"Your Faith Anew!"

"Sharing in Christ’s Sacrifice with Courage"

David Russell

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July 1, 1902 – Volume 4

Luisa writes,

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, kneeling on an altar together with two more people. In the meantime Jesus Christ appeared over this altar, and He said: “True victims must have communication with my very life; they must avail themselves of my very self, and expose themselves to my very pains.” While saying this, He took a pyx in His hand and gave Communion to all three of us. After this, behind that altar there seemed to be a door which led into a street filled with people and jam-packed with demons, in such a way that one could not walk without being squeezed by them; and since it was full of thorns, extremely sharp, one could not make a movement without feeling one’s flesh being pricked deep inside. At any cost I would have wanted to escape those diabolical furies, and I almost tried to do it, but someone, I don’t know who, prevented me by saying to me: “Everything you see are machinations against the Church and against the Pope. They would want the Pope to get out of Rome by invading the Vatican and seizing it, and if you want to avoid these bothers, men and demons will acquire strength and will make these thorns come out which will prick the Church bitterly. But if you content yourself with suffering them, both the one and the other will be weakened.” On hearing this I stopped, but who can say what I went through and suffered. I thought I would never again get out from the midst of those diabolical spirits; however, after staying there almost one whole night, divine protection freed me.

                                                                                       – Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta

Buddy Comfort – vocals and guitar from the album, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, www.buddycomfort.com, words and music by Donovan Leitch.

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Welcome. This is David Russell and your faith anew. Daily reflections guiding you to live in the divine will. Today's reflection is from the Book of Heaven by the servant of God Louisa Pecoretta, july first, nineteen oh two, volume four. Let us begin in the will and name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Heavenly Father, through your Son you invite us not only to believe in Him, but to share in His life, His love, and even His sufferings. Grant us the grace to remain faithful when trials arise, trusting that every sacrifice united to Jesus bears fruit for your church and for the salvation of souls. May your divine will strengthen our hearts with courage, perseverance, and peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul writes in chapter four verses eight to ten. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained, perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches in Paragraph fifteen oh eight. The Holy Spirit gives to some a special charism of healing so as to make manifest the power of the grace of the risen Lord. But even the most intense prayers do not always obtain the healing of illnesses. Thus, Saint Paul must learn from the Lord that my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness, and that the sufferings to be endured can mean that in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the church. As we continue our journey through the book of heaven, let's remain attentive to the truths Jesus reveals through Louisa, allowing these lessons to deepen our understanding of life in the divine will. The Lord now invites us to contemplate the strength found in embracing His cross with love. Louisa writes As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, kneeling on an altar together with two more people. In the meantime, Jesus Christ appeared over this altar and he said True victims must have communication with my very life. They must avail themselves of my very self, and expose themselves to my very pains. While saying this, he took a pix in his hand and gave communion to all three of us. After this, behind that altar there seemed to be a door which led into a street filled with people and jam packed with demons, in such a way that one could not walk without being squeezed by them. And since it was full of thorns, extremely sharp, one could not make a movement without feeling one's flesh being pricked deep inside. At any cost I would have wanted to escape those diabolical furies, and I almost tried to do it. But someone, I don't know who, prevented me by saying to me everything you see are machinations against the church and against the Pope. They would want the Pope to go out of Rome by invading the Vatican and seizing it. And if you want to avoid these bothers, men and demons will acquire strength and will make these thorns come out which will prick the church bitterly. But if you content yourself with suffering them, both the one and the other will be weakened. On hearing this I stopped, but who can say what I went through and suffered? I thought I would never again get out from the midst of those diabolical spirits. However, after staying there almost one whole night, divine protection freed me. Today's passage reminds us that being close to Jesus means sharing not only in his consolations, but also in his mission. Jesus tells Louisa that true victims communicate in his very life and expose themselves to his very pains. This is not a call reserved only for extraordinary souls. It reveals an essential truth of Christian discipleship. Every baptized person is invited to unite his or her sufferings with Christ for the good of the church. The disturbing vision of demons crowding the path illustrates a spiritual reality that Scripture also teaches. The church continually encounters opposition, both visible and invisible. Yet Jesus reveals something profoundly hopeful. United to suffering weakens the forces of evil. What appears to be helpless endurance in the eyes of the world becomes powerful cooperation with divine grace. Living in the divine will transforms how we understand our daily crosses. Instead of asking only how can I escape this difficulty? We begin asking Jesus, how do you desire to use this moment for your glory? The inconvenience at work, the misunderstanding in the family, the physical pain, the hidden disappointment, or the silent sacrifice can all become united with the eternal act of Christ when offered in his divine will. Notice that Louisa desired to flee the suffering, just as any one of us naturally would. Yet she remained because she learned that her willingness had consequences extending beyond herself. This is the mystery of communion within the body of Christ. Our faithful yes strengthens the church in ways we may never fully see during this life. Jesus never glorifies suffering for its own sake. Rather, he transforms it into an instrument of love. The cross is not the final word. Resurrection is every sacrifice accepted in union with Christ becomes fertile ground for grace. Today, if a cross presents itself, resist the temptation to see it as meaningless. Instead, quietly offer it to Jesus. Invite him to unite it with his own sacrifice. In the divine will, even the smallest hidden act of fidelity takes on eternal value because it becomes his act lived within you. May we ask for the courage to remain where God has placed us, trusting that every loving sacrifice offered in his will helps build up his church and hastens the triumph of his kingdom. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, you chose the path of sacrificial love to redeem the world. Teach me not to fear the crosses you permit in my life, but to recognize them as opportunities to share more deeply in your redeeming work. Help me to surrender every difficulty into your divine will. When I grow weary, strengthen me. When I become discouraged, remind me that you never abandon those who trust in you. Unite my prayers, sacrifices, joys and sufferings with your eternal offering to the Father for the good of your church and for the salvation of souls. May I never seek comfort apart from you, but always find peace in knowing that your grace is sufficient. Let every heartbeat, every thought, and every act become one with your divine will, bringing glory to the Father and helping to establish His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus, I trust in you. I abandon myself completely to your divine will. Amen. Thank you for joining your faith anew today. May our reflection encourage you to see every trial through the eyes of faith, remembering that when united with Jesus in the divine will, no sacrifice is ever wasted. Allow him to transform each cross into an act of love that strengthens his church and draws souls closer to him. Until tomorrow, stay in his will, and your faith will be made anew.