“And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to Me in heaven, and on earth.” (Matt. 28, 18).
First Prelude: Behold our Blessed Saviour surrounded by His Apostles to whom He addresses the above mentioned words.
Second Prelude: O my Saviour, Who wouldst have me submit my understanding and heart perfectly to Thy benign power, grant me the grace to overcome all that would hinder Thy reign in my heart.
First Point
Christ’s Supreme Power in Heaven and on Earth
Not only as God, but also as Man, Christ holds supreme power in heaven and on earth. He merited it in His Humanity by His passion and death, as the Apostle expresses it: “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above all names; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth” (Ph. 2, 8-10). Accordingly, Jesus possesses absolute power over all the choirs of angels, of whose services He can avail Himself for the spread and propagation of the kingdom of God on earth.
He has unlimited power on earth, to establish His Church, to subject all nations to His sway, to convert sinners, and to sanctify souls. In His hands rests power over life and death, a power which nothing can resist. Without His permission neither the powers of earth nor those of hell can harm His faithful ones. But by no means does our amiable Lord coerce souls: He wills to rule them solely by the submission of their free will to His. Let us, therefore, surrender our hearts absolutely to our Supreme Master, Who alone can make them perfectly happy. O adorable power, sweetest violence! How well are we ordained all things for our salvation!
Do I serve Jesus with a cheerful heart, and do I submit to Him without reserve? Am I grateful to Him for having so gently drawn me away from the world into His holy service?
Second Point
Our Share in the Power of Christ through Co-operation with Grace
As our Divine Saviour in His Sacred Humanity merited supreme power in heaven and on earth by His passion and death, so may we hope to vanquish the world, the flesh, and Satan, by the mortification of our perverse nature, by the patient endurance of suffering and afflictions. We must exercise a holy violence over ourselves in order to overcome our passions and evil tendencies. Well achieved who by patient and persistent struggle have attained a victory over their passions which leaves them in the possession of unimpaired peace and happiness under the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit and His most adorable Will.
By such mastery of self, souls possess imperturbable peace through the joy of a good conscience, and exercise great power over the Heart of God, to Whom they are very dear, and Who rejoices in the struggles as well as in the triumphs of His faithful children. God cannot resist their prayers and entreaties, and hence, they draw His graces down upon themselves and others, in fullest measure. By virtue of self-denial and good example they readily gain access to the heart of their neighbor, according to the maxim, “Example is more powerful than precept.” In this manner they spread the kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth, and labor efficaciously for the propagation of His divine power and omnipotence. For this purpose we have been called to the religious state. We must, however, bear in mind that God will bless our labors only in so far as we exert violence and advance in perfection. Only then shall we be allowed to participate in Christ’s benign reign, and, in virtue of our generosity and unbounded trust, to exercise power even over the Heart of Christ.
Affections:
O my Jesus, I rejoice in the power and glory Thou didst achieve through Thy bitter passion and death. I adore Thee, almighty King of heaven and earth, and thank Thee for subjecting my heart to Thee by the sweet power of Thy mercy. Rule my heart, O Jesus, as its sole Master, possess it as Thy conquest. I will belong to Thee alone, and consecrate myself anew to Thy service. May Thy perfect love destroy in me all self love, the power of Thy grace conquer my evil propensities and effect in me a complete transformation that, glorifying Thee, I may be truly happy.
Resolution:
I will subject my heart and will to the benign reign of Christ’s sweet Will.
First Prelude: Behold our Blessed Saviour surrounded by His Apostles to whom He addresses the above mentioned words.
Second Prelude: O my Saviour, Who wouldst have me submit my understanding and heart perfectly to Thy benign power, grant me the grace to overcome all that would hinder Thy reign in my heart.
First Point
Christ’s Supreme Power in Heaven and on Earth
Not only as God, but also as Man, Christ holds supreme power in heaven and on earth. He merited it in His Humanity by His passion and death, as the Apostle expresses it: “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above all names; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth” (Ph. 2, 8-10). Accordingly, Jesus possesses absolute power over all the choirs of angels, of whose services He can avail Himself for the spread and propagation of the kingdom of God on earth.
He has unlimited power on earth, to establish His Church, to subject all nations to His sway, to convert sinners, and to sanctify souls. In His hands rests power over life and death, a power which nothing can resist. Without His permission neither the powers of earth nor those of hell can harm His faithful ones. But by no means does our amiable Lord coerce souls: He wills to rule them solely by the submission of their free will to His. Let us, therefore, surrender our hearts absolutely to our Supreme Master, Who alone can make them perfectly happy. O adorable power, sweetest violence! How well are we ordained all things for our salvation!
Do I serve Jesus with a cheerful heart, and do I submit to Him without reserve? Am I grateful to Him for having so gently drawn me away from the world into His holy service?
Second Point
Our Share in the Power of Christ through Co-operation with Grace
As our Divine Saviour in His Sacred Humanity merited supreme power in heaven and on earth by His passion and death, so may we hope to vanquish the world, the flesh, and Satan, by the mortification of our perverse nature, by the patient endurance of suffering and afflictions. We must exercise a holy violence over ourselves in order to overcome our passions and evil tendencies. Well achieved who by patient and persistent struggle have attained a victory over their passions which leaves them in the possession of unimpaired peace and happiness under the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit and His most adorable Will.
By such mastery of self, souls possess imperturbable peace through the joy of a good conscience, and exercise great power over the Heart of God, to Whom they are very dear, and Who rejoices in the struggles as well as in the triumphs of His faithful children. God cannot resist their prayers and entreaties, and hence, they draw His graces down upon themselves and others, in fullest measure. By virtue of self-denial and good example they readily gain access to the heart of their neighbor, according to the maxim, “Example is more powerful than precept.” In this manner they spread the kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth, and labor efficaciously for the propagation of His divine power and omnipotence. For this purpose we have been called to the religious state. We must, however, bear in mind that God will bless our labors only in so far as we exert violence and advance in perfection. Only then shall we be allowed to participate in Christ’s benign reign, and, in virtue of our generosity and unbounded trust, to exercise power even over the Heart of Christ.
Affections:
O my Jesus, I rejoice in the power and glory Thou didst achieve through Thy bitter passion and death. I adore Thee, almighty King of heaven and earth, and thank Thee for subjecting my heart to Thee by the sweet power of Thy mercy. Rule my heart, O Jesus, as its sole Master, possess it as Thy conquest. I will belong to Thee alone, and consecrate myself anew to Thy service. May Thy perfect love destroy in me all self love, the power of Thy grace conquer my evil propensities and effect in me a complete transformation that, glorifying Thee, I may be truly happy.
Resolution:
I will subject my heart and will to the benign reign of Christ’s sweet Will.
Spiritual Bouquet: "I can do all things in Him Who strengtheneth me."
Prayer: Take, O Lord . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment