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Staying Awake and Being Prepared

We apprehend and understand Advent as the encounter of man with, the journey of man toward, the Ultimate, toward the Absolute, toward the Lord God. Standing in the presence of the Last Things, in the presence of the Ultimate, resulted in—and results in—a peculiar knowledge of ourselves. From this holy place of encounter we have perceived two Advent messages.

Here is the first message: Man facing the Ultimate must be someone in a state of being shaken, with an alert, awakened heart that does not freeze up, does not become weary, or cramped, or deadened, but sees things as they are. Someone facing the Ultimate will not be apathetic, not just accept everything simply because it is, and because it does not change, and because it goes on and on, and because it is happening everywhere.

And that brings us to the second message, the message of authenticity, which says: In the presence of God, the Absolute Ultimate, nothing counts but that which is real. Man can pass the test of the last days only without pathos, without cramps, without lies, without masks. This requires an honesty of being that has measured itself against the Ultimate, an honesty of being that, in the presence of the Ultimate, passes the test. by, Father Alfred Delp, S.J.

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This site I use to post personal reflections and revelations that are meaningful to my life.

The Meaning of the Talents

It is a talent, for example, if you are unable to pray; yet you consider this to be a misfortune. It is important what you do with this inability to pray. Maybe you have buried this talent and you say to yourself. Well, I will not pray. But you can gain so much from it. The inability to pray should intensify your hunger for God and, thereby, it can become a means contributing to your sanctification.

The same thing applies when you have problems at home, when the family is quarrelling; this is also your talent and an opportunity given to you by God. What can you do with it? If you break down and are discouraged, then you bury it in the ground. It is impossible for a person of faith not to see the deeper meaning of his own experiences. The very search for the deeper understanding of personal experiences is to profit from the talent. If you experience fear—for example, you fear suffering or death—this is also an opportunity offered to you….

If certain situations make you feel tense, it means that your talent is hidden within them, as if a diamond were buried beneath the ashes. What do you do with it? How do you make use of it? Everything is meant to serve toward your sanctification. In this sense, everything is grace. Suffering that overwhelms you, or other unfavorable circumstances, are a whole mass of talents. However, we are often like blind people or like children who understand very little. It is only when we stand before God that everything will be made clear to us. Then we will see the ocean of talents in which we have been immersed. By, Father Tadeusz Dajczer

Zacchaeus—True Friend of God

To God are all the actions of the true friend of Jesus simply and purely directed. He seeks nothing outside of God, but knows that of a truth he has found in him all the good and all the happiness of perfection. Then will he be in some measure transformed in God. He will no longer be able to think, love, understand, remember anything except God and the things of God. He will no longer see himself or creatures except in God; no love will possess him but the love of God, nor will he remember creatures or even his own being, except in God. Such a knowledge of the truth renders the soul humble, makes her a hard judge towards herself, but merciful to others, while earthly wisdom puffs up the soul with pride and vanity.
This is wise and spiritual doctrine, grounded upon the truth, and leading unto the knowledge and service of God, and to familiarity with him. If you want to possess him, you must get rid of earthly affections, not alone for persons, but for every creature, that you devote your mind to the Lord your God with your whole heart and with all your strength, freely, simply, without fear, trusting everything in entire confidence to his all-watchful Providence. By, Saint Albert the Great

The Son Must Suffer Greatly

Among all the works of God’s mercy, dearly beloved, which from the beginning have been devoted to the salvation of mortals, none is more wonderful, none more sublime, than that Christ was crucified for the world….

The whole lowliness is in his majesty, while the whole majesty in his lowliness….

In us, therefore, the Lord trembled with our terror, that he might clothe himself by the putting on of our weakness, and wrap our inconstancy in the firmness of his strength. He had come into this world as the rich and merciful ambassador from heaven. He had entered the economy of salvation in a wonderful interchange, receiving our state and giving us his own, giving honors for insults, health for pain, life for death. He, whom more than twelve thousand of his angelic legions (cf. Mt 26:53) could serve by annihilating his persecutors, preferred to accept our fear rather than to exercise his own power. By, Saint Leo the Great

Building on a Prayer

Every prayer adds a brick to our home in heaven. Some build on earth, some build in heaven, and some do a little of both. But what is built on earth is transitory and what is built in heaven is eternal. -C9P

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