This blessed friend is Jesus; it is his will and plan that we hang on to him, and hold tight always, in whatever circumstances; for whether we are filthy or clean is all the
same to his love.
- Julian of
Norwich
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Rv 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB; PS 45:10-12, 16; 1 Cor 15:20-27 LK 1:39-56 Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in
haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a
loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped
for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.” And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the
rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.” Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
Reflection on the Scriptures
Words matter, and understanding words, especially God’s Word, Jesus, matters. Jesus’ Word is always, always calling us to action, to be better, to be better than what the ‘powers that be’ of this world
offer, to everyday be the light of God’s love. We hear of early Christian communities that constantly, like the first disciples, Mary Magdalene the greatest among them, not fully getting it – ‘Sir, they have taken my Lord and I do not know where they put him’, and of course dear Saint Peter’s rebuke from Jesus from today’s Gospel, ‘Get behind me Satan’. I always wonder what was going through Jesus’ mind as he hung there on that Cross. Seemingly, his earthly ministry failed, the people did not fully get it, we do not fully get it, but we should. Jesus hanging there commending his whole life, the joys, the deep friendships, the healing, preaching, teaching, and call for conversion, the good, good work that was his mission. He honestly carried with him as well, things like the sins of the world that divine love condemns, things that were contrary to God’s love, like exploitation, manipulation, hatred of self and one another, violence, unjust attitudes and actions that keep others down in the prisons of their life. Are we not called to fully commend our entire life, whether you are nineteen or ninety, not only the many crosses but also the divine love we have encountered and experienced throughout our life from this God who created us out of love, for love. Anything less and we are not in an honest and integrated, and full relationship, giving God, as Jesus, did every fiber of his very being, with our God whose love is, was, and always has been there for us. We need to
see and feel the light of God’s love, and then in action, not just words, be the light. It’s only love after all! by Kent Beausoleil, S.J.
Psychic Energy and Contemplation by James
Arraj From St. John of the Cross and Dr. C. J. Jung, Part III, Chapter 9. Inner Growth Books, 1986. Acquired Contemplation in the 20th Century Fr. Gabriel analyzes the writings of St. John and St. Teresa in this light. For the most part St. Teresa has limited herself to describing this experimental
infused contemplation, while St. John knows of another kind of contemplation in which God doesn't make Himself felt, and which can fittingly be called common or ordinary or active or acquired contemplation. He provides us with a story of a young cleric who is making the transition from meditation to contemplation. First he is full of enthusiasm and fervor, and his meditations go well, and before too much time passes, they begin to simplify themselves into loving colloquies filled with affective
aspirations. "But, one fine day, lo and behold, the whole scene is changed!"(8) He finds no sweetness in his prayer. He cannot meditate. His director mistakenly puts it down to insufficient preparation, or punishment for a past sin, or simply recommends patience in affliction. In Fr. Gabriel's mind, St. John of the Cross would have given very different advice. He would tell the young student that he need not meditate, but on the positive side he must exercise himself in a general and loving
attention to God who is present.(9) Since this infusion remains hidden, "the Saint gives three signs whereby this may be identified."(10) "There is a sufficiently lengthy period of time in contemplative prayer during which the divine action remains hidden."(11) Acquired contemplation, then, is an "intermediate state between affective meditation and
contemplation properly infused."(12) Instead of feeling the divine action, "the soul feels nothing of the divine action"; "It must become aware that God is really working in it. Therefore, it needs special guidance to enable it to identify the hidden operation which has begun."(13) It must not hinder this inner operation but "maintain itself in the best disposition for receiving it."(14) And this is done by practicing loving attention. The director must encourage the person who is trying to
maintain himself in this state because "as this state is sometimes prolonged for years the soul, even if used to lovingly attending to God, has at times the impression of being 'in a void'."(15)
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