JMJT! Praise be Jesus Christ! Now and Forever!
We can all agree that we are living in unusual times, perhaps even unprecedented ones. In the midst of a global pandemic, economic free fall, and racial and social injustices it is natural to experience angst. Uncertainty rules the day and it is evident that we are in a change of epoch of sorts. Only God knows where this will lead each of us to or what that will look like for the world. Such an era requires deepening radical faith in the midst of so many unknowns, and it requires vigilance to safeguard our hearts from falling into the snares of the Enemy who wishes to sow seeds of terror, confusion, hatred, darkness and division. I would like to share two step-by-step interior exercises that I believe were inspired by the Holy Spirit and which have helped me to keep calm and carry on [most of the time!:-) in seeking to do the Will of the Father, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit at my side.
Dispelling the Spirit of Fear
Regarding the spirit of fear which is rampantly tearing apart individual hearts, homes, families, workplaces, churches, communities, and entire nations - this is not of God. St.Paul tells us in his second Letter to Timothy that "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind." [2 Tim 1:7] Almost a year ago, Our Lord gave me the following 4-step offering which I render to him every morning usually while still in bed upon awakening. I call it CEEC.
1.Consent: to all that God has for me this day, all that has happened in my past, and all that He desires to do with me and in my life in the future. It is a full surrender with no wrestling matches allowed!
2. Embrace: Don't just resign yourself to God's plans or permissive will, but embrace and kiss all of it, even the crosses, recognizing everything as a grace and a gift.
3. Entrust: I entrust myself to Our Lady who is completely docile to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity. If I am having difficulties I tell her, "Bl. Mother, the little girl in me is having a meltdown of sorts..a tantrum actually. It is quite ugly, but I am leaving her in your hands and I know that you will calm her, help to form and shape her, and teach her your virtues. Good luck!"
Consecration: I consecrate myself to the Most Holy Trinity through the Immaculate Heart and Womb of Our Lady. I ask that my life belongs to them and I pray that I may complete His mission for me before I die. This brings me a lot of peace and it grounds me. I keep asking what He desires for me to do during this time and how I can best serve Him and others this very moment, this very day. I revisit this 4 step process throughout the day, especially when things get particularly tough and I find myself resisting His grace or overthinking and analyzing the situation.
Dispelling the Spirit of Anger & Division
The second spirit terrorizing our homes and nation is division. People are angry, upset, and tired of the brokenness. Much of this is justified and justifiable, but must be handled with delicate care and mindfulness as to how best carry out our mission as Christians while speaking the truth with love and for the opportunity for change to take root.
Jesus recently brought me to John's Gospel chapter 20 regarding how we should interact with one another in any given situation. In this Gospel passage which is always read on Divine Mercy Sunday, we see that the apostles are all hunkered down in a spirit of fear in the upper room. They are filled with remorse for their own cowardice, uncertainty for the future, and the utmost grief that their Master and Lord, who was the long-awaited Messiah, is dead. First, we see how Jesus goes right through the walls and bunkers that their hearts have constructed within. They cannot lock Him out, no matter how hard they try. He is there and He is present in the midst of their struggles, anxieties, fears and divisions.
The first thing He does upon appearing to them - Jesus offers them the oldest of Jewish greetings, "Shalom!" "Peace be with you!" He doesn't shout, he doesn't guilt and shame them for their complete failure to stand by Him in His hour of need. Nope. He simply offers peace. Then he breathes on them, the breath of life, the Spirit who gives life and washes away sin. He speaks of forgiveness. After a period of time, he returns to the same upper room and shows them His wounds, specifically to Thomas who was not there the first time and missed the whole thing.
The Holy Spirit showed me how this whole encounter between the Apostles and Jesus teaches us how to live and interact with others. It is most especially appropriate when we are hurting and need to get some clarity, growth, healing and truth in a relationship with another. Note to self - bursting into a room screaming and shouting does not qualify as Christ-like! No. First, we encounter the other in a spirit of peace and shalom with our shoes shod in the gospel of a spirit of peace. [See Eph 6:15] Next, we seek to forgive and loosen the chains and bonds that enslave us. We let go. We breathe. Even if we are not feeling it, we seek with the will to forgive the other. Then, we show our wounds. We can say to one another: "See, I love you which is why I am here. I am hurting. Let me show you my wounds. Maybe you would like to show me your wounds."
Let's come together in a spirit of peace and life-giving breath, seeking forgiveness, and then we can show each other our wounds. We can dialogue and talk about how badly this hurts and see what we can do to assuage the pain that we have caused one another. By following these steps as lived out by Jesus in Divine Mercy: 1. Offer Peace/Shalom; 2. Breath of calm and forgiveness; and then 3. Show one another our wounds, I pray we can dispel the spirits of fear and strife and live out Jesus' call that we may all be one, as He and the Father are one.
Even just little moments of taking these two interior inventories and trying to live this out in imitation of Our Beloved can sow seeds of love and peace amongst one another, and build profound confidence and trust in the Father that dissipates a spirit of fear. Then we shall see the beginning of the triumph of God's Kingdom in which,
"Righteousness and truth shall meet, justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven." [Psalm 85:10-11]
