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“If thou art become a throne of God, and the heavenly Charioteer has mounted thee, and thy whole soul has become a spiritual eye, and thy whole soul light. . . behold, thou livest the eternal life indeed, and thy soul from henceforth is at rest with the Lord.”
- Pseudo-Macarius, 4th Century -
(Envision this enlightenment in your imagination. Feel the Spirit awakening you to eternal
life.)
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2 Kgs 11:1-4, 9-18, 20; Ps. 132:11-14, 17-18; Mt 6:19-23
R. The Lord has chosen Zion for his
dwelling.
The LORD swore to David
a firm promise from which he will not withdraw:
"Your own offspring
I will set upon your throne."
"If your sons keep my covenant
and the decrees which I shall teach them,
Their sons, too, forever
shall sit upon your throne."
For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he prefers her for his dwelling.
"Zion is my resting place forever;
in her will I dwell, for I prefer her."
"In her will I make a horn to sprout forth for David;
I will place a lamp for my anointed.
His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but upon him my crown shall shine."
USCCB Lectionary
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Matthew 6: 19-23 (Heavenly treasure)
Again we return to the issue of motives. The
philosopher Durant wrote that we do not desire that which we find reasonable, but we find reasons for that which we desire. Ignatius of Loyola stated that our motives are directed toward either love or selfishness. We should check our motives often.
- What do you treasure most in this world? How does your heart serve this treasure?
- Look back over the key events of the past day. What were your motives for saying and doing what you
did?
- Pray for the grace to be motivated by love.
Paperback, Kindle
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The Way of Perfection, by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Describes how, by striving always to walk in the love and fear of God, we shall travel safely amid all these temptations.
But to come to what we are chiefly treating of now -- the deceptions and illusions practised against
contemplatives by the devil -- such souls have no little love; for had they not a great deal they would not be contemplatives, and so their love shows itself plainly and in many ways. Being a great fire, it cannot fail to give out a very bright light. If they have not much love, they should proceed with many misgivings and realize that they have great cause for fear; and they should try to find out what is wrong with them, say their prayers, walk in humility and beseech the Lord not to lead them
into temptation, into which, I fear, they will certainly fall unless they bear this sign. But if they walk humbly and strive to discover the truth and do as their confessor bids them and tell him the plain truth, then the Lord is faithful, and, as has been said, by using the very means with which he had thought to give them death, the devil will give them life, with however many fantasies and illusions he tries to deceive them. If they submit to the teaching of the Church, they need not fear;
whatever fantasies and illusions the devil may invent, he will at once betray his presence. - Chapter 40 (Keep in mind that she is writing to sisters in a cloistered contemplative
order.)
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