The Face of the Lord in Jesus of Nazareth and The Way of Perfection
Written byPope Benedict XVI's Foreword says this his writing in Jesus of Nazareth is “in no way an exercise of the magisterium,” adding, “Everyone is free, then, to contradict me.” These posts discuss both their similarities and differences between them.
Deliver Us From Evil
The last petition of the Lord’s Prayer is “Deliver us from evil.”
Pope Benedict XVI writes that, in this petition, we are asking God to protect us from evil in this world. In that sense, he writes, “[T]he last petition brings us back to the first three: In asking to be liberated from the power of evil, we are ultimately asking for God’s Kingdom, for union with his will, and for the sanctification of his name. Throughout the ages, though, men and women of prayer have interpreted this petition in a broader sense. In the midst of the world’s tribulations, they have also begged God to set a limit to the evils that ravage the world and our lives.” (Jesus of Nazareth, pg. 167)
St. Teresa of Avila sees this petition as asking for God’s Kingdom in eternity, more than asking God to limit the evil in this world and in this life. She does not expect to be delivered from all evil in this life, and thus prays to be delivered from evil beyond the grave. (42:2). God, she says, wants us to desire the eternal. (42:4)
She prays (42:2):
“Deliver me, Lord, from this shadow of death, deliver me from so many trials, deliver me from so many sufferings, deliver me from so many changes, from so many compliments that we are forced to receive while still living . . . .”
In the weariness of seeing that she has not lived the way she should have lived, she writes, “O my Lord and my God, deliver me now from all evil and be pleased to bring me to the place where all blessings are.”
Knowing the Mind and Will of God
While St. Teresa prays “deliver us from evil” with the expectation that this prayer will not be fully answered before eternity, she writes much about the importance of obedience in this life, and about the need for communion with Christ to make us better able to do God's will in this life.
In seeking to know “who the Master is who taught us this prayer” (St. Teresa's words), both Benedict XVI and St. Teresa seek both knowledge about the Lord and the personal encounter with the Lord that involves knowing Him.
Going back to the Pope's introduction of his discussion of the Lord’s Prayer, he writes: “God is not some distant stranger. He shows us his face in Jesus. In what Jesus does and wills, we come to know the mind and will of God himself.”
St. Teresa writes about the need to do God’s will, and about the way Jesus teaches us how to do that. Since Jesus “knows how the love of his Father can be obtained, he teaches us how and by what means we must serve him.” The more our deeds reflect Christ’s teaching, Christ “begins to commune with the soul in so intimate a friendship that he not only gives it back its own will but gives it his.” (The Way of Perfection, 32:12)
On Being Human
In his chapter on the Lord’s Prayer, Pope Benedict writes “The Lord tells us how we are to pray.” Jesus does so because “being human is essentially about relation to God,” such that speaking with, and listening to Him is “an essential part of it.”
St. Teresa, similarly, counsels, “Never seek sustenance through human schemes, for you will die of hunger—and rightly so. Your eyes on your Spouse! He will sustain you.” (2:1)
The Face of the Lord
In his Foreword to Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict writes that the book is “an expression of my personal search ‘for the face of the Lord’ (cf. Ps 27:8).”
He writes, “Our sonship turns out to be identical with following Christ.” We become increasingly God’s children “by growing more and more deeply in communion with Jesus.”
St. Teresa, similarly, counsels her nuns to speak with Christ “as with a father, or a brother, or a lord, or as with a spouse” and “he will teach you what you must do in order to please him.” (28:3).
Both of them seek that longing for an increasing personal encounter with Jesus that can be expressed as seeking the face of the Lord.
Conclusion
While they do not always share the same interpretation of each petition of the Lord’s Prayer, both Pope Benedict XVI and St. Teresa of Avila write of seeking to know Christ, and not only seeking to know about Him. They seek to know and do His will, and -- in watching how Jesus prays -- to better know the mind and will of God. Above all, they both seek to “grow more and more deeply in communion with Jesus” (Pope Benedict's words). In writing for others, they both seek to share with us those things they know about prayer and about Jesus that will help us who read their work to more and more deeply know Jesus and the mind and will of the Lord.
“Pay great attention, daughters, to this point which I shall now make, because sometimes thinking yourselves so wicked may be humility and virtue and at other times a very great temptation. I have had experience of this, so I know it is true. Humility, however deep it be, neither disquiets nor troubles nor disturbs the soul; it is accompanied by peace, joy and tranquility. Although, on realizing how wicked we are, we can see clearly that we deserve to be in hell, and are distressed by our sinfulness, and rightly think that everyone should hate us, yet, if our humility is true, this distress is accompanied by an interior peace and joy of which we should not like to be deprived. Far from disturbing or depressing the soul, it enlarges it and makes it fit to serve God better. The other kind of distress only disturbs and upsets the mind and troubles the soul, so grievous is it. I think the devil is anxious for us to believe that we are humble, and, if he can, to lead us to distrust God.
When you find yourselves in this state, cease thinking, so far as you can, of your own wretchedness, and think of the mercy of God and of His love and His sufferings for us. If your state of mind is the result of temptation, you will be unable to do even this, for it will not allow you to quiet your thoughts or to fix them on anything but will only weary you the more: it will be a great thing if you can recognize it as a temptation. This is what happens when we perform excessive penances in order to make ourselves believe that, because of what we are doing, we are more penitent than others. If we conceal our penances from our confessor or superior, or if we are told to give them up and do not obey, that is a clear case of temptation. Always try to obey, however much it may hurt you to do so, for that is the greatest possible perfection.” (Way of Perfection, Ch. 39, para. 3).
Next Sunday, 13th October, in Tarragona, in the Catalonian region of Spain, the pope’s representative, Cardinal Angelo Amato SDB will celebrate a Mass during which 522 martyrs of 20th century Spain will be beatified. Among these there are two groups of Carmelites: first, that of Fr. Alberto Marco Alemán, who was killed on 24th November 1936 and 8 companions from the present province of Castille, killed in Madrid 18th August. Secondly, there is the group of Fr. Carmelo Maria Moyano and another nine friars from the Baetica province killed at Hinojosa del Duque and at Montoro between July and September 1936. The Prior General, Fr Fernando Millan Romeral and the Postulator General, Fr Giovanni Grosso, will take part in the celebrations.
Prayer Intention of Holy Father for October
People in Despair. That those feeling so crushed by life that they wish to end it may sense the nearness of God's love.
World Mission Day. That the celebration of World Mission Day may help all Christians realize that we are not only receivers but proclaimers of God's word.
Lectio Divina October - octubre - ottobre 2013
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- Tuesday, October 1, 2013
- Wednesday, October 2, 2013
- Thursday, October 3, 2013
- Friday, October 4, 2013
- Saturday, October 5, 2013
- Sunday, October 6, 2013
- Monday, October 7, 2013
- Tuesday, October 8, 2013
- Wednesday, October 9, 2013
- Thursday, October 10, 2013
- Friday, October 11, 2013
- Saturday, October 12, 2013
- Sunday, October 13, 2013
- Monday, October 14, 2013
- Tuesday, October 15, 2013
- Wednesday, October 16, 2013
- Thursday, October 17, 2013
- Friday, October 18, 2013
- Saturday, October 19, 2013
- Sunday, October 20, 2013
- Monday, October 21, 2013
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- Thursday, October 24, 2013
- Friday, October 25, 2013
- Saturday, October 26, 2013
- Sunday, October 27, 2013
- Monday, October 28, 2013
- Tuesday, October 29, 2013
- Wednesday, October 30, 2013
- Thursday, October 31, 2013
On 26 September 2013 Pope Francis appointed as consultor of the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff Fr. Giuseppe Midili, O. Carm., member of the Italian Province. Fr. Giuseppe is director of the Liturgical Office of the diocese of Rome and lecturer in pastoral liturgy at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of St. Anselm in Rome.
Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi
1) Opening prayer
O God, by whose gift Saint Francis was conformed to Christ in poverty and humility, grant that, by walking in Francis' footsteps, we may follow your Son, and, through joyful charity, come to be united with you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 11: 25-30
At that time Jesus exclaimed, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do.
Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
'Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.'
3) Reflection
• In the Gospel we will listen to the invitation of Jesus: “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart”. The Gospel shows the tenderness with which Jesus welcomes and accepts the little ones. He wanted the poor to find rest and peace in him.
• The context of chapters 11 and 12 of Matthew. In this context it is stressed and made evident that the poor are the only ones to understand and to accept the wisdom of the Kingdom. Many people did not understand this preference of Jesus for the poor and the excluded.
John the Baptist, who looked at Jesus with the eyes of the past had doubts (Mt 11: 1-15)
b) The people, who looked at Jesus with their own interests were not capable of understanding Him (Mt 11: 16-19).
c) The great cities around the lake which listened to Jesus’ preaching and saw the miracles did not want to open themselves to his message (Mt 11: 20-24).
d) The wise and the doctors who judged everything according to their own science were not capable of understanding the preaching of Jesus (Mt 11: 25).
e) Not even his relatives understood Him (Mt 12: 46-50).
f) Only the little ones understood Him and accepted the Good News of the Kingdom (Mt 11: 25-30).
g) The others want sacrifice, but Jesus wants mercy (Mt 12: 1-8).
h) The reaction against Jesus impels the Pharisees to want to kill Him (Mt 12: 9-14).
i) They said that Jesus was Beelzebul (Mt 12: 22-32).
j) But Jesus did not draw back. He continues to assume the mission of Servant, as described in the prophecies (Mt 12: 15-21). This is why He was persecuted and condemned to death.
• Matthew 11: 25-26: Only the little ones understand and accept the Good News of the Kingdom. Jesus addresses a prayer to the Father: “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do!” The wise and the doctors of that time had created a series of laws which they imposed upon the people in the name of God. They thought that God demanded this observance from the people. But the law of love, brought by Jesus, said the contrary. What is important is not what we do for God, but rather what God, in his great love, does for us! People understood the words of Jesus and were filled with joy. The wise thought that Jesus was not right. They could not understand this teaching which modified the relationship of the people of God.
• Matthew 11: 27: The origin of the New Law: The Son knows the Father. Jesus, the Son, knows the Father. He knows what the Father wanted when, centuries before, He gave the Law to Moses. What the Father wants to tell us, He handed to Jesus, and Jesus revealed it to the little ones because they opened themselves up to his message. Today, also, Jesus continues to teach many things to the poor and to the little ones. The wise and the intelligent do well if they become pupils of the little ones!
• Matthew 11: 28-30: “Come to me all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest”. Jesus invites all those who are tired to find rest in him. These are the people who are tired under the weight of the impositions and the observances which the law of purity demanded. And He says: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart”. Many times this phrase has been manipulated to ask people to submit themselves, to be passive. What Jesus wants to say is the contrary. He asks people to leave aside the professors of religion of that time, to rest and to begin to learn from him, Jesus, who is “gentle and humble of heart”. Jesus does not do like the Scribes who pride themselves on their own science, but He is like the people who live humiliated and exploited. Jesus, the new teacher, knows from experience what happens in the heart of the people and how much the people suffer.
• The invitation of divine wisdom to all those who seek it. Jesus invites all those who are oppressed under the weight of the observance of the law to find rest in him, because He is gentle and humble of heart, capable of relieving and consoling the people who suffer, who feel tired and depressed (Mt 11: 25-30). In this invitation resounds the beautiful words of Isaiah who consoled the people who lived in exile (Is 55: 1-3). This invitation is bound to divine wisdom, which invites persons to the encounter with her (Ws 24: 19), saying: “her ways are filled with delight; her paths all lead to contentment” (Pr 3: 17). And he adds: “Wisdom brings up her own children and cares for those who seek her. Whoever loves her, loves life, those who seek her early will be filled with joy” (Si 4: 11-12). This invitation reveals a very important characteristic of the feminine face of God: tenderness and acceptance which consoles and gives life to people and leads them to feel well. Jesus is the protection and the maternal womb which the Father offers to people who are tired (cfr. Is 66: 10-13).
4) Personal questions
• What produces tension in you and what gives you peace? For you, to live in community, is it a source of tension or of peace?
• How can these words of Jesus help our community to be a place of rest for our life?
5) Concluding Prayer
Yahweh is tenderness and pity,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love;
his indignation does not last for ever,
nor his resentment remain for all time. (Ps 103: 8-9)
Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for September 2013
Value of Silence. That people today, often overwhelmed by noise, may rediscover the value of silence and listen to the voice of God and their brothers and sisters.
Persecuted Christians. That Christians suffering persecution in many parts of the world may by their witness be prophets of Christ's love.
Lectio Divina September - Septiembre - Settembre 2013
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- Sunday, September 1, 2013
- Monday, September 2, 2013
- Tuesday, September 3, 2013
- Wednesday, September 4, 2013
- Thursday, September 5, 2013
- Friday, September 6, 2013
- Saturday, September 7, 2013
- Sunday, September 8, 2013
- Monday, September 9, 2013
- Tuesday, September 10, 2013
- Wednesday, September 11, 2013
- Thursday, September 12, 2013
- Friday, September 13, 2013
- Saturday, September 14, 2013
- Sunday, September 15, 2013
- Monday, September 16, 2013
- Tuesday, September 17, 2013
- Wednesday, September 18, 2013
- Thursday, September 19, 2013
- Friday, September 20, 2013
- Saturday, September 21, 2013
- Sunday, September 22, 2013
- Monday, September 23, 2013
- Tuesday, September 24, 2013
- Wednesday, September 25, 2013
- Thursday, September 26, 2013
- Friday, September 27, 2013
- Saturday, September 28, 2013
- Sunday, September 29, 2013
- Monday, September 30, 2013
More...
This day was dedicated to continuing our reflections on the Chapter Theme. In the morning, Michael Plattig, O.Carm., Professor of Spirituality at Münster University and a member of the German Province, presented, Living Charism and Mission for the Carmel: A Word of Hope and Salvation. He considered Carmelite Identity and Charism as the basis from which we can find words of hope and salvation for the world today. He said, “We Carmelites owe the Church the proclamation of God who redeems and liberates us, who wants to live in a relationship with us, a relationship of love and confidence, of reverence and of respect for the freedom of the other.” The Chapter was invited to ponder deeply on our history and prayer in order to find the hope that is so elusive for so many today.
In the afternoon, the Chapter was pleased to hear from Doctor Nuria Calduch-Benages, a religious of the Missionary Daughters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and a professor of Biblical Theology. She invited us to consider the figure of Miriam, sister of Moses, as an example of one who lives and acts on hope. Indeed, Chapter 2 of the Book of Exodus has many examples of women who live and act on hope, even in opposition to the power of kings and Pharaohs. Miriam’s patient waiting on the banks of the Nile along with her prudent action enabled Moses to live and go to be the liberator of Israel. She then asked us, “Are we men and women of hope? Do our thoughts, words and actions reflect a love of life or of death? On what do we base our hope? As Miriam thanked God by singing the canticle of Exodus 15, and as Mary of Nazareth thanked God by singing the Magnificat, what is our canticle of hope and thanksgiving?
In the evening, we had the honor and pleasure to attend Mass with Bishop Filippo Iannone, O.Carm., the Vice-Regent of the Diocese of Rome. He found it a delight to celebrate with his brother Carmelites and share the beauty of our faith and hope.
Tomorrow, September 7, the Chapter will participate in the Day of Fasting and Prayer for Peace in Syria, following the request of Pope Francis. It will be for us a day of fasting and penance, along with our petitions to the good God for peace in the world.
Electoral Chapter of the Monastery of Porlamar, Isla Margarita, Venezuela
Written byThe Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Porlamar, Isla Margarita, Venezuela, was held 21 August 2013. The following were elected:
- Prioress: Sr. Norma del Carmen Sánchez Mora, O.Carm.
- 1st Councilor: Sr. Rosa Coromoto Pérez Ramírez, O.Carm.
- 2nd Councilor: Sr. Mariela del Carmen León León, O.Carm.
- Director of Novices: Sr. Ana Violeta Pereira Montilva, O.Carm.
- Treasurer: Sr. Mariela del Carmen León León, O.Carm.
- Sacristan: Sr. Carmen Luisa Sotillo, O.Carm.
Electoral Chapter of the Monastery of Cabanatuan, Philippines
Written byThe Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Cabanatuan, Philippines, was held 19 August 2013. The following were elected:
- Prioress: Sr. M. Dorotea Santiago, O.Carm.
- 1st Councilor: Sr. M. Leoncia Sampana , O.Carm.
- 2nd Councilor: Sr. M. Teresa Canillo, O.Carm.
- 3rd Councilor: Sr. M. del Carmen Cacayurin, O.Carm.
- 4th Couniclor: Sr. M. Dolores Asuncion, O.Carm.
- Director of Novices: Sr. M. Teresa Canillo, O.Carm.
- Treasurer: Sr. M. Regina Gutierrez , O.Carm.
- Sacristan: Sr. M. Dolores Asuncion, O.Carm.
