wrinkles, christy turlington, and loving the cross.

As we get closer to the day of Consecration, I can't help but share some of what is going on over at my Patreon community, with those of you participating through social media. So, I am sharing this mornings Patreon post with everyone...because I am a giver, like that. And also, because the last of my four lambs gets confirmed in a few hours and I am feeling the Spirit and love! Here ya go, folks...it's my favorite subject...SUFFERING. :-)

Can we talk about suffering?

I know. The words today are thirst, heart and covenant. But let's be honest. We would have no trouble with any of these at all...we would have zero issues with standing at the foot of the cross and handing Jesus a cup of cold water, and always thinking about the good things the Lord is doing in our lives while performing every single duty with joy...if we didn't have to suffer.

Mother Teresa, we can all agree, suffered greatly. And I swear every photograph I see of her radiates unspeakable joy. Divine happiness. I used to think that Christy Turlington was the most beautiful woman in the world. But now...now she is the second most beautiful woman in the world. Mother wins out by a long shot. And I am confident that her beauty is in direct result from her desire to suffer greatly for Our Lord. Her willingness to suffer for the Jesus she loved more than anything else in the world is more beautiful than anything. And what I am about to say is not sarcasm...or trying to be funny...it is what I am really thinking and believing...is Mother so wrinkled because by satiating the thirst of Christ, she dehydrated herself? Did she empty herself so much, so completely of everything for the love of Him, that it showed in her very skin? I can't stop looking at her. My heart finds something so attractive in her....and of course we know why. Because we can not look at her without seeing Jesus.

Is this not the same as Mary?

Can we love Him enough to the point of wrinkled skin? Can we suffer with Him while pondering all the good things, because we could not imagine living in any other way?

Thomas Kempis, in Imitation of Christ, grabbed my attention when he titled chapter 11, "Of the Small Numbers of the Lovers of the Cross of Jesus."

For our reflection and prayer today, read and ponder his words slowly....

Jesus has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus– love that is free from all self-interest and self-love!

Do not those who always seek consolation deserve to be called mercenaries? Do not those who always think of their own profit and gain prove that they love themselves rather than Christ? Where can a man be found who desires to serve God for nothing? Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature? His value is like that of things brought from the most distant lands.

If a man give all his wealth, it is nothing; if he do great penance, it is little; if he gain all knowledge, he is still far afield; if he have great virtue and much ardent devotion, he still lacks a great deal, and especially, the one thing that is most necessary to him. What is this one thing? That leaving all, he forsake himself, completely renounce himself, and give up all private affections. Then, when he has done all that he knows ought to be done, let him consider it as nothing, let him make little of what may be considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable servant. For truth itself has said: “When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: “˜ we are unprofitable servants.’”

18

Then he will be truly poor and stripped in spirit, and with the prophet may say: “I am alone and poor.”19 No one, however, is more wealthy than such a man; no one is more powerful, no one freer than he who knows how to leave all things and think of himself as the least of all.

ADDITIONAL PRAYER SUGGESTIONS:

Refer to yesterday's Prayer to Jesus Through Mary and O Jesus Living in Mary DeMontfort prayers