Some who are learning and practicing remaining in Jesus' love, report experiences. One found that she had not prayed for Jesus' help nor practiced remaining in His love, only to discover four days of dark ugliness in her life. She awoke one morning and realized the problem, prayed, practiced remaining in His love. Yes, we must not cease practice, living, loving, remaining in His love.
Another wrote to say she remained in His love while a bird flew about her kitchen! Her spouse had not repaired a broken attic window, and the bird made its descent to the ground floor. Remaining in His love, she went to the attic to tape cardboard, sealing the opening. So far, so good! Then teen-age twin sons rattled around, and the mother began to slip from within His love. She immediately sensed and returned to Jesus by remaining in His love.
Yesterday morning I awoke, wondering if this was just a game of sorts, for it seems so simple and childish in some ways. Again I asked, "Will all these wondrous effects continue, remaining in Your love?" I was shown the doubts are the devil's way, among other tricks, to coax me from within His love. This love, all the effects, and more beyond my human belief, shall continue in every present moment throughout eternity. Remain in Christ's love.
The first confession while remaining in His love was beautiful! How sorry I am that I have not practiced or learned to remain in His love all these years. I, too, have read and heard His words, asking me, telling me, explaining to me how and why to remain in His love...but did not understand to simply believe in Him, ask to remain in His love, obey His command to love others as He loves me. I also am remorseful that I have not praised Him in His love. But it is in remaining in His love that praise of God becomes loving praise! It is a praise beyond human praise because it is praise from within His love.
Last night I realized by remaining in His love, not only is there loving praise, but His will is in His love. We are in His will when we remain in His love, for His will is His love. I cannot explain this further at this point. His will is in His love. Perhaps there may be more understanding as I learn and practice remaining in His love, pondering that His will is in His love and His love is in His will.
But now to share another point by way of example. A friend e-mailed of going to a Mass in which pre-conciliar council modes were enacted: more Latin than English, no handshake at sign of peace, and Communion only on the tongue and not the hand. So I responded:
Fussing over externals must not ruffle remaining in His love. Histrionic preaching, Communion in mouth not hand are externals that prove not interior conversion of heart, but we know to respect the Church, all the same. Externals may augment the inner conversions unless they become the focus. Remaining in His love, the heart is refreshed. Hand or mouth, either way: that we receive Christ's Body and believe in Him, obey His commands, remain in His love, love others as He loves us--this is what He wants.
Externals can become a tremendous distraction, but we understand why people turn to them. The simple remaining in His love, is so simple that it may not seem "enough". We humans tend to want more control, see and feel external signs, when Jesus repeats and explains repeatedly in His Word: Remain in My love. Receiving His love, His Body and Blood, receiving His forgiveness in confession, the soul is transformed. Remaining in His love, dwelling in His word, obeying His command to love one another, the soul is transformed.
My smile ministry might offend some who believe that we should enter with head down or never look at others to smile. Yet I continue being a silent porter of the Church, unobtrusively welcoming all who enter by a smile. If they do not catch the smile, I pray love to them from within His love and touch their hearts with His love: magnified with me in Him and with all the souls who remain in His love, of the Body of Christ, living and dead. So they receive His love, are touched, whether they know it or not.
For a group to not allow a sign of peace, or to say receive only by mouth not hand, are externals not in obedience or unity with the Church in our present times. We must ask Jesus if He would not touch those He loves, those of His own Body, in a greeting of loving kindness? Did Jesus allow His beloved disciple to rest his head on Jesus' breast during the Last Supper, at the institution of the Eucharist?
We remain in Jesus' love and obey unity in the Church. If we are where those in charge insist on their own externals, we must simply remain in His love. We know we may take the peace of His love and go "to the next place" where the environment is respectful and liturgically conformed to the Church's simple gestures of His love.
For now Holy Mother Church says to offer greeting and handshake during Mass as sign of peace. Have compassion for those who desire Christ yet, perhaps mistakenly, believe He is better found through external austerity, when He is simply found by remaining in His love.
I think you totally comprehend how simple it is to remain in His love. Then the externals are not an issue, rather loving comprehension, all the better to ponder Jesus' ways of love. He touched in love. He spoke in native Aramaic so people understood his words. He repeated over and over the pleas and explanations to "remain in My love" and to love one another--not just those we love but love of our enemies. Who are our enemies? Are they those who live separated from the love of God? Touch them, remaining in His love!
I think you totally comprehend how simple it is to remain in His love. Then the externals are not an issue, rather loving comprehension, all the better to ponder Jesus' ways of love. He touched in love. He spoke in native Aramaic so people understood his words. He repeated over and over the pleas and explanations to "remain in My love" and to love one another--not just those we love but love of our enemies. Who are our enemies? Are they those who live separated from the love of God? Touch them, remaining in His love!
Pray for all who want Him so very much and yet seek Him in personal exclusion, in other than simple acts of love. No need to be outlandish during Mass--but a simple loving handshake does not disrespect Christ! It is His touch if we are remaining in His love! It is His touch that touches another in the sign of peace--not a disrespect or disruption of the Mass. It glorifies the Mass to remain in His love. Do you see? I am sure you do.
But a profound insight for today, thus far, is pondering that His love is His will and His will is His love. When we remain in His love we thus remain in His will.
Such a warm and fresh and uncluttered and timely palette of topics and discussion, nothing. I'm happy to have read it and perhaps better for having read it :) .
ReplyDeleteI particularly appreciate "we know to respect the Church, all the same" and "Externals can augment the inner conversions unless they become the focus." Speaking generally, I'm of the mind that the formalities in Church are good and necessary and beautiful. They encourage and facilitate due reverence. As for legalities? They seem to stem from, as well as proliferate, the worst qualities of mankind. I understand that Church has to protect her traditions, the constancy of which has kept her intact through the ages. But I disagree with judgement and punitivie action which is not the better way - by far. Legalists make me think of the punitive mindsets Jesus combatted in His day. I think I've gotten off topic here? Sorry :) .
I can see through you how his will is in his love and his love is in his will. How would you incorporate his truth to these ideas?
While I'm here I'd like to add that your comments yesterday were warming to my spirit and helpful to my mind. I elaborated a little there but wanted to mention it here, too.
God bless you, nothing, now and always, aspiring...
Dear aspiring, I hope the obedience and UNITY that we must lovingly offer always to Holy Mother Church is clear in what I wrote. The issue was a group who desires holiness in former ways of dress, life style, and in liturgy. Of course, the Church allows Communion in hand or mouth, a handshake plus "peace be with you" at sign of peace. So to not allow it in a parish may be limiting or excluding of what the Church intends, which is unity. To go against what Mother Church currently suggests, can create an awkwardness, at least and disunity at most, although with the best of intentions from those who preferred other dress, penances, and liturgical norms of other time periods.
ReplyDeleteAs for Jesus' truth, He explains that in the next batch of verses I hope to post. Truth is right in there, too, in His love. It can't be otherwise, for He is the Truth, the Way, and the Life.
God bless you! I've been praying, remaining in His love, for you this afternoon while folding and stapling newspaper rose collars. All the "collars" are in place around the roses and ready to have mulch put down in. Cozy.
11/12/10 I came by to read your next post and to say good morning. "Good morning, dear nothing :) !"
ReplyDeleteGood morning, sweet aspiring! I have been firming this post, as it seemed to need the unity with the Church expressed more than before, as well as the perhaps, it seems, error, in seeking Him in severe externals--at least when these externals are not what the Church has told us to do during Mass...at least now, in our present time. Words are certainly gifts He gives us to express, and what He uses to teach us. We are blessed with words. God bless your day!
ReplyDeleteSince you say you are firming up your post, I'm moved to assure you that "the obedience and unity that we must lovingly offer always to Holy Mother Church is clear in what I wrote." It was - originally - indeed clear :) . And will, I know, be even more beautifully clearer with your "firming up." God love you, nothing.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this from you "Words are certainly gifts He gives us to express, and what He uses to teach us. We are blessed with words." I have discerned that and believe it and have written about it as well. About the gift and function of words, and about the sometimes agoniziing hard-won consent to spend time writing. I'll email you with the url for it in case you're interested in reading it.
God bless your day as well!
Yes, please send the url.
ReplyDeleteI am heading out to begin fertilizing the oodles of trees and plants, one by one, but will be in for a break and looking forward to reading what you've written!