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Letters of Fr. General |
Advent 2007 |
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Contemplation in Action and |
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To All Members of the Vocationist Family My dear Confrere, May the Holy Spirit unite us ever more with the Son to the Father! Introduction According to an old terminology, our religious family was classified as a Congregation of mixed life, with the predominance of the contemplative element. Every community prayer has to be mental and vocal at the same time to be considered real prayer. Fr. Justin begins the Introduction to the Life of Prayer reminding us of the teaching of St. Alphonsus: “He who prays will certainly be saved and he who does not pray will certainly be damned.” And that of St. Augustine: “Only he who knows how to pray well knows how to live well.” In these two principles, we see in summary, the centrality and the importance of prayer in our life and its need for us. With this introduction, one does not need to be a genius to understand that our personal or community failures, our frustrations and pastoral dryness, our emptiness depend on our lack of prayer. This is why Fr. Justin always repeated: “Above all things there should be at heart, for us and for all souls, the perfect organization and constant functioning of the life of prayer.” (Devotional Ordinary, p. 7) More than to stop at the definition of prayer (the loving conversation with God), it is better to understand and meditate on the fact that the Holy Spirit, the spirit of our supernatural life, has been given to us as spirit of grace and prayer. (Ibid p. 8). This spirit of grace and prayer helps us to understand the place and function of prayer in our life. It is prayer that gives us and moves our lungs and arteries for the internal functioning of our life. It is prayer that gives us and moves our legs and feet to walk on the road of life. It is prayer that gives us and moves our arms and hands to perform the duties of life. It is prayer that gives us and moves our hands and arms to face the battles of life. It is prayer that gives us and puts in motor our wings to lift us up to heaven and the lever to lift up the world. (ibid.). In other words, prayer is our life and without it, there is nothing but death. A Vocationist who does not pray is not a Vocationist! I believe that the most beautiful praise that a Vocationist can receive is: “he is a man of prayer.” Can it be said of me or of you, that we are men of prayer?
Qualities of Prayer The first quality of prayer is that it should be abundant, to be able to actualize what is written: “we need to pray always without giving up” and also, “pray without ceasing”. (Ibid). It is obvious that I cannot pray vocally 24 hours a day; I can only pray mentally, uniting myself in all things with the Lord and doing everything to conform myself to his will. Only thus, eating, resting and spending time in recreation, etc… become prayer. It is physically impossible to pray 24 hours a day but to live the spirit of prayer is possible and easy by living with heart and mind united and elevated to the Trinity 24 hours a day. To assure the continuity of and perseverance in prayer, the second quality of prayer is: the variety. To be spontaneous, to be a real act of love, prayer must be always new and always express the admiration, the appreciation and the thanksgiving for new things, new beauty, new harmony, new interventions of God in our life. Let us make object of prayer every circumstance of our natural and supernatural life. And they are many! There are many books of prayer (and not only those that are ours). There are many formulas of prayer, and one formula of prayer is more beautiful than another. We neither pretend nor presume to use them all. They are only to help us in our elevation to the Lord; once elevated, we abandon also these formulas of vocal prayer and enjoy our being with the Lord. Endowed with the spirit of Roman practicality even in prayer, Fr. Justin adds a third quality of prayer: it should be consists of acts or a sequence of acts. Acts of devotion and union, of love and satisfaction, of intellect and will, of offertory and consecration, of renewed commitment and new ones; acts that are always more direct, intense and elevated. Through these acts, prayer is transformed to life. Methods of Prayer Ordinarily, beginners feel uneasiness in living the supernatural and find it hard to acquire the virtuous habits of prayer, especially mental prayer; they need to learn the various methods of prayer and faithfully use one that fits well with the internal and external circumstances of their lives. (Ibid. p. 11) Other than being practical and specific in prayer, one needs to be systematic as well. The different methods of prayer help in their systematization that generates virtuous habits, constant modes of prayer and relationship with God. Fr. Justin suggests that we know and practice for a period of time the different methods of prayer and then choose freely and permanently that which helps us more, even though he practically suggests our method: the method of the three ways or three degrees. There is a need to avoid a double difficulty regarding the method or form of meditation: excessive rigidity and excessive liberty or abandonment of every method. In the beginning of the spiritual life, it is important to know how to use a concrete method that is detailed in its means. It is also true that every method offers its advantages and disadvantages. Meditation Meditation is hard work. Therefore, it needs energy. One who is lazy does not meditate even if he has a good inspiration. We run to the Lord who said: effundam spiritum gratiae et pecum. Meditation prepares our union with God and our transformation in him. It is, in fact, a conversation with God that, everyday, becomes more intimate, more affective and more fruitful because it goes on through the course of the day even when we are working. With this continuous elevation of oneself to the Lord and being with him, the soul becomes more in love, is penetrated like a sponge that fills itself with the liquid in which it is immersed, like iron placed in the furnace, becomes red hot, softens and takes the quality of the fire. “We are not so much used to consider meditation and examinations of conscience as an exclusive element of our daily sanctification.” (Opere, vol. 8, p. 235). In his writings, from the Regole Grandi to Ascension, from Faciamus Hominem to the Devotional, in many numerous articles, Fr. Justin reveals all the importance that he attributes to daily meditation as an effective means in our ascetical journey to reach divine union. Those among us who have had the fortune to listen to him will remember the many exhortations made by him in the Vocationary every morning. Volumes V and VI of the Opera Omnia are but notes of his meditations preached to our confreres and sisters as well as to the people of Pianura. While with great pleasure I note a certain reawakening in the life of prayer in the great majority of our communities, I note with regret that in many communities, our prayer is reduced to only some vocal prayers. In many communities, meditation is being taken for granted and the examinations of conscience are reduced to the minimum to the detriment of the spiritual life. In the perfect learning and apostolate of the love of God, the science and practice of mental prayer is indispensable, practiced until It becomes a daily contemplative habit. (1R, art. 59). We all know how our Venerable Father scrupulously and rigorously practiced one hour of meditation during which he closed himself in his private chapel and did not respond to anyone so as not to disturb his union with the Lord. We also know that, not being satisfied with only one hour of meditation, he spent two hours, one in the morning and one, late in the afternoon. In 1918, he wrote in his diary: I feel that my intellect is in fasting for a while now. Two hours of meditation are not enough to be spent in enjoying the Lord, more than thinking of the Lord, are good nourishment of the will. Article 151 of the Constitutions of 1948, the last one written by Fr. Justin, establishes that: towards the Angelus in the morning, all will apply themselves to one hour of mental prayer in the church or in the chapel of the community, and generally after, rarely before, all are to participate in the community mass. Article 53 of the actual Constitutions asks that the Vocationists are to dedicate at least half an hour of meditation everyday. It is sad to note this drastic change: Fr. Justin spent two hours of meditation, the Rule asks for one hour, the Consititutions establish half an hour, and our practice?! Mental prayers for us are: the meditation, spiritual reading, examinations of conscience, listening to the Word of God and writing divine inspirations. All of our devotional exercise have to include vocal and mental prayers and each of our prayer must be simultaneously vocal and mental at the same time. Meditation, properly made, is considered the indispensable daily appointment of love with the Lord, one on one, therefore, done without any book or any external aide. (1R, 63). Like Fr. Justin, I would like to underline that meditation is our indispensable daily appointment of love. In case there is no time or there is not enough time, the other prayers can be shortened but not our meditation. That which is of greater importance is: 1. holy meditation must never be taken for granted or postponed but done before mass or after communion, with the Lord in us; 2. that the acts of the will (pleasure and consent, joy and praise, thanksgiving, contrition, oblation and consecration, decision and execution, etc.) be as prevalent and continuous as possible in every part so that it will be a real prayer (Ascension, Opere Vol. 1, 667) Because Fr. Justin insists that “there is a need to understand fully the methods of meditation that are accredited in the catholic ascetical life, like those of St. Ignatius and St. Sulpicius and, their summary and outline are to be memorized and repeated by our young confreres” (ibid. 661). We will see these methods and then deal more with our own particular method.
Importance of Meditation From the XVth century we can see among the spiritual fathers and the ascetical writers the exercise of meditation as something useful if one wants to detach from sin and from its causes; because it illuminates and enables one to see the malice of sin and, by making us know the will of the Lord for us, arouses holy desires, renews and moves our will to the practice of all the Christian virtues. Meditation is useful not only for those who are consecrated but for all those who want to continue on the way to holiness. St. Alphonsus affirms: While practicing other exercises of piety one can continue living in a disorderly manner but with meditation we cannot continue to live in sin. Many a time we have spoken of the marvellous coherence that harmonizes the thoughts of our Father Founder; meditation is one of those that constantly and commonly dominates his exhortations, sermons, teachings and rules. Drawing from the precious patrimony of spirituality of different religious families, particularly of the Carmelites, from the school of St. Therese of Avila whom our Father Founder considered to be his spiritual mother, Fr. Justin makes clear that regardless of this or that method, no one of his spiritual children should ever neglect what he defined in a beautiful way, as the indispensable daily appointment of love with the Lord, one on one (1R, 63), the daily meditation. As in his nature, Fr. Justin left us free to choose the method that would help us the most: “Our Spiritual Fathers will teach us the methods used by the saints and will make sure that each one would have enough experience before choosing one of these methods, fusing it ably with our method of the three degrees or the three ways.” (RG 79) From this article, I underline two important aspects: each one should try to have as much experience as possible. It is disastrous that a religious or, a priest would approach spiritual realities only on the basis of theory. We know a little of everything and we transmit it to people in our homilies and catechesis; we want to give others something to drink forgetting that we also need to drink something. A metaphysical principle says: nemo dat quod non habet. Is it because of this that our apostolate is not that fruitful? It is important that each one of us practice daily meditation. To be men of prayer it is not enough to read books that talk about prayer: we need to kneel and pray. It is because of this that Fr. Justin insists that each one of us should personally exercise a particular method for a period of time long enough to feel its effects in us before choosing the one we would later follow. Living in the presence of the Lord and the consciousness of the importance of meditation are the remote preparation to it.
Necessity of Meditation Methodical meditation is a very efficient means of sanctification. We can rather say that it is the most efficient way to assure us of obtaining eternal health. I repeat the teaching of St. Alphonsus: while encaging in other exercises of piety like the rosary, the Office of the blessed Mother, fasting etc., one can, unfortunately, continue to live in mortal sin but, with meditation, one cannot live with a grave sin in his heart: either he forgets doing meditation or he renounces sin (Praxis confessarii, nos. 122 and 217). How can one present himself in presence of God, the author of holiness, aware of being in the state of mortal sin, without making, with the help of grace, the resolution to detest sin and confess himself to obtain pardon which he sees to be absolutely necessary? Meditation cannot even be substituted by the Holy Mass or by the divine Office. The mass and the breviary, prayed with attention and devotion, are certainly effective means of perseverance and progress but, experience teaches that a priest, busy with the responsibilities of the ministry, does not perform well these two important duties (holy mass and the breviary) if he does not habitually enter into the spirit of meditation and prayer. Either meditation, or the great risk of damnation to a priest who is always in contact with the outside world, declares the pious and prudent Fr. Desurmont, one of the spiritual authors most read and quoted by our Founder. Pope St. Pius X, proclaimed clearly the necessity of meditation for priests (Exhortatio ad clerum catholicum, August 4, 1908). The Code of Canon Law prescribes that the Bishops should be vigilant so that priests dedicate some time everyday for mental prayer “ut idem quotidie orationi mentali per aliquod tempus incumbent” (Can. 125, 2°); and that the seminarians do the same: “ut alumni Seminarii singulis diebus… per aliquod tempus mentali orationi vacant” (Can. 1367, 1°). Does not this declare a moral necessity of meditation for ecclesiastics? Experience shows that when meditation is not done anymore, the devout recitation of the divine Office becomes almost impossible; if it is possible, then it will be prayed only with many interruptions. The truth is that morning meditation assures the devout celebration of the holy Mass and makes one recollect for short time before beginning his breviary. Meditation is very useful to our eternal health and perfection. It detaches us from sin and its causes. If we sin, then it comes from not reflecting and the weariness of the will. Now, meditation corrects this double defect. It enlightens us to see the malice of sin and its terrifying effects, showing them in the eternal light of God, and of what Jesus did to expiate sin. “It is meditation, says Fr. Crasset, that leads us (with our thought) in those holy deserts where one finds God in peace and quiet, in silence and recollection; meditation leads us spiritually to the gates of hell to show us our place; to the cemetery to show us where we will rest; in heaven to see our throne; to the valley of Giosafat to see our judge; to Bethlehem to see our Saviour: on Mt Tabor to see our love; to Calvary to see our example.” It detaches us from the world and from its false pleasures; it reminds us of the fragility of temporal goods, the worries that they bring, the emptiness and disgust that it leaves in the soul; it reassures us against the weakness and corruption of the world and makes us understand that only God is our happiness. It detaches us especially from our own selves, from our pride, from our sensuality, putting us in the presence of God who is the fullness of being and in front of our nothingness and showing us that sensual pleasure lowers us below the level of the ugly while the divine joys ennoble us and raise us to God.
Themes of Meditation Theme of our meditation are always and only the direct, divine words from fiat lux to ecce venio cito! On the same level of the direct divine words we place the holy inspirations that, being word of God directed to me, can be themes of my meditation. Among the divine words, we prefer to meditate on those divine words that contain an imperative. More than an exercise of the mind, in meditation-contemplation what dominates is the word of God which leaves an imprint in the intellect, warms our hearts and moves our will. The theme of community meditation is announced the night before, as a conclusion of night prayers. Normally it is done by reading the Gospel of the Mass of the following day. This practice, done in our communities of Altavilla, India, the USA and the Philippines, must be observed by all and everywhere, if we want to seriously do meditation. With the announcement of the theme of meditation begins the preparation for the next important exercise and with it, the grand silence because nothing and no one must distract us from the theme of our meditation. It should occupy our minds and our hearts during the grand silence whose main purpose is to aid our meditation. It seems that in our communities, the time for the grand silence does not have right to exist anymore! For us religious, the evenings are always filled with meetings, encounters, TV, telephone calls, internet, email, chats and other things. It seems that “silence” becomes something to fear. How many things could be said about this! The eloquent words of our Fr. Founder make us think about and rediscover the holiness of the great silence that should be filled by the word of the Lord. If you will observe perfectly the great silence from the Angelus of the evening to the prayer to the Holy Spirit in the morning, you will have done on your part all that the Lord expects from you to enable you to enter in this reality. Let’s not take this great silence for granted nor consider it as an obsolete practice remembered only for us to have something to talk about. Let us take it as a serious and effective obligation. Therefore, let us renounce the small intermissions in the evening and avoid all other possible distractions for ourselves and for others; if it is really necessary to talk during the great silence, we will do it with the minimum amount of words and the lowest voice as possible. Let us study how we can avoid every occasion of these conversations. “He who is faithful to this external silence for a greater internal recollection will certainly enter, in any way, in this reality.”
Common Points for All Methods There are points common to all the various methods that need to be pointed out because they are obviously important: 1. There is always a remote preparation, a proximate (near) preparation and an immediate preparation. a) the remote preparation is nothing but an effort to place our life in harmony with meditation. This includes three things: 1. mortification of the senses, 2. habitual recollection, 3. humility of life. These three, in fact, are the best dispositions to pray well. b) the near (proximate) preparation includes three principal acts: 1. reading or listening to the theme or subject of our meditation the evening before, 2. preparing oneself to awaken the heart with the idea, 3. disposing oneself to meditate with ardour, trust and humility. c) The immediate preparation, that is practically the beginning of meditation, consists in putting oneself in the presence of God, recognizing oneself to be unworthy and incapable of meditating and in imploring the help of the Holy Spirit. 2. Even in the meditation itself, there are, more or less, the same fundamental acts: a) acts that offer to the divine majesty the obligations of religion, duties that are proper; b) considerations to convince oneself of the necessity and usefulness of the virtue that we want to acquire, asking for it with a more fervent prayer; c) examination or reflection of oneself to be able to realize one’s incapacity; d) prayer to obtain the grace to mature in this virtue; e) decisions with which we fix our practice, for the day, the virtue that we have meditated upon. 3. The conclusion that closes the meditation, includes: a. thanksgiving for benefits received; b. a look at how one has made the meditation to be able to do better the next time; c. the last prayer to ask for the blessings of the Father in heaven; d. a concrete, well defined and doable resolution.
Method of St. Ignatius In the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius proposes several methods of meditation, according to the argument on which one would meditate and to the results one would want to obtain. The method that is more common is the method of the three forces. This is called so for the fact it makes use of our main faculties: memory, intellect and will. This is the method used in the first week of the Ignatian retreat meditating on sin. 1. Beginning of the meditation. It begins with a preparatory prayer, with which one asks God that all his intentions and works be united towards the service and praise of his divine majesty. Two preludes follow: a) the first prelude, that is, the composition of the place, has as its goal, to fix the imagination and the mind on the place where the Lord said that word on which I am to do my meditation to be able to keep distractions as far as possible: 1. if the object is visible, for example a mystery of the Lord, one represents it, as much as possible, not as a fact that happened many years ago but something that is happening in present moment and the one doing meditation is as a spectator; 2. if the object is invisible, like “sin” for example, the “composition of the place will be to see with the eyes of the imagination and consider my soul imprisoned in this mortal body; and the whole man, both body and soul, is exiled in this valley of tears”; or sin is considered in its effects to be able to fear it. b) the second prelude “will be to ask God that which I want and desire, for example the shame and the confusion in myself” in view of my sins. In the end, the resolution which somehow appears already at the beginning. 2. The body of the meditation consists of the application of the three forces of the spirit (the memory, the intellect and the will) to every point of the meditation. Every force is applied to every point. a) the exercise of the memory is done by wholly (and not in detail) remembering the first point to be meditated upon; like what St. Ignatius said, “The exercise of the memory around the sin of the angels consists of thinking how they were created in the state of innocence; how they made use of their freedom to disobey their Lord and creator; how they, with pride, became masters of their own will and passed from the state of grace to the state of malice and fell from heaven to hell.” b) the exercise of the intellect consists in reflecting more particularly on the same argument. St. Ignatius does not give any other explanation but Fr. Roothaan supplies them, observing that the duty of the intellect is to reflect on the truth proposed by the memory, to apply it to the soul and to its needs, to draw its consequences, to weigh the motivations of our resolutions, to consider in which way until now we have conformed our conduct to the truth that we meditate and how should we do it immediately after. c) the will has two duties to perform: to exercise itself in pious affections and to make good resolutions: 1. the affections should certainly spread all throughout the meditation or should be more frequent, because they are those that make meditation a real prayer. But there is a need to multiply them especially towards the end of the meditation. We do not need to worry about how to express them: the simplest way is always the best way. When we feel a good sentiment, it would be best to nurture it as much as possible until our devotion is satisfied. 2. the resolution will consist in practices, acts that would improve life and therefore they must be specific and appropriate for the present state, possibly to be executed the same day, founded on wise and humble reasoning, accompanied by prayer to be able to obtain the grace to put it into practice 3. In the end comes the conclusion, that comprises three things: the synthesis of the many resolutions already made; a conversation with God the Father, with Jesus our Lord and with the Blessed Virgin or with any saint, and finally the revision of the meditation, or the examination of how it was done to find some imperfections and improve on them. To be able to understand this method, I will repeat it in outline form: · I. Prelude - 1° Quick recalling of the truth to be meditated upon, - 2° Composition of the place through imagination, - 3° Request for the special grace appropriate to the subject · II. Body of the Meditation; exercise of: - 1° the Memory -summarizing in the mind the subject with the main circumstances. - 2° the Intellect, examining: -1° what I must consider in this subject, -2° what practical conclusions I have to draw from this, -3° what are the motives, -4° how did I observe this point, -5° what will I do to observe it better, -6° what are the obstacles that I have to avoid, -7° what means do I have to use. - 3° the will -1° with affection done all throughout the course of the meditation, principally in the end 2° with practical, personal, firm, humble and confident resolution taken at the end of every point. · III. Conclusion. - 1° conversation: with God, with Jesus, with the blessed Virgin, with the saints - 2° revision -1° how did I do the meditation, -2° what did I do well and what did I do badly and why, -3° what were the practical conclusions made, questions asked, resolutions taken, illuminations received? -4° fix a thought as a spiritual bouquet, or better if in the form of a short prayer.
Usefulness of this Method As we can see, this method is psychological and practical. a) it involves all the faculties including the imagination, applies them accordingly to the subject of the meditation thus adding a certain variety. Thus the same truth is considered under its diverse aspects, is turned and turned once again in our mind to penetrate it better, to acquire convictions and above all draw practical conclusions for that day.
Method of St. Sulpice The method of St. Sulpice is more affective: adoration of Jesus present to me, communion, Jesus attracted in the heart, cooperation, Jesus in the hands, Jesus in the heart, Jesus before the eyes (are the terms used in this method). A secure guide for a useful meditation. The idea is the union and the adhesion to the Word incarnate, to offer to God the acts of religion that are necessary and to draw to the soul the virtues of Jesus Christ. The three essential acts are: 1. the adoration, with which we consider an attribute or a perfection of God or a virtue of our Lord Jesus Christ as a model of the virtue that we want to practice and then offer our religious obligations, (adoration, admiration, praise, thanksgiving, love, joy or compassion); 2. the communion, with which we draw to ourselves, through prayer, the perfection or the virtue adored and admired in God or in Jesus Christ; 3. the cooperation with which, under the flow of grace, we fix the practice of this virtue taking at least one decision that we will exercise during the day.
Compendium of the Method The following synthesis will give us a sufficient idea of the method: We leave apart the remote preparation which is the same as the one discussed above. · I. Preparation: ° Prpoximate (or near) - 1° the evening before, choose the subject of the meditation and with precision, select the Word of God upon which we want to meditate, the considerations and the questions that we have to make, the resolutions that we need to take. - 2° to stay in recollection and fall asleep thinking of the subject of our meditation - 3° to wake up, take the first free moment to apply to this sacred exercise. ° Immediate - 1° put oneself in the presence of God who is everywhere and especially in our hearts - 2° humble oneself in front of God with the thought of one’s proper sins. Contrition. Recitation of the Confiteor - 3° to recognize oneself as incapable of praying as how one should pray. Invoking the Holy Spirit, recitation of the Veni, Sancte Spritus. · II. Body of the Meditation ° 1° Point: Adoration. Jesus in before our eyes - 1° consider in God, in our Lord or in any saint the subject that we want to meditate upon: the feelings in his heart, words and actions. - 2° offer our obligations: adoration, admiration, praise, thanksgiving, love, joy, compassion ° 2° Point: Communion. Jesus in the heart - 1° to convince ourselves of the necessity and usefulness of the virtue considered with the motives of faith, with reason or with simple analysis, - 2° reflection on oneself with the same feelings of contrition for the past, of confusion for the present and desire for the future - 3° ask God for the virtue to be meditated upon (especially for this request, we participate in the virtue of Jesus). To ask for other things that we need, for the need of the Church, of the people we are obliged to remember in our prayers. ° 3° Point: Cooperation: Jesus in our hands - 1° make a particular, actual, efficient and humble resolution - 2° renew this resolution with a particular examination · III. Conclusion ° 1° Thank God for having given us many graces in our meditation ° 2° Ask him pardon for the faults and the negligence committed in this sacred exercise ° 3° ask him to bless our resolutions, our day, our life and our death ° 4° form our spiritual bouquet, a thought that has been of greater impact on us, to remember it during the day and remind us of our resolutions ° 5° to entrust all to the blessed Virgin concluding with the prayer, Sub Tuum Praesidium.
Characteristics of this method a) The internal dispositions and virtues are founded on our incorporation in Christ and on the obligation that comes with it. To be able to do this, we have to, (according to the expression of the Olier), have Jesus before our eyes, to admire him as model and offer him our obligations (adoration); to have him in our hearts, attracting him to ourselves with our prayer, our dispositions and virtues (communion); to have him in our hands, collaborating with him in the imitation of his virtues (cooperation). Therefore, the soul of this method is the intimate union with Jesus. b) duty of religion (reverence and love of God) comes before the request; the first to be served is God! The God that we put in front of us is not the God of philosophers but the concrete and living God of the Gospel; the Holy Trinity living in us. This is a method appropriate for seminarians and priests; because it reminds always the priests, being another Jesus in character and in power, they have to be another Jesus also for the dispositions of the virtues and that all their perfection consists in making Jesus alive and growing in themselves
Lectio Divina Another method of meditation, maybe the most common today, is the lectio divina. This consists in: 1. petitio (petition) – to ask for illumination after a brief examination of conscience; 2. lectio (reading) – reading of the meditation text; 3. meditation (meditation) – deepening of the text; 4. oratio (prayer) – personal dialogue with God; 5. contemplatio (contemplation) – adoration of God who reveals himself in the reading and in the meditation; 6. applicatio sensuum (application of the senses): to apply the senses to the acts of adoration (to be inebriated with God, kissing the Word, the crucifix; 7. actio (action) – the particular resolution after the meditation
Method of the Three Ways After having chosen the method that we find more fitting for us, Fr. Justin tells us that we have to mold it to our method of the three ways or three degrees. The Vocationists should harmonize the method of St. Ignatius, the method of St. Sulplice or the lectio divina with our own specific method of the three ways, purification, illumination and union. It is opportune to remind ourselves that, thanks to the resourcefulness and creativity of Fr. Salvatore Verlezza, great scholar and faithful interpreter of the thoughts of Fr. Justin, the three ways became part of our coat of arms that is why in the circle of the suffering church we find the word purification, in that of the militant church we find the word illumination and in that of the triumphant church we find the word union. Fr. Justin does not hesitate to call this method our method, even though the expression ”three ways” is not Justinian, he got it from the traditional spirituality. St. Bonaventure already used it in De Triplici Via. But it is to be noted that for our spirituality, it does not deal with the three parallel or divergent ways, but of three diverse steps or degrees of spiritual life journeyed by the soul that generously corresponds to the grace of God. Before we enter into the details of each of the ways, it should not be forgotten that Fr. Justin specified that in these three ways, we are called to exercise gently the three forces of the soul: memory, intellect and will (1R 166). The person in his total unity, with his every power and faculty takes an active part in this exercise. Fr. Justin prescribes: let this method of the three ways or degrees be diligently observed. (Ibid. 165). After the remote, the near or proximate (the choice of the theme the evening before and the grand silence) and the immediate preparation, like in the other methods, repeating the divine word or the holy inspiration on which we want to meditate, the soul enters into purification. The three degrees or the three ways are to be followed under the light of the truth and the divine word previously received (1R 171). 1. the way of purification consists in the removal of sin. It is a small particular judgement (1R 171). This first part is a real and proper examination of conscience on how much the Lord has made in the soul and how the soul has responded to the divine word chosen to be the theme of the meditation. Under the illumination of the divine light, I see first how the Lord has actualized in me that word and then seeing me through God’s mirror how my response has been inadequate and how it could be more generous and total. In this way, the memory (the heart) plays a relevant role. The gratitude and contrition are fruits of the affective faculty. The first degree: that of purification, is composed of a “confessio laudis” in memory of the love that God has done for the soul and the soul to God, in the day before (1R 167) and from amendments from shortcomings committed (1R 168). The contrite and humiliated soul in the contemplation of how much God has done for her becomes purified from past sins and enters in the illuminated way. As the first fruit of this first degree, one has to always understand himself and obtain some perfection in one’s proper conduct in union with the suffering Church. (1R 173). 2. the way of illumination is called as such because this is a small and daily school and interior lesson of the Holy Spirit. (1R 168). This, helping me to understand all the more the divine word, brings me to the imitation of Christ. In this part, my intellect that analizes, deepens and explores other possible applications (the significance of the divine word is one but its applications can be infinite), assimilates and applies to itself as much as the word dictates, enters in action. A better understanding brings to a more complete conformity to the will of God. The end is to conform us to our Lord in a way to make him the center of our lives, of our thoughts. We delight in the true study of life, of its mysteries and every word that the Gospel brings us. We repeat slowly and affectionately the word chosen, revealing even the smallest details in life and in the other teachings of our Savior and seeing them in front of the reflection of the blessed Mother and the saints. As a fruit of this second degree one has to always understand and obtain the deepening of some religious conviction corresponding to the subject, in union with the militant Church (ibid, 173). This knowledge of the virtues of Jesus and the blessed Mother, brings us to the love, where Jesus becomes the center of our affections. Love brings to imitation. We imitate that which we love. The soul, purified by the examples of Jesus, Mary and the saints, becomes mature in the habitual and intimate union with God, that is, through the unitive way. 3. the unitive way, qualified by Fr. Justin as loving conversation that puts in motor the will, illuminated by the intellect tends to its natural object: the good, and God is the highest good. The good as object of love wants to be seen, touched, embraced, possessed. The contemplation is almost not enough; the soul suffers almost violently if it stays away from the good contemplated that is why it has to be his possession, and has to possess it and has to be one with it. The heart, the intellect and the will are founded on the elevation, on the possession, on the dialogue and on the conformity with the expressed divine will, contained and made present in meditation. The third degree will be followed, this especially, always in one on one in the intimacy of the conversation of love with one of the divine persons, for the exercise and the perpetual enjoyment of the proper grace of union… It is the loving adoration of the Trinity in spirit and truth (1R 169). As practical fruit of this way, one always has to understand and obtain the enjoyment of the complacencies and divine predilection, in union with the triumphant Church (ibid. 173). This third way is nothing but the intimate and personal union with God through Jesus Christ, so that we can make ours and repeat this beautiful phrase of St. Paul that Fr. Justin cites always in his diaries: “I live, but it is not I that live, but it is Christ that lives in me.” The three ways are simultaneously present in all the course of spiritual life, in its three progressive degrees, although varying in attraction, emphasis, importance or need that we feel in some determined moments or periods of our life. Following the grace and inspiration of the moment, the soul can pass the time of meditation going through the three ways or stopping in one or two of them, does not have to worry about equal distribution of time among the three ways. The person who passes his time in meditation in one or another degree has meditated well and has to feel himself free to continue the same meditation for two or more days. Each one follows every degree with sweet and devout calmness, together with a direct, intense and ardent attention, without worrying about the next step, being able to fruitfully spend the time of meditation in that particular degree where the soul finds its spiritual nourishment and enjoyment (ibid. 172). The goal of the spiritual itinerary will always be that of the union with God that concretizes itself in the contemplation through love. For this, Fr. Justin opens the chapter on meditation writing: “for the perfect culture and apostolate of the apostolate of the love of God, the true science and constant practice of mental prayer is indispensable, until it becomes an ordinary contemplative habit. (1R 159). In other words, we do not have to worry and to preoccupy ourselves to do everything but to the best! Mgr. Gay, author many times quoted by Fr. Justin, writes: intimacy is the knowledge of harmony among those who love: knowledge that is full of light, unction, happiness and inventiveness. It is the feeling and the experience of their mutual attraction, of their affinity, of their entire correspondence if not for their likeness… It is the union until oneness and therefore unity without solitude. It is a reciprocal security, an unlimited trust, a willed simplicity that renders the soul all transparent; it is in the end, as a consequence, the full liberty that allows both to look at each other, up to the deepest parts of the soul.” Such is the intimacy to which, as religious Vocationists, we are called, that of the soul called sponsa Trinitatis (spouse of the Trinity) can be said what the author of the Imitation of Christ writes: frequens illi visitatio cum homine interno, dulcis sermocinatio, grata consolatio, multa pax, familiaritas stupenda nimis.
Meditation concludes with a short prayer, easy to
remember, to be able to extend the meditation throughout the day praying
repeatedly such ejaculation. Because each prayer has to consist or
transform itself into action, we cannot conclude meditation without
deciding on a specific, detailed and measurable resolution.
The fruitfulness of the meditation The authenticity and the genuineness of every form of prayer is not verified based on sentiments or feelings felt, but rather it is based on the style of my life. It is my way of living that proves whether my prayer is authentic or not. This applies more properly to meditation during which we are called to make a complete scanning of our day almost like a radiography of our actions and feelings in the light of the Word of the Lord, to see the small fractures of our spirit and modify in end some inconsistent actions. Fr. Justin also, to avoid that meditation limits itself only to intellectual considerations and not descend to the practical level in its considerations and concrete actions, makes us pray in this way: in a special way I renew my resolution to fight for the eradication of that defect … to labor for the acquisition of that virtue.” (Devotional p. 184). In this particular exercise and experience of love I want to rigorously abstain from the defect … and generously exercise in every occasion the opposite virtue. (ibid., p. 48).
Conclusion According to his divine nature that is love and to our nature that is dependence of love and from love, God has willed that the main activity of the soul be prayer. After being consecrated and having abandoned ourselves to him, we should never cease praying. Blessed are we when he attracts all our being to himself, or at least the superior part of our being, allowing us to converse with him in a way that is more intuitive than conversational, more ecstatic than affective. Every desire, every fear, every act of passion, every breath of temptation, every weakness or ignorance, every felt inclination, everything, let everything be like the divine invitation to pray, to call the beloved for help, for company, for conversation, for defence, for complacency, our God and our all. (diary of St. Martha, 1916) You need to allow your soul an hour of mental prayer, despite the multiple preaching, lectures, ministries and works. God who is love wants it. (Diary, After Pentecost, 1926). I conclude with the words of Fr. Justin, inviting you to do two hours of meditation everyday. There should not be anymore excuses to dispense myself from holy meditation, examinations of conscience and spiritual readings. What an error, what an illusion what a waste! How many times you have understood it! No. Resume it, even if you were to spend the whole day in spiritual things, you still need the meditation, the examination of conscience, the spiritual reading. You can ask permission to do it at night, ask for the grace of the Lord and the permission of the rector. Amen. (Diary, Aug. 18 – Sept. 4, 1926) My brother, let us open up to the Holy Spirit and let us immerge ourselves always in mental prayer and we will come out transformed, capable of producing fruits of sanctification and vocational fertility for ourselves and for others. With best wishes, I greet you, embrace you and bless you. United in prayer, Fr. Louis M. Caputo, SDV
PS. Many have complained that in my last letter, there was no post scritpum. I will make up in this letter wanting to share with you the most beautiful experiences of the year 2007 and looking at the year 2008 in general and at the erection of the Italian province in particular. A. Looking back at 2007: 1. During the year 2007, I visited all our missions. I enjoyed very much the fervour and the signs of hope and enthusiasm that I found in the missions. The General Councillors have done their job in the service of the Congregation continuing their work, actively participating in the meetings of the General Council, visiting the missions, coordinating the retreats and meetings of every zone, reviewing and completing the Ratio Institutionis, the Statutes of the Delegation, conducting the appeals for the mission and for the vocationary, organizing and preachig the courses of spiritual exercises, the general program, visiting every community and even substituting some confreres at the local level. I consider it a positive experience to have all the Councillors under one roof. 2. In India, I enjoyed and made mine the joy of the community for the first fruits of the priestly ordination. I lament the decrease in the number of aspirants in our Indian Vocationary. 3. In Argentina, I enjoyed and thanked God for the vocational reawakening and the commitment of our confreres to bring forward the formation making the effort to provide for the maintenance of the aspirants, for at least 60%. 4. In Brazil, I had the chance to see the Province gathered together and appreciated the spirit of sharing the unites our confreres. 5. In Nigeria, I had the chance to preach the third and the fourth course of spiritual exercises for this year. Nigeria and India are the two missions that are most expensive for the Congregation. I suffered much in having imposed a limit to the number of candidates that can be accepted. 6. In the Philippines, I admired and celebrated the opening and blessing of our new community, the new Novitiate house in Maasin. Our confrere, Fr. Nicola Martino provides 100% for our communities in Davao and Mati. We have not yet completed the payments for the construction of the road that leads to the new novitiate house. 7. In Indonesia, we have officially erected the new community in Ruteng and at the same time authorized the opening of a dependent community in Maumere. In Indonesia I admired the spirit of poverty and simplicity in which the confreres live and their industriousness to provide, at least partially, for the community’s financial needs. I thank Fr. Armando Palmieri who has taken the obligation to economically provide for this new small community which offers great hopes for the future. 8. In the United States; I remained edified by the love of the confreres for the sick members of the community. There is a need for reinforcement. 9. I exulted with the Nigerian community for the ordination of eight confreres to the priesthood and the elevation of the mission to the status of a Delegation. The Nigerian mission totally depends on the central government in Rome for its financial needs. It seems that the four parishes are able to maintain themselves but cannot yet provide for the needs of the Delegation. 10. In Madagascar, I was enchanted by the vocational interest of our confreres and in the order and cleanliness of the house. Notwithstanding the overcrowding of the house, it is a jewel to be seen. 11. Ecuador is fascinating for its climate, for the number of faithful who frequent our chapel, for the contrast between the new and the old parts of the house and for the little farm for the maintenance of our community. On October 11, we have celebrated the opening of the new community in Villadolid in the Apostolic Vicariate of Zamora. 12. In Colombia, I was very much impressed by the group of the Friends of Fr. Justin and their interest in his life, works and teachings. The mission in Ecuador depends totally on the missions appeals made by Fr. Nicola Carandente. 13. With the visit in England, it looks like the day of opening a community in another European country is near. We are thinking of opening this mission with confreres from our missions; this will be not only a financially independent mission but one capable of helping other missions. This mission will be officially opened in Holy Well, diocese of Rexham, in September 2008. 14. In Italy, a giant step has been made towards the formation of the Italian Province which I already see as a fact. 15. The frequent visits from sister death and some defections have grieved our hearts. The house in Siculiana Marna has been rented out. The community of Acquaviva delle Fonti consists still of one confrere only and the community of Perledo is still waiting for a reshuffle! 16. The ongoing work of restoration to our motherhouse in Pianura, the legal litigations concerning Paestum, Roosvelt and the inability of selling the house in Siculiana (the one we had purchased from the Franciscan Sisters two years ago) have consistently aggravated our financial situation. From 1 June 2006 to 30 June 2007 the Congregation has spent euros 670,000.00 for the missions. It pains me immensely that for the first time in the history of the Cingregation we have limited the number of students we accept for lack of money! 17. Considering the present stressful situation of the Congregation, the needs of our young missions, the desire of publishing the Book of the Soul of Fr. Justin I beg a Christmas gift from every community and from each confrere. Every community and every confrere is called to make an effort, a sacrifice, a real gesture of generous love donating personally or through some benefactors something. I hope that no one remains insensitive to this request. He who can give a lot should give a lot, he can give little, should give the little he can, and he who can nothing should solicit a donation from those who can. Everyone should give something. 18. Placing my emphasis on the positive, in no way, I want to deny the negative existence of shadows, hardships and difficulties in every community. We have not been immune to failures and bad examples. Let us learn from our mistakes and let us ask God’s forgiveness for them. B. Looking ahead at 2008: 1. As announced in the General Program for 2008, we begin the Canonical Visits of all our communities in January and we hope to finish them in the span of two years. 2. The visit of Fr. General and one of the Councillors will be preceded by the visit of the General Treasurer and another Councillor for the revision of the registers, the archives, the bank accounts, inventory, formation, pastoral and vocational programs 3. In every canonical visit, Fr. General in addition to encountering the individual religious of the community, the local council and the whole community, would like to encounter the Bishop of the diocese, the Pastoral and Finance Councils, The Friends of Fr. Justin, the catechists, and other parish groups. 4. For two weeks before the visit of Fr. General and during his visit, no religious is allowed to be absent f | |