Friday, March 31, 2023

Why Temptation

Why Temptation 

Today's Meditation

“I’ve appointed the Devil to tempt and to trouble My creatures in this life [St. Catherine of Siena reports that Our Lord said to her]. 

I’ve done this, not so that My creatures will be overcome, but so that they may overcome, proving their virtue and receiving from Me the glory of victory. 

And no one should fear any battle or temptation of the Devil that may come to him, because I’ve made My creatures strong, and I’ve given them strength of will, fortified in the Blood of My Son. 

Neither the Devil nor any other creature can control this free will, because it’s yours, given to you by Me. By your own choice, then, you hold it or let it go if you please. 

It’s a weapon, and if you place it in the hands of the Devil, it right away becomes a knife that he’ll use to stab and kill you. On the other hand, if you don’t place this knife that is your will into the hands of the Devil—that is, if you don’t consent to his temptations and harassments—you will never be injured by the guilt of sin in any temptation. 

Instead, you’ll actually be strengthened by the temptation, as long as you open the eyes of your mind to see My love, and to understand why I allowed you to be tempted: so you could develop virtue by having it proved. 

My love permits these temptations, for the Devil is weak. He can do nothing by himself unless I allow him. So I let him tempt you because I love you, not because I hate you. 

I want you to conquer, not to be conquered, and to come to a perfect knowledge of yourself and of Me.”

—St. Catherine of Siena

Thursday, March 9, 2023

God is Father

God As FATHER


Gods actions are the same: 

He is a consuming fire. 

He is the same, Yesterday, Today, and Forever. 


the recipient views it differently based on their view of God. 

(Like heat can melt clay or cure a pot in the kiln)


My personal attitude determines my experience. 


My attitude is My responsibility. 

It’s a choice. See Mercy not Wrath (at least ask for the willingness)


God loves everyone and wants all to be saved but our attitude towards Him determines how we receive what is happening to us. 


(If see him as a father: know he is orchestrating and will turn for good- we are safe and we can handle in Him all things)

(If see as a Judge: will cower in fear, rebel, and fight)


Mercy disciplines and tests: A father warns 

Wrath torments: Judge examines In condemnation 


Because God is my FATHER:

I am not ashamed

I am loved

I am accepted

I am forgiven

I belong to Him

I am provided for

I am protected

I am in His presence 

I have knowledge 

I have power

I am rescued

I am valued 

I am satisfied 

I am transformed 

I am safe and can Rest!


Because of this absolute safety I don’t have to fear anyones motives or behaviors. I can rest and be assured that in any and all things I can handle everything him. Even if someone else means evil for me- God will make it good-for me. I can rest in Him and not figure, he has the perfect plan and can make all things new and beautiful. 


My Responsibility is my attitude, responses, and choices to TRUST my FATHER who loves me!



Wisdom of Solomon 11:9–10 (ESV-CE): 

For when they were tried, 

though they were being disciplined in mercy, 


they learned how the ungodly 

were tormented when judged in wrath. 

 

10  For you tested them 

as a father does in warning, 


but the ungodly 

you examined as a stern king 

does in condemnation

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

The Surrender Prayer

The Surrender Prayer


Why do you confuse yourselves by worrying? Leave the care of your affairs to me and everything will be peaceful. I say to you in truth that every act of true, blind, complete surrender to me produces the effect that you desire and resolves all difficult situations.


Surrender to me does not mean to fret, to be upset, or to lose hope, nor does it mean offering to me a worried prayer asking me to follow you and change your worry into prayer. It is against this surrender, deeply against it, to worry, to be nervous and to desire to think about the consequences of anything.

It is like the confusion that children feel when they ask their mother to see to their needs, and then try to take care of those needs for themselves so that their childlike efforts get in their mother’s way. Surrender means to placidly close the eyes of the soul, to turn away from thoughts of tribulation and to put yourself in my care, so that only I act, saying, “You take care of it.”


How many things I do when the soul, in so much spiritual and material need, turns to me, looks at me and says to me, “You take care of it,” then closes its eyes and rests. In pain you pray for me to act, but that I act in the way you want. You do not turn to me, instead, you want me to adapt to your ideas. You are not sick people who ask the doctor to cure you, but rather sick people who tell the doctor how to. So do not act this way, but pray as I taught you in the Our Father: “Hallowed be thy Name,” that is, be glorified in my need. “Thy kingdom come,” that is, let all that is in us and in the world be in accord with your kingdom. “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven,” that is, in our need, decide as you see fit for our temporal and eternal life. If you say to me truly: “Thy will be done,” which is the same as saying: “You take care of it,” I will intervene with all my omnipotence, and I will resolve the most difficult situations.


You see evil growing instead of weakening? Do not worry. Close your eyes and say to me with faith: “Thy will be done, You take care of it.” I say to you that I will take care of it, and that I will intervene as does a doctor and I will accomplish miracles when they are needed. Do you see that the sick person is getting worse? Do not be upset, but close your eyes and say, “You take care of it.” I say to you that I will take care of it, and that there is no medicine more powerful than my loving intervention. By my love, I promise this to you.


And when I must lead you on a path different from the one you see, I will prepare you; I will carry you in my arms; I will let you find yourself, like children who have fallen asleep in their mother’s arms, on the other bank of the river. What troubles you and hurts you immensely are your reason, your thoughts and worry, and your desire at all costs to deal with what afflicts you.


You are sleepless; you want to judge everything, direct everything and see to everything and you surrender to human strength, or worse—to men themselves, trusting in their intervention—this is what hinders my words and my views. Oh, how much I wish from you this surrender, to help you; and how I suffer when I see you so agitated! Satan tries to do exactly this: to agitate you and to remove you from my protection and to throw you into the jaws of human initiative. So, trust only in me, rest in me, surrender to me in everything.


I perform miracles in proportion to your full surrender to me and to your not thinking of yourselves. I sow treasure troves of graces when you are in the deepest poverty. No person of reason, no thinker, has ever performed miracles, not even among the saints. He does divine works whosoever surrenders to God. So don’t think about it any more, because your mind is acute and for you it is very hard to see evil and to trust in me and to not think of yourself. Do this for all your needs, do this, all of you, and you will see great continual silent miracles. I will take care of things, I promise this to you.


Close your eyes and let yourself be carried away on the flowing current of my grace; close your eyes and do not think of the present, turning your thoughts away from the future just as you would from temptation. Repose in me, believing in my goodness, and I promise you by my love that if you say, “You take care of it,” I will take care of it all; I will console you, liberate you and guide you.


Pray always in readiness to surrender, and you will receive from it great peace and great rewards, even when I confer on you the grace of immolation, of repentance, and of love. Then what does suffering matter? It seems impossible to you? Close your eyes and say with all your soul, “Jesus, you take care of it.” Do not be afraid, I will take care of things and you will bless my name by humbling yourself. A thousand prayers cannot equal one single act of surrender, remember this well. There is no novena more effective than this.


O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! 

READ 3  There shall no more be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall worship him;...