IF YOU TRY TO GET CLOSER TO THIS MYSTERY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE TRINITY YOU SEE THAT THEY ARE DISTINGUISHED BY A DUAL MOVEMENT, WELCOME AND COMMUNION, GIFT AND RECIPROCITY. THE DIVINE PERSONS POSSESS ONE ANOTHER ONLY TO GIVE ONE TO THE OTHER. GOD NEVER STOPS SHOWING HIS LOVE IN THE GIFT OF HIMSELF WHETHER IT BE IN THE LOVE OF THE DIVINE PERSONS AMONG THEMSELVES, OR IN THE LOVE FOR MEN WHICH BURST FORTH IN THE CREATION, THE CROSS AND THE CHURCH. TO PRAY IS TO SINK DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO THAT ABYSS WHERE THE TRINITY LIVES. THE SPIRIT LAYS HOLD OF YOU, TO GIVE YOU TO THE SON AND THE SON GIVES YOU TO THE FATHER. YOU BEGAN THIS PRAYER EXPERIENCE BY CONTEMPLATING THE THRICE HOLY GOD; YOU WILL COMPLETE IT, OR RATHER CONTINUE IT, IN THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY TRINITY. GOING THROUGH THE STAGES OF THE PLAN OF SALVATION CAN GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA OF THE UNFATHOMABLE RICHES OF THE MYSTERY OF GOD WHICH PAUL COMPARES TO AN ABYSS. You will, with all the saints, have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth, until, knowing the love of Christ which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with utter fullness of God (EPH 3:18). ONE LAST STAGE IS LEFT TO PASS THROUGH, SINCE THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF BUT FLOWS INTO THE LOVE OF THE TRINITY. LEAVING THIS WORLD FOR THE FATHER, JESUS DRAWS YOU BEHIND HIM AND BRINGS YOU INTO THE MYSTERY OF HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FATHER. THE LIFE OF THE TRINITY IS THE VERY ESSENCE OF PRAYER AND THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE. TO PRAY IS TO BECOME AWARE OF THE NEW RELATIONSHIPS WHICH EXISTS BETWEEN THE PERSONS OF THE TRINITY AND YOURSELF, IT IS TO LET YOURSELF BE DRAWN INTO THE VERY MOVEMENT OF THE LIFE OF THE TRINITY. ST. IRENAEUS SAID: The Spirit comes and lays hold of you and gives you to the Son and the Son gives you to the Father. IN PRAYER, DO NOT STOP IN THE INTERMEDIATE ZONES OF THOUGHT AND FEELING BUT GO DEEP INTO THAT ABYSS WHERE THE TRINITY LIVES, COME JOIN THE TRINITY WHICH IS IN YOU. WHATEVER YOUR WORRIES, YOUR SINS AND YOUR NEEDS, REUNITE YOURSELF FIRST WITH THE TRINITY AND AFTER THAT YOU WILL REDISCOVER EVERYTHING IN ANOTHER WAY. HERE YOU ARE AT THE HEART OF PRAYER. WITH YOUR HEART AND MIND YOU CAN REACH THE EXISTENCE OF GOD, BUT THE SECRET OF HIS INNER SELF REMAINS OUT OF YOUR REACH; ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN ACTUALLY REVEAL THIS MYSTERY OF LOVE. YOU WELL KNOW THE SAYING OF ST. JOHN: God is Love (1 JN 4:8), BUT HAVE YOU TAKEN IN ALL THE DIMENSIONS OF THE WORD LOVE? FOR YOU, LOVE IS OFTEN KINDNESS, A CONCERN YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE, OR AN ATTRACTION YOU FEEL FOR HIM. GOD IN HIS ESSENCE IS LOVE, THAT IS, HE IS A COMMUNITY OF PERSONS OR RATHER A COMMUNION. HIS VERY BEING, HIS LIFE, IS TO LOVE. IN OTHER WORDS, HE PERSONIFIES LOVE. FOR GOD, TO BE IS TO LOVE, THAT IS TO GO OUT OF ONESELF, TO GIVE ONESELF, TO LIVE IN ANOTHER. EACH PERSON OF THE TRINITY LIVES IN THE RELATIONSHIP THAT HE OFFERS TO THE OTHER. WHEN YOU SAY THAT GOD IS FATHER, YOU AFFIRM AT THE SAME TIME THAT HE LIVES ONLY TO GO OUT OF HIMSELF, TO GIVE HIMSELF AND TO FIND HIMSELF COMPLETELY IN HIS SON. JESUS HIMSELF EXISTS AND LIVES ONLY FOR THE FATHER TO WHOM HE GIVES HIMSELF COMPLETELY. THEIR MUTUAL LOVE IS EXPRESSED AND BECOMES CREATIVE IN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. PRAYER IS THE REAL DISCOVERY OF THIS IMMENSE FLOW OF LOVE BETWEEN THE PERSONS OF THE DIVINE FAMILY. AT THE HEART OF THE TRINITY YOU ARE AT THE SOURCE OF LOVE, BOTH IN THE WORLD AND IN THE CHURCH. WHEN JESUS PROCLAIMED THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT (MT 22:34-40) AND INVITED HIS DISCIPLES TO LOVE GOD AND THEIR BROTHERS, HE DID NOTHING MORE THAN PLACE YOU AT THE HEART OF THE TRINITY. YOU CANNOT OBTAIN THE LOVE OF GOD AND THAT OF OTHERS, IT IS NOT A LOVE THAT CAN BRING TO BIRTH IN YOURSELF BY YOUR POWER; IT HAS NOTHING IN COMMON WITH FEELINGS THAT YOU HAVE FOR GOD IN PRAYER OR A CERTAIN BENEVOLENCE TOWARDS YOUR BROTHERS. CONTEMPLATING THE TRINITY, YOU ASK THAT THE LOVE WHICH COMES FROM ABOVE AND WHICH INTIMATELY UNITES THE THREE DIVINE PERSONS MAY COME TO YOU. The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us (RM 5:3). THIS LOVE IS CREATED IN YOU BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND IT IS GIVEN TO YOU BY CHRIST WHO DIED AND ROSE AGAIN, RECEIVED BY YOU AS FOOD IN THE EUCHARIST. Pour forth in us, Lord, your spirit of charity, that having been nourished by the paschal sacrament, your fatherly love may keep our hearts perfectly united (EASTER COMMUNION PRAYER). IF YOU TRY TO GET CLOSER TO THIS MYSTERY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE TRINITY YOU SEE THAT THEY ARE DISTINGUISHED BY A DUAL MOVEMENT, WELCOME AND COMMUNION, GIFT AND RECIPROCITY. THE DIVINE PERSONS POSSESS ONE ANOTHER ONLY TO GIVE ONE TO THE OTHER. GOD NEVER STOPS SHOWING HIS LOVE IN THE GIFT OF HIMSELF WHETHER IT BE IN THE LOVE OF THE DIVINE PERSONS AMONG THEMSELVES, OR IN THE LOVE FOR MEN WHICH BURST FORTH IN THE CREATION, THE CROSS AND THE CHURCH. SIMPLY TRY TO BECOME AWARE OF THE LOVE OF GOD FOR YOU. IT IS AN INVITATION FOR YOU TO REMEMBER THE WONDERS GOD HAS DONE ON YOUR BEHALF, SO THAT YOU MAY GRASP THEIR SIGNIFICANCE AND UNITE YOURSELF TO HIM. HE CREATED YOU AND KEEPS YOU ALIVE WITH ALL THE RICHES OF YOUR PERSONALITY, BODY, MIND, HEART, TALENTS, ETC. BY YOUR BAPTISM HE HAS RECREATED YOU AND MADE YOU HIS SON. HE HAS FED YOU WITH THE EUCHARIST AND HE HAS FORGIVEN YOU. REMEMBER ALL THE GRACES IN YOUR LIFE, IN YOUR VOCATION, YOUR PRAYER, YOUR MISSION... IN PRAYER, GO DEEPER INTO THE MEANING AND SECRET OF THESE GIFTS. TOO OFTEN YOU ARE LIKE THE OLDEST SON IN THE PARABLE WHOSE MIND IS CLOUDED BY HIS FATHERS RICHES: You never offered me so much as a kid goat to celebrate with my friends (LK 15:29). SEEING SUCH WEALTH AND POSSESSIONS HAD STOPPED HIM SEEING PEOPLE. HE NO LONGER SAW HIS FATHER WHO WAS THE SOURCE OF THESE GIFTS, AND THE LATTER REPROACHED HIM GENTLY: My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours (LK 15:31). BECOMING AWARE OF THE GIFTS OF GOD, YOU FIND THAT THROUGH THEM THE FATHER BECOMES MORE AND MORE PRESENT TO YOU. HE WILL GO STILL FURTHER BRINGING YOU HIS LOVING AND GRACIOUS PRESENCE. THE SUPREME GIFT HE OFFERS YOU IS CENTERED IN HIS SON JESUS. BECOMING AWARE OF THE mirabilis Dei IS AN INVITATION TO PRAISE AND ADMIRE GODS WORK IN YOU. HERE YOU SEE WHAT IS AT STAKE IN EVERY CHRISTIAN LIFE. ON ONE HAND, YOU CAN USE THESE GIFTS OF GOD FOR YOUR OWN SELFISH ENJOYMENT INSTEAD OF USING THEM AS TOOLS TO CREATE RELATIONSHIPS TO GOD AND YOUR FELLOW MEN; THIS IS THE SIN OF THE YOUNGER SON WHO WASTED HIS GOODS IN PRODIGAL LIVING, FAR FROM THE FATHER. HE HAS NO RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER AND CUTS HIMSELF OFF FROM HIS FAMILY. ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU CAN OFFER YOURSELF TO GOD WITH ALL THAT YOU ARE, REDIRECTING TO HIM YOUR GIFTS, YOUR RICHES, YOUR HEART. THE AIM OF THIS CONTEMPLATION IS TO LEAD YOU TO MAKE THIS OFFERING TO GOD, YOUR TRUE SELF. AS WITH THE WHOLE OF CREATION, YOU ARE CALLED TO JOIN WITH CHRIST IN THE HEART OF THE LIFE OF THE TRINITY. All things are yours, you are Christs and Christ is Gods. TO PRAY IS TO BE ADMITTED BY GRACE INTO THE DIALOGUE OF LOVE BETWEEN THE THREE DIVINE PERSONS: IT IS TO SHARE THEIR LIFE AND THEIR UNION, AND FINALLY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO GOD AS A FRIEND. YOU WILL DISCOVER FORTHWITH WHAT DEMANDS THIS BEING TAKEN INTO THE TRINITY WILL MAKE ON YOUR LIFE. YOU CAN ONLY ENTER THIS STREAM OF LOVE IF YOU ARE PREPARED TO LIVE AND LOVE AS DO THE PERSONS OF THE TRINITY. THIS DEMANDS A TOTAL SURRENDER OF YOURSELF. YOU WILL PROVE THE WORD OF THE BEATITUDES - SPIRITUAL POVERTY IS AN ESSENTIAL CONDITION OF LOVE. IN THIS WAY, ALL WE OWN IS PUT AT THE SERVICE OF GOD AND OTHER PEOPLE. THEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHY BROTHERLY LOVE IS ROOTED IN COMMUNION WITH THE TRINITY. IN COMMUNION WITH YOUR BROTHERS, YOU ARE CALLED UPON TO REPRODUCE ON EARTH THE LOVE WHICH UNITES THE DIVINE PERSONS. IT IS FROM THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY THAT BROTHERLY LOVE FINDS ITS BEGINNING. IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE FATHER LOVES THE SON AND GIVES HIMSELF WHOLLY TO HIM, AND THE SON LOVES THE FATHER, GIVING HIMSELF UP WHOLLY TO HIM, SO THIS SAME LOVE WHICH FLOWS IN THE HEART OF THE TRINITY WILL TEACH YOU TO GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR OTHERS. BROTHERLY LOVE DOES NOT LIE IN TECHNIQUES, BUT IN GREATER COMMUNION WITH GOD. IN A SENSE, YOU DO NOT TRY TO LOVE YOUR BROTHERS, FOR YOU ARE LIKELY TO HAVE MANY ILLUSIONS, BUT LIVING POOR, WITHOUT ANYTHING, YOU ARE FILLED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD AND MADE ABLE TO LOVE OTHERS: That they may be one as we are One (JN 17:22). TOO OFTEN BROTHERLY LOVE HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A VAGUE MORALISM OR A SKIN-DEEP SENTIMENTALITY WHEREAS IT FLOWS IT FLOWS PRIMARILY FROM THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY, EACH TIME MARRIED PEOPLE GIVE THEMSELVES TO EACH OTHER, OR FRIENDS REALLY LOVE ONE ANOTHER, THEY LIVE AND REPRODUCE ON EARTH THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. THEN, THE FOUNDATION OF ALL PRAYER AND OF ALL TRUE LOVE FOR OTHERS, LIES IN THE CONTEMPLATION OF THIS MYSTERY. NICHOLAS BERDYAYEV USED TO SAY TO HIS COMMUNIST FRIENDS: Our social doctrine is the Trinity. YOUR SOLE PURPOSE IS TO CONTEMPLATE AND TO ADORE THE TRINITY, OPENING TO THAT LOVE THE WHOLE NAKED SURFACE OF YOUR BEING, EVEN TO ITS MOST SENSUAL POWERS, SO THAT THE LOVE CAN PENETRATE YOU AND CARRY YOU AWAY IN ITS CURRENT. ISNT THIS THE ABSOLUTE FULFILLMENT OF YOUR ETERNAL VOCATION? WHY DO CHRISTIANS TAKE SO LITTLE NOURISHMENT FROM THIS MYSTERY OF THE HOLY TRINITY? THEY WOULD FIND IN THIS CONTEMPLATION TO WIN LOVE A RISING SPRING OF ETERNAL LIFE. YOU CAN CONTEMPLATE THE TRINITY UNCEASINGLY AS IT IS THE VERY ESSENCE OF PRAYER AND THE LIFE OF PRAYER. THE LAST STAGE SETS YOU AT THE HEART OF THE TRINITY, TO SEE HOW EVERYTHING FLOWS FROM IT. Consider how all good things and all gifts come from above...as the sunbeams from the sun and water from its source (Exercises, no. 237). THE DAY YOU UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING COMES FROM GOD YOU WILL TRULY BE COLLABORATING WITH HIM, EXERCISING THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE BAPTIZED. WITH JESUS, YOU OFFER YOURSELF TO THE FATHER AS A HOLY, LIVING AND PLEASING SACRIFICE ( RM 12:1) AND YOU OFFER THE WHOLE OF CREATION AT THE SAME TIME. AS JESUS IN THE BOSOM OF THE TRINITY ENDLESSLY RAISES UP TO THE FATHER ALL THAT HE IS AND HAS RECEIVED FROM HIM, IN THE SAME WAY YOU GIVE BACK TO GOD ALL THE GOOD THINGS HE HAS GIVEN YOU. IT IS THE ACT OF COMPLETE SURRENDER WHICH JESUS PERFORMED ON THE CROSS SAYING TO THE FATHER: All is accomplished. THIS CONTEMPLATION OF THE TRINITY SHOULD UNIFY ALL YOUR LIFE FOR IT THRUSTS YOU INTO THE REALITY OF LOVE AND TEACHES YOU TO SEARCH FOR AND LOVE GOD IN ALL THINGS. THE DAY YOU UNDERSTAND THAT GOD LOVES YOU, THAT ALL IS INCLUDED IN LOVE, YOUR LIFE CHANGES AND YOU FIND HIM EVERYWHERE, IN YOUR MEETINGS, YOUR DAILY WORK, YOUR STUDIES AND YOUR PRAYER. THERE IS NO OPPOSITION BETWEEN PRAYER AND ACTION, BETWEEN BEING WITH GOD AND BEING WITH MEN; THE REAL STRUGGLE IS BETWEEN THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW MAN, SIN AND GRACE, SELFISHNESS AND THE GIVING OF ONES SELF. IF YOUR HEART IS OPEN AND WILLING, YOU WILL BE CARRIED IN THE FLOW OF LOVE AND YOUR LIFE WILL BE A FAVOURED SPOT IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 08:58:24 +0000
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