Re: When a true lover of God suffers:
- From: "Zli_Zec" <IzbaviteljMAKNI@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 04:15:17 +0200
"Weedy" <richarra@xxxxxxxxx> je napisao u poruci interesnoj grupi:0d775233-191b-486c-a9d5-605b470188be@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When a true lover of God suffers:
When a true lover of God suffers at the hands of his fellow men, he is
strengthened through the grace of the Holy Spirit and is made so truly
humble
and patient and peaceable that, whatever wrong or injury he suffers,
he always
retains his humility. He does not despise his persecutors or speak ill
of them,
but prays for them with pity and compassion more tenderly than for
those who
never harmed him. And he does indeed love them more, and more
fervently desires
their salvation, because he sees that he will have such great
spiritual gain
from their evil deed, even though they never intended that he should.
But this
kind of love and humility, which are beyond human nature, are only
brought about
by the Holy Spirit in those whom he makes true lovers of God.
--Walter Hilton The Scale of Perfection, Book 2, 38.
[Walter Hilton (~1396), an Augustinian canon and outstanding mystic,
left a
legacy of writings, especially The Scale of Perfection.]
<<>><<>><<>>
September 14th - The Triumph of the Cross
This feast, known as "The Triumph of the Holy Cross" or "the
Exaltation of the
Holy Cross" originated in the Western Church about the year 629.
According to
tradition, it was on this date that the Emperor Heraclius recovered
the relics
of the cross of Christ from the Persians who had taken them off in
614.
The story is told of the emperor carrying the Cross in procession, but
when he
reached the Holy Places in Jerusalem, he was unable to proceed
further. The
Patriarch Zachary, who was by his side, suggested that his imperial
finery was
not in agreement with the humbleness of Christ when he bore this cross
to
Calvary. The emperor is said to have changed to simple clothing, and
going
barefoot continued in procession and placed the Cross where it had
been
originally. The clergy and people venerated this cross and many
miracles of
healing were said to have occurred at that time.
In the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches the feast is celebrated
as the
"World-wide Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross." It is one
of the
greatest feasts of the year and commemorates the finding of the cross
and the
dedication of the Holy Churches at Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre.
Egeria, a 4th
century pilgrim, tells us that the dedication of these churches, in
the time of
Constantine, were set on the date of the actual finding of the cross.
In the
East this feast commemorates more the finding of the cross and the
dedications,
as well as a reported vision of St. Cyril of Jerusalem rather than its
recovery
by Emperor Heraclius.
As this Western feast developed, the Eastern feast was moved to May
3rd
according to a Gallican usage. The feast day had a Palestinian origin
and was a
festival celebrating the erection and dedication by Constantine of the
basilicas
at the Holy Sepulchre and Calvary. The dedication festival was
attended by the
bishops attending the Council of Tyre in 335. The festival also
celebrated the
anniversary of the discovery of the cross by Constantine's mother St.
Helen.
Our divine Redeemer is the spiritual king of our souls; and it is by
the love
and spirit of his cross that he must reign in them. By this happy
instrument he
has rescued us from the power of sin, and conquered death and hell.
But do not
our sloth and malice still hold out against him? Have the boundless
excess of
his love, and the omnipotent power of his grace, yet triumphed over
our hearts?
Is his holy cross planted there? Does it daily grow and spread itself
in our
affections? The spirit of the cross, or of Christ crucified, is the
spirit of
that perfect humility, meekness, charity, patience, and all other
virtues, which
he preaches to us by his cross. So long as self-love, pride,
sensuality, or
impatience finds any place in us, we are so far strangers to this
spirit of
Christ, and enemies to his cross. We justly glory in this holy and
sweet mystery
of love, in this most tender and precious memorial of our infinitely
amiable God
and Savior, and of the price by which he has redeemed us, and made us
by so many
new strict titles, his own. But can we look on a crucifix, or form the
cross on
our foreheads, without being pierced with grief, and covered with
shame and
confusion to see ourselves so little acquainted with it and its happy
fruits; so
filled with the contrary spirit of the world. Let us most earnestly
and
assiduously conjure our loving Savior, by his holy cross, and by his
infinite
love and mercy, to subdue our obstinacy, to extinguish in us whatever
opposes
his sweet reign, perfectly to form his spirit in our hearts, and
entirely to
subject all our power and affections to himself. He promised that when
he should
be exalted on his cross he would draw all things to himself. Is it
possible that
the malice of our hearts should be able to resist so wonderful a
mystery of
love. Let us beg that he fulfill his gracious word to us, and that his
spirit of
humility, meekness, and pure love may at length triumph in us. Then we
shall
begin to taste the most sweet hidden manna that is found in the cross,
that is,
in the devout remembrance and contemplation of that mystery and in the
participation or imitation of it by patient suffering. Then shall we
under stand
the glory, the happiness, and unspeakable advantages and treasures
that are its
portion.
Saint Quote:
If thou hadst once entered into the mind of Jesus, and hadst tasted,
yea, even a
little of his tender love, then wouldst thou care nought for thine own
convenience or inconvenience, but wouldst rather rejoice at trouble
brought upon
thee, because the love of Jesus maketh a man to despise himself. He
that loveth
Jesus and is inwardly true and free from inordinate affections, is
able to turn
himself readily unto God, and to rise above himself in spirit.
--Thomas ŕ Kempis, Of the Imitation of Christ
Bible Quote:
11 Let him decline from evil, and do good: let him seek after peace
and pursue
it: 12 Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears
unto their
prayers: but the countenance of the Lord upon them that do evil
things. (1
Peter 3:11-12)
<><><><>
Hymn for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Lift high the Cross
Refrain
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
1
Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.
Refrain
2
Each newborn servant of the Crucified
Bears on the brow the seal of Him Who died.
Refrain
3
O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As Thou hast promised, draw the world to Thee.
Refrain
4
So shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise to the Crucified for victory.
Refrain
AMEN :-)
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