Father I love you. Test

Living in God's presence.

Brother Aurelius, how can I, spirit that I am, constantly live in God's presence, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

-Brother Raymond,-

“Now he is a man of just and holy life who forms an unprejudiced estimate of things, and keeps his affections also under strict control, so that he neither loves what he ought not to love, nor fails to love what he ought to love, nor loves that more which ought to be loved less, nor loves that equally which ought to be loved either less or more, nor loves that less or more which ought to be loved equally.

No sinner is to be loved as a sinner; and every man is to be loved as a man for God's sake; but God is to be loved for his own sake. And if God is to be loved more than any man, each man ought to love God more than himself.

Likewise we ought to love another man better than our own body, because all things are to be loved in reference to God, and another man can have fellowship with us in the enjoyment of God, whereas our body cannot; for the body only lives through the soul, and it is by the soul that we enjoy God.”[1] 

So, if I live each day focused on me and my physical pleasures, I will of course only see me, my lusts and my flesh. But, if I see all things as having their source from God, I will see, meet, know and love God more and more. I see from this that my soul is my body’s guardian angel, it has everything it needs to do this, while the flesh is nothing and can do nothing. It must be abundantly clear now, to make even one concession to the flesh is an obstacle and a hindrance to the growth of one’s spirit. Once again our dear Lord’s words come to my mind, “It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer.” [2]

Spirit permeates the flesh.

We know what Saint Theophilus means about holiness, when we meet a person whose soul radiates in his or her countenance. In that person we see purity, simplicity, transparency and goodness. This spirit is in love with God. Like the good angels, he or she cleaves[3] to his will, praising Him constantly and ministering to Him in all that they do. They are in constant communion with God. Such spirits exemplify (to some degree) what our lot would have been, had our first parents (Adam and Eve) not sinned.

BUT, Jesus made us God's Children once more. The reason these bodies "glow," is because God dwells in them and they in God.[4]  There is nothing between them and God. These persons live in Spirit and in Truth. These spirits are the stones that make up the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ.

“Come to the Lord, a living stone, rejected by men but approved, nonetheless, and precious in God’s eyes. You too are living stones, built as an edifice of spirit, into a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”[5]

Like little children, they are innocent, pure, simple and transparent. They are, “the apple of God's eye.” [6]

Brother Aurelius tells us, “The immaterial soul is illumined with the immaterial light of the simple wisdom of God, as the material air is irradiated with material light, and that, as the air, when deprived of this light, grows dark, (for material darkness is nothing else than air wanting light,) so the soul, deprived of the light of wisdom, grows dark.

According to this, then, those things which are essentially and truly divine are called simple, because in them quality and substance are identical, and because they are divine, or wise, or blessed in themselves, and without extraneous supplement.[7]”

“It is for this reason, then, that the nature of the Trinity is called simple, because it has not anything which it can lose, and because it is not one thing and its contents another . . .”[8]

“Brother Aurelius, I notice that some persons provide us with a preview of sorts, of what we will look like after our bodies are glorified, reunited with our spirit. I have met many persons who are holy and whose holiness permeates their body. It is strikingly obvious the Holy Spirit reigns in these individuals. These persons live in the Body of Christ, the Kingdom of God. Loving Father, my spirit cannot be one thing and my body another. In such a state I would never be living the me, made in the image and likeness of you my God. To be Holy is to be like God, to be like God is to be ‘simple, in quality and in substance in God, without extraneous supplement. [9]” 

            Without Peace our spirit has nothing.

            Our spirits should respond only to prompts accompanied by the presence of Peace. This is a sure sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit, peace. The world can give money, reasons, arguments and logic, but only Heaven can give Peace. Jesus tells us: “Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you.”[10] There are many persons in this world who have everything, everything that is except Peace. Regretfully, if they do not have Peace they have nothing. Without Peace we simply cannot enjoy what we do have, no matter how expensive or varied our possessions may be. Things (the created) can never fulfill us, only our Creator can.

            The Satanic spirit in this dark world tries to have us believe, happiness is in having material things. Through its never ending assaults, it tells us that by buying this and by buying that we will find happiness and (by inference) find peace in our lives. These lies bombard us daily. Obviously, we have to work for the money needed to buy this or that. Once we do have this or that and we do not find the peace we were looking for, what do we do? We work for more money to spend on more for these and more for those. And so the slavery continues. All we are doing is working for money to spend on this and to spend on that, things that rust and turn to dust. On and on goes our never-ending search for peace and happiness. Now, both spouses have to work to even survive. More money is needed for transportation expenses, for clothing expenses, for personal care expenses, for day care services, for vacations (now for health reasons as much as recreational diversion for doctors and psychiatrists and so on.

            After sacrificing years of togetherness (for the sake of more money we end up having still less money than before, a lot more junk and no Peace. So, we work even harder with longer hours for the peace and happiness we still yearn for. Then one day, we discover that this search was indeed a useless pursuit, a waste of time, or, we simply gave up. After much trial, tribulation, heartbreak and sorrow, we finally see the truth. After having lost the happiness of years of togetherness with spouse and family, years we cannot reclaim, our eyes are finally opened. Eventually we discover that there never was or ever will be enough money to buy peace and happiness. The losses are all yours. Loss of the opportunity to blossom as God's child. Loss of health. Loss of time with your loved ones. Loss of the opportunity to drink in this wonderful life to the full, loss of the opportunity to come into eternity with a treasure chest of good works.

            The only persons who profited from these false teachings were the Devourers, persons who were not concerned with your welfare but their own greed at your expense. This is what identifies them as Devourers. They devoured your time, your health, your togetherness, the sanctity of your family, your happiness and your right to Peace. They devoured some of the greatest gifts and treasures ever given to you by Heaven– life, health, time, intimacy, growth, development, self-realization, all given to you by heaven to help you, “... love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”[11]

            Conversely, there are many souls in God’s Kingdom, who live in the deep, secure, healing, satisfying, consoling embrace of Peace. With Peace like this, they have everything– they do not need anything else. Indeed, anything that is not from their Heavenly Father would be a serious threat to their precious gift of Peace, to their celestial happiness.

            Regardless of what their status is in this world, a Child of God’s first concern is being a grateful son or daughter to a loving heavenly Father. For such hearts, a glass of refreshing life-giving water brings more delight than the finest champagne. A slice of bread brings more joy and thanksgiving than the finest twelve-course diner. An orange is a gift from heaven’s own orchards. The hand of a loved one is easily chosen over diamonds and rubies. For such persons, the waters of life, happiness and laughter gush from the spring of Peace in their hearts. “Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you.[12]”

            Stress on our spirit is the greatest single factor in weakening our body’s wonderful immune system. This makes us vulnerable to all kinds of disease, many of which are either crippling or terminal, all of which are certainly painful and disruptive. We do not get stress from Peace, from living in our heavenly Father's Home. Identify all those areas in your life that are stressful, then you will know where your spirit is not in harmony with God’s will, with God’s Love. You will know what parts of your life are obstacles to his Peace. Put your hand in his and your trust in Him. Soon your life will turn around dramatically, from darkness to daylight, from pain to jubilation, from despair to audacity and from stress to Peace, sweet blessed heavenly Peace.

            In marriage, if one spirit has his/her priorities out of order, the other must hold on to his or hers, being patient until the other is back on track. If both spirits have their priorities out of order, there will be chaos. Help is needed, in this case, help that must come from the outside.

            It does not make sense to say we Love Jesus and to cause division in his Kingdom. It does not make sense to love and care for strangers outside the home and neglect to love and care for your darling spouse at home. It does not make sense to love your child, and not love your spouse, for it was her love for you that brought this child into your life. It does not make sense to love and care for children outside the home and not love and care for your own precious, unique children at home. It does not make sense to spend one’s energies in building the church outside the home and abandoning the church inside the home. It does not make sense to have everything, except the peace you need to enjoy life and be truly alive. If you want to avoid breaking our Lord's heart, your heart, your spouse’s heart and your children’s heart(s) get your priorities in order!

            Keep your heart focused on these priorities and place your trust in God for the rest. The rewards will be a thousand fold.

            When you work with your King, helping Him to glorify our Father, he will not abandon you; he will not abandon your spouse or your children. You will have all his treasures as you reign with Him from his throne, in Peace.

            Dearest Children of God, may God’s Peace be with you.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux tells us, "Our Lord does not come down from Heaven every day to lie in a golden ciborium. He comes to find another heaven which is infinitely dearer to him - the heaven of our souls, created in his Image, the living temples of the Adorable Trinity."[13]

Man or woman in state of holiness and innocence

In Christian tradition, the Song of Songs[14] has been interpreted in terms of the union between Christ and the Church and, particularly by St. Bernard, of the union between Christ and the individual soul, one who has “cleaved” to Him. Take time to read this love story often.

Mary's loving counsels.

So, how does one grow in holiness, in preparing one's soul for its eternal happiness? Here is what our blessed Mother counsels Venerable Mary of Agreda on the question of spiritual growth.

"My dearest daughter, many times I have confided and manifested to thee the love burning within my bosom: for I wish that it should be ardently re-enkindled within thy own, and that thou profit from the instruction, which I give thee. Happy is the soul, to which the Most High manifests his holy and perfect will; but more happy and blessed is he, who puts into execution, what he has learned. In many ways God shows to mortals the highways and pathways of eternal life: by the Gospels and the holy Scriptures, by the Sacraments and the laws of the holy Church, by the writings and examples of the saints, and especially, by the obedience due to the guiding of its ministers, of whom his Majesty said : "Whoever hears you, hears Me;" for obeying them is the same as obeying the Lord himself. Whenever by any of these means thou hast come to the knowledge of the will of God, I desire thee to assume the wings of humility and obedience, and, as if in ethereal flight or like the quickest sunbeam, hasten to execute it and thereby fulfill the divine pleasure.

Besides these means of instruction, the Most High has still others in order to direct the soul; namely, he intimates his perfect will to them in a supernatural manner, and reveals to them many sacraments. This kind of instruction is of many and different degrees; not all of them are common or ordinary to all souls; for the Lord dispenses his light in measure and weight (Wis. 11, 21). Sometimes he speaks to the heart and the interior feelings in commands; at others, in correction, advising or instructing: sometimes he moves the heart to ask Him; at other times he proposes clearly what he desires, in order that the soul may be moved to fulfill it; again he manifests, as in a clear mirror, great mysteries, in order that they may be seen and recognized by the intellect and loved by the will. But this great and infinite Good is always sweet in commanding, powerful in giving the necessary help for obedience, just in his commands, quick in disposing circumstances so that he can be obeyed, notwithstanding all the impediments which hinder the fulfillment of his most holy will.

In receiving this divine light, my daughter, I wish to see thee very attentive, and very quick and diligent in following it up in deed. In order to hear this most delicate and spiritual voice of the Lord it is necessary, that the faculties of the soul be purged from earthly grossness and that the creature live entirely according to the spirit; for the animal man does not perceive the elevated things of the Divinity (I Cor. 2, 14). Be attentive then to his secrets (Is. 34, 16) and forget all that is of the outside; listen, my daughter, and incline thy ear; free thyself from all visible things (Ps. 44, 11). And in order that thou mayest be diligent, cultivate love; for love is a fire, which does not have its effect until the material is prepared; therefore let thy heart always be disposed and prepared. Whenever the Most High bids thee or communicates to thee anything for the welfare of souls, or especially for their eternal salvation, devote thyself to it entirely; for they are bought at the inestimable price of the blood of the Lamb and of divine love. Do not allow thyself to be hindered in this matter by thy own lowliness and bashfulness; but overcome the fear which restrains thee, for if thou thyself art of small value and usefulness, the Most High is rich (I Pet. 1, 18) powerful, great, and by Himself performs all things (Rom. 10, 12). Thy promptness and affection will not go without its reward, although I wish thee rather to be moved entirely by the pleasure of thy Lord."[15]  (End of Mary’s Loving Counsels.)

“Loving Father, in your wisdom you have chosen how the angels would minister to you. In your wisdom, you have decided how creation would minister to you, and how my spirit and my soul will minister to you.

Loving Father, you have not created my spirit to minister my love, but to minister your Love.

Loving Father, you have not created my spirit to minister my forgiveness, but to minister your forgiveness.

Loving Father, you have not created my spirit to minister my patience, but to minister your patience.

Loving Father, you have not created my spirit to minister my understanding, but to minister your understanding.

Loving Father, you have not created my spirit to minister my vision of creation, but to minister your vision of creation.

Loving Father, you did not create my spirit to minister my time, but to minister your eternity.

Loving Father, you have not created my spirit to minister the riches and the treasures of my heart, but to minister the riches and treasures of your Heart.

Loving Father, you have not created my spirit to sing my praises and to glorify my name, but to sing your praises and to glorify your Name.

Loving Father, I want to minister everything you lay at my feet, for love of you and for your glory, as taught to me by my Brother your beloved Son Jesus, by the Lord Holy Spirit, by my spiritual Mother Mary and by your Children in Heaven and on this earth.

I do not need my body to be alive for, though my body can die, I cannot die unless I choose to love sin and die spiritually. Since my soul is eternal, I should be living in eternity now. For this gift Father, I embrace you and pray that I be your loving Child in Christ Jesus, forever and ever and ever. Amen.”

Dearest Friend, the next time you see anyone, (you, your spouse, your children, others) remember, that person is an eternal soul, made in the beauty and the holy image and likeness of God. That person is a soul loved, counseled and taught by God.