The Divine Will

Just ask for the gift of contemplative prayer, and if you are disposed - you will receive it. Do not be afraid! Your prayer life will become increasingly of the heart and not the mind. It is a most wonderful gift - but be ready for the desert of the soul when our Lord seems to take it away. All for the Glory of God and a suffering to offer together with Jesus in the Garden.

 

I like Kathy's idea in post #359: letting go of agendas, and an attitude of receptivity, a willingness to receive whatever comes. Let the Holy Spirit lead your prayer. We do less and God does more!

Safe in the Promptings of the Holy Spirit!

 

Andree;

Yes, our experiences are related. The temptation to step back into my own will is often delivered through this forum. And it comes wrapped in "good" - the desire that harmful and hurtful posts aren't allowed to stand unchallenged. I've been told in prayer that correcting my brothers and sisters is not my assignment, but I keep taking the bait.

My experience was an admonishment, specifically against this, and it was sobering - no more! Jesus said, "I only do what I see my Father doing." I am praying that from now on, nothing comes out of me but Jesus.

 

I waded into those waters on that thread too, and I never do that as it is not my personality. I really just can't stand the tone of the posts. But really what I think is bothering me most is the tone and much of the content on this forum has changed so dramatically from when I joined. It saddens me greatly as I used to think this forum was the apple of our lady's eye and I no longer believe that. But it is not my place to try to change the forum back as I think our lady herself will do it at the right time. Until then, I guess I will focus on the threads that I think are still the apple of our lady's eye

 

Well, I am not sure if I am disposed, but I will certainly ask for the gift after I have the time to read up about what it really is. I mean, I think I have an idea, but not sure. But right now my time is being taken up by the 24 hours of the Passion prayers and I must say it is very powerful!! I am getting lots of consolations and what I call little locutions as I go along. It is very enriching and very deep and fascinating all at the same time. I have never really enjoyed praying the sorrowful mysteries and already knew I did not have enough appreciation for what Jesus did for me. but that is changing with this devotion.

 

PS,
I'll pray that this deepening appreciation brings joy to your heart!

Safe in the Flanes of the Sacred Heart!

 

I thought your responses were quite charitable.

From now on,(please, God!) my response will be prayer. It is our Blessed Mother's forum after all - she's quite capable of upsetting the apple cart, and she CAN be fierce.

Who is she, who advances like the rising dawn, as beautiful as the moon, as elect as the sun, as terrible as an army in battle array?
Song of Songs ch. 6:9

 

I've read a library full of books on contemplative prayer. Over time, I cam to realize that I was reading about prayer instead of doing it! We make it way too complicated. It's really quite simple.

You might try settling in with Jesus when you finish your hour, and open yourself up to what He wants to say or do, even for a few minutes. I firmly believe He has lots to say to us when we give Him the space.

I also believe He wants us all to learn His voice, and this is urgent for these times. In the thick of the storm, knowing His voice will be our security, because there won't be time for prolonged discernment.

The Lord will give you bread in adversity

and water in affliction.

No longer will your Teacher hide himself,

but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,

And your ears shall hear a word behind you:

“This is the way; walk in it,”

when you would turn to the right or the left.

Isaiah 30: 20-21

 

Mario,
when I started reading of this divine will I had the same question as you regarding having already submitted my will during my previous consecrations. I will be counting on the Holy Spirit to enlighten me too!!

 

Yes I agree, this is the possible lie that needs discerning isn't it? This idea that some action is good when perhaps it's actually harmful at worst or at best, a distraction that keeps us from performing a much greater & more valuable spiritual act.

I was greatly touched by reading the locutions given to Father Ottavio Michelini a few years ago. It was in that text that I read for the first time the expression "heresy of action", which came as a shock to me back then to think that Christ would admonish us for a good action. I see now that responding with actions & words all the time is very much something done "in-the-world", if you know what I mean.

But I guess Jesus does admonish some actions because prayer & sacrifice is worth so much more and through those spiritual acts, we let Him act. Since meditating on all this, I have come to understand the importance of the scripture passage about Our Holy Mother keeping all these things in Her Heart and meditating on them.

Well I don't see you taking the bait, but see you as a good role model for good behavior on the forum. Bless you for that and bless you & others too for all your posts about the Divine Will.

 

“Everything that comes from Me enters into Me. This is why men complain that they do not obtain easily what they ask for – because those are not things that come from Me; and not being things that come from Me, they cannot easily enter into Me and then come out to give themselves to them. In fact, what comes from Me and enters into Me is all that is holy, pure and celestial. Now, what is the wonder if audience is precluded to them since what they ask for is not so? Therefore, you - keep well in mind that all that comes from God enters into God.” Vol. 3, 8-9-1900

 

Mostly I take the bait by allowing those posts to disturb me. But even if the Lord preserves me from being uncharitable, by engaging I can draw them into doubling down and posting even worse things in reply. This makes me an agent in piling on the weight of what they'll have to answer for!

 

Thanks for this reminder. Fr. Michelini's book, "Letters to the priests", was the last book I read before discovering the Divine Will in 2013. I read it in one big gulp, then immediately gave it away. It is incredibly rich; similar in its' effect on me to Gabrielle Bossis' "He and I."

 

Me three, PotatoSack and Kathy. Diabolical disorientation is on the loose and the evil one is sowing his tricks everywhere. Some good people are getting sucked in by skinny leg's lies and it's hard to let that stand as I hate to see good people be sucked in by the liar and go astray. But it's not God's will that I get into trying to correct them, I'll just continue to keep to God's will for me and speak Truth where He wills it, and let the other stuff go

 

On the topic of praying for the gift of contemplation, I would like to put in my tuppence worth.
Ever since my conversion and especially since I started trying to live the De Montfort way of prayer as a slave of Jesus through Mary I don't think I have ever prayed seriously for a specific gift, I have always prayed and offered everything for Her intentions only. Our Lady in her generosity has blessed me tremendously over the years and has given me gift upon gift, and also all the gifts of the Spirit eg healing, tongues, wisdom, knowledge etc. and she has used me as a real blessing in people's lives very often to my own surprise.
Since coming into the knowledge of living in the DW, I have continued to make her the sole recipient of all that this entails. ie that she will obtain and receive all the graces the Trinity wishes to bestow on mankind through my prayers and offerings through her to Jesus in the DW, and use them for her purposes.
For me to ask for a specific gift would now I feel, be putting my own will in place of the DW. Even though it may be a good prayer and intention, I would not feel right about it. If I can achieve stability in the practises of the DW acts, I have no doubt that all the attributes and other gifts of God will in time be made manifest in me, even though I will always remain a mere creature and sinful in my tendencies. Therefore my sole focus is on fusing myself with Jesus in the DW through Our Lady and asking her for the grace to do this.

 

Jesus tells us through Luisa that all that is His is ours for the asking. Therefore, I believe He means that whatever we ask for, if it be His Will and for our good, He will grant. Our Blessed Mother only wants what Jesus wants. Contemplative prayer brings us closer to Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother allowing us to meditate lovingly in our hearts and minds pondering the mysteries of God as Our Blessed Mother pondered in her heart. "Ask and you shall receive." Bless you.

 

I'm not sure if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me !
I know you are much farther along in the DW than I am and obviously know a lot more too! But I feel contemplative prayer and all other gifts of God are signs associated with our union with the Trinity, as in Mark 16:17. It's like taking pills and knowing by the results and side effects that you are taking them.

Perhaps I need some pills

 

December 8, 1922 Luisa
"My daughter, the Immaculate Conception of my beloved Mother was so miraculous and marvelous that Heaven and earth were filled with wonder and celebrated with festivity. All three Divine Persons tried to outdo each other: the Father sent forth and immense sea of power; I the Son, an infinite sea of wisdom; and the Holy Spirit, an immense sea of Eternal Love. These flowed together to form one sea, and in the middle of this sea the Virgin was conceived, Elect among the elect. The Divinity administered the substance of this Conception. This sea was not only the center of the life of this marvelous , singular creature; but it surrounded Her to protect Her from all that might darken Her, as well as to give Her new beauty, graces, power, wisdom, love, privileges, etc. Her nature was conceived in the center of this sea, and She grew and was formed under the influence of these divine waves. No sooner was this noble and singular creature was created than she wanted to give her embraces, the reciprocation of Her love, her kisses and the enjoyment that came from her innocent smiles; She did not want to wait, as is usual with other creatures. So, as soon as She was conceived, I gave Her the use of reason and endowed Her with the sciences. I permitted Her to know our joys and our sorrows concerning Creation.

And Boarder collie trusts our Lady with everything!
A YAAAAAAAAAAA! Dito AMEN

 

From the Letters of Luisa (#16)

" You must know that the holiness of living in the Divine Volition is nothing other than a birth wrought by the Divine Holiness in His creature. For this reason, It is the greatest miracle that can be wrought in a creature. It is the miracle that can give all to God and love Him for all, even for those who do not exist.


Moreover, one can receive all from God. This is because upon finding his Holiest Will in us, He finds the place to entrust his Holiness, his Goodness, his Beauty, his Graces, and also his Divine mission. Therefore He can form His own Divine Procreation in all our actions. Oh, how God is glorified and loved upon seeing in our little acts, as well as in our sighs, movements, and steps, the procreation of his Divine Life."

 

I agree with you on all, but feel in my heart that you do not wish to ask for more from Our Blessed Mother and Jesus because of your comment, "For me to ask for a specific gift would now I feel, be putting my own will in place of the DW". Asking from God for our holiness is never asking too much of Him. He wants us to ask - as Luisa always asked (and many times complained). Asking for Jesus to give us a Gift that will make us come closer to Him - is never asking too much! Contemplative prayer are signs associated with our union with the Trinity as you stated, but there is more than "union" with God - it is "unity" with God (living in the Divine Will) which is what He teaches us through Conchita. Within this unity there are many stages, as Servant of God Archbishop Luis Maria Martinez stated in his book on the Holy Spirit. On the next post below I will explain a little of what Jesus tells Conchita about this Grace of Unity with the Trinity.