Remember St. Therese – You do not have to do multitudes, find what speaks to you.
Sacrifice / Redemptive Suffering: Journey to Laverna, conformed to the Crucified Christ.
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings” (Col 1:24)
“For I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.” (Gal 6:17)
The little way of St. Therese
Humility: Accept whatever may come as God’s will
“If you love me, keep my commands.” (Jn 14:15)
Satan cannot defeat humility, he is the father of pride
Put on the Armor of Christ: (Eph 6:10-19) Our struggle is with principalities and powers. Devotion to Guardian Angel
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
Be Fervent:
“Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” (Rev 3:16)
“Whenever you begin any good work you should first of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord to bring it to perfection…Just as there exists and evil fervor, a bitter spirit, which divides us form God and leads us to hell, so there is a good fervor which sets us apport from evil inclinations and leads us toward God and eternal life.” (St. Benedict, Office of Readings, July 11)
“I have come to se the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Lk 1:49)
Recommended reading:
“Francis and Clare, the Complete Works” - Classics of Western Spirituality
“The Story of a Soul, the Autobiography of Therese of Lisieux”
“Becoming and Ordinary Mystic” - Albert Haase, OFM
“The Imitation of Christ” - Thomas A Kempis
“The Fulfillment of All Desire” - Ralph Martin
Called to be Holy
Be Holy because I Am Holy: Lev 11:44-45
1 Ptr 1:16
HOLY: God’s main attribute. His otherness. Wholly distinct from creatures.
Separated from the secular or profane. Dedicated to God. Consecrated to
God, blessed by God, i.e., sacramental, religious profession, ordinations,
Baptized, confirmed.
How do we become holy?
Mat 5:3-12 Beatitudes
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 1 for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, 1 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Mat 5:3-12 NAB)
Mat 5:43 Love of Enemies
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, (Mat 5:43-44 NAB)
Mat 6:1 Almsgiving
"(But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites 1 do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
(Mat 6:1-4)
Mat 6:5-13 Prayer
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.
“When I pray, when I breathe with God, I become part of the intimacy of God’s life. The Spirit of God who breathes within me draws me into the circle of love between the Father and Son. Through prayer I am drawn into the dance of the Trinity.” -- Ilia Delio, OSF: Franciscan Prayer
Mat 6:16 Fasting
"When you fast, 1 do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. (Mat 6:16-18 NAB)
Mat 6:25 Dependence on God
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 1
(Mat 6:25-27 NAB)
“Put aside worry and anxiety and trust in the merciful providence of God” (Bl. Solanus Casey)
Mat 7:21 Do the Will of the Father
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, 1 but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Mat 7:21 NAB)
“If you love me, keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15)
Mat 10:37 Conditions of Discipleship
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up his cross 1 and follow after me is not worthy of me. (Mat 10:37-38 NAB)
Mat 16:24 Take up your cross
Mat 25 Service
St. Theresa of Avila:
“Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which must look out Christ’s compassion on the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless people now.”
Mat 28:18 The Great Commission
God’s Call Throughout the Ages
Presented by David Seitz, OFS
How to start a bible study
Adam: Gen 1:26 Created in “our” image
Gen 2:18 Not good to be alone
Gen 2:24 One Body: Foreshadow of our life in union with Trinity
Gen 3 The Fall
Gen 3:15 The First Gospel
Gen 1:28 Be Fertile & Multiply – souls for heaven
Noah: Gen 8:7 Be fertile & multiply, subdue the Earth
1. Which Story of God’s call did you find most interesting? Why?
2. Which stories of God’s call reflect your experience of God? How have you responded?
3. Reflect on past events in your life. Who has God sent as his messenger to you? How did you respond? Did you recognize it as God’s call? Do you need “signs” to recognize God’s call?
4. Who do you confide in to help you discern God’s call?
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