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I have a capacity in my soul for taking in God entirely. I am as sure as I live that nothing is so near to me as God. God is nearer to me than I am to myself; my existence depends on the nearness and the presence of God.
... Meister Eckhart
(1260-1327 Let yourself relax into the awareness that God is already with you, loving you.
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Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm
102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21 John 8:21-30 Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘I am going away;
you will look for me
and you will die in your sin.
Where I am going, you cannot come.’ The Jews said to one another, ‘Will he kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ Jesus went on: ‘You are from below; I am from above.
You are of this world; I am not of this
world.
I have told you already:
You will die in your sins.
Yes, if you do not believe that I am He,
you will die in your sins.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus answered: ‘What I have told you from the outset.
About you I have much to say
and much to condemn;
but the one who sent me is truthful,
and what I have learnt from him
I declare to the world.’ They failed to understand that he was talking to them
about the Father. So Jesus said: ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man,
then you will know that I am He
and that I do nothing of myself:
what the Father has taught me is what I preach;
he who sent me is with me,
and has not left me to myself,
for I always do what pleases him.’ As he was saying this, many came to believe in
him.
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Reflection on the Scriptures
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To fail to recognize who Jesus is and where he came from is to remain in darkness - the darkness of sin, ignorance, and unbelief. But if we look to Jesus and listen to his word of life and truth, then we will find the way to lasting peace and joy with God. The Lord Jesus invites each one of us to accept him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Our time here in this present world is very limited and short, but how we live it today has consequences
not only for the present moment but for our eternal destiny as well. Which direction is your life headed in right now? Lord Jesus, you came to set us free from sin, doubt, fear, and ignorance. Your word brings life, truth, and healing to mind, heart, soul, and body. Let your healing love free me from the blindness of sin and disbelief and from the destructive force of evil and wrongdoing. May I always find peace, joy, and strength in knowing your merciful love, truth, and
goddness.
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The Interior Castle (or, The Mansions), by St. Teresa of Avila Benedictines of Stanbrook translation. 1921.. Paperback, Hardcover Kindle, Audio Book.
https://amzn.to/41RmJFb THE SIXTH MANSIONS Chapter One This
chapter shows how, when God bestows greater favours on the sou, it suffers more sever afflictions. Some of the latter are described and directions how to bear them given to the dwellers in this mansion. This chapter is useful for those suffering interior trials. 8. The first is that experience has shown the mind that we are as ready to speak well as ill of others, so it attaches no more importance to the one than to the other. Secondly, our Lord having granted it
greater light, it perceives that no good thing in it is its own but is His gift, and becomes oblivious of self, praising God for His graces as if they were found in a third person. 9. The third reason is that, realizing the benefit reaped by others from witnessing graces given it by God, such a one thinks that it is for their profit He causes them to discover in her virtues that do not exist. 10. Fourthly, souls seeking God's honour and glory
more than their own are cured of the temptation (which usually besets beginners) of thinking that human praise will cause them the injury they have seen it do to others. Nor do these souls care much for human contempt if only, by their means, any one should praise God at least once--come what may afterwards. 11. These and other reasons to a certain extent allay the great distress formerly given by human praise which, however, still causes some discomfort unless the soul
has become utterly regardless of others' tongues. It is infinitely more grieved at being undeservedly esteemed by the world than by any calumny; and when at last it becomes almost indifferent to praise, it cares still less for censure, which even pleases it and sounds like harmonious music to the ears.
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