Oppressions And Melancholies Have No Reason To Exist In The Divine Will. They Form The Clouds, The Bitter Little Drops, Which Embitter God And The Creature

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Volume 35-March 6, 1938

The sea of the Divine Volition never ceases to plunge me into Its waves, as though wanting nothing to enter to into me other than Its light, so as to grow in me, by way of light and heat, the Life of Its Will alone. But in spite of all this, I felt oppressed, with an air of melancholy, because of the circumstances, alas, too painful, of my poor existence down here, which formed as though clouds around me, to prevent me from enjoying the beauty of the light and the gentleness of the warmth in which the soul remains fecundated, reborn and growing inside her very Creator. And my sweet Jesus, Who jealously watches over my poor soul, all goodness told me: “My good daughter, courage! Oppressions, melancholies, the thought of the past, have no reason to exist for one who lives in my Will. These are notes that clash with Our notes of joy, of peace and of love, and form feeble sounds which sound unpleasant to Our divine ears. They are like bitter little drops which, thrown into Our sea, would want to embitter Our divine sea; while by living in Our Will, We make the creature the owner of Our seas of joy, of happiness, and if necessary We arm her with Our Power so that everything may be propitious to her and nothing may do harm to her, because there is no power against Our Will. On the contrary, Our Will has the power to level and to crush anything, like dust under the empire of a mighty wind. Therefore, when We see the creature in Our Will being afflicted, oppressed – how bad it sounds to Us; and since she lives in Our Volition, because of the one Will that animates Us We are forced to feel her afflictions and oppressions. To set Ourselves aside when the creature is afflicted is not of Our Divine Being – nor of Our Love. Rather, We make use of Our Power, and We inundate her more with Our Love, so that We may see her again with a smile on her lips, and with joy in her heart.
Besides, the thought of the past is truly absurd – it is like wanting to claim the divine rights. You must know that anything beautiful and good that the creature has done is deposited inside of Us, attesting to Us her love and the glory that she gives Us, and forming her crown, for her to be crowned on her first entrance into Our Celestial Fatherland. Therefore, the most beautiful act of the creature is to throw herself into Our arms – abandon herself – letting Us make whatever We want to make of her, in time as well as in eternity. Only then do We take all the delight in making her one of the most beautiful statues that must adorn Our Celestial Jerusalem.”

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, how often we find ourselves in melancholy thoughts of the past and yet these thoughts and fears are not of You and do not belong in Your Holy and Divine Will! Let us abandon ourselves into Your arms, forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13) letting You make of us what You will in time and in eternity! Fiat Lord!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Monday of the Second Week of Lent

Good Gifts Will Be Given

Let this be the supreme

goal of your lives, the most valuable gift that you can bring

to Me. Take advantage of every opportunity and every means to

save souls. Work at it! Remember what you once read: ‘If each

Christian would save just one soul, no one would be lost.'” (Jesus) (January 15, 1964)

Today’s Readings: “Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.” (Luke 6)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, how often it is that we judge and we condemn. We do this even in our own families. We forget that we are not the judge- You are the judge. How often, because of our own anxiety, fears, worries, we feel like it is up to us to singlehandedly save our family members totally apart from You. There is no condemnation in You (Romans 8:1) but there is plenty in us. Lord instead of judging, arguing, and cajoling let us unite our desires for our loved ones with Yours and take advantage of every means to save souls- prayer and fasting most of all! Help us to give ourselves for Your Cause so that blessings would flow to our families because You will never refuse to hear prayers for the conversion of sinners.

The Cross Is Citation, Advocate, and Judge Of The Soul, For Her To Take Possession Of The Eternal Kingdom

As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. (Luke 12:58)

Volume 6, March 5, 1904

This morning I was feeling in much suffering, with the addition of His privation. Then, after I struggled very much, He came for just a few instants, and told me: “My daughter, sufferings, crosses, are like many citations which I send to souls. If the soul accepts these citations – whether they be citations that notify the soul to pay some debt, or it be a notification to obtain some gain for eternal life – if the soul responds to Me by resigning herself to my Will, by thanking Me, by adoring my holy dispositions, we are immediately in accord, and the soul will avoid many inconveniences that are possible, like being cited again, having advocates involved, going through the lawsuit, and receiving the condemnation of the judge. Responding to the citation with resignation and with thanksgiving alone will make up for all this, because the cross will be citation, advocate and judge for her, with nothing else needed for her to take possession of the Eternal Kingdom. If, on the other hand, she does not accept these citations – think about it, yourself, how many abysses of disgraces and troubles she will throw herself into, and what the rigor of the judge will be in condemning her for having shunned the cross as her judge, a judge so much milder, more compassionate, more prone to enriching her rather than judging her, more intent on embellishing her rather than condemning her.”

Prayer meditation- Lord, this calendar reading today is deep and difficult but how many times have we not resigned ourselves to Your Will for our lives and even fought You tooth and nail by staying stuck in our own ideas and desires only to find ourselves in prisons and chains of our own making! Sometimes we have to reach rock bottom like the Prodigal Son before we throw ourselves in our desperation and surrender into Your Compassionate Arms! Because Lord, there is no condemnation in You (Romans 8:1), You are the Good, Good Father who always wills our good even in the crosses of life which You have tailor made in love for each one of us! Fiat Lord!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Second Sunday of Lent

Rise and Do Not Be Afraid

Because your soul has been purified of the anguish of

doubts, you now have been given the power to rise to the heavenly

Father and be immersed in the delightful and joyful contemplation

of the Holy Trinity. (Jesus) (October 23-24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone. (Matthew 17)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today we meditate on the Transfiguration. Peter, John, and James see You in the Your Glory. Peter nervously tries to enter the conversation with You, the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) but really the Apostles are scared to death and have no idea what is going on. In so many ways, when faced with Your Glory and Your Majesty, we can be the same. And yet, You call us- Our God first and foremost but also Our Friend to rise and not be afraid especially in these turbulent times. You call us to be purified of doubt and fear and to rise to You in confidence and trust! Let us raise our eyes and see no one but You alone- reign in all the Earth Jesus!

The Soul Must Live Up High. One Who Lives Up High Cannot Be Harmed

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
    they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Volume 6, March 4 1904

As I was very afflicted and in suffering because of the loss of my good Jesus, I saw Him for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, your soul must try to maintain the flight of an eagle – that is, to dwell up high, above all the low things of this earth; and so high that no enemy may harm it. In fact, one who lives up high can harm the enemies, but cannot be harmed. And she must not only live up high, but must try to have purity and sharpness of eyes, similar to those of an eagle. Though living up high, through the sharpness of her sight, she penetrates the divine things – not in passing, but by chewing them to the point of making of them her favorite food, despising any other thing. And she also penetrates the necessities of her neighbor, nor is she afraid to descend into their midst and do good to them; and if needed, she lays down her life. Through the purity of her sight, the love of God and the love of neighbor, from two she makes them one, rectifying everything for God. So must the soul be if she wants to please Me.

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, we long to to live up high as You tell Luisa but so many obstacles can have us crashing to the ground! And yet You tell us to wait for You to renew our strength so that we can indeed mount up with wings like eagles! Lord, purify our sight so that we would live for love of You and love of neighbor loving them with Your Love! Let us lay down our lives and our will which is that obstacle that prevents our flight to You!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Perfected In Love

If we refer to the Flame

of Love, the Lord Jesus will enlighten our intellect to know what

we must do, for example, how we can choose between two things

and which is the most perfect and represents the Will of God. (Elizabeth) (July 11, 1975)

Today’s Readings: And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, it just seems natural- we prefer those who like us and tend to avoid those who don’t. These people can even be among our loved ones at times- how many times do we avoid family members who criticize us. Perfect love just seems like some kind of ideal we will never reach. And yet You do not ask us to be perfect to set us up for failure. You really mean we can love those who hate us and persecute us- Lord it is in Your Love and Love alone that we can be perfected. Lord Jesus enlighten our minds and our hearts that we would always choose Your Will and not ours so that we would be perfected in love this Lenten season!

The Temperament Of Jesus Is Formed By His Will, And The Soul Who Does The Divine Will Takes Part In All The Qualities Of His Temperament

The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
    he will renew you^[b] in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
¹⁸     as on a day of festival.^[c] (Zephaniah 3:17-18)

Volume 11, March 3, 1912

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, one who does my Will loses her temperament and acquires mine, and since in my temperament there are many melodies which form the paradise of the Blessed – such that music is my sweet temperament, music the goodness, music the sanctity, music the beauty, the power, the wisdom, the immensity, and so with all the rest of my Being – the soul, taking part in all the qualities of my temperament, receives within herself all the varieties of these melodies. As she goes along doing even the littlest actions, she makes a melody for Me, and as I hear it, I immediately recognize that it is music that the soul has taken from my Will – that is, from my temperament – and I run to listen to it, and I like it so much that I am amused and cheered of all the wrongs which the other creatures do to Me.
My daughter, what will happen when these melodies will pass into Heaven? I will put the soul in front of Me; I will play my music, and she will play her own – we will dart through each other; the sound of one will be the echo of the sound of the other; the harmonies will mix together. In clear notes it will be known to all the Blessed that this soul is nothing other than the fruit of my Will – the portent of my Will; and all Heaven will enjoy one more paradise.
These are the souls to whom I keep repeating: ‘Had I not created the heavens, for you alone I would create them.’ In them I lay the Heaven of my Will, and I make of them the true images of Myself; and within these Heavens I keep wandering about, amusing Myself and playing with them. To these Heavens I repeat: ‘Had I not left Myself in the Sacrament, for you alone I would have done it.’ In fact, they are my true hosts, and just as I could not live without a Will, in the same way I cannot live without these Heavens of my Will; rather, they are not only my true Hosts, but my Calvary and my very Life. These Heavens of my Will are more dear to Me and more privileged than the Tabernacles and the very consecrated Hosts, because in the Host my Life ends as the species is consumed, while in these Heavens of my Will my Life never ends; even more, they serve as my Hosts on earth and will be eternal Hosts in Heaven. To these Heavens of my Will I add: ‘Had I not incarnated Myself in the womb of my Mother, for these souls alone I would have incarnated Myself, and for them I would have suffered my Passion’, because in them I find the true fruit of my Incarnation and Passion.”

Prayer Meditation- Lord, what a delightful meditation in this reading- to live in Your Will makes sweet music rise to You and when we are in Heaven You will play music for us! How You love us Lord- You sing over us as on a day of a festival! We love You Jesus and we praise You now and forever!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Friday of the First Week of Lent

Every Little Prison

All can work for Me, the free man and the one suffering in prison.

What is important is the availability of the soul and the spiritual

freedom which constitutes the culture of the soul. (Jesus) (May 24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today we read how if we are angry, if we are holding onto resentments and unforgiveness and do not let them go there is only one place for us- prison. Because the prison is not as we imagine it, Your judgement of us over every failure, but we put ourselves in prison when we do not settle quickly with opponents even if it is just forgiveness in our own hearts. So many of us think we are free, but we are really suffering in the prisons of our own making. Lord, help us today to forgive all and let us leave resentment at the foot of the cross so that our souls will be fully available for the spiritual freedom You died to give each one of us!

The Effects Of Faith

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Volume 4, March 2, 1902

This morning I felt all concerned, as if the Lord wanted to deprive me again of His presence, and therefore take sufferings away from me; and I also felt a little bit of discouragement. Then, after much waiting, He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, one who nourishes himself with faith acquires divine life, and by acquiring divine life he destroys the human – that is, he destroys within himself the germs which original sin produced, reacquiring the perfect nature, as it came out of my hands, similar to Me. And by this, he comes to surpass in nobility the very angelic nature.” Having said this, He disappeared.

Prayer Meditation- Faith, it is a gift given to us by Baptism, the assurance of things hoped for and unseen! Lord may we nourish ourselves with faith in You as You transform us from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

Ask, Seek, Knock

Jesus: “Ask for abundant graces. The more you ask, the more

you will receive. Ask for others and do not fear that you ask for too

much! I am happy when I give more. Even your desires make Me

happy. (Jesus) (March 4-7, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Ask and it will be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you. Whoever asks, will receive. Whoever seeks, will find. To whomever knocks, it shall be opened. (Matthew 7)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, how timid we are so often in prayer. So afraid to ask for what we really need or to seek what we are looking for. Do we pray to You as our real Father, who loves us far more than our own parents even if they were saints? We see in our lives how, despite our faults, we give what is best to our children. How much more so will You Lord, if we just ask with trust. Even if the answer is no You always hear our prayers and give us what we really need. Lord, today, let us repeat three words for ourselves and our loved ones- ask, seek, knock! Let us pray always with faith and trust!