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FORWARD In 1936, The fear of death and the
pressure from the ecclesiastical authorities to redefine the nature,
Constitutions and By-laws of the Society
of Divine Vocations compelled Fr. Justin to complete and publish the Ascension, which was qualified as “Spiritual, Private, Reserved Guidelines”
of Vocationist spirituality. The text – with its literary imperfections and lack
of revision – reflects both his internal urgency to write down and make known to
the Congregation the inspiration of the Lord, and the lack of time in view of
his feared, impending death. When the book was finally
published, Sixty years after its
publication, Ascension keeps its
freshness and applicability, and it continues to be safe guide to holiness and
Divine Union for the Vocationist
Fathers, Brothers, Sisters and countless number of people from every walk
of life who follow the Vocationist spirituality. This first translation in
English makes this treasure available to the Vocationist Fahters, Brothers,
Sisters, Apostles of Universal Sanctification, friends and admirers of Fr.
Justin and his spirituality within the English- speaking world. As this book goes to the
press we expect the decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
declaring I want to express my deepest gratitude and thanks to my
classmate and friend, Fr. Francis Luddy, who- with
expertise, patience and zeal- has reviewed and retyped the Ascension; to my parishioner and friend,
Debbie Quintana Fassi, who has cured this publication; and to the Vocationist
benefactress Carmen Z. Simpkins, who has captured and expressed the content of
this book in the cover art: mystical ascensional journey. God’s blessings and mine. INTRODUCTION Our 1.- To all those who want
to be and are children of the glory, love and will of the Lord God, Trinity, in
the ever small Society of Divine Vocations, who have become servants of all
souls, and, especially, servants of the Saints of God, in their ascension, in
the footsteps of Jesus Christ, to the Divine Union, with the Lord God, Trinity…
we say: 2.- Did you ever understand
what your part is in the life, in the states, in the acts of 3.- And so, the Divine
Jesus, even though he is wholly in each and every one of his mysteries, states
and acts, even though he alone and ever is the Way, the Truth and the Life[3]
in each and every one of his mysteries, states and acts; he allows the
individual to feel his attraction, and he also bestows his action, and offers
himself through love, in one of his mysteries, states and acts more than in
another. 4.- And so, that particular
mystery, state or act becomes like one’s portion in the divine inheritance,
one’s won source of life, the splendor of the truth that one enjoys the most,
and it offers a more appropriate means and mode of advancing in the Way of the
Divine Glory, Love and Will. Now, in the division of this spiritual inheritance,
truly: funes ceciderunt mihi in praeclaris
– “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” Truly:
haereditas mea praeclara est mihi
–“I have a goodly heritage[4].” 5.- In the dividing up, so
to speak, of the dividing goods of the mysteries, states and acts of Our Lord
Jesus Christ, among all persons and religious families, pleasant and delightful
places have been given to me; indeed precious for me is my heritage! The Way,
the Truth, the Life is always and only 6. - “Do you not know that
all of us who have been baptized into 7. - If religious
profession is compared to holy baptism, this is especially true because of this
renewed and perfected crucifixion, death and burial, with the humanity of Jesus,
in holocaust, passion and observance of the vows; and much more, for this
newness of life, in this reality of the resurrection, with this glory of
ascension to heaven, in which the grace of the vows places us, and herein
consists the acceptance of our calling to be Christ-like. 8. - And here is the model
of our life: 9. - Our Lenten pilgrimage
in the desert of this life, toward the promised land, is this glorious period
between the resurrection and the ascension! Our Lent of penance in the desert,
after the humiliation and the glorification at the 10. - A true Lent of
wandering in the desert, a true Lent of penance for our weak humanity, which
feels very uneasy living this superior life, which is totally interior, totally
spiritual, total segregation from the world, total mortification of the flesh,
total self-denial. This life of Lenten forty glorious days between the
resurrection and ascension: this is the life of a true religious. 11. - Souls fully in the
supernatural! Souls segregated from the world, making only some appearances in
it, in order to do God’s work and establish in it the kingdom of heaven, but
their life is abscondita cum Christo in Deo –“hidden with 12.- A life totally in the
world of faith, n the ambiance and atmosphere of faith; with the principles of
criteria of faith; with the weights and measures of faith; with the nourishment
and fervor of faith; with the commandments, counsels and inspirations of faith;
in the relations and missions of faith; with the encouragement and consolations
of faith. 13. - Not in the sense that
they have gotten over their pilgrim condition, and that they have reached their
goal; not in the sense that they are exempt from the conditions of the militant
life of the church in this world; on the contrary, around them the battle is
fiercer, because around them the faithful gather and the enemies concentrate
their efforts against them, but, living by faith, since justus ex fide vivit – “the one who is
righteous by faith will live.”[9]
The Song of Faith 15. - “By faith 16. - “By faith 17.- “By faith he sojourned
in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and
Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward o the city with
foundations, whose architect and maker is God. All these died in faith. They did
not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and
acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth.”[13] 18.- “By faith Abraham,
when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was
ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants
shall bear your name.” He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the
dead, and he received 19.- “By faith Moses, when
he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; he chose
to be ill treated along with the
people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. He considered the
reproach of the Anointed greater wealth than the treasures of 20. - “By faith he left 21.- God’s heroes “… by
faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises; they
closed the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped the devouring sword;
out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle, and turned
back foreign invaders.”[17] 22. - “Some were tortured
and would not accept deliverance, in order to obtain a better resurrection.
Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment. They were
stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword’s point; they wandered about in
deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth.” 23. - This then is also our
victory over the whole world. This is our victory over the whole world of
ignorance, of lust, and of weakness. This is our victory over all our physical
and moral weariness, queasiness, and sickness. This is our victory over all
temptations, passions and illusions. This is victory over our whole selves, or
better, the victory of the Lord within us, in order to sanctify us and the whole
world. Haec est 24. - The fruit of faith’s
victory in the soul is the realization of what the Lord says in Hosea: “So I
will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart. From
there I will give her the vineyards she had, and the 25. - The fruit of faith’s
victory in our fellow human beings is their conversion to saints to God. And the
first-fruit and the pattern of this conversion is the vocation, formation and
mission of another apostle, called, formed and consecrated by Jesus Christ just
like the twelve: by the Jesus of the Resurrection and the Ascension! Oh! May
that apostle be formed in us, and through us in innumerable brethren. 26.- “Therefore, since we
are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every
burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies
before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of
faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross,
despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the thrones of God.”[21] Pianura of Feast of the Most Precious
Blood, From the Vocationary “Deus
Caritas,” for the tenth anniversary
of the Diocesan Canonical Approval of the Society of Divine Vocations (May 27,
1927). EXHORTATION TO HOLY FAITH The Necessity of Faith 27. - Since fide
impossibile est placere Deo-
“Without faith it is impossible to please God.”[23]
Oh! How we must pay attention to this saying of the Apostle, if we really want
to make our own his: contendimus sive
absentes sive praesentes placere illi – “we aspire to please him, whether we
are at home or away.”[24]
We want to achieve this by emulating all the souls who have found favor in his
sight. 28. – Every time someone
finds the blessed saying “to find favor with God,” from Noah, who was saved from
the flood, to the annunciation of the angel to Mary, who then becomes the Virgin
Mother, the soul mourns over the past when it could have found this favor, longs
for the future when it hopes to attain it, and dedicates itself totally to the
cult of the divine pleasures and predilections in order to find favor with its
Lord. 29. _ This spirit of love
leads us to desire and to do our very best, so that the whole world, not only
would abstain from every fault, not only would positively serve the Lord, but
would make every effort to fully please, God, becoming the object of the divine
pleasure, and longing for divine predilection, and so enter the Sabbath of the
Lord. Oh! May all souls really be the Sabbath of God[25];
may the Lord find in them his rest from the work of his creating, saving, and
sanctifying love! God, whose nature and persons are love, does not want any
worship which is not total and pure love. 30. - This total and pure
love is expressed by the words “to please, God,” and it is the only way to find
favor with God. Between two lovers, the joy of the one and of the other is both
cause and effect of love. The joy that one gives to the other is the essential
and triumphal act of love, and this love is totally dependent on the: 1)
knowledge; 2) likeness; 3) at least the initial union of the two who love each
other, so that they live and grow solely in proportion to which this knowledge,
likeness and union live and grow. 31. - Now, in the
supernatural order, only through faith do we have an understanding of God; in
this supernatural knowledge we attain likeness with God, because all knowledge
is assimilation by the soul, through the intellect, of the known object, and, in
this assimilation the soul is granted a certain initial union with God, through
the intellect and will; both the intellect and the will are elevated by the
grace of faith, and both concur to the act of faith. 32. - Without faith it is
impossible to please God, as it is impossible to love him without at least a
beginning of knowledge , likeness and union, elements provided only by faith.
Faith is not only the fundamental basis, but
it is the fundamental root of justification, that is, of salvation and
holiness together; the more this fundamental root descends and extends in depth,
the more it nourishes the growth of the tree and of the spiritual edifice; the
more vital nutrients it absorbs, the more it nourishes all the flowers and the
fruits of the tree of spiritual
life. 33. – As it is true that
without faith it is impossible to please God, so it is also true that with
little faith we will please him a little, with a lot of faith, we will please
him a lot, with the greatest faith, we will please him the most. Only by growing
in faith will we grow in God’s favor; only in spreading the faith will we bring
souls and the whole world to the Internal Infusion of
Faith 34. -
Deus dixi de tenebris lucem splendescere – “God said, let light shine forth
from the darkness”[26]
The Lord God, in the beginning, with his first word ad extra[27]
(this word still resounds for us to hear, and it will always resound forever
more sweetly and beautifully) commanded that light should shine in the darkness
that covered the formless wasteland of the universe and instantly light was made
and spread throughout the chaotic universe. 35. – Fiat lux[28]
- “Let there be light!” Because God is light and truth, the first period of
the first day is completely filled and made by this first divine word “ad extra,” The first creation in the
natural world was a reflection of the first procession of one divine, distinct
person from the first divine person, the font of divinity.[29]
The first divine joy in the world fluttering and resting over the light was an
image of the unique spiration of love, the only Spirit of Love of the Father and
the Son. 36. – Likewise, in the
world of the spiritual elevations of the soul to the divine persons, the first
permanent gift, containing the promise and the germ of all other gifts, is
faith. The first delight of God in the soul is for the first image and likeness,
this first communication and union with God. 37. – Ipe illuxi in cordibus nostris – He himself has shone in our hearts”[30]:
God reserves to himself the creation of souls and the direct infusion of faith
in the soul[31].So, one
can say that even more than the heavenly Jerusalem, the soul is really the holy city of God, and, like
the heavenly Jerusalem[32],
it can be said that the soul does not need light from the sun, or the moon and
the stars, because God is its light; the Lamb of God is the shining star of the
divine morning: the Word of God, the revelation and the word of the Father, in his Incarnation, the
God-made-man, Jesus Christ, becomes our interior sun[33]! 38. – The first light which
was to disperse darkness, with the fourth day of creation, it becomes the sun
for the day and the moon for night, as well as the stars for the nights and
days. Likewise, the supernatural light of faith, spread throughout the universe
through the words of the Son, in the Holy Bible as spiritual reading, and in
Apostolic Tradition found in the church’s preaching, this light of faith flows
through the sacraments of the dead ( moon for night) and the sacraments of the
living (sun for day).[34] 39. – Nothing is more
overwhelming than light, nothing is more penetrating than its rays. The same is
true of faith and the word of God! Nothing is more overwhelming than faith;
nothing is more penetrating than the word of faith, the word of God. As the
light strikes the most noble and sensitive organ of the body, the eye, when it
is not properly focused in connection with the light, so, faith and the word of
God pierce and strike the soul. A light that does not dispel darkness is not
light. A word that does not strike the heart of the soul is not the word of God;
a faith that does not overwhelm in the fight is not divine faith.[35] 40. – Above all, and before
anything else, I must want, for my soul, this divine infusion of faith from the
springs of divine goodness and from Jesus Christ; infusions that are always
loftier, always deeper, always fuller and more overwhelming, aided by the
knowledge and contemplation of the divine word of Scripture and Tradition
through the teaching ministry of the church, nourished like a babe in its
mother’s womb. All of these, along with frequent reception of sacramental
absolution, to which an increase in faith is infallibly connected, are the basis
for all sacramental and extra-sacramental graces. Amen! Alleluia!
External Profession of Faith 41. – Corde creditur ad iustitiam, ore autem confessio fit ad salutem - “ For one believes with the heart
and so is justified and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.”[36]
The infusion and internal acceptance of faith are prerequisites for grace and
for charity; the external profession of
faith and the works of charity are prerequisites for a healthy spiritual
life. If it is true that health is part of
grace, even better, grace is the health of the soul: What is sufficient
for grace ought to be sufficient for grace. Why then the need of external
profession for its health? 42. – This health, which is
supernatural life, does not circulate outside of the mystical body of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church,
outside of which there is no hope of supernatural life, as there is no life in
any organ separated from the rest of
the body. By divine institution and commandment, it is necessary to belong to
the church, the Body of Jesus Christ, in order to have the life of 43. – 44. – If, for the life of
individuals and the world, faith is necessary, it is also necessary that the
word of God be proclaimed unceasingly and abundantly in order to fill each soul
and the world, as the author of Ecclesiasticus prays: “O Lord, fill Zion with
your majesty, your temple with your glory.”[39]
As if he were to say: the whole world will be filled with the glory of God,
provided that every soul is filled with the word of God. Your glory, O God, in
the divinity, is your eternal, personal Word; and your glory, O God, in humanity
is your Incarnate Word: 45. – Your glory in the
soul is the very Word, Jesus, who lives in the soul, enlivening it and making it
a saint, through the action of the same Spirit who effected the Incarnation. If
the world must be filled with your glory, it must be filled with saints; in
order to be filled with saints, it must be filled with your Word, you Incarnate
Son, living in every soul. There is the daily banquet of the Eucharist and
Preaching offered to every soul. Every soul must be invited, urged, almost
forced to live within this supernatural regimen; this is indeed the glory of
God. 46. – In parish churches,
the faithful should not end private devotions without having knelt first for a
moment at the baptistery to thank God for their first infusion of the
theological[40]
and cardinal[41]
virtues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit[42],
and their first incorporation with Jesus in his church; also, to renew the
baptismal renunciations and promises and, to invoke the grace of Baptism for
each soul who comes into this fallen humanity of ours, and to plead for the
preservation and perfection of innocence in all until death. 47. – At the baptistery,
the faithful should implore and beseech from the Lord, for this poor dear world
of ours, a new purifying and vivifying flood: a flood of divine words that
produces a flood of good deeds, a flood of saints, a new baptism of fire and the
Holy Spirit, from which the whole world and every soul will be born again
according to Jesus Christ. And, so that this prayer may be effective, everyone
should be ready to say to the Lord: ecce
ego mitte me – “Here am I, Lord, send me”[43]
with the most intense acts of faith, and with the most profound religious
instruction to form in oneself that
abundantia cordis ( fullness of heart) that enables us to speak. First Part Contemplating My Heaven Chapter I Principles and Premises 1. - The Lord God, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, in his nature and persons, in his perfections and
operations, is wholly life, truth and love. We call this divine Being, that is
the most simple and most perfect, eternal, immense, infinite and unchangeable,
the divine holiness[44]. The Lord
God in his mystery of life, truth and love, has wanted and has chosen me, he has
created and elevated me, he has called and consecrated me, so that I may be his
image and likeness; thus, may I be- for his glory and in his service- a living
and free relation of love with the divine persons, like a word and gift of love
of one person to another. 2. – Here I am in the
supernatural world, in the sphere of divine life, that I share through his
grace. I must travel the whole orbit of divine love, in the light of divine
truth. Even though I am ready essentially of God, I am destined to belong to him
even more; I am destined to be always more like him; I am destined to be always
more united to him in his being and action, so that I may ascend – through all
levels of love – to the supreme relationship[45]
and divine union, in the likeness of God-made-man, the Incarnate Word, Jesus
Christ, the Savior, and through the action of the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier
and the Consoler. 3. – In this heaven, and on
this road, I can and must receive, from many, many beings, the good of God’s
knowledge and love; I can and must give to many, many other beings the good of
God’s knowledge and love; in communion with the angels, the saints, and all the
members of the church, with the Holy Family, for the Divine Trinity. This state
of laws and relationships of divine holiness is the state in which I live, and,
in which I want to live always for the glory, love and will of my God and my
all. 4. - All creation is in a
necessary relationship with the Lord God, who alone is the creator, guardian,
organizer, the unique first principle, the only ultimate goal. And, my whole
life and the life of my neighbor
must be spent in this relationship; my whole life and neighbor’s should be spent
leading the internal and external world to grasp and live this relationship; and
this is what religion should always be, namely, a total relationship with God,
and total holiness, which is functioning solely for God. Religious of God, saint
of God, with the grace and in imitation of the God-man, 5. - Because of this, 6. - The sacred flame of
his heart and his spirit has destroyed every mortal and venial sin in the soul
that has consecrated itself to him and in whom he lives; and, it continues to
burn with everlasting hatred for every possible offense against God. This sacred
flame burns, consumes and destroys every attachment to creatures, so that the
soul may freely ascend to the Lord, in his own loving zeal. He brings this soul
to a continuous spiritual growth, because love never says: enough. He maintains
a continuous fervor in it, in which everything is elevated from earth to heaven.
Life is lived completely at the summit of humility and charity, so that the soul
is always ready to do or omit, to enjoy or suffer anything, even death, in order
to offer greater joy and glory to God; in order to be always more like Him and
always closer to him. 7. – In its attraction to
the Lord, the soul forgets everything that is not necessary to preserve and to
strengthen the sacred flame, thus avoiding lukewarmness, and ever rising to the
Lord with effective progress. The soul rejoices when it finds in itself and in
others the signs of spiritual progress:
1)
discontent with
oneself, without anxiety;
2)
continual returning to
new beginnings and new impulses;
3)
always aiming at a
well-determined and specific goal, never being aimless;
4)
the conviction that
the Lord expects from us something special and he makes us feel a special
attraction to it;
5)
the regular but eager
desire for increasing perfection, which is translated into specific efforts. 8. - We assume all this in
the souls of good will, in their pilgrimage toward heaven. If, at times, signs
of lukewarmness should be noticed, one should not despair; and, if on awakening
they find themselves in a state of lukewarmness, they should not be discouraged.
They should start all over again in the name of the Lord. Signs of lukewarmness
are:
1)
easily neglecting
pious practices;
2)
being satisfied with
doing a pious practice without paying attention to how it is done;
3)
feeling uneasy with
the Lord without investigating and eliminating the cause;
4)
acting heedlessly,
without well-determined intentions;
5)
neglecting to develop
virtuous habits;
6)
contempt for little
things and for daily occasions of virtue;
7)
looking more at the
good already done than at the good to be done, looking more to the ones below or
behind us than to those above and ahead of us, enjoyment of the past rather than
preparing ourselves to fight for the future. 9. - With great admiration
and veneration, the soul looks at the saints of the Lord in the triumphant and
suffering church: the saints of the Lord in the militant church, for the state
of perfection in which they are, or to which they have committed themselves.
Such are the pastors of the church, the ministers of Catholic worship, and all
religious of every order, institute and form of apostolic life and mission. The
soul desires to participate in their religious life and prays to be accepted as
their least servants, sincerely wishing to offer them the most useful service
that they may need. The soul desires to spread, among the brethren in the world,
the goodness of religious life, so that everyone may become, in his own
environment, a religious of the Lord God, and, that the kingdom of holiness
which started with the advent of Jesus and the descent of the Holy Spirit, may
be established in every place, in every person. 10. - The divine mission of
the Word made flesh, crowned by the mission of the Holy Spirit, has given us the
church. In the church, among the members, we have like minor missions of the
angels and saints of God, and especially the Blessed Virgin Mother. Perhaps the
seven living flames, the angels assisting at the throne of God[47],
are passing now over the earth to gather all people to be the court of the
lovers of the Trinity. Perhaps the apostles and founders are passing through the
earth to recruit and auxiliary army of their glorious bands. Maybe St. Joseph
and the Blessed Mother are passing through the earth to form and sanctify the
elect of the Divine Vocations[48],
because among them, more than any body else, Jesus must be alive, just as his
infancy, adolescence and young manhood were entrusted to Joseph and Mary. Here I
am in a sacred army of souls, in a religious family. I want and must completely
honor and observe the interior life as the way to my goal, as the manifestation
of the good spirit that gives me life and guidance, as the court of glory and
love of “the God with us,”[49]and
through him to the Blessed Trinity.
Chapter II My Own Goal 11. - I am[50]
in this world for the greatest glory of the Blessed Trinity, devoted to its
divine perfections, especially, the divine holiness, which is reflected in the
holiness of the Catholic Church, and shines in the holiness of the saints. 12. – I am in this world
for the greatest cooperation with the divine operations, especially universal
sanctification, by aiding the mission of the Holy Spirit in myself and in my
neighbor, through communion with the saints, union with the Blessed Mother, and
incorporation with Jesus in the Eucharist, as sacrifice and sacrament. 13. – Thus, I must strive
for the highest levels of sanctification, in the divine union with the most Holy
Trinity, through the ascensional perfection of Charity, and the faithful
imitation of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. 14. – Above all, in the
practice and spreading of Christian asceticism, I must focus on forming Jesus in
every person with all the means of the apostolate; that is, I must apply myself
to make every individual a perfect Christian, like the religious of the Triune
God, truly Christ-like. 15. – In my relationship
and role with Jesus Christ, the greatest religious of the Father, living in the
church, and to be formed in all the elect as a little servant of the saints, I
must take his place with my heart, and, with my work, I must fulfill the office
of St. Joseph, the sublime model of the faithful servant. 16. – My general program of
spiritual service to be rendered to the holy church is to help everyone join and
persevere in the holy catholic church; to help all the faithful, individually
and as a family, live like Jesus, Mary and Joseph; and, to help all the elect
cultivate divine union with the most holy Trinity. 17. - The Holy Church,
triumphant, militant and suffering, the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
the Divine Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are, for me, the sole central
axis and the triple ascensional guides in and for my spiritual work and service. 18.- From all the above,
derives my special duty to promote the cultus of
the most holy Trinity, adored especially as indwelling in the soul in the state
of grace, and especially honored through generosity, fidelity, and obedience in
responding to the impulses and inspirations of grace. 19. – Likewise, it is my
special duty to cultivate, in myself and in others, the supernatural
relationship of the love of friendship with God, even to the highest level of
divine union as spouse of God, seeing the Christian life as the Lord’s nuptial
banquet with mankind within the holy catholic church. 20. – I like to visualize
this sublime goal of mine, concretely in the mystery of the Ascension of Jesus
to his and our God, to his and our Father. Consequently, I must continually
prepare myself to receive that supreme blessing of
Chapter III What My Spirit Should Be 21. – So that I may
accomplish this great undertaking of mine, I want to unite in myself every
intrinsic and distinctive characteristic of the servant of God, as they are
found in sacred revelation, especially in the prophet Isaiah, the Gospel, and in
St. Paul. 22. – As far as the
Man-God, Jesus Christ, is concerned, in every undertaking for his kingdom, in
every effort for the person he has redeemed, I must be full of the spirit of his
precursor, John the Baptist, who says:
Illum oportet crescere, me autem minui – “He must increase, but I must
decrease.”[51] 23. – In dealing with the
legitimate representatives of the Lord and ministers of God, I must be full of
the spirit of humility and charity seen in the young prophet, Samuel, who more
than once interrupts his rest, running as he is called: Ecce ego quia vocasti me: loquere, Domine, quia audit servus Thus –
“ Here I am, for you called me.” “Speak for your servant is listening.”[52] 24.- With regard to the
will of the Lord, manifesting itself through approved inspirations and religious
Constitutions, I must be filled with the spirit of humility and charity of the
Virgin Mary, who becomes the Mother of God by responding to the announcement of
the angel: Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi
secundum verbum tuum – “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it
be done to me according to your word.”[53] 25. – With regard to all
those around me, when even an indirect aid to sanctification might be possible,
I must be filled with the spirit of humility and charity of the Apostle of the
Gentiles, St. Paul, who says: Omnia possum
in Eo qui me confortat – “I have the strength for everything through him who
empowers me.”[54],
and consequently, omnibus omnia factus
sum, ut omnes Christo lucrifaciam
- “I have become all things to all, to save at least some.”[55] 26. – Regarding myself,
even if I had perfectly fulfilled all my obligations of justice and charity, of
vocation and mission, I must think and say, with all truthfulness and
simplicity: servi inutiles sumus, quod
debuimus facere fecimus – “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what
we were obliged to do”[56],
without any claim for recompense or recognition. 27. – In everything and
everywhere, I must make my own, as a divine privilege, the spirit of humility
and charity of Jesus himself: Filius
hominis non venit ministrari sed ministrare et dare animam Suam redemptionem pro
multis - “the Son of man did not come
to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”[57] 28. – The application,
proof, and sign of my spirit of humility and charity must be the perfection of
external and internal religious obedience, in community life and activities; I
want my obedience to be generously voluntary, since, where one suffers, one
offers more, as the one who, to the divine plan and will, answers Ecco, ego, mitte me- “Here I am, send
me.”[58] 29. – To obtain this spirit
of humility and charity, I must cultivate faith in my joy[59],
which is the glory, love, and will of God in everybody and in everything, and
hope for divine union, which is the joy of the Lord as promised to the
industrious and faithful servant who, together with Jesus Christ: proposito sibi gaudi sustinuit crucem- For the sake of the joy that lay before him he
endured the cross.[60] 30. – Even more, I must
nourish in myself the perfection of unitive love for the Man-God, Jesus Christ,
the supreme model for the servant of God, the true religious of the Father,
keeping in mind the divine predilections
Ecce servus meus, suscipiam eum: electus meus, complacuit sibi in illo anima
mea, dedi spiritum meum super eum – “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my
chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my spirit.[61] Chapter IV Help From Above 31. – I will be totally
entrusted to the heavenly protection and motherly care of the blessed Virgin
Mary, Mother of God, and St. Joseph, to whose family I want to belong, into
whose kingdom I wish to enter; and, in my interior life, I will unite myself, in
a special way, to the seven angelic spirits, assisting at the throne of God.[62] 32. – I will honor the
blessed Virgin, Mother of divine Love, under the title of “Our Lady of Divine
Vocations[63],”
Mediatrix of All Graces, Queen of
All Saints, with the devotion of St. Louis Marie De Montfort, uniting to her,
always and inseparably, St. Joseph, in all private devotions to her. 33. – In addition to my
patron saints, in my private devotion, I will honor all the saints of the church
triumphant in their various categories, especially: the holy prophets and
apostles, the fathers and doctors, the holy popes and founders. I will celebrate
with Solemn Vespers[64]
and Mass the ones listed in the universal calendar of the church. 34. – I will honor Jesus on
the feastday of the Sacred Heart[65];
Mary, on the day of her Name[66];
St. Joseph, on his feast day[67];
the angels, on the feast of Guardian Angles[68];
the holy church triumphant on All Saints Day[69];
the church militant on the feast of the Chair of St. Peter[70],
as special Community Feast Days. 35. – With the greatest
religious devotion, I will honor the divine Ascension of Jesus, celebrating
solemnly the triduum of the Rogation Days[71]
and its Octave[72],
considering that mystery as the summation, rationale, and synthesis of all the
acts and states of the Incarnate Word, and the model and invitation for every
ascension of the soul to God. 36. – With the greatest
solemnity, I must honor the divine Pentecost, with its novena in the cenacle[73]
and its octave, commemorating the descent and mission of the Holy Spirit, the
Sanctifier, and, in honor of Pentecost, I will divide my ascetical year into
seven periods of fifty days, dedicating myself, in each one of them, to some
particular practices of sanctification. 37. – With the greatest
solemnity, I must honor the supreme mystery of the Trinity at the heart of the
year, on its liturgical day[74]
(considering as preparation the two octaves of the Ascension and Pentecost, and,
as thanksgiving, the other two great feasts, Corpus Christi[75]
and the Sacred Heart); and, by extension, on all Sundays of the year, with
special attention to the Principle of the Divinity, God the Father. 38. – I will celebrate the
Ember Days[76]
of Spring as the feast of Vocation, the Ember Days of Summer as the feast of
Profession, the Ember Days of Fall as the feast of Ordination, the Ember Days of
Winter as the feast of Mission, spending those days, from Tuesday night until
Sunday morning in minor spiritual exercises. 39. – I will consider as my
personal feast of the Divine Union, the eight complete days of strict spiritual
exercises, every year. I will try to make this retreat during Passion Week[77]
or at another convenient time; during this yearly retreat, I will apply myself
to increase my growth in the esteem, love, observance and apostolate of
religious life, renewing my religious vows at the end of it. 40. – Finally, I will
celebrate with religious devotion the feast of the pope, the bishop, the pastor;
the feast of the highest civil authority in the country, state and city; the
feast of the general, provincial and local Director on their feast day, offering
for them the whole day of prayer, penance, good works, and, for civil
authorities even a Mass.
Chapter V Life of Prayer 41. – Since “the person who
prays will certainly save himself, and, the one who does not pray will certainly
damn himself” (St. Alphonse Liguori proves this for us) and, since “only the
person who knows how to pray well, knows how to live well” (as St. Augustine
teaches us), then, above everything else, we must take to heart, for ourselves
and all others, the perfect organization and the constant practice of the life
of prayer. 42. – This we must
constantly ask from the Lord, the only giver of every perfect gift[78],
making our own the humble but fervent prayer of the apostles: “Lord, teach us
how to pray.”[79]
To know the theory of prayer, however, is not sufficient for a prayer life.
Every life needs a vital spirit. So, we ask the Lord: “Fill us with the spirit
of grace and prayer, that you have promised through your prophet.”[80] 43. – In reality, it is the
Spirit of the Lord that gives life to our souls with supernatural life. He works
in us through the sacraments, the channels of his grace, which is our
supernatural life, and his charity, which is the heart of this life, and the
other theological and cardinal virtues, which are the powers and faculties of
this life. Through faith and religious instruction, he offers us the nourishment
for this life. But, it is through prayer that the Spirit of the Lord prepares us
to conform and cooperate with this whole treasure of grace, and that is why he
is given to us as a spirit of grace and prayer. 44. – It is prayer that
gives and energizes the lungs and arteries of our life’s internal operations. It
is prayer that gives and supports our legs and feet, allowing advancement on
this life’s road. It is prayer that gives and supports our arms and hands that
we might accomplish the great task of life. It is prayer that provides and
enables us to use the weapons and ammunition needed to fight the battles of
life. It is prayer that gives and keeps in motion (which must be regular and
constant) the wings to lift us to ever higher spheres; it is prayer that gives
and enables us to use levers to lift the whole world. 45. - Now, for the external
organization of a prayer life, we want to treasure the Psalms and other
scriptural prayers, as well as the highlights of the saints. For our meditation,
we should treasure the methods of the various schools of catholic spirituality,
for example, the Sulpician[81]
Method and the Ignatian Method[82];
to anyone who really wants to effect the work of the Lord in himself and other
souls, we strongly recommend knowledge and application of these methods. 46. – The first quality of
prayer is that it must be frequent; this is so that we may practice what is
written: Oportei simper orare et numquam
deficere – “it is necessary to pray always without ceasing.”[83]and
Since intermissione orate- “Pray
without ceasing.”[84]
In our daily life, we take literally
Septies in die laudem dixi Tibi – “Seven times a day I praise you”[85]
as does the church in the Liturgy of the Hours[86];
we also take this in its real meaning of “many times, indefinite times,”
multiplying endlessly our prayers in our private lives. 47. – In order to assure
continuity and perseverance in prayer, it is necessary that it be very
diversified to avoid distaste and weariness. It is written that “conversation
with the Lord does not cause tedium.” So, we will try our best to make certain
that the innumerable circumstances of the world and our lives will become
occasions of prayer; we also want to bring to our prayer the many and various
things and circumstances that are without number in our brief and limited
natural life, and, much more so in the supernatural life which participates in
the Lord’s immensity and infinity. 48. – Here we are facing a
multitude of exercises, practices, and devotions, the enumeration of which may
stun us; and this is only a sample, a beginning, just a notion of the acts,
practices and exercises of sanctification which spring up and flower in a soul
of good will, in the Spirit of Love. We must thank the Holy Spirit, the
inspirerer of such a wealth of good ideas; we do not want to stop the growth and
increase of these prayers; we do not presume for ourselves, nor expect from
others, that all these be done every day, because it would be truly impossible. 49. – That is why these
forms of prayers are distributed throughout different times, periods, months and
days of the year, with the interval of time avoiding habit, and, at the same
time, keeping the external variety and new spirit which is very important for
all of us. These forms of prayers must always be thought of and practiced, not
as an end in themselves, but as a means to the end. They are meant to elevate
the soul to God; and when the soul is elevated and united to God, it can and
must rest in him, as long as the desired good effect lasts; later on, if one
seems better, the soul may repeat the use of the means that best helped it,
rather than try another, even though another may be offered and indicated. 50. – Acts are necessary.
Everywhere and always acts of devotion and prayer. Otherwise, one falls into the
hands of sluggishness, the most untameable of the monsters, according to |