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How many ❤️'s will you illuminate this Christmas?

One

Today, December 14 is the Feast of St. John of the Cross. Together with Teresa of Avila they are the most important teachers of the Catholic Spiritual Life. So we should know what they teach.  

John was Ordained in 1567. Then he met Teresa of Avila 

She persuaded him to help her reform the Carmelite Order 

From a life of busyness and distraction 

In which they had no time or interest in daily meditation

To a life of prayer and the pursuit of God. 

Well, how do you think the Carmelites responded to this effort to make them change?

On December 2, 1577 a group of Carmelite monks 

kidnapped John and took him to Toledo Spain

Tortured and imprisoned him in a 10 x 6 cell

With very little light

No change of clothes 

No bed 

Where he lived on bread and water for 9 months 

John writes: The immense blessings of God can only enter and fit into an empty and solitary heart…

We must be emptied to be filled by God 

What do you think God was doing in John during this time?

Two

God did not send the Friars to kidnap, imprison and beat John, they did that on their own. 

But God allowed it and turned it in John’s favor. And the fruit of this experience was that 

He was totally stripped of every earthly thing he relied upon.

And being emptied of all things he surrendered himself totally to God - He let God do what He wanted to do through the people and events in John’s life.

And once he was emptied - God flooded John’s soul with the river of Living Water - His Divine Life 

Finally, on August 15, 1578 John escaped; He and Teresa of Avila formed a new branch of the Carmelites and they became the two most important Doctors of the Spiritual Life 

The word that John used to capture his main idea – is Nada 

Nada means to be unconditionally surrendered to God, a joy filled total abandonment to the good will of God  – no matter how it comes to us - so that God may empty us, make room in us that we may be filled by God.

Three

For John, the most important thing is making room for God   

Our effort is not to go in search for God but rather to make room for God to come us. 

Imagine being lost in a jungle stranded and starving. Somebody has to get packed up and sent off into the unknown to search for food, taking what water is left, hacking a way through the undergrowth, hoping somehow to forge a path to something somewhere. But then comes the noise of a helicopter, and rescue approaching. That changes everything. The one thing needed now is some space, so that what is coming can come…for John, God is an approaching God, and our main job will be not to search and build but to receive; the key will be not so much ‘achievement’ as ‘making space for God in order to receive.’ 

Four

There are two ways to make space for God:

By our Effort 

We make space for God by daily meditation and a resolution, receiving the Eucharist and Reconciliation often, removing sin and its temptations, and practicing virtue, and by taking care of responsibilities and doing our ordinary duties. 

The second way to make room for God is by our acceptance  

Something occurs in your life that you 

Did not choose

Do not like 

Cannot change 

What do we do now?

Accept it! 

This thing - that you cannot change and don’t want to accept – is the way God is trying to break in and carve out more space in your soul so that He can flood you with His life.

Surrender to God, let Him do what he wants and don’t resist Him 

Accept it.  

This is where God, by heavy trials, particularly interior ones, perfects and completes what the soul has begun on its own, but cannot complete on its own.

That is why it is Passive but not In-Active. Because we cooperate by Faith, trust, acceptance, and love – with a total gift of self to God - rather than resisting Him. 

What is it you cannot change but you refuse to accept?

Where are you resisting God?

Five

Do you know the difference between God and me? He never thinks he is me?  

God wants to flood your soul with His Divinity and transform you – make you like himself.

But we resist – we cling to things of this world that we think we have to have to be happy – achievements, relationships, good health, financial security, a certain way of living – the list goes on and on. We think we know better than God and we don’t want him messing up our plans. 

As long we cling to these – we block God from transforming our lives with himself. 

That is why the most important thing we need to do is to unconditionally surrender ourselves to God – tell him he can do what ever he wants and whatever we need to be emptied of these earthly attachments and filled by Him. 

Then, when he does start emptying us – don’t panic. Don’t tell God to back off and leave you alone. 

Instead – Say “Yes” to whatever God is doing even when all your being wants to cry out and yell, “Stop!”

And if you can’t say “Yes” to God, then give yourself to Mary and ask her to say “Yes” for you. In fact, that is her job, to come into your soul, help you say “Yes” to all that God wants to do in you so that you can RECEIVE God fully!

Exciting news! Thanks to an amazing supporter, we can give our Lord an incredible gift for Advent.

A generous donor pledged $500,000, but here's the catch: we need your help to match it! Every dollar you contribute will be matched, resulting in a total impact of $1,000,000 when we achieve our goal.

For just $1, we can reach another person and bring their heart to Jesus through the power of the Rosary. Our goal is simple yet profound: 'Illuminate One Million Hearts for Jesus.'

With your support, we can make it happen! Your donation, big or small, plays a crucial role in this mission.

How many ❤️'s will you illuminate this Christmas?