Mystery of Free Will

Mystery of Free Will

we touch upon the second greatest mystery of the universe: human freedom. (The first greatest mystery is the Trinity – how one God is three Persons.)

Jesus did everything he could to bring his enemies into the fold of truth and light. Only when they stubbornly refused his rule, over and over again, did he honor their wishes and exclude them from his Kingdom. 

How can it be? How can the human soul, created by God to find its fulfillment in God, reject the very God it can’t help desiring? Jesus doesn’t give us a full answer, probably because only God himself can penetrate this mystery completely. 

The leaders of the people want to do away with Jesus, because they fear losing the personal advantages they have in the status quo. But here on the threshold of his Passion and Death, Jesus pours out a flood of teaching that shows fully the mistake they are making.

The leaders understand exactly what he is saying to them: Jesus is the Son of God, the final and overwhelming gesture of love sent by the Father to win them over to the truth, and though they maybe have lived unfaithful lives up to now, they still have time to reform. 

And yet, in spite of the blinding clarity of the teaching, in spite of the three years’ worth of miracles and exorcisms, in spite of the overwhelming support of the common people, and in spite of Jesus’ own riveting personality and undeniable holiness, these men still “would have liked to arrest him”, and in their cowardice they simply “left him alone and went away.”

His many confrontations with his enemies make it clear that these men freely chose not to believe in Jesus, because they wanted to cling to their own ideas and way of life, which Jesus’ doctrine denounced. But why and how they were able to resist the advances of his love and grace remains a question mark. 

The Catechism teaches us that “at every time and in every place God draws close to man” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1). He is always reaching out to each one of us. He sends us his messengers in many ways – the teaching of the Church, the examples of the saints, the beauties of nature. 

He offers his grace over and over again, sometimes through simple conversations and invitations and nudges of conscience, other times through suffering and tragedy and interior restlessness. Over and over again Jesus reaches out with his offer of friendship, a friendship that can fill our hearts like no other, a friendship that will only grow brighter, deeper, and more joyful the closer we come to eternity. 

But, he will never force us to accept that offer.

The Holy Spirit acts directly on our will, he urges, inflames, and attracts it to himself, and enlightens our mind through love. 

This directs us toward God more than any reasoning or study on our part could ever do. We perceive by intuition that God is the only One, we sense he is worthy of all our love, then we are led to make a total gift of ourselves.

The action of the Holy Spirit is powerful and effective, yet he is always the spirit of love, and does no violence to our liberty as men. He waits for us to cooperate lovingly with his promptings, and to yield ourselves to his will out of love. If he meets with resistance, he withdraws his favors and leaves us in our mediocrity. 

We who have received the gift of faith can only pray for the hard-hearted, and beg the Lord to save them – and us – from a dire fate.

My Role

The chosen race of people,a royal priesthood, a holy nation. 

Born Again

Temple 

Holy Nation with a new law, and mission, and kingdom. 

— One becomes a member of this people not by a physical birth, but by being “born anew,” a birth “of water and the Spirit,” that is, by faith in Christ, and Baptism.

— This People has for its Head Jesus the Christ (the anointed, the Messiah). Because the same anointing, the Holy Spirit, flows from the head into the body, this is “the messianic people.”

— “The status of this people is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple.”

— “Its law is the new commandment to love as Christ loved us.” This is the “new” law of the Holy Spirit.

— Its mission is to be salt of the earth and light of the world. To spread the word of this new life in Christ. 

— Its destiny, finally, “is the Kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth and which must be further extended until it has been brought to perfection by him at the end of time. 

Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them. 

Priest

Prophet

King

Priest:

Priestly service is to dedicate a pure conscience to the Lord and to offer the spotless offerings of devotion on the altar of the heart. 

Prophet:

unfailingly adheres to the faith … once for all delivered to the saints,” and becomes Christ’s witness in the midst of this world.

King:

What is  royal is for a soul as to govern the body in obedience to God. 

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

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

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! 

My part is to exercise the gifts

Like my body is a gift from God, 

but I must choose to exercise it 

faith, hope, and love our gifts from God, 

but I must choose to exercise them

God gives me faith, hope, and love as gifts 

I give God faith, hope and love as an exercise to him 

faith of God 

hope of God, 

love of God, 

poured into me 

faith in God 

hope in God 

love of God, 

exercised to him 

our part is to exercise our gifts 

in, with, through, and to Him, for his Glory.

Julie walked with God

Genesis 5:24 Julie walked with God; and she was not, for God took her.

Genesis 5:24

Julie 

walked with God; 

and she was not, 

for God took her.