195- Meditating the Passion and Lectio Divina

What is the difference between “Meditating the Passion of the Lord” (MP) and practising Lectio Divina (LD)?

MP is taking one of the four accounts of the Passion, reading it, pondering, praying on it. It is therefore based on the Sacred Text like LD. It’s immediately obvious, too, that on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday our LD and MP coincide. In fact, during the Palm Sunday Mass and during the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday, we have as a Gospel reading the entire account of the Passion.

Equally significant is that both LD and MP are said to be powerful. Also, both rely on a reading of the Sacred Text. In a way, therefore, they seem very similar. How is this relationship derived?

The relationship between LD and MP is in fact complex. Both are fundamental forces: vital, powerful and therefore unavoidable. Let us see in which sense they are so:

1- LD is listening to God and putting his Word into practice. In this sense it encompasses the core of the message of the Gospel. It is the core of any prayer: “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21).

2- MP can be said to perform the Ephphata, that is, the opening of our inner capacity of hearing God’s Word. It is on the Cross and through His Passion that Jesus saves us and therefore opens what was closed by the disobedience of the first Adam. With the Passion, everything starts to make sense in our life because it is the starting point of our new life in Christ. So, in this sense, MP opens the way for LD.

It is necessary to be aware, too, that Isaiah 53 has a central place in the New Testament. It is a prophetical text, given many centuries before the Lord’s Passion, but was perceived by the Apostles and authors of the New Testament as talking about Jesus, and describing his Passion. This perception is the pure gift of the Grace of God, an opening in the mind performed by the Holy Spirit, allowing us to “see” in this text Jesus during his Passion (see Luke 24:44-47). This unique experience that only the believers have (see St. Paul below) is the corner stone of the New Testament. We can’t stress this point enough (see also Acts 8:26-40).

St. Paul states that only faith removes the veil that stops us from seeing Christ in the Old Testament: “We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed. And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord [by Faith], the veil is taken away.”(2 Co 3:13-16)

3- The account of the Passion of the Lord is the core of the Bible. It contains the most dense and powerful pages. It is the Holy of the Holies of the New Testament and of the entire Bible. Some exegetes even stated that some Gospels (think of Mark’s) are like a long introduction to the Passion and the Passion.

It is in the Passion of the Lord that the maximum point of the Love of God is manifest. Isaiah 53 exemplifies in fact the core of our piety and paradoxically the summit of the manifestation of God’s love for each one of us. When St. Paul contemplates the Cross, he says: “he loved me and died for me” (Ga 2:20)!

4- It is still important to underline the fact that each week can be said to be a holy week that leads to Sunday, i.e. the Resurrection. Some mystics lived the Passion every week, showing us the deeper spiritual meaning of each week and what happens in it. They reveal its ascending movement: from the Passion and Death to the Resurrection of the Lord. The application of the Salvation realised by Christ 2000 years ago is happening everyday. This is why St. Paul says: “I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the Church” (Col 1:24).

5- In Lent and mostly during Holy Week, we are called to practise MP, live the Passion and benefit from its powerful grace. 

6- The wisdom of the Church makes her decide not to centre the entire Liturgical year exclusively around the Passion. So, throughout the year we have all the other Mysteries of Christ (Advent, Christmas, Easter…): hence we are not in Lent throughout the year. Hence the rich variation in the daily readings. Hence LD. LD is focused on the daily readings that follow the different phases of the Mysteries of Christ's Life. In each tide of the Liturgical year we face a different facet of Christ Mysteries. Each one shows his great love, compassion, mercy and the joy and pain at times which they bring.

7- When we read the Passion and meditate upon it, whenever we feel a word or a verse is touching us, we stop and dwell in it, so it has time to touch us, and communicate to us the Power of Salvation. The Passion then becomes actual or real for us; we see Our Saviour saving us, we receive His Love and Salvation, Mercy and Forgiveness. We become contemporaries of the Passion. We might weep over our sins or just out of the unbearable love Jesus is giving us. Isn't this a powerful LD? (MP is a particular form of LD.) MP is where Jesus acts directly in us, where the Words of the Passion touch our substance and burn us, heal us. We are filled by the grace of God almost without our collaboration other than just going through His Passion. Aren't we in it? Part of it?

8- If LD is the most powerful type of Prayer, what is then MP??! If LD is the most powerful type of prayer, the Passion is the most powerful LD.

So, as we see, we can't separate LD from MP. MP is an LD. MP opens the way for LD. All LD is a contact with the Holy Spirit through whom Jesus communicates Himself. The Passion is that communication at its most intense.

_____________

On Meditating the Passion of the Lord:

On Lectio Divina see this link (click here).

194- Q&A on Lectio Divina

It is always advisable to have questions and answers, on any important issue, in order to gain some clarity. We have said in a previous article how important it is to check on a one to one basis session our own practice of Lectio Divina. A person with experience can very easily spot the pitfalls and also give more explanations and confirmation that the procedure one is following is the correct one.

Practical questions, from real practice of Lectio Divina help discernment even more. Below is a series of questions based on three days of experience.

Hi Jean,

Here are the words I got while practising Lectio Divina. I am just starting so if you please, I would like to know if I am doing it correctly or not.

Wednesday:

First reading:      The statutes and decrees - words = Jesus Christ.

Gospel:                Christ, the Word, completes the law.

Act:                      Reflect Christ in my thoughts, deeds and words.

Thursday:

First Reading:    Listen to my voice', 'walk in all ways that I command', 'I sent you untiringly   all my servants' = Work and cooperate with God

Gospel:            Every kingdom divided against itself' = so we must be at one with God's kingdom = cooperating with Him.

Act:                      Unite my will with His.

Friday:

First Reading:     The passage 'I will heal..., I am like a verdant cypress tree, because of me you bear fruit' = Rely on God in all aspects

Gospel:               'Our Lord our God is Lord alone' = He alone is all things; He is the only power to trust.

Act:                        He is to be my focus.

So my questions are:

- Are these actions specific enough or have I cut off too early?

- Also, might I have manipulated them according to my own fanciful desires? 

I did the latter at one point on the first day – where I saw the word ‘letter’- when it occurred to me, I may have to write an email with His words to my brother. But I had been thinking about writing the email to my brother, so I wasn't sure if that was actually from Christ or from my own procrastination?  So, I discarded it.

Friday, I thought He was telling me to forget some sweet temptations from friends to go out and have fun etc. but the kind of fun as I don’t think it is conducive to the spiritual life.  Again, I am not sure this is what He meant as these considerations had crossed my mind.

Thank you and God bless. 

NA

Thank you NA for your questions. To start with, I have two points to underline and they are criteria of discernment.

1- First and foremost, your practice is already showing signs of the beginning of the supernatural action of God. The evidence for this is the fact that the two texts suddenly become one, having in each case the same message, which is what you seem to have found in the three days you mention, i.e. the fact that in one text you find a passage (word, sentence, expression) that resonates with the other one. The Holy Spirit allows this to happen because both texts are the Word of God, inspired, divine, therefore multi facetted and multi layered, so the Holy Spirit allows this unifying effect to happen: on a deeper level, crossing the skin of the fruit of the letter of the texts, or the shell enclosing the pearl, is tantamount to God himself who is showing you the same message as long as, of course, the text is not being excessively manipulated. Since in both passages it is the Living Word of God who speaks through the text, since only Jesus and we are here, the message is one.

You seem to have experienced this effect. Which is in itself already the beginning of the supernatural action of God and not the work of your mind.

2- Now, as you will notice the light or message you are receiving (you allude to it saying: Action), is still very general, capable of having many applications. It is still in the mind, but not in the lower discernment part of the mind that almost touches the will. Remember what we want is for the Divine Message coming from Christ to become flesh in us. We need to put it into practice. We don’t want a general indication, or a resolution. We need an act, a precise act.

Growth, real supernatural transformation, supernatural virtue is triggered by a synergetical act (two energies put together Hand in hand), i.e. an act suggested by God, an act that finds its origins in God… not a general piece of advice that you can apply in many different ways! No! An actual application. The action you mention is like a general law. What we need is one, only one, real application.

An act that finds in God its origin, its support and its finality, its goal – to render praise to God.

Q:  My LD today

First reading:   New heaven and earth, Jerusalem a joy, people to eat fruits they plant and house they build.

Gospel:             Come before my child dies, your son will live

Word:               God wishes life for all which is found in Jesus, if we live in Him.  He will heal us but it depends on how much we want it and trust Him.

Act:                   Pray and believe.

This lectio today, is very similar to yesterday’s LD. I am praying and I believe so why is He still telling me the same? Just want to check I’m not mishearing Him

Jean: “Pray and believe” as an action is too generic. What was meant by it?  In order to know it you need to ask the Lord during LD.  LD is a dialogue, where you have all the right to question, to ask for clarity. Remember Our Lady in the Annunciation: she asks the Angel: “how will this be?”

In this dialogue between you and the Lord, you need to keep insisting on asking for clarity on how to apply this general message of “pray and believe” today. We always need to insist with a beautiful trusting insistence until He answers. We humble ourselves even more, we create a space in us for the Word (here the explanation of the word He is giving us). We are ready for conversion, for a new step, for discovering something new about ourselves...

Q:  Actually, I haven’t told you everything about this “Pray and Believe”. In fact this message from the Lord was an invitation for me to pray for my non-believer friends and not to look at them like there’s no hope.

Jean: So He asked you to pray for a specific intention?

Q:  Since the weekend, I have been annoyed with a friend because he gets so angry when I mention God.  He had asked me why the world is so full of misery and I gave my opinion.  He got angry at the word God, so I have been saying to myself not to hope for him anymore as he has got too close to the other side.  He dabbles with all other spiritualties.  So perhaps Jesus is telling me not to be annoyed and pray and hope.  Or I’m just mishearing Him.

Jean:  When you started LD did you mention the issue to Him? Were you still annoyed? Did what He asked you to do surprise you? Or was it more or less expected. - Just checking, as in order to discern, I need to ask these questions.

Q:  No, I didn’t mention it to Him. Whenever I start LD, I only pray to hear His words and ask Him to tell me what He wants. Then I read the passages and look up commentaries to understand more. Then I read the passages again and pray.  I wasn’t in fact thinking of my friend or anything. BUT I did wonder what He was trying to tell me about my life personally and around me.  He suddenly popped into my mind.

It was during the weekend and I was thinking that there was no hope for my friend though I know it’s not my place to judge. I kept saying to myself that he was in too deep with the devil because he hates the Catholic Church and God. So this is my sin.

Jean:  Good. Since the Word you received looks like an unexpected turn, and not in your mind initially, I would rather believe that it is coming from Him.  Did you then discuss it with Him?

Q: No, I didn’t discuss it with Him, but I will try discussing it with Him tonight. 

Jean:  From now discuss with Him in your mind and heart. LD is for today not for tomorrow. Don't waste these hours. The act is meant to be implemented today.

Q:  Sure will do. One LD a day is enough to stress me out.

Jean:  No stress.  It is a GREAT JOY to meet the Risen Lord and know He came to you and talked to you.  

Q:  Yes, but the stress is whether I hear Him right. 

Jean:  No, you will learn to recognise His Word.  It fills you in the beginning of the day with excitement: “What will He ask me to do?”

193- From the Literal Meaning of Scriptures to the Spiritual One

Spiritual Exegesis, Spiritual Life and Lectio Divina

When we practise Lectio Divina, in the process of listening to the Word of God we read the text various times. As one can see in the 15 steps of Lectio Divina we have read (1), read (2), read (3), read (4). What do they mean? In the Active phase we do read (1) in order to understand the text. While in the more Receptive – listening phase: we read while asking for the help of the Holy Spirit. We read (2) in order to discover Christ’s will: we ask, beg and, pray. We read (3) until we see only one light in the two texts. And finally, we read (4) until this same light becomes clear for us in a practical way. As we can see, we repeat the reading of the same text, but each time with the aim to go further deep into the text. 

In other words, we go from the literal meaning of the Sacred Text, read (1): reading in order to understand what the text says in its plain literal meaning, to the Spiritual meaning of the same text (read (2), read (3), read (4)).

The initial work of the Holy Spirit starts when we notice that despite the fact that the two texts are different (different human authors, different moment in history, different subjects…) they start to say the same thing, one thing.

This phenomenon is really amazing, and it is really the sign of the working of the Grace of God. It starts one day when the Holy Spirit opens our mind (see below Luke 24:45) and allows us to see (in fact contemplate) a new spiritual meaning, which shows the unity between the two texts, a unity that lies at a deeper (or higher) level, the Spiritual Level, the level of the Holy Spirit. A unity caused by the fact that the Holy Spirit is the main Author of the sacred text.

“Then he [the Risen Lord] opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)

Note: He opened their minds once Risen. The opening of the Mind requires the Holy Spirit who was given after the Resurrection.

Having two texts and not one prevents us from remaining on the literal level, on the level of the letter: “the letter kills”, says Saint Paul, “but the Holy Spirit vivifies” (2 Co 3:6), i.e. gives us Divine Life. We witness the miracle of the Holy Spirit, animating with His Breath the letter of the Text, transforming it into the Living Word of God. In doing this He makes us communicate directly with the Risen Lord, and makes us hear His voice talking to us, guiding us, nourishing us. He really is the one who connects us with the Risen Lord and makes us hear His Voice.

This experience should then lead us to seek clarity on what He has started to say to us. We then would like to understand from Him what He wants us to do. The temptation is to stop at the beginning of Contemplation and rejoice in the “juiciness” of this Supernatural communication of Jesus to us. This new spiritual meaning the Holy Spirit is showing us in the texts needs to come into sharper focus, i.e. pointing within us toward an act that we should make.

Going from the Literal to the Spiritual Sense

In this sense, we are called everyday, while practising Lectio Divina, to have the experience of going from the literal meaning of the daily readings to the spiritual meaning that the Holy Spirit reveals to us. Lectio Divina is not an intellectual exercise or endeavour. Having the spiritual meaning, in itself, is not the goal of Lectio Divina. But having this spiritual meaning touching on some area in us to change us is the goal.

However, the spiritual meaning we get of some parts of the text we are reading today doesn’t mean that this meaning is the only one to be had and the only one that everybody should have. The Word of God is Divine and therefore is versatile. If we don’t lose the direct connection between the literal and the spiritual sense, we will notice that the same word or expression of verse or passage can and will have many legitimate meanings. We can never exhaust all the meanings. In our quest for the spiritual sense of the texts of the day, we should never depart from the literal meaning to the point of losing the connection between the two. This is like taking a word out of its literal context and understanding it symbolically or literally in another way. There is a line between the literal sense and the spiritual sense just as there is a connection and line between the contours of a piece of stained glass and the light that comes through it.  

Going from the literal meaning to the spiritual one in fact is the normal process of Lectio Divina,in the sense that it is part of Lectio Divina to have the experience, in the Holy Spirit, of the Living Word of God and not to be dealing intellectually (with our mind) only with a text, even if it is a Sacred Text.

"Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,

he explained to them what was said

in all the Scriptures concerning himself."

(Luke 24:27) 

In this sense also, the foundational experience of the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus in Luke 24 (the disciples of Emmaus and the eleven Apostles gathered together), the experience of this opening of the mind to understand what the Living Word of God says, through the powerful help of the Holy Spirit, is crucial for the practice of a proper Christian “Lectio Divina”. (“Proper” here means “supernatural”.) It strongly takes us back to the experience of the Ephphata (Mark 7,34) which is enacted as one of the rites of Baptism where the priest anoints the ears and mouth of the baby (or the adult), opening afresh the inner spiritual ear and the inner spiritual speech, after their having been closed since Adam’s fall! Enacting the experience of this baptismal opening should be lived by each of the Faithful in a personal way... discovering how he or she is really a son of God by adoption and therefore is called to hear his Father talking to him and to talk to his Heavenly Father with His Words.

This capacity comes from God, is given to us in Baptism, and is enacted when Jesus Calls us to follow Him. Nobody can take this grace for granted, ignore it or neglect it. It is part of the richness of each Christian. This is what makes us real Prophets, i.e. capable of having a two-way relationship with God, hearing Him and talking to Him. (Note: No other religion has this experience offered to all the Faithful, even the smallest Faithful.) This is what the Apostles state in the Act of the Apostles during Pentecost: they remember the prophet Joel’ prophecy that says that all will be prophets (see Acts 2:17-18). “And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28)

Seeing other persons (i.e. the Fathers of the Church, the Spiritual Masters, the Mystics and all spiritual persons) also having the same experience throughout the past twenty centuries (to the point that it has become coined as: “Spiritual Exegesis”) gives a greater confirmation and depth to our Prayer (i.e. Lectio Divina). Seeing so many generations having the same experience gives it a context, and more so offers a confirmation that one is on the right path. Discovering that the meanings that the personal experience of the Holy Spirit inLectio Divinaare similar or identical to persons who lived in the early centuries is a wondrous experience that shows the unity through time of the Action of the Living Word in our life. It shows an amazing continuity, a real experience of the Living Tradition in Action, in us.

Having said that, it is important to remember two things:

1- going from the literal meaning to the spiritual meaning of the text suggested on a particular day is not a goal in itself and we shouldn’t dwell in it. It is not the goal of Lectio Divina to discover new meanings in the Scriptures. The discovery of a new spiritual meaning of the text is simply part of the supernatural process of Lectio Divina.

2- going from the literal meaning of the text to the spiritual one should lead us toward the real goal of Lectio Divina, which is listening to the Word of God and putting it into practice. In order to do so we need not only a general contemplation but a real incarnation of what the Voice of the Son, in the Holy Spirit, has made us hear in the Text. Thus, once the spiritual meaning starts to appear, one has to aim for the completion of the process of listening, hence the need to keep on asking: “how do you, Lord, want it to be applied by me today in my personal life, in myself?”

The Spiritual Opening

We mentioned above the spiritual opening, the experience one has of a sudden and profound change in the way one understands the Scriptures where the Holy Spirit intervenes and offers a deeper meaning of the text. However, there is a “before” and an “after” in this experience.

This phenomenon raises questions: do all Christians have this “opening” experience? Do all the Faithful have to have this experience? Since there is a “before” this experience, how can one deal with the Scriptures? Does it last for ever or is it a phase?

These questions lead us to introduce an important dimension or parameter for the understanding of “how to read the Scriptures”, and to “what is supposed to happen in Lectio Divina”. This new parameter is spiritual growth. The spiritual journey is not uniform or binary: being Christian or not being Christian. Within being Christian, there are various stages of growth. This reality is addressed by all Spiritual Masters and deserves a minimum of understanding by the Faithful in order to know what the steps are that he or she has ahead of them. Please see the book or articles on “The Spiritual Journey” or read St. Teresa of Avila’s book the “Interior Castle.”

If we consider three different stages (each one of them has sub-stages) we can say that Christian life can be divided into three stages: 

1- From first conversion to second conversion, 

2- From second conversion to full Union with Jesus, 

3- From full union with Jesus to the fullness of Love (Christian Death).

Stage 1 corresponds to the first three mansions in St. Teresa of Avila’s “Interior Castle”. Stage 2 corresponds to the following four Mansions, and Stage 3 to the “Living Flame of Love” (St. John of the Cross’ masterpiece and testament).

But if we want a more Gospel image, we can use the image of the crossing of the Sea of Galilee: here we would have three phases:

1- Before crossing the sea,

2- Crossing the sea,

3- Arriving on the other side of the sea.

This image doesn’t correspond perfectly to the previously described phases because Jesus’ Apostles were Jews, believers in God and had been prepared for centuries to receive the Messiah, and then prepared more closely by John the Baptist. So meeting Jesus, i.e. receiving His Call, doesn’t correspond exactly to the Second Conversion.

To be more precise we should divide the first stage before crossing the sea into two phases: preparing to meet the Messiah and meeting the Messiah and His calling them to follow Him. This second phase should be in a way put together with the Crossing. So, in a wider way but more with greater precision, the three phases should be:

1- Before meeting the Messiah, until meeting Him and being called to follow Him.

2- Starting to follow Him.

    2a- from home till the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

    2b- having to cross, the sea (from one shore to the other)

3- Reaching the other shore until death in Christ.

What was described above corresponds to the entire long (very long) Phase 2. The Second conversion to Union with Christ.

Now what happens before this phase? From first conversion to second conversion? How do we read the Scriptures? Is there any direct action of the Holy Spirit in us? No. Do we use the general help of the grace of God? Yes, to its fullest or in its fullness, i.e. we, first, make a serious effort to learn the Scriptures, we use our mind as much as we can to understand God’s Commandments and the entire Catechism. The mind has a greater role here. Meditation is the main activity with the Bible. Meditation means mainly the use of the mind, analysis, reflection, thinking and pondering. Meditation means going from idea a to idea b, and from b to c, so the conclusion we draw is: a to c. All this is achieved with the general help of the Grace of God, until one day Jesus draws closer to us, has mercy on us and calls us to follow Him.

It is very important to fulfil this first stage before moving forward. The long learning process of the Bible (history of it, contents), the long learning process and implementation of the four parts of the Catechism are fundamental.

In fact, sometimes even people who have had a powerful conversion, need to go back and strengthen this initial long phase of rooting and implementation of a solid Christian Life.

This means that for the persons who are in this long phase (it can last years and decades) meditation is their main bread, their main way of addressing the Scriptures and their way of practising Lectio Divina. See for instance (see it and study it) the first way of watering the garden described by St. Teresa of Avila in her Autobiography, where this phase is vividly brought to life for the reader.

Bibliography:

- Vatican II, "Dei Verbum".

- Henri de Lubac, "History and Spirit. The Understanding of Scripture According to Origen."

- Henri de Lubac, "Medieval exegesis", 3 vols.

- St. Teresa of Avila, "Autobiography".

- St. Teresa of Avila, "The Interior Castle".

192- When I Die, Can I go Directly to Heaven?

By H.T.

The first conversation regarding purgatory I had was with a priest in a confessional box.  I mentioned about going to heaven after death and was abruptly stopped by him telling me to be humble because I didn’t know if I would be going to heaven.  I forgot about it after leaving confession.  Strangely since then I have heard, in close succession, enough of the same view from other religious so as to give me concern.

Here are the reasons they gave to explain why no one should think they can go to heaven without first going to purgatory, followed by some reflections.

1. “No one is good enough so anyone who thinks she can go directly to heaven lacks humility.”

Is this real humility? What is humility? ‘Humility is Truth’ says St. Teresa of Avila. The Truth is that God has an earnest desire for us to reach for spiritual growth, i.e. fullness of love. The Truth is that we can’t reach it with our own efforts only. So, humility is to accept the truth and live by it.

People with this view as expressed above are (knowingly or unknowingly) far from being truly humble. False humility does exist! True humility lies in complete trust in God, His mercy, His love and most of all His Promise as it is.  These people doubt Him as a Heavenly Father who yearns to bring us to Him to the point of coming down from heaven to die for us.  This yearning, if reciprocated by the soul, enkindles such a fire of love that the soul becomes willing to give up all things to be with her Beloved.  God, seeing this, will do His part which she cannot do herself – He raises her to Himself. 

All Catholics know God is Love but do they actually understand the true depth of His love and its implications for their life?  Knowing is not enough.  It has to be received into the core of our hearts, and in fullness! 

What of our Holy Mother? She was to be the first and only human to carry God in her womb.  Was she lacking in humility when she said “yes” without doubt or hesitation?  Should she have said she was not good enough?  Her “yes” was not only total humble obedience, but a courage that stemmed from a formidable faith and trust in God that He could bring about a miracle that she couldn’t understand.

Sadly, some people place their own good works above the grace of God and believe in their own judgement rather than the wisdom of God.  Since they already judge themselves unworthy they have no need for God’s judgement.  They forget that none of us will ever be good enough to enter heaven.  Never ever by our own merits!  It has always only been one thing - the Grace of God.  

2. “God is so pure that no impurities should enter His kingdom.  Therefore one needs to be purified in purgatory first.”

As if the Fire of Love here on earth can’t purify us.

Some people believe their weaknesses/sins are above God’s goodness and purity!  To think that they have the power to somehow affect the purity of God and His kingdom by their impurity is actually quite an insult to the omnipotence of God.  Besides why does one need to wait to be purified in purgatory?  Can one not be purified in her earthly Christian life?  St. Therese of Lisieux puts it perfectly:

“Ah! since that day love penetrates me and surrounds me; this Merciful Love each moment renews and purifies me, leaving in my heart no trace of sin. No, I cannot fear Purgatory; I know that I do not merit even to enter with the Holy Souls into that place of expiation, but I know too that the fire of Love is more sanctifying than the fire of Purgatory, I know that Jesus cannot will needless suffering for us, and that He would not inspire me with the desires I feel if He were unwilling to fulfill them.” (St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Story of the Soul, Ms. A, 84)

Here is her humility: “I don’t (even) merit even to enter with the Holy Souls into that place of expiation”i.e. purgatory. But she doesn’t accept one half of the truth, she takes it entirely. “I know that the fire of Love is more sanctifying that the fire of Purgatory.”

Some might argue St. Therese is a saint therefore she’s different.  We are all called to be saints. She even offers her way to the weakest. So one needs to know: are we taking on board her little way or not!

Counting on Purgatory actually is a very bad solution because it prevents us from growing! The purification in Purgatory is not “meritorious”, it doesn’t allow us, our capacity to love, grow. While the Fire of Love here on earth makes us grow tremendously. So why accept to remain for the rest of eternity like dwarfs! This is really absurd and an insult to us and to God. Allowing the infinite growth of our capacity to love by the fire of love here on earth, is simply a “must” for whoever really understand what Purgatory is and what Purification is here on earth (for the latter, please see St. John of the Cross’ works). 

3. “Only the martyrs go directly to heaven.”   One lady was told by her priest that martyrs are the persecuted Christians in the Middle East because they die for their faith.  “In the West, we have no such opportunity.”

What is martyrdom?  Do people have to literally be shot or beheaded to become martyrs?  No genuine Christians should think they can escape martyrdom.  As true followers of Christ, aren’t we called to be martyrs in our daily lives?  Sacrificing our will and desires to do the will of God and to die to ourselves – this is martyrdom.  As union with Christ is our ultimate goal, martyrdom is the way to this union.  Now, if these people mean to say they aren’t willing to die to themselves – that is another matter.

Having the fullness of love in our heart is the key to understanding true Martyrdom! St. Paul says it: “if I gave my body to the flames and I don’t have Love, then it is in vain” (see 1 Co 13:3).

St. John of the Cross explains also that true martyrdom is realised by the growth of Love in us, until it reaches its perfection in us - it is not the fact itself of dying(see quote below). This is why the Church talks about “Perfection of Love” (Vatican II, Perfectae Caritatis).

“Let us take another example. A soul has great desires to be a martyr. It may happen that God answers him, saying: Thou shalt be a martyr. This will give him inwardly great comfort and confidence that he is to be martyred; yet it may come to pass that he dies not the death of a martyr, and notwithstanding this the promise may be true. Why, then, is it not fulfilled literally? Because it will be fulfilled, and is capable of being fulfilled, according to the most important and essential sense of that saying -- namely, in that God will have given that soul the love and the reward which belong essentially to a martyr; and thus in truth He gives to the soul that which it formally desired and that which He promised it. For the formal desire of the soul was, not that particular manner of death, but to do God a martyr's service, and to show its love for Him as a martyr does. For that manner of death is of no worth in itself without this love, the which love and the showing forth thereof and the reward belonging to the martyr may be given to it more perfectly by other means. So that, though it may not die like a martyr, the soul is well satisfied that it has been given that which it sired. For, when they are born of living love, such desires, and others like them, although they be not fulfilled in the way wherein they are described and understood, are fulfilled in another and a better way, and in a way which honours God more greatly than that which they might have asked. Wherefore David says: “The Lord has granted the poor their desire.” And in the Proverbs Divine Wisdom says: 'The just shall be given their desire.' Hence, then, since we see that many holy men have desired many particular things for God's sake, and that in this life their desires have not been granted them, it is a matter of faith that, as their desires were just and true, they have been fulfilled for them perfectly in the next life. Since this is truth, it would also be truth for God to promise it to them in this life, saying to them: Your desire shall be fulfilled; and for it not to be fulfilled in the way which they expected.”(St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, 18,13)

Some even might argue that Martyrdom is not for everybody. Here is what Council Vatican II says about martyrdom:

“Since Jesus, the Son of God, manifested His charity by laying down His life for us, so too no one has greater love than he who lays down his life for Christ and His brothers.(230) From the earliest times, then, some Christians have been called upon—and some will always be called upon—to give the supreme testimony of this love to all men, but especially to persecutors. The Church, then, considers martyrdom as an exceptional gift and as the fullest proof of love. By martyrdom a disciple is transformed into an image of his Master by freely accepting death for the salvation of the world—as well as his conformity to Christ in the shedding of his blood. Though few are presented such an opportunity, nevertheless all must be prepared to confess Christ before men. They must be prepared to make this profession of faith even in the midst of persecutions, which will never be lacking to the Church, in following the way of the cross.” (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 42) 

4. “Being in purgatory is being on the way to heaven.  One should be satisfied if he goes to purgatory.” 

In other words, as long as we are not in hell we are ok.  Why are we being told to aim for mediocrity then, when there’s something as supreme as heaven?  If one is satisfied only to go to purgatory, how will one be living one’s life?  This view takes away all motivation to live a meaningful spiritual life and certainly does not encourage growth.  How can man aspire to something he doesn’t believe is possible?  Christians are not called to be easily contented.  We are called to be ambitious, passionate and courageous in our quest for Him and His righteousness.  Jesus did not say, ‘as long as you don’t go to hell.’  He says ‘be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect’.   Be perfect like God?  Is this achievable in human terms?  Why instruct us with something so impossible?  Give God a sinner and He will make a saint out of him.  Desire and love Him with all our hearts, all our minds, all our strength and all our souls and He will perfect us.  With Him, comes heaven - not purgatory.

If God created us and saved us in order to reach the fullness of Love. Why do we want to disappoint Him? If somebody wants to give us a present and we refuse it, it is an offence! The same applies to God. St. John of the Cross says that is an offence to God not to aim for these heights!

When, at the age of seventeen St. Therese of the Child Jesus read St. John of the Cross she prayed to God to make all that she read a reality in her life!

Magnanimity is a real virtue. It is not opposed to humility, on the contrary, it leans on it. It is to accept wholeheartedly the greats things God has prepared for us and is calling us to receive. If we are God’s Children, how then do we understand the fact of being “called” to become his Children? 

5. “If one believes she’s going to heaven, then it’s a gift from God.  It’s not for everyone.”

What is their understanding of holiness then?  The Church teaches that we are all called to be saints and yet some religious claim that only some are gifted to believe they will get straight to heaven.  Not only is their view incorrect, it’s also dangerous because it implies that God chooses some and not others.  It portrays a God who plays favouritism and who is undependable, unreliable and difficult to please.  As for the ‘chosen few’, it feeds false pride.  Christ died for ALL.  Whatever He has He offers to ALL.  He stands by the door of every heart, knocking to enter.  First conversion is merely the start of a friendship with Christ.  When one opens her heart and Jesus enters to eat and drink, that’s a relationship that will lead to true love and eventually marriage.  Of course, when Jesus has entered into our hearts, we need to keep them clean as one would keep one’s home clean for a beloved guest.  If then some do not wish to do keep their hearts clean, then sure, it’s not for everyone, but we are then talking about people who don't want it rather than it not being offered to them.  

Here is the paradox: everybody agrees that we are all called to holiness. But when it comes to talk about holiness, real life holiness, everybody avoids the question, and come up with all sorts of statements of false humility, then end up by denuding of all meaning the idea that “all are called”. Even if the door and the path are narrow and that many (all) are called but only few are elected, we should believe in what Jesus came to offer us! Otherwise we offend Him, offend His love for us, and reveal that we don’t believe that He can make us saints! We still, then, silently and in practice, are agreeing that holiness is a man-made reality - which is totally false!

Furthermore, this verse ‘many are called but few are elected’, should not be taken literally that God will only elect a few! It means, rather, that though many are called, only a few truly reciprocate His love. Therefore instead of seeing it from a negative angle (few are elected) it’s a reminder that our active participation is absolutely necessary in order to be ‘the elected’; at the same time trusting God to do the rest.  This is a verse that offers great hope for us yet also places great responsibility on our side as it tells us that it is in fact our choice to be the elected or not. 

Christian Death According to St. John of the Cross 

“It should be known that the natural death of persons who have reached this state is far different in its cause and mode from the death of others, even though it is similar in natural circumstances. If the death of other people is caused by sickness or old age, the death of these persons is not so induced, in spite of their being sick or old; their soul is not wrested from them unless by some impetus and encounter of love far more sublime than previous ones; of greater power, and more valiant, since it tears through this veil and carries off the jewel, which is the soul.

The death of such persons is very gentle and very sweet, sweeter and more gentle than was their whole spiritual life on earth. For they die with the most sublime impulses and delightful encounters of love, resembling the swan whose song is much sweeter at the moment of death. Accordingly, David affirmed that the death of the saints is precious in the sight of the Lord [Ps. 116:15]. The soul's riches gather together here, and its rivers of love move on to enter the sea, for these rivers, because they are blocked, become so vast that they themselves resemble seas. The just one's first treasures, and last, are heaped together as company for the departure and going off to the kingdom, while praises are heard from the ends of the earth, which, as Isaiah says, are the glory of the just one [Is. 24:16].” (St. John of the Cross, Living Flame of Love, II,30)

The truth is the journey into union with Christ, spiritual marriage and finally Christian death is not an easy one, just as His coming to die for us shows true love requires huge sacrifices.  There are some Catholics (consecrated and lay) who do not wish to live a challenging spiritual life so they are happy to settle for a happy medium - purgatory.  It is indeed their right to choose not to be transformed by Christ but they have no right to tell others that going directly to heaven is not achievable.  It is not only cruel but a sin to destroy the faith and confidence of those who believe.

St. Paul wrote, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love.” 

On these three lie the success of spiritual life.  A love that would require a merciful act from the Holy Spirit to finally free the spirit from the broken heart of a yearning soul, in order for it to fly up hand in hand with the Him into eternal bliss.  What a happy death!  Such a love that is possible between God and His children is the power that shapes a mountain of unshakeable faith and hope and it is this that gives them the courage to say ‘Yes! I am going directly to heaven.’  Who dares challenge it? 

H.T.