YEAR 2: GROWING IN THE LIFE OF PRAYER AND LOVE
MAKING PROGRESS IN THE LIFE OF PRAYER AND LOVE
(B) RENEWAL BY FOLLOWING OUR LADY AS OUR MODEL
Weekly message No. 59 (11th April 1985).
Pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
“Dear children! Today I wish to call you to pray, pray, pray! In prayer you shall perceive the greatest joy and the way out of every situation that has no exit. Thank you for starting up prayer. Each individual is dear to my heart. And I thank all who have urged prayer in their families. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
Daily Spiritual Exercises - Week 59
Starts Thursday, 9 April 2015
1st Day: Thursday
Love of neighbour.
Matthew 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
2nd Day: Friday
The Holy Spirit will enlighten us about everything Jesus taught us.
John 14:25-26
These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Cf. John 15:26
But when the Counsellor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me.
3rd Day: Saturday
The Spirit of Truth will lead us to the complete truth.
John 16:12-13
I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Cf. Luke 11:13
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
4th Day: Sunday
St. Paul prays to the Father to give us the spirit of wisdom and perception.
Ephesians 1:17-19
...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might.
Cf. Ephesians 3:14-16
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man.
5th Day: Monday
Jesus gave us the gift of understanding to recognise the true God.
1 John 5:20
For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel.
Cf. John 17:3
And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.
6th Day: Tuesday
God is testing his children whom he loves.
Hebrews 12:5-13
And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
Cf. Revelation 3:19
Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent.
7th Day: Wednesday
Our faith is being strengthened through trials.
James 1:2-4
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Cf. Sirach 2:1-6
My son, if you come forward to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for temptation. Set your heart right and be steadfast, and do not be hasty in time of calamity. Cleave to him and do not depart, that you may be honoured at the end of your life. Accept whatever is brought upon you, and in changes that humble you be patient. For gold is tested in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. Trust in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight, and hope in him.
SUGGESTION:
Make a Novena to the Holy Spirit for those gifts which you need in your state of life.