He, who begins by loving Christianity, better than truth, will proceed by loving his own sect or church better than Christianity, and end in loving
himself better than all. - Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), Aids to Reflection
(All truth ultimately leads to God and, in the end, sets us free.) Help to grow this newsletter by forwarding it to someone.
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ACTS 14:19-28; PS 145:10-11, 12-13AB, 21
JN 14:27-31A
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world
gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
'I am going away and I will come back to you.'
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I
love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me."
UCCB Lectionary
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Reflection on the Scriptures |
Jesus speaks to his disciples about his destination - and their destiny as well. He tells them in plain words that he must return to his Father in heaven (John 14:28). If his disciples truly love him for who he is - the only begotten Son of the Father, then they will rejoice that
Jesus will ascend to the throne of God and be reunited with his Father in heaven.
Jesus also speaks of his struggle - his passion, suffering and death which he undertook on the cross to redeem us from slavery to sin and death. Jesus called Satan the "ruler of this world" (John 14:30) who seeks to rob people of peace and friendship with God. Jesus defeated the evil one through his death and
resurrection and won pardon and peace for all who believe in him.The victory of the cross brought glory to Jesus and to the Father and it is our way to glory with the Father in heaven as well. In the Cross of Christ we find true peace and reconciliation with God our Father. Do you live in the peace of Jesus Christ?
"Lord Jesus, may your peace be always with me. May no troubling thought, trial or
affliction rob me of the peace which passes all understanding. You, alone, O Lord, are my Peace. May I always reside in that peace by believing in your word and by doing your will.”
DailyScripture.net
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The Ascent of Mount Carmel, by St. John of the Cross E. Allison Peers Translation. Paperback, Kindle, Audio Book.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935785982/?tag=christianspiritu
BOOK THE SECOND Wherein is described the nature of dark night and how necessary it is to pass through it to Divine union;
and in particular this book describes the dark night of sense, and desire, and the evils which these work in the soul.
Of the Ascent of Mount Carmel Wherein is treated the proximate means of ascending to union with God, which is faith; and wherein
therefore is described the second part of this night, which, as we said, belongs to the spirit, and is contained in the second stanza, which is as follows. __________________________________________________________________
Second Stanza
Chapter 2
Which begins to treat of the second part or cause of this night, which is faith.
1. Proves by two arguments how it is darker than the first and than the third. We now go on to treat of the second part of this night, which is faith; this is the wondrous means
which, as we said, leads to the goal, which is God, Who, as we said, is also to the soul, naturally, the third cause or part of this night. For faith, which is the means, is compared with midnight. And thus we may say that it is darker for the soul either than the first part or, in a way, than the third; for the first part, which is that of sense, is compared to the beginning of night, or the time when sensible objects can no longer be seen, and thus it is not so far removed from light
as is midnight. The third part, which is the period preceding the dawn, is quite close to the light of day, and it, too, therefore, is not so dark as midnight; for it is now close to the enlightenment and illumination of the light of day, which is compared with God. For, although it is true, if we speak after a natural manner, that God is as dark a night to the soul as is faith, still, when these three parts of the night are over, which are naturally night to the soul, God begins to illumine the
soul by supernatural means with the ray of His Divine light; which is the beginning of the perfect union that follows, when the third night is past, and it can thus be said to be less dark.
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