in the Gospel, and the Apostles’ life as described in the Gospel. However, taking the Gospel as Rule may simply lead us to follow Christ to His death and to die with Him. In this sense, the Gospel would lead us to martyrdom. “There is no greater love than this—that a man should lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). In this sense, too, the time dedicated to participating in the Passion (suffering prior to death) is, as for Christ, rather brief.
How do we move from this clear Gospel pattern—a pattern that ends with Christ’s death and thus our martyrdom—to a pattern like that of the Apostles’, which includes a continuation after the Resurrection and Pentecost? The questions we should be addressing then should be: is there an evolution in the apostolic time in our understanding of the Journey? Is this development visible in the Gospels? In fact, the Gospel were not written at the same time yet they do offer us a vision of the development of Christian doctrine in the first century. Matthew and Mark were written first. Then came Luke (probably after the year 70, maybe 85) and finally John (after 96). Closer examination of the various schema of awareness reveals the follow:
1. Matthew’s schema ends with “Go and preach the Gospel to all” (Mt. 28) (It is not clear if we die with Christ here)! Mark’s ends with the Death and Resurrection (Our death and then eternal life?).
2. Luke’s schema integrates a continuation with that of the Acts of the Apostles (which does not end with Paul’s death, but with his imprisonment (see end of Acts)). In this sense, there is a clear opening towards a future that goes beyond our passing through the death and resurrection of Christ.
3. John’s schema is actually a double reading of the Gospel. The first level of reading indicates we must be made capable of accessing Christ, His divinity, so that through the second level of reading the same Gospel (i.e. re-reading it again with our being now “in Christ”) we can draw from Him and give to our brothers (see Jn. 1:51 and 2:1-11). His Gospel thus allows for two levels of reading. In fact, it could be further elaborated upon as follows: the first reading to cover chapters 1 to 20, then to continue by re-reading, with our being united to Christ, chapters 1 to 21, practising what Christ did, being sent forth by Him, thus making it a total of 41 chapters.
How Can we Change the Understanding of the Journey?
The Transformation Made by Saint Francis
How then do we move from the Gospel schema, which ends with Christ’s death, to a perspective that tells us that the Passion is not our physical death but rather the death of the Old Man within us, thereby opening a new horizon?
This is the crucial question! How do we understand the Christian life journey? Since it is about “following Christ” and Christ dies, this seems to suggest that we too are destined to die, enduring our martyrdom. On the contrary, we must transition to a deeper understanding of the sequela Christi (following of Christ); we must realise that we do not die at the moment of reaching death with Christ. There is life after this stage. There is a spiritual life, there is an apostolic life, a greatly fruitful life. Note the significance of the life of the Apostles! In consequence, it is now evident that Jesus’ death, in truth, corresponds to deep purification, to the death of the Old Man in us, and not our literal death!
The brief journey of the sequela Christi as presented through the life of martyrs and their short martyrdom needs much deeper exploration. When persecution ends, for instance, we are no longer under threat yet we are still alive, and this can last for years! So what would the next step be then? How should we understand our Christian life? How should we understand our spiritual journey? What then is our real goal here on earth? This is the question posed by the monks, those who desire to follow Christ more closely and yet do not die from persecution.
With the passage of time, and with the deepening of the faith experienced by subsequent generations, we have moved from an ending like that of Matthew or Mark to an ending like that of Luke (which introduces the Acts of the Apostles) and to a redefinition of the apostle, united to Christ, acting in Christ, according to Christ’s example (a second, deeper reading of his Gospel).
In Saint Francis, we find something of this search where he gives himself completely to Christ, according to the Rule of the Gospel. He actively seeks martyrdom – this aspect of his life is fundamental! He rejoices at the death of the first five martyrs (1219) and considers them the premier brothers of his Order. That said, Saint Francis, despite all his efforts to expose himself to the danger of being killed as Christ’s witness among the Muslims, does not die a martyr! This is a great disappointment for one who yearned to embrace martyrdom! Yet isn’t this the Gospel’s Rule?! The Lord’s example to follow? It emphasises that the “classical” ideal to die a martyr just does not work! By comparison a new dimension is offered to him, that of being “set apart” by the stigmata, by a visible identification with Christ-the-Victim for us. It is common knowledge that there are two forms of stigmata: the visible ones (Saint Francis, Padre Pio, and many female saints) and the invisible stigmata. However, the latter must not be underestimated. Saint Paul also said that he bore the marks of Christ: “From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus’ suffering” (Gal. 6:17).
Saint Francis is thus led to discover a new added aspect of the spiritual journey, to broaden his understanding of the Gospel (remember: his Rule is the Gospel. All Religious Orders have Rules.). He realises that martyrdom is the only and quickest solution to reach the summit of the spiritual journey, it must be understood that there are other stages: the final stage in his life, before his holy death, the final stage in his life, he is to be offered a participation in the Lord’s Passion! What a Mission… Clearly union with the Lord is not the final say, not the final stage in the spiritual journey. This will be confirmed later in the history of Spiritual Theology, when St. Therese, Doctor of the Church, the greatest saint of modern times, a milestone and a yardstick in Spiritual Theology will say: “Quand je pense que je meurs dans un lit! j’aurais voulu mourir dans une arène….” (when I think that I am dying in a bed! I would have wanted to die in an arena…” (like the first martyrs in the Roman theatres)). With these words Therese teaches us through her life, showing us that after union, after having offered herself to the Love of God and having received the flares of love as Saint John of the Cross describes them in the Living Flame, there is something else: this dwelling in the land of darkness, with sinners, loving the Lord for them and with them, and with them asking for forgiveness, up to the very moment of her holy death.
This new understanding of the Rule of the Gospel, which Saint Francis was led to discover thanks to his generosity of heart, is an expansion of his initial understanding of the Gospel. At the start he understood it instinctively as bringing our journey to an end with Christ’s death, through a following of Christ that leads to our own martyrdom. This new understanding is like the transition from the presentation of Matthew-Mark to that of Luke-Acts and then to John (with its two layers of meaning).
This now begs the important question: in the life of the person who follows the Lord, what is His Passion? For instance, therefore, in the life of the Apostles and the Gospels writers, what is it to witness the Lord’s Passion? Does it indicate their death? After what we have now come to realise, it would be better to say it is rather the death of the Old Man in them. Let us remember Saint Peter’s behaviour even right before the beginning of the Passion. He said to Christ with fervour, generosity and conviction (the conviction of the Old Man): I will defend you; I will die for you. But who was speaking at that moment? It was the Old Man in him. A similar response was elicited from him when he rejected the perspective of the death of his Master when the latter announced it the first time: “No never, this won’t happen to you”. The Master, however, showed us that the one who was speaking in Peter was his old man, his old self which needed to be purified and transformed.
This is why Saint Matthew, when he places the Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13) after the Sermon on the Mount (5-7) and the first apostolic efforts of the Apostles (Mt. 10), is in fact showing us that it is not enough to follow Jesus to be really ensuring steady growth. On the contrary, we need to pay attention to the way we listen to Him and then to put his words into practice. In fact, with the language of the Parables, the shift operated by the Lord is radical. He invites us to focus not on the Seed of His Word (He gave it in the Sermon on the Mount Mt. 5-7), but on the soil, i.e. the way we receive his Word! Indeed, He went so far as to give us three unfruitful way, dead-end ways of receiving his word and only one productive way He named as The Good Soil, i.e. Mary. Consequently it becomes crystal clear that it is not enough to simply have Jesus as our goal, as the One we are following. We need to observe and examine with great care how we listen to Him. Hence the absolute importance of the Parable of the Sower as a major turning point in our reflection regarding the spiritual journey. With the Parable of the Sower the Lord opens our eyes to see that there are two vital factors in our spiritual life: who to follow; how do we listen to Him. He warned us repeatedly: “watch out for the way you listen to my words”. “Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.” (Luke 8:18)
When reading the Gospel, therefore, it is important to follow the Lord. It is important to carry the Cross of our own purification (each day brings its own challenge), until we reach his Passion. It is important to embrace his Passion, to meditate upon it, and to appreciate with immense gratitude all that Christ has achieved for us. This stage is vital for us, but it does not conclude our death will be imminent, and that our spiritual journey has reached its peak. It means in the main that our receiving his Passion into our life, leads the Old Man in us (the Old Self) to die, and allows the New Man in us to rise, and have new life, with a new doctrine (documented in the forty days of apparitions and instructions of the Lord to the Apostles) and the coming of the flames of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost, see Saint John of the Cross’ Living Flame of Love). In this sense, these stages reveal the need for our purification and transformation to allow us not only to be united with the Lord, but also to enable us to be commissioned by Him to go forth and carry on his work… indeed, our death occurs much after. A new life of service will now start, and a new fecundity will be given to us: “The smallest act of pure love is more useful to the Church than all other works combined.” (Saint John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle B, Introduction of Stanza 29; see also Saint Therese, Manuscript B 4v°)
To express it succinctly then, in this sense we are invited to embrace the Passion twice in our life: once when we receive it, when we are purified by the Lord: as we commence our climb towards Union climbing toward Union. Secondly, when we descend with the Lord to embracing Him more fully in our neighbour as beings set apart to participate in His redemptive love.
After having been seriously warned by God of the importance of St. Thérèse, right after her death and for various decades, to the point that one of the Popes said that she is “the greatest saint of modern times”, interest tended to fade until a point was reached where Thérèse is back in the normal ranks of the saints.
In itself it would be a deep loss for the Church to lose sight of the paramount importance of Therese for the institution itself. Some will argue by saying that St. Faustina’s message is the same as Therese’s. Others will argue that the fact that Pope John-Paul II declared her a “Doctor of the Church” goes against what I am saying. These two arguments may seem strong but when you look at the reality, on a daily basis, Therese is not being understood as God wanted her to be understood during the decades following her death. Others might argue by saying: “has she ever really been understood even in the past?”, or “weren’t we loyal to the gentle Little Flower of Lisieux and still haven’t reached the core of her teaching and the meaning of her mission in the Church?”. When Mgr. Guy Gaucher OCD was interviewed in 1992 – the year of the publication of all her works in one volume – and after her Doctorate in 1997 – he declared: “everything is starting now”! Here he meant that the adventure of knowing the real Therese was just starting! A hundred years after her death!
The Icon of Therese Doctor of the Church
Therese is just not any saint. She is unique in the history of the Church; she is well above other saints. I can hear people already being upset when they read this. But this statement is not said lightly. In the history of the Church, in the two thousand years of our trying to understand the Gospel and trying to live it, Therese is unique. In the two thousand years of spiritual masters in the Church, Therese is different, but not slightly different, she is “revolutionarily” different and well above the crowd of the Masters of Spiritual Life. However, instead of arguing, it is better to try to understand why such statements are being made. I do not claim that this article will give all the reasons, but some of them are set out below:
Her extremely deep and developed relationship with Our Lady which is totally overlooked. We fix on stereotypes, quoting some of her writings and neglecting the main body of her writings. We don’t really see who she is in relation to Our Lady.
Her capacity to embody the deepest teaching in Spiritual Life we have today, ie. as expounded by St. John of the Cross.
The practical discernment she offers on living St. John of the Cross’ teaching, without any extraordinary manifestations… what she calls “the common way” (la voie commune). This way still embodies a deep mystical/spiritual life which reaches the summits of spiritual life.
Her practical spirit, which reveals how to love Jesus on a daily basis, using all the events of the day to love Him, and the notion of martyrdom by pinpricks.
Her first trial (1889-1892) and its significant import.
Her Act of oblation which sheds an incredible light on the Spiritual Life, on prayer, and on contemplative prayer, and also on how we manage our relationship with God.
Her hope and conviction that God wants to give her all that she has read about in St. John of the Cross.
Her “Little Way” so often misunderstood.
Her final trial (1896-1897) and its profound meaning… the list is long and in all these fields and topics, she offered incredible new lights.
Her way of praying for others, and realising to its fullness the baptismal priesthood, reaches incredible depths and shows forth many lights.
The radically different face of God she shows us. Her experience and knowledge of God is of another league. The same applies to her understanding of the Gospel and the Scriptures.
The way she deals with God directly: a mix of incredible audacity, deep understanding of who God really is, how He thinks, how He sees us, etc. How she deals with Him in a daily and practical way.
Of course, and the most important point is the way she loved Jesus. This it must be said includes all the above.
Therese’s Copernican Revolution
There is yet one more important revolutionary insight she offers about our relationship with the Lord, that is, our relationship with the Holy Spirit. On the one hand this can sometimes be overlooked, while on the other hand it can free, or unblock, many people on their spiritual journey. The insight I am referring to combines all the elements above. In order, then, to explain her insight, I think we can summarise it under three aspects which should be combined and blended spiritually:
1- Who we are, our weaknesses, our past sins, the deep stains of sin in us, the bad habits, our faults.…
2- Who God is, His true face or identity – here Therese is simply mind-blowing – how He looks at us; what He expects from us; what He would like to do in us; His incredible desire to give Himself to us.
3- The conditions needed for us to love God. They are not what we think, for example, when we feel we need to please Him by doing good deeds. What to do with our weaknesses, how to deal with our sins (after having sinned), how to love God, how to become holy despite or because of our weaknesses… how to open our being – regardless of our state (sins, faults, etc) – to God’s unconditional Love.
Therese enters the Carmelite monastery of Lisieux at the age of fifteen years. At the age of seventeen she reads St. John of the Cross, the Spiritual Canticle and the Living Flame, and asks God to realise is her all that she has read. She undergoes a deep purification, through difficult, increasingly purifying trials, from 1889 to 1892. As a result of God’s action in her, she learns from within about her own nothingness. After this spiritual winter, from 1893 onward, she enters a new spring phase where the love of God is guiding her.
The sequence of events that follow amply reveals how this new phase unfolds.
On 9th Jun 1895 she receives a very powerful grace showing her to what extent God’s desire to love us goes, in order to give us his love: the Holy Spirit (she names Him: the Merciful Love of God). She understands that her lack of holiness, in that all her righteous deeds have stains on them, so they would fail to please God anyway, is not the obstacle to God’s outpouring of Love, but that the contrary is true – this is a huge discovery where the dynamics of our relationship with God are turned upside down. She then feels invited to offer herself totally, unconditionally (as a holocaust offering) to God’s merciful love. From that moment onward until her death she is on fire in a completely new way. In April 1896 she is introduced by God to the “land of the shadow of death” (Is. 9:2), to sit “at the table of the sinners,” just like Jesus who wanted to sit and eat with sinners (Mt. 9:11), and she prays with her brothers and sister sinners to be forgiven and set free. The inner Fire is still there but not felt anymore, as will become clear from Letter 197 (see below). In September 1896 she experiences an important retreat. She gives a written account of this retreat to her sister Marie who lives with her in the Monastery. Her account is a prolongation of the new dynamics decisively triggered by the Act of Oblation. In fact, she offers more details and development of the Act. This text is called today the Manuscript B. In reply to the account of her retreat, her sister Marie objects to her saying that she is much weaker than Therese, not on fire like her, that she doesn’t feel any passion of love like her, and more importantly and as a consequence Marie feels she cannot offer herself to God’s love, that she is unworthy, etc. In a word she says: “I am not like you,” to which Therese replies with a fiery letter, Letter 197, see below. In this letter, Therese develops what can be already perceived during her first trial (1889-1992) and which was hugely reinforced on 9th June 1895. The doctrine she offers – we must call it a “doctrine” – is here revolutionary, almost unheard of in the history of the Church. It is an illustration and development of something we read in St. Paul, but which we fail to really grasp to the core. St. Paul writes: “He [the Lord] said to me: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Cor. 12:9) We think of perfection in a certain way, as if it were an eradication of all weaknesses, of being strong when faced with trials and temptations, of having overcame all possibility of falling, only to discover that God’s understanding of the perfection of love, is something completely different. It is rather the case that the more we rely on His Love the more His love is active in us. Our weakness is not an obstacle, if we learn to offer it to God’s love. Our perfection is, in all truth, God’s love in us.
But first let us read this letter.
Letter 197
From Thérèse to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart
J.M.J.T. Jesus
September 17, 1896
Dear Sister, I am not embarrassed in answering you… How can you ask me if it is possible for you to love God as I love Him?…If you had understood the story of my little bird, you would not have asked me this question. My desires of martyrdom are nothing; they are not what give me the unlimited confidence that I feel in my heart. They are, to tell the truth, the spiritual riches that render one unjust, when one rests in them with complacence and when one believes they are something great. … These desires are a consolation that Jesus grants at times to weak souls like mine (and these souls are numerous), but when He does not give this consolation, it is a grace of privilege. Recall those words of Father: “The martyrs suffered with joy, and the King of Martyrs suffered with sadness.” Yes, Jesus said: “Father, let this chalice pass away from me.” Dear Sister, how can you say after this that my desires are the sign of my love?… Ah! I really feel that it is not this at all that pleases God in my little soul; what pleases Him is that He sees me loving my littleness and my poverty, the blind hope that I have in His mercy…. That is my only treasure, dear Godmother, why would this treasure not be yours?…Are you not ready to suffer all that God will desire? I really know that you are ready; therefore, if you want to feel joy, to have an attraction for suffering, it is your consolation that you are seeking, since when we love a thing the pain disappears. I assure you, if we were to go to martyrdom together in the dispositions we are in now, you would have great merit, and I would have none at all, unless Jesus was pleased to change my dispositions. Oh, dear Sister, I beg you, understand your little girl, understand that to love Jesus, to be His victim of love, the weaker one is, without desires or virtues, the more suited one is for the workings of this consuming and transforming Love. …The desire alone to be a victim suffices, but we must consent to remain always poor and without strength, and this is the difficulty, for: “The truly poor in spirit, where do we find him? You must look for him from afar,” said the psalmist. … He does not say that you must look for him among great souls, but “from afar,” that is to say in lowliness, in nothingness…. Ah! let us remain then very far from all that sparkles, let us love our littleness, let us love to feel nothing, then we shall be poor in spirit, and Jesus will come to look for us, and however far we may be, He will transform us in flames of love….Oh! how I would like to be able to make you understand what I feel!… It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love…. Does not fear lead to Justice (1)?… Since we see the way, let us run together. Yes, I feel it, Jesus wills to give us the same graces, He wills to give us His heaven gratuitously. “Oh, dear little Sister, if you do not understand me, it is because you are too great a soul.. .or rather it is because I am explaining myself poorly, for I am sure that God would not give you the desire to be POSSESSED by Him, by His Merciful Love if He were not reserving this favour for you.. .or rather He has already given it to you, since you have given yourself to Him, since you desire to be consumed by Him, and since God never gives desires that He cannot realize. …Nine o’clock is ringing, and I am obliged to leave you.’ Ah, how I would like to tell you things, but Jesus is going to make you feel all that I cannot write…. I love you with all the tenderness of my GRATEFUL little childlike heart.
Thérèse of the Child Jesus rel. carm. ind.
(1) To strict justice such as it is portrayed for sinners, but no this Justice that Jesus will have toward those who love Him.
The usual understanding of Spiritual Life is that our sins displease God, therefore, we need to repent, refrain, confess, and change. We think we first need to be perfect in order to please God. All these dynamics, however, are measured by our way of “measuring” sin or “good deeds”. Significantly, we look at ourselves instead of looking at God. We think that we can please God. We don’t have any doubt about that, and we think it is through avoiding sin that we can please God. Of course, this is correct: under no circumstance should we sin. We clearly need to avoid sin. But the problem lies elsewhere: we think that this is what makes us please God and be accepted by Him. We think that we can please God, that it is in our power to do so. The point is that, yes, it is necessary to please God, but these dynamics are not enough. The core of Therese’s discovery on the 9th June 1895, is that even our “good” acts have stains in them (see Act of Oblation). Even our righteous acts have stains on them. This means that we can’t, by our own efforts, please God – we need something else, we need another way. In fact, we need God to please God, because only God (in us) can please God. It is as if we are in a closed circuit. And we need to enter this circuit.
How does this work? First and foremost, one has to admit that this discovery is proper to an advanced stage in spiritual life. But Therese wasn’t shy about sharing it with everyone. In fact, from day one it shows the way to the beginner. She even called it “her own little way to God, direct and easy”, compared to the hard staircase of holiness. In fact, the hard staircase of holiness is an allusion to asceticism, to our own efforts made with the general help of the Grace of God. But, per se, there are no hard staircases which really lead to holiness. It is just an illusion that the majority of we humans have – we think that we can be good Christians by our own efforts, by our own codes of conduct and morals. But in fact, without the Holy Spirit (the Merciful Love of God) we can’t please God. We need to receive the Holy Spirit, allow Him to “grab” our inner being, as it is, transform it, elevate it and introduce it to God himself. We need the Holy Spirit to became capable of pleasing God.
The main objection seems to cling to us still: “I am weak, a wretch, I have greatly sinned, I keep falling, for me, it is impossible to please God” …. “I don’t feel God’s love”.… It would never occur to us – and this is Therese’s Revolution – that the weaker we are, the more we are adapted to God’s Love. God’s weight, God’s desire is to lower Himself more and more! God, says Therese, finds a greater satisfaction in lowering Himself more. Thus, our weakness is not an obstacle but an advantage, with the important conditions of accepting it, and offering it. We never think that God waits for us to offer our weakness, even our sin. We want to offer the good things in us to God. We don’t know that our being is combustible to God’s Love. Anything in us, if offered with trust and abandonment, is combustible for the Fire of God’s Love.
What is good in us is not enough in the eyes of God: all our righteous deeds have stains. This means we can’t please God with our righteousness. We need to offer to the Holy Spirit even what we thought in the past was “good”. He takes it, penetrates it, transforms it, elevates it and introduces it to God. He makes it pleasant to the eyes of God. Therefore, anything in us, good or less good or God forbid, bad, needs to be offered to God’s love. Anything and everything in us is really combustible to the Fire of God’s Love.
Remember, God is a real Fire, a Fire which doesn’t destroy, but gives divine life, makes us become alive, active, loving.
In this sense what was thought to be an obstacle – our weakness, sinfulness etc. – can be used as something combustible to God’s Fire of Love in us. Our “excuses” are now our assets. It depends on we ourselves to use them.
We hear Jesus saying: I came for the sinners so they can have divine life! I didn’t come to ask them to be holy and then I can receive them. I came to change them, I came to give them my Love, which can transform them, make them pleasant to me, so that I can introduce them in Me.
In sum, then, instead of looking at ourselves in the spiritual mirror to see how “good” or “bad” we are, it is better to look at Jesus, see in his heart his desires to give us his Fiery Love. After sinning, it is important to look at Jesus, not at ourselves, which, sadly, sometimes seems to reinforce the sin by yet another sin, which is to delay the reception of Jesus’ Merciful Love.
Lord Jesus, keep our eyes fixated on your Love, help us understand to which extent it is only your love which makes us pleasant to your eyes and introduces us deeply in you. Amen.
Lord Jesus help us see that the more we feel we are weak the more adapted we become to your love. Teach us O Lord to dwell in this spiritual poverty. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is Jesus’ Fiery Love.
A few years ago, “Lectio Divina at the School of Mary” was published, a work originally written in 2001. The teaching of Lectio Divina began in 1995 and has continued to develop since then. Over time, a significant challenge emerged: many individuals noticed that the daily readings often conveyed the same message. The Lord was beginning to impart His supernatural light, with the Holy Spirit acting directly and personally. However, the light people received seemed general rather than specific, practical, or precise. As a result, Jesus’ will often appeared unclear, leaving people uncertain if they were truly listening to Him or practicing Lectio Divina correctly. The key was to persist in prayer until the light became clear and Jesus’ will certain. This crucial aspect, however, was not sufficiently emphasised or explained in the first book. Therefore, the purpose of this new book, Finished and Unfinished Lectio Divina, is to assist all who have begun practicing Lectio Divina, as outlined in the first book or in the Solid Foundations Course, and need clarity on this issue. Additionally, articles published on the website have been included in this book. (Amazon USA – Amazon UK)
Igniting the Fire of Our Faith
This book is for each person who wants to ignite and nurture their personal faith. The first part of the book essentially presents Christ as the centre of our faith. In the second part, the author shows that faith can grow and provides practical explanations on how to nourish it by offering various means for it to do so, all complementary and rooted in the Tradition of the Church. The last part in particular is specifically dedicated to the growth of faith. The wisdom and practical advice found in this book are presented in the simple form of “100 questions and answers,” making it very accessible at all levels. Faith is both a challenge and a great help for our lives. With this in mind we must face our doubts and put into practice the directions and ways offered in this book in order to see our faith ignite again and grow. “Mary, you who have believed, make us participants in the purity of your Faith, your adherence to the Word of your Son, your commitment to follow Him to the end with the strength of the Holy Spirit.” “May this Year of Faith [2012-2013] make the relationship with Christ, the Lord, ever stronger, for only in Him do we have the certainty to look to the future and the guarantee of an authentic and lasting love.” — Benedict XVI (Amazon USA – Amazon UK) (Table of Contents click here)
Praying the Mass
The goal of this book is to help the faithful to live better the Mass, to enter into the grace of the Mass, to understand what God wants to give us and how we can benefit from the graces of the Mass. The Mass has everything in it; it is the summary of the Gospel; it is the summary of Jesus’ life; it contains God’s entire gift for us. One Mass would be enough! Its richness is incommensurable. With the help of the great masters of spiritual life like St. Teresa of Avila we can enter more deeply in the Mass and benefit from its immense richness. Liturgy is Prayer. Liturgy is the norm of Prayer. Liturgy is the source and summit of our prayer. Have we explored the depth and richness of Liturgy? We often remain fixed on the exterior acts of worship and forget that true worship is “in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:23-24), that we have an altar in our heart because of the Baptismal Priesthood and that we are called to participate in the Mass in a deep and way. St. Teresa of Avila teaches us contemplation –i.e. God’s intervention in our prayer which elevates us in Him– but she recommends a more perfect prayer, a prayer which unites “vocal prayer” and “mental prayer” (the Prayer of the Heart). We can say the same about liturgy: to live liturgy in a more perfect way we need to unite the exterior rites with an inner participation which leads to true contemplation. This book is composed of various articles published on the website of the School of Mary (www.schoolofmary.org). One might find some repetitions, but in spiritual life, repetition is always beneficial. 1- The Specificity of Christian Prayer 2- The Immersion in the Trinity 3- Liturgy as Prayer 4- Two Types of Contemplation 5- Lectio Divina and Contemplative Prayer According to Carmelite Spirituality 6- Raising Awareness of the Liturgy of the Word 7- Proposal for a Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word 8- Prayer of the Heart and Communion 9- Transfiguration and Mass 10- Mary’s Fiery Prayer
Our Christian life can be divided in two periods, one before hearing Jesus’ Call, and one after. This book addresses aspects of Jesus’ Call that can easily be overlooked and delves into the difference between merely knowing that God calls all the baptised to holiness and truly hearing Jesus’ personal Call in our hearts at a specific point in our lives. (Amazon US – Amazon UK)
God Loves You
“Jesus looked at him and loved him.” (Mk 10:21). We can easily overlook this passage. We think that it is not for us. Who understands the extent of Jesus’ love for each one of us? How many people know that Jesus’ love is the starting point of Christianity? The starting point of our day? The starting point of our prayer? He always has the initiative… always. He searches for us much more than we search for Him, his Thirst to give himself to us is infinite and his Love is unconditional. For many reasons we tend to forget his Love, doubt it and not open ourselves to His Love. This book is meant to strengthen our faith in Jesus’ unconditional love. It closely follows the Scriptures. (Amazon US – Amazon UK)
“On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.” (Responsorial Psalm, 44, Assumption Mass, Day)
Summary: The following text intends to show a deeper aspect of the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven: it explains how, with this final act in the process of Revelation, God intended to complete and offer us the true “Ladder” (Gn 28:10-17; John 1:50) that connects earth with heaven or better said the narrow path that leads directly and easily to Jesus-God: Mary’s Path.
Introduction
According to the Greek philosophers’ usage, “Dogma” meant a proverb or a sentence, i.e. a coined expression of a spiritual exercise (see Pierre Hadot). A Greek philosopher would give his disciple a “dogma” to put into practice, for example: “don’t worry about what you can’t change”.
This insight of Piere Hadot, is a subtle invitation to go back to the origins of our understanding of our faith and its truths, its dogmas! What are Christian dogmas? In fact, they were seen by the Fathers of the Church as being all practical, in the sense that they all were supposed to be “practised”. This is how the Fathers of the Church offered them to us, this is why they were keen on defending them, because by putting them into practice they allowed God to communicate his Divine Life to us. Hence the necessity of an orthodox dogma, a dogma that would really “connect” us with God’s reality and therefore become like a channel for his Grace.
In this light then, let us consider the dogma of the Assumption and therefore its practical aspect in order to benefit from it.
The Necessity to Dwell in Jesus
During our life on earth we are invited to dwell in Christ. In order to do so we need to know where Jesus is at this moment in time, namely: He is risen and is seated at the right hand of the Father. St. Paul clearly invites us to be where Jesus is, i.e. sitting at the right hand of the Father when he writes: “since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3)
It is because of Baptism that Jesus dwells in us but He wants more from us, He wants us to choose to “dwell in Him”. Incredibly, He who is seated at the right hand of the Father is inviting us to do so: “dwell in me as I dwell in you” (John 15:4). Indeed, a reminder of this essential recommendation is given by the Priest during Mass when, at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we are invited to enter deeper into prayer with the words: “Lift up your hearts”, i.e. in order to dwell in Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father.
One can see the Ladder on Our Lady’s chest
Entering and Remaining in Mary
The question now becomes: where is our place beside Jesus? He has said, “I will go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3). The answer is that this “place” Jesus will prepare for us is Mary, the New Jerusalem, our Eternal Dwelling Place. Indeed, the Catholic and Orthodox Tradition saw in Mary the New Jerusalem.
Entering her spiritually is essential: she is the womb who nurtures us. Nicodemus was unaware that he was stating something very deep when he said: “How can someone be born when they are old? and when he asked “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” (John 3:4). In truth they can! When the Lord says to John who was at the foot of the Cross: “here is your mother”, He was inviting John to enter under her shadow and adopt her as his spiritual mother who would bear him up or support him and be the place where the Holy Spirit would form him for Divine Life.
Here is what St. Grignon de Montfort says of the great mystery of our indwelling in Mary: “When we have obtained this remarkable grace by our fidelity, we should be delighted to remain in Mary. We should rest there peacefully, rely on her confidently, hide ourselves there with safety, and abandon ourselves unconditionally to her, so that within her virginal bosom:
1) We may be nourished with the milk of her grace and her motherly compassion.
2) We may be delivered from all anxiety, fear and scruples.
3) We may be safeguarded from all our enemies, the devil, the world and sin which have never gained admittance there. That is why our Lady says that those who work in her will not sin, that is, those who dwell spiritually in our Lady will never commit serious sin.
4) We may be formed in our Lord and our Lord formed in us, because her womb is, as the early Fathers call it, the house of the divine secrets where Jesus and all the elect have been conceived. “This one and that one were born in her.”” (True Devotion 264)
He says also: “We can attribute more truly to her what Saint Paul said of himself, “I am in labor again with all the children of God until Jesus Christ, my Son, is formed in them to the fullness of his age.” Saint Augustine, surpassing himself as well as all that I have said so far, affirms that in order to be conformed to the image of the Son of God all the predestinate, while in the world, are hidden in the womb of the Blessed Virgin where they are protected, nourished, cared for and developed by this good Mother, until the day she brings them forth to a life of glory after death, which the Church calls the birthday of the just. This is indeed a mystery of grace unknown to the reprobate and little known even to the predestinate!” (True Devotion 33)
The Quality of this Dwelling Place
Now this womb, Mary, through the effects of the event of her Assumption, is in its most potent state regarding fruitfulness and glory. Mary is now totally united to her Son, not only in her spirit and in her soul, but also in her body. We have here, in her union with the Risen Lord, and in her being this immense dwelling place that He has prepared for us, something that belongs to the New World, the World where there is no dawn. The eighth Day… the Eternal Final Day.
Our Faith is Bipolar
Before going further, it is important to remember an essential element of the inner structure of our faith: it is “bipolar”. By this expression we mean that it has two poles, or elements: God and the Disciple, Jesus and his Follower. These two poles or pairs manifest themselves throughout the Gospel: The Divine Seed and the Good Soil, the New Wine and the New Skin, Jesus as the main object of our faith and our Faith in Him (the subject of the faith and the believer, the disciple).
Mary, we can now see, is the archetype of Jesus’ Disciple (see below: Catechism 967), for Jesus is God, and Mary is the perfect Disciple. Both are needed: the New Wine, i.e. Jesus, and the New Skin, i.e. Mary. Now, perfect worship of disciple for God is described by Jesus in John 4: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24) This perfect worship, then, is embedded in Mary, it exists and works in Mary. Mary, and the Holy Spirit in Her, worship Jesus-God perfectly. It is “in Her” also that we find the perfect worship of God, “in Spirit and in Truth” and are able to make use of it. It is freely given to us.
Mary’s Journey is the Archetype of Ours
The journey itself of Mary, from her last moments on earth to heaven, i.e. to be seated with Christ in an eternal embrace of light and love, is our own path. Mary is the “narrow gate” we take (Matthew 7:13); Mary engages us in the “narrow path” (Matthew 7:13). It is Mary, gate and path, who leads us to Life, to her Divine Son, Jesus.
Therefore, one of the meanings of the Assumption is to show the mature Church the real path that helps us reach Jesus. It is to help us understand more clearly this mysterious invisible coming of Jesus: “I will go and I will come back… and the world won’t see me but you will see me” (John 15), this mysterious secret action of his: “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3).
The main realisation of this promise occurs in Mary assumed into heaven: “I will come and take you” to be beside me.
This journey of Mary, from where she was to where Jesus is, the mystery of Her “assumption”, i.e. being lifted up toward heaven, now becomes the archetype of any “journey” or movement of prayer and union for us. Why? Because Mary is our Mother (“woman, here is your son” (John 19)), it is she who carries us in her womb.
Mary’s Journey is Ours
Once a holy orthodox monk said that “Jesus’ Prayer” (or the Prayer of the Heart, i.e. Contemplative Silent Prayer) is the Backbone of the Church. Why is this so? Because it connects us directly to Jesus; while we are still here on earth, it unites us with Him as we have seen above, when during the Mass the Priest repeats St. Paul’s exhortation: “lift up your hearts”.
The journey that Jesus inaugurated for us during his Ascension, found its first and full realisation in Mary’s Assumption. This new, direct, easy way was opened up for us, belongs to us. Every time we pray, every time we unite ourselves to Jesus, every time we want to put into practice his recommendation: “dwell in me”, we take the path that the Lord built for us by his Ascension and the Assumption of his main disciple and mother: Mary. She is the Chariot of Fire (2 Kings 2:11) that takes us to Jesus at any given moment in time.
Taking Mary as our mother means “entering her” as Nicodemus unknowingly alluded to, it is to understand that the narrow door and the narrow path are her and her path. Jesus is the one who paved the way for Mary during his Ascension and realised it in a final and stable way during her Assumption.
Death couldn’t have the best of Our Lady. Impossible. She is the embodiment of Jesus’ Victory.
The Assumption occurs while Revelation is still unfolding. The Assumption is not only an integral part of God’s Revelation and work of Salvation, but it is also the final accomplishment of his Work and Victory of his Resurrection-Ascension.
Note: Jesus’ Revelation of the New Testament ends with the death of the last Apostol, i.e. John. Maybe the Assumption occurred around the years 67-70, the years of Peter and Paul’s Martyrdom and the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. St. John, the last apostle, the one with whom Jesus’ Revelation is closed dies after the year 96.
We have now seen how the narrow Path that leads to Life is established by this fundamental event: the Assumption. This Path that connects each human being here on earth with our New Jerusalem, Mary our Dwelling Place, has been finally inaugurated and established and can never be touched or removed. In truth, it is the hidden disguised Ladder that connects earth with Heaven, sung by St. John of the Cross (see the Texts below), and is the new way found by St. Therese, short, direct and easy that leads to Jesus (see Texts below).
The Fire of Love in Mary
It is through the action of the Holy Spirit that Mary ascends into heaven, not by her own capacity, but by the capacity of God’s Fiery Love.
Since Mary is the Immaculate Conception, since she is pure, the Holy Spirit not only fills her (Full of Grace) but He is the only one who acts in her and through her (see St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book II, Chapter 2). In sum, it is a greater act of Love that moved Mary from her life on earth to the life beside her Son, in Eternity (see St. John of the Cross describing the death of the saints! Living Flame of Love, Stanza I, v. 6).
The Holy Spirit Working in Mary
When we pray, this same power of Love acting in Mary, makes us reach her as our dwelling place prepared by Jesus. It is the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the best, fullest and the most secure means of being elevated:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1-4)
So too when Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” “This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?” But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body.” (John 2:19-21). we can consider that this Temple, the Dwelling place, the New Jerusalem as being Mary. This is also how Tradition understood Mary. In fact, in the Byzantine hymn of the Resurrection Mary is considered as our New Jerusalem – the one that John contemplates in Chapters 21 and 22 of his Revelation.
To put it in a nutshell: the fullest action of the Holy Spirit dwells in Mary. The best worship of Jesus dwells in her.
Conclusion
Our contemplation of the Mystery of the Assumption of Our Lady has led us to discover a foundational fact for our faith. What was started by the Ascension of the Risen Lord into heaven reached its total achievement and completion in the Assumption of Mary. The new road which Jesus’ human nature opened up for us (see Heb. 10:20) as our Head, has been accomplished and sealed for us by the Assumption of Our Lady, as the Archetype of Jesus’ Disciple. She followed Him, and now is totally united to Him, body, soul, spirit, is filled by Him, and stays so united with Him. But she is also our Mother, our dwelling place, the New Jerusalem, and it is in her, as through a ladder, or a Chariot of Fire, that we are elevated and seated beside Jesus and held in his fiery embrace. We take our place in her, our New and final Jerusalem.
Rejoice Mary, Rejoice New Jerusalem in God your Saviour, and in you we also rejoice from your own jubilation!
The Assumption of our Lady is our Festival. It is a fundamental truth of our faith, because a new path for all of us has been opened up, in Jesus, as his disciples, taught and led by our Mother and Teacher, Mary. The author of the letter to the Hebrews speaks about “a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body”. With the Assumption this “new way” reaches its final stage and completion. It is the work of Jesus.
When we say that the Assumption of Our Lady is a dogma, it means that this new narrow path inaugurated by God for us needs to be used by us in order to “lift up our hearts” to Him.
PS It would be good to re-read this text, and meditate on the following texts also in order to see more clearly the meaning of the Assumption and its practical implications in our life.
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Texts
“In the interim just as the Mother of Jesus, glorified in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected is the world to come, so too does she shine forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come, as a sign of sure hope and solace to the people of God during its sojourn on earth.” (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 68)
“The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son’s Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body.” (Catechism 974)
“After speaking of the Church, her origin, mission, and destiny, we can find no better way to conclude than by looking to Mary. In her we contemplate what the Church already is in her mystery on her own “pilgrimage of faith,” and what she will be in the homeland at the end of her journey. There, “in the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity,” “in the communion of all the saints,” the Church is awaited by the one she venerates as Mother of her Lord and as her own mother.” (Catechism 972)
“Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” (Catechism 966)
“In the meantime the Mother of Jesus, in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise she shines forth on earth until the day of the Lord shall come, a sign of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim People of God.” (Catechism 972)
“The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians” (Catechism 966)
“By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a “preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church”; indeed, she is the “exemplary realization” (typus) of the Church.” (Catechism 967)
St. John of the Cross
In the following text, St. John of the Cross tells us the only means to reach God is by Faith. He describes it as being “the secret ladder”. We can go deeper in a revealed way seeing in this “secret ladder” Mary’s Faith that is given to us.
“In darkness and secure,
By the secret ladder, disguised
— oh, happy chance! —
In darkness and in concealment,
My house being now at rest.
1. In this second stanza the soul sings of the happy chance which it experienced in stripping the spirit of all spiritual imperfections and desires for the possession of spiritual things. This was a much greater happiness too, by reason of the greater difficulty that there is in putting to rest this house of the spiritual part, and of being able to enter this interior darkness, which is spiritual detachment from all things, whether sensual or spiritual, and leaning on pure faith alone and an ascent thereby to God. The soul here calls this a ‘ladder,’ and ‘secret,’ because all the rungs and parts of it are secret and hidden from all sense and understanding. And thus the soul has remained in darkness as to all light of sense and understanding, going forth beyond all limits of nature and reason in order to ascend by this Divine ladder of faith, which attains and penetrates even to the heights of God. The soul says that it was travelling‘disguised,’ because the garments and vesture which it wears and its natural condition are changed into the Divine, as it ascends by faith. And it was because of this disguise that it was not recognized or impeded, either by time or by reason or by the devil; for none of these things can harm one that journeys in faith. And not only so, but the soul travels in such wise concealed and hidden and is so far from all the deceits of the devil that in truth it journeys (as it also says here) ‘in darkness and in concealment’ — that is to say, hidden from the devil, to whom the light of faith is more than darkness.
2. And thus the soul that journeys through this night, we may say, journeys in concealment and in hiding from the devil, as will be more clearly seen hereafter. Wherefore the soul says that it went forth ‘in darkness and secure’; for one that has such happiness as to be able to journey through the darkness of faith, taking faith for his guide, like to one that is blind, and leaving behind all natural imaginings and spiritual reasonings, journeys very securely, as we have said. And so the soul says furthermore that it went forth through this spiritual night, its ‘house being now at rest’ — that is to say, its spiritual and rational parts. When, therefore, the soul attains to union which is of God, its natural faculties are at rest, as are likewise its impulses and yearnings of the senses, in its spiritual part. For this cause the soul says not here that it went forth with yearnings, as in the first night of sense. For, in order to journey in the night of sense, and to strip itself of that which is of sense, it needed yearnings of sense-love so that it might go forth perfectly; but, in order to put to rest the house of its spirit, it needs no more than denial of all faculties and pleasures and desires of the spirit in pure faith. This attained, the soul is united with the Beloved in a union of simplicity and purity and love and similitude.” (Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book II, Chapter 1)
St. Therese of the Child Jesus
We can re-read St. Therese’s description of the New Way, going deeper and understanding that in fact the New Way is Our Lady:
“You know, Mother, I have always wanted to be a saint. Alas! I have always noticed that when I compared myself to the saints, there is between them and me the same difference that exists between [15] a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and the obscure grain of sand trampled underfoot by passers-by. Instead of becoming discouraged, I said to myself: God cannot inspire unrealisable desires. I can, then, in spite of my littleness, aspire to holiness. It is impossible for me to grow up, and so I must bear with myself such [20] as I am with all my imperfections. But I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short, and totally new.
We are living now in an age of inventions, and we no longer have to take the trouble of climbing [3r°] stairs, for, in the homes of the rich, an elevator has replaced these very successfully. I wanted to find an elevator which would raise me to Jesus, for I am too small to climb the rough stairway of perfection. I searched, then, in the Scriptures for some sign of this [5] elevator, the object of my desires, and I read these words coming from the mouth of Eternal Wisdom: “Whoever is a LITTLE ONE, let him come to me.” And so I succeeded. I felt I had found what I was looking for. But wanting to know, O my God, what You would do to the very little one who answered Your call, I continued my search and this is what [10] I discovered: “As one whom a mother caresses, so will I comfort you; you shall be carried at the breasts, and upon the knees they shall caress you.” Ah! never did words more tender and more melodious come to give joy to my soul. The elevator which must raise me to heaven is Your arms, O Jesus! And for this I had no need [15] to grow up, but rather I had to remain little and become this more and more. O my God, You surpassed all my expectation. I want only to sing to Your mercies. “You have taught me from my youth, O God, and until now I will declare Your wonderful works.” (Manuscript C, 3)
St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort
St. Louis Marie explains to us how Mary is the path that leads directly to Jesus:
“When he speaks of devotion to her as a sure means of finding and loving you without fear or illusion, or when he says this devotion is a short road free from danger, or an immaculate way free from imperfection, or a wondrous secret of finding you, they put before him a thousand specious reasons to show him how wrong he is to speak so much of Mary.” (True Devotion 64)
“Mary’s strongest inclination is to unite us to Jesus, her Son, and her Son’s strongest wish is that we come to him through his Blessed Mother. He is pleased and honoured just as a king would be pleased and honoured if a citizen, wanting to become a better subject and slave of the king, made himself the slave of the queen. That is why the Fathers of the Church, and St. Bonaventure after them, assert that the Blessed Virgin is the way which leads to our Lord.” (True Devotion 75)
“152. This devotion is a smooth, short, perfect and sure way of attaining union with our Lord, in which Christian perfection consists.
(a) This devotion is a smooth way. It is the path, which Jesus Christ opened up in coming to us and in which there is no obstruction to prevent us reaching him. It is quite true that we can attain to divine union by other roads, but these involve many more crosses and exceptional setbacks and many difficulties that we cannot easily overcome. We would have to pass through spiritual darkness, engage in struggles for which we are not prepared, endure bitter agonies, scale precipitous mountains, tread upon painful thorns, and cross frightful deserts. But when we take the path of Mary, we walk smoothly and calmly.
It is true that on our way we have hard battles to fight and serious obstacles to overcome, but Mary, our Mother and Teacher, stays close to her faithful servants. She is always at hand to brighten their darkness, clear away their doubt, strengthen them in their fears, and sustain them in their combats and trials. Truly, in comparison with other ways, this virgin road to Jesus is a path of roses and sweet delights. There have been some saints, not very many, such as St. Ephrem, St. John Damascene, St. Bernard, St. Bernadine, St. Bonaventure, and St. Francis de Sales, who have taken this smooth path to Jesus Christ, because the Holy Spirit, the faithful Spouse of Mary, made it known to them by a special grace. The other saints, who are the greater number, while having a devotion to Mary, either did not enter or did not go very far along this path. That is why they had to undergo harder and more dangerous trials.
153. Why is it then, a servant of Mary might ask, that devoted servants of this good Mother are called upon to suffer much more than those who serve her less generously? They are opposed, persecuted, slandered, and treated with intolerance. They may also have to walk in interior darkness and through spiritual deserts without being given from heaven a single drop of the dew of consolation. If this devotion to the Blessed Virgin makes the path to Jesus smoother, how can we explain why Mary’s loyal servants are so ill-treated?
154. I reply that it is quite true that the most faithful servants of the Blessed Virgin, being her greatest favorites, receive from her the best graces and favours from heaven, which are crosses. But I maintain too that these servants of Mary bear their crosses with greater ease and gain more merit and glory. What could check another’s progress a thousand times over, or possibly bring about his downfall, does not balk them at all, but even helps them on their way. For this good Mother, filled with the grace and unction of the Holy Spirit, dips all the crosses she prepares for them in the honey of her maternal sweetness and the unction of pure love. They then readily swallow them as they would sugared almonds, though the crosses may be very bitter. I believe that anyone who wishes to be devout and live piously in Jesus will suffer persecution and will have a daily cross to carry. But he will never manage to carry a heavy cross, or carry it joyfully and perseveringly, without a trusting devotion to our Lady, who is the very sweetness of the cross. It is obvious that a person could not keep on eating without great effort unripe fruit, which has not been sweetened.
155. (b) This devotion is a short way to discover Jesus, either because it is a road we do not wander from, or because, as we have just said, we walk along this road with greater ease and joy, and consequently with greater speed. We advance more in a brief period of submission to Mary and dependence on her than in whole years of self-will and self-reliance. […]
157. This devotion is a perfect way to reach our Lord and be united to him, for Mary is the most perfect and the most holy of all creatures, and Jesus, who came to us in a perfect manner, chose no other road for his great and wonderful journey. The Most High, the Incomprehensible One, the Inaccessible One, He who is, deigned to come down to us poor earthly creatures who are nothing at all. How was this done?
The Most High God came down to us in a perfect way through the humble Virgin Mary, without losing anything of his divinity or holiness. It is likewise through Mary that we poor creatures must ascend to almighty God in a perfect manner without having anything to fear.
God the Incomprehensible, allowed himself to be perfectly comprehended and contained by the humble Virgin Mary without losing anything of his immensity. So we must let ourselves be perfectly contained and led by the humble Virgin without any reserve on our part.
God, the Inaccessible, drew near to us and united himself closely, perfectly and even personally to our humanity through Mary without losing anything of his majesty. So it is also through Mary that we must draw near to God and unite ourselves to him perfectly, intimately, and without fear of being rejected.
Lastly, He who is deigned to come down to us who are not and turned our nothingness into God, or He who is. He did this perfectly by giving and submitting himself entirely to the young Virgin Mary, without ceasing to be in time He who is from all eternity. Likewise it is through Mary that we, who are nothing, may become like God by grace and glory. We accomplish this by giving ourselves to her so perfectly and so completely as to remain nothing, as far as self is concerned, and to be everything in her, without any fear of illusion.
158. Show me a new road to our Lord, pave it with all the merits of the saints, adorn it with their heroic virtues, illuminate and enhance it with the splendour and beauty of the angels, have all the angels and saints there to guide and protect those who wish to follow it. Give me such a road and truly, truly, I boldly say – and I am telling the truth – that instead of this road, perfect though it be, I would still choose the immaculate way of Mary. It is a way, a road without stain or spot, without original sin or actual sin, without shadow or darkness. When our loving Jesus comes in glory once again to reign upon earth – as he certainly will – he will choose no other way than the Blessed Virgin, by whom he came so surely and so perfectly the first time. The difference between his first and his second coming is that the first was secret and hidden, but the second will be glorious and resplendent. Both are perfect because both are through Mary. Alas, this is a mystery that we cannot understand, “Here let every tongue be silent.”
159. (d) This devotion to our Lady is a sure way to go to Jesus and to acquire holiness through union with him.” (True Devotion to Mary, 152-159)
