What I promised for your daily prayer

 Now, Jesus Christ is really here. Have you recognized Him? He’s been here the whole night. Have you really seen Him?  And this is what He wants to say to you right now, so close your eyes and imagine right in front of you, that Jesus is here, because he is. He’s always here with us; He never leaves us, and this is what He says: “Behold, I stand at your door and knock.  It is true; I stand at the door of your heart right now, day and night, even when you’re not listening, even when you  doubt it could be me, I am here. 

I await even the smallest sign of your response, even the least whispered invitation that will allow me to enter into your heart. I want you to know that whenever you invite me I always come, always, without fail. Silent and unseen, I come,  but with infinite power and love in bringing the many gifts of my Spirit. I come with my mercy, with my desire to forgive and heal you, and with a love for you beyond your comprehension, a love every bit as great as the love I receive from my Father.  As the Father has loved me, so  I have loved you. I come longing to console you and give you strength, to lift you up and bind all your wounds. I bring you my light to dispel your darkness and all your doubts. I come with my power that I might carry you and all your burdens with my grace to touch your heart and transform your life,  and my peace I will give to your soul.  

 I know you through and through; I know everything about you. The very hairs of your head I have numbered. Nothing in your life is unimportant to me. I have followed you through the years and I have always loved you even in your wanderings. I know every one of your problems.  I know all your needs and all your worries, and yes, I know every one of your sins. But I tell you again that I love you. Not for what you have or haven’t done. I love you for you, for the beauty and the dignity my Father gave you by creating you in His own image. It  is a dignity that you have often forgotten, a beauty you have tarnished by your sin, but I love you as you are. I have shed my blood to set you free and win you back.  If only you ask me tonight with faith, my grace will touch all that needs changing in your life, and I will give you the strength to free yourself from sin with all its destructive power. I know tonight what is in your heart. I know your loneliness  and all your hurts, all the rejections, the judgments, the humiliations. I carried it all before you. I carried it all for you, so you might share my strength and my victory. I know especially tonight your need for love. How you’re thirsting to be loved and cherished and how you have often thirsted in vain by seeking that love, selfishly, striving to fill the emptiness inside with passing pleasures, with an even greater emptiness of sin. 

Do you thirst for love? Come to me all who thirst.  I will satisfy you and fill you. You want to be cherished?  I cherish you more than you can imagine, to the point of dying on the cross for you. I THIRST FOR YOU, yes that’s the only way to even begin to describe my love for you. I THIRST FOR YOU, I thirst to love you and to be loved by you, that is how precious you are to me. I THIRST FOR YOU. Come to me and I will fill your hearts and heal your wounds, I will make you a new creation and tonight I will give you peace, even in the midst of all your trials. I THIRST FOR YOU.  You must never doubt my mercy, my acceptance of you, my desire to forgive, my longing to bless you and live my life for you. I THIRST FOR YOU.  If you feel unimportant in the eyes of the world that matters not at all. For me there is no one any more important in the entire world than you. I THIRST FOR YOU.  Open to me, come to me, thirst for me. Give me, tonight,  your life and I will prove to you how important you are to my heart.

Don’t you realize that my Father already has a perfect plan to transform your life, tonight- beginning at this very moment? Trust in me, ask me every day to enter and take charge of your life and I will. I promise now before my Father in heaven that I will work miracles in your life. Why would I do this? Because I THIRST FOR YOU, don’t you get it?  All I ask of you tonight is that you entrust yourself to me completely. I’ll do everything else.  Even now, I see the place my Father has prepared for you in my kingdom. Remember that you are only a pilgrim in this life; you are on a journey home.  Sin can never satisfy you or bring you peace you seek. All that you have sought outside of me has only left you more empty, so do not cling to the things of this life.  Above all, do not run from me when you fall. Come to me without delay. When you give me your sins you give me the joy of being your Savior. There is nothing I can not forgive and heal, so come now, at this moment, and give me your heart. Unburden your soul.  No matter how far you may wander, no matter how often you neglect me or forget me, no matter how many crosses you may bear in this life, there is one thing I want you always to remember, one thing that will never change:  I THIRST FOR YOU.  Whenever you open the door of your heart, whenever you come close enough, you will hear me say to you again and again, not in mere human words but in the spirit, no matter what you have done: I love you for your own sake. Come to me with your misery and your sins, with your troubles and needs, with all your longings to be loved.  I stand right now at the door of your heart and knock. Open to me.  I THIRST FOR YOU.” Amen.

PS: As always I will keep you in the intentions of the daily mass

7 Basic Points of Pro Ecclesia Sancta (the way to hollines)

7 BASIC POINTS

 1.Daily prayer:  "Look at what makes the prayer: with prayer the foolish are wise; the weak, strong; the shy ones, brave; the fickle, steadfast; the imperfect, perfect; the proud and comfort-loving and impatient and selfish become humble, austere, patient and charitable. This is to say,  prayer  transforms the souls and it reaches sanctity."                                  (Fr. Pablo Menor, S. J.).  

2.       Spirit of interior and exterior self-denial, of over coming our own selves: so that you achieve the domain of yourself; so that you are strong, so that you can love, so that you are free.  This  is the "CONQUER OF SELF " from the Gospel.  

3.       Falling in love Jesus Christ in the Eucharist:   “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” (Jn. 6:56).

Mass and communion at least every Sunday.  If it is not possible for you sacramental communion, then do spiritual communion, participating, with humility and trust, the Sacred Sacrifice of the Mass.

  

4.       Love Our Blessed Mother so that while imitating her readiness, fidelity and resolution, you allow yourself to be formed by Her as an authentic  disciple  of Jesus.  The daily rosary, or at least weekly,  is the best and most  excellent way to review and to welcome into your life the main mysteries of the life of Christ, together with His Most Holy Mother.  

5.       Spirit of vigilance: The Gospel exhorts us to be permanently attentive:  Be on Guard always. 

This spirit embraces:  

A)    Daily examination of conscience:  so that you stay humble, lucid, conscious and in control of your acts. 

B)    Spiritual guidance: The guidance of a priest will help you to achieve a new vision of life and of the world through the light of Christ.     

C)   Frequent confession: Jesus Christ has wanted to give you his pardon through the mediation of the apostles and HIs successors: " Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (Jn 20: 23).  

  6. Serious knowledge of the faith: especially through the study and the constant meditation of the Word of God and of all that helps us to understand it and to explain to it: we believe in order to understand; we understand to enable us to believe even more deeply. 

7. Yearly retreats: to rebuild and strengthen the forces of the spirit; to grow, never pausing.  

All this, in the end, is to arrive to an INTERNAL KNOWLEDGE DE JESUS CHRIST, TO LOVE HIM AND FOLLOW HIM WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH. 

Where is my STRONGHOLD?

  " In the Father's mercy,  in Jesus' Precious  Blood,  in the assistance of the Holy Spirit, in our Mother, Mary's intercession, in the constant protection of the Angels,  in the Eucharistic banquet,  in the Holy Cross,  in the prayers of the saints." 

The strength of God is shown perfectly in our weaknesses.  For that reason I glory myself in my weaknesses , so that the strength of Christ lives in me: when I am weak, that is  that is when I am strong! .  

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.” (2 Cor 12, 9-10) 

 

Will I see the RESULTS?

Yes. Harmony in your home will prosper. Patience with your neighbor will increase.  You will be stronger in conquering your weaknesses.  You will find yourself more compassionate, understanding and more merciful .  You will possess peace and joy amid the confusion.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, happiness, peace, patience, affability, kindness, fidelity, meekness, temperance. 

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Gal 5: 22-23)  

How long this will take?

Be not in a hurry; sanctity embraces your entire life.  Little by little; effort after effort; prayer after prayer; day by day,  amid the small and big things, the sadness and happiness, the victories and failings.  A thousand mile walk starts with a single step. The important thing is not to stop: whatever  happens,  He will be with us until the end.  " Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ Jesus.  (Phil.3: 12-14)

WHEN it should BEGIN?

NOW!  

Today, in this moment.  You have enough with His grace. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12: 9). 

NOW!  

Don't allow yourself to be deceived:  Now it is not too soon and it is never too late!  

NOW!  

It is the moment to begin a new life in Christ Jesus!  

 It doesn't matter  how you are. . . Christ loves you.  In good times He heard you and on the day of salvation He helped you.  For He says: "In acceptable times I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor 6: 2).  

 Dear reader:  

Meditate frequently the “Spirit of Pro Ecclesia Sancta." Our Founder wrote it. Allow it illuminate your understanding and arouse and light your heart

Coming up tomorrow ...

Hollines (writings of Fr. Pablo Menor Founder of Pro Ecclesia Sancta)

You have been born ….. to be a  saint

 

“Life  is very generous  with its gifts  but we judge them  by their cover...  We discard them  because they seem ugly,  heavy or difficult...  If we remove the cover  we’ll  find underneath it a live Splendor knitted by  Divine Wisdom  with Love and Authority…” 

 

Holiness (Sanctity), What is that?

  “It is simply to fulfill the Will of God with happiness.”   (John Paul II)  

Indeed, when a man decides to leave the orbit of his selfishness and get on into the orbit of the Will of God he is a saint.  

And what would be the will of God?

That we love Him with supreme love and that we love our neighbor as we love ourselves.   Only in the horizon of these two loves: to God with all our soul and with all our being, and our neighbor for God, so that man can reach his full realization as a  person.  That is to say that in the end, without sanctity (holiness) there is no man, there is no person. Sanctity (holiness) is to carry out the will of God. To execute such a will depends on our true realization as a person, and consists of loving him with supreme love and loving our neighbor as ourselves.  

This love of God and of neighbor for God, on which consists sanctity (holiness),  should be lived in all circumstances of daily life, big or small; that is to say, through performing as honestly as possible our  duties, as faithful as possible in our state of life, in the family, in the profession, in the work place, the study environment, our  friendships, etc., SUSTAINED, most definitely, by a reachable and solid program of interior life: the Seven Basic points  which we will present in the next sections. 

 

Who are called To be Saints?

All men and women of every age, in all states of life, condition, talent, grade and profession.   

“Keep in mind brothers and sisters that in the garden of the Lord  there are not just the rocks of the martyrs, but also there are flowers like the Iris of the virgins, the Ivy of the married couples, and the Violets of the widows.  No man, whatever be his walk in life, should ever forget his vocation to be a saint.”  (Saint  Augustine)  

YOUR  CALL TO SANCTITY!

  " They, the Holy martyrs have imitated Him to the point of spilling their blood, they imitated His passion; but not just the martyrs; the bridges have not collapsed after the Saints crossed over them; the fountain has not dried after the saints drank from them. "    (San Augustine)  

Be saintly in your behavior, as the Bible says:  You will be Saints, because I am a Saint   “To me, therefore, you shall be sacred; for I, the LORD, am sacred, I, who have set you apart from the other nations.”   (Lev 20, 26).  

Why?

Because God loves you! Because the Saints are the greatest benefactors of humanity!

"You made us Lord for Yourself and our hearts will be restless until they rest in You."  (Saint Augustine)  

"In the end there is only one sadness; that of not being Saints.”  (León Bloy)  

 "… We must continue to be firm in our conviction, because:  life is short, the task difficult, the will of God always demanding, and the treasure that we would loose, unrecoverable. If in this life we are not holy,  for all eternity we will never have the opportunity to become saints again.” 

(Fr. Pablo Menor, S. J.)  

What do I NEED to be Holy?

TO WANT TO BE!

If you want to be saved, you will be saved; if you want to take advantage of it, you will do it; if you want to, you will be perfect. "For will of God: neither God can without me, nor I without God."  (Father Pablo Menor, S. J.)  

"If you wish to be perfect… Here is the key: it lies in that you want to be; in that you really want it. God is always willing to help us: we have enough help through His grace!  Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mt 19,21)  

"The principle fundamental idea to reach wisdom lies in the true and beloved desire of it. Glorious and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. (Wisdom 6, 12) 

WHERE I can practice Holiness?

In the home, at work, at rest, in school, in the multitude, alone, in your community. 

 "All the faithful Christians, in any condition of life, in any occupation or in any circumstance, and in fact by means of all this,  can be sanctified day by day."  (Lumen Gentium 5;41)  

YOU CAN BE HOLY EVERYWHERE!

Therefore, you make and do everything for  the glory of God as by eating,  drinking,  or doing any other thing.     “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.”  (1Cor 10; 31)  

Is this possible?   

     

Yes, The Lord will give fruits through you, if you cooperate with His grace. Grace is received through repentance, confession, communion, prayer,the sacraments, the Gospel,  good works, faith, hope, and love.  

We hold this treasure in clay pots so that it appears that the extraordinary greatness of the power is from God and that it doesn't come from us.  “ But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.” (2 Cor 4, 7)  

But is it truly FOR ME?

Yes, Sanctity is for you. It is not for specially elected people. Sanctity is for ordinary people who carry out with joy, each one on his/her own road, the will of God, in faith and truth.  

 "You are invited, even more so, obligated; all faithful Christians must look insistently for holiness  and  perfection within your own state of life."  (Lumen Gentium 5, 42 )

What should I do?

" Be  faithful within your state of life: married, single, consecrated or priest.  

" Be faithful to your Holy Mother Church: to the sacraments, to the commandments, to the doctrine, and to its teaching.  

" Take care of your professional  activities: it is not possible to believe in the sanctity of those who neglect their professional, labor, civic responsibilities.  

" Observe the Beatitudes: a compendium of holiness.  

"Love and be interested in the interests of others: "the use of the soul is not in pondering or meditating a lot, but in loving a lot" (Saint Terese of Jesus). This allows Jesus to shine and glow in your life.  

" Do in an extraordinary way, the ordinary things in  your  daily lives and always for the love of God.  Great Holiness lies in completing those "small duties" of each instant of our lives (Camino, n. 8 17).   

" Familiarize yourselves with the lives of the saints  

 All that there which is of truth, of nobleness, of kindness, of purity. . . keep all this it in mind.  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil.4:8)  

A.M.T.G.