"Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." ~Matthew 4:19
Humility, suffering, spiritual assault, and living in imitation of Christ: considering the best response to evil assaults that occur directly and through other people.
We all face such circumstances. Sometimes we are the target, and other times we are the transgressors. Whenever someone treats another person unkindly, we are wise to remain mindful that Jesus always treats us with kindness and respect, and it is God's will that we treat each other that same way.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." ~John 13:34
Are you suffering persecution for being a follower of Christ? We all need to be reminded, every day, of God's new commandment that we love one another as God loves us. How we treat others is a direct indication of how close we are to Christ. People who mock others for their obedience and holiness also mock Jesus. Little do such people realize that they should instead be weeping! Our adversary has them fooled into mocking the very people Jesus has sent to help guide them to greater intimacy with the Divine, and to help deliver them from their spiritual poverty.
On the other hand, if you are suffering from evil assaults, there is cause for rejoicing! You are suffering in this way because it means that by living in imitation of Christ, you bear His likeness. God asks us to not only recognize, accept, return, and share His love; He calls His close friends to be crucified.
"Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." ~ Luke 9:23
This seems very frightening and difficult at first, but every time we say to Him, "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine," we are in fact asking God to transform us, totally, into Christ. As that is being accomplished, we find ourselves more and more willing to travel along our own personal Way of the Cross, encountering both those who love us and those who hate us as we make our way to Calvary.
During this transformation, we become His mirror image and reflect Him to the world. As His mirrors, our reactions to criticism and also to praise are very important, because our responses as representatives of Christ are on display to countless others. Yes, it is difficult and painful to be the target of others' hostility, even when it is misdirected or is the result of others' unresolved pain or even lack of knowledge. It is also difficult to not be poisoned by our pride when the world praises us. As Christ's disciples, we are obligated to respond to these events in imitation of Christ.
Some people hated Christ's message, but He forgave them and continued preaching anyway. Others conspired against Him and tried to trick Him, but He maintained his focus on accomplishing God's will, kept telling people the truth, kept loving, kept forgiving, remained humble and obedient, prayed much, and as a result, we see the ramifications of His decisions not only impacting the people that lived at that time in history, but also impacting those who lived before that time and for all who were and are to come after. We see His love bearing fruit in the present day. God's saving love is extended to us, and is available to us, through all time and in eternity.
Jesus, the most loving of men, was willing to be hated, lied to, cheated, mocked, and even murdered for our Redemption because of His unfathomable love for us. He consented, God's will was accomplished through Him through all time, and we are the beneficiaries. Truly, we are loved and valued beyond measure.
We, too must cooperate with God's most perfect will. This collaboration is decided countless times throughout the course of our lives, each and every day, moment by moment. Every time we choose to resist, every time we refuse to cooperate with His grace, God's plan for loving us, and loving humanity through us, cannot come to fruition as intended. How incredibly sorrowful, even unthinkable, it is to consider the mere prospect of such a thing.
The very best way we can cooperate with God is by focusing first and foremost on our own spiritual development, working as hard as we can to master our own behavior, while spending as little time and effort as we can focused on the imperfections of other people.
It is difficult, but not impossible.
"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth." 1 Corinthians 13:6
The lives of the saints and martyrs, including the legacies of St. Anthony of Padua and Servant of God, Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., teach us much with regards to our own journey toward complete self mastery. As we ascend higher, we learn that it is vital to remain very close to God, and to always make ourselves the focus of our dissatisfaction. The ability to reach and change the lives of other people for the better is always in direct proportion to the effort we put into overcoming our own faults and mastering our own sinful natures.
As we make progress mastering our behavior, we cease handing ourselves over to Satan's influence. We also learn to recognize how often we did so in the past, perhaps without even realizing it at the time.
As we grow in holiness and our adversary's power over us from within ourselves decreases, it naturally follows that assaults from sources external to us will increase. This can include unkindness, criticisms, threats, being mocked, and physical attacks. And as we become more and more like Christ, we expect to be crucified. We follow in the footsteps of the saints and martyrs. We also find ourselves able to embrace our cross with joy as Jesus did with His!
"Take my yoke on you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart..." ~Matthew 11: 29
Love alone makes this all possible.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." ~1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
By ourselves we are weak and can accomplish nothing. Everything we have accomplished had as its genesis the immeasurable power of God's love. If anyone is unhappy with your efforts on behalf of our beloved Savior, then such individuals need to take up their grievances with our Creator. We all would do well to study and meditate on our Blessed Mother and what her "Fiat" meant for all of humanity. May we always strive to live and love in imitation of Jesus and His Mother, Mary.
"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
~1 Corinthians 13: 11-12
God is at work in you!
A Reconciliation Prayer
(say it as is, or us it as a guide to create your own)
Oh sweet Author of Life,
Your pardon I seek as I kneel before Your Cross.
Lord, forgive me.
Immerse me in Your compassion,
for I have so little to offer you.
Even my petition for forgiveness comes from You.
You long for my approach, though wounded,
so generously willing to exchange human iniquity
with the Love that annihilates and saves,
when the soul but accepts Your invitation.
I give my nothingness entirely to You.
Divine Justice, have mercy on me,
and may all my brothers and sisters benefit also,
especially those most in need of Your saving grace.
Blood of Christ wash over me,
and transform my self into You.
Make of me the mirror
that reflects Your love to Your beloved.
I thank You for Your sacrifice and invitation,
for Your patience while awaiting my response,
as I seek Your will
while You encourage me to make my own choices.
For lovingly creating, guiding, and consoling me,
for all You have generously given me,
including the grace to recognize
that which on my own I cannot see.
For allowing me to lose, that I may win.
For giving me the opportunity to journey with You
along Your Way of the Cross.
I accept Your love,
and return to You my heart united with Yours
along with my obedience.
Thank You for everything, Thy will be done;
accept my petition to fill this dry well
with Your Divine Presence. 1
Amen.
Ask God to tell you when and where He wants you to recite your beautiful prayer.
He is so in love with you!
A Reconciliation Prayer
(say it as is, or us it as a guide to create your own)
Oh sweet Author of Life,
Your pardon I seek as I kneel before Your Cross.
Lord, forgive me.
Immerse me in Your compassion,
for I have so little to offer you.
Even my petition for forgiveness comes from You.
You long for my approach, though wounded,
so generously willing to exchange human iniquity
with the Love that annihilates and saves,
when the soul but accepts Your invitation.
I give my nothingness entirely to You.
Divine Justice, have mercy on me,
and may all my brothers and sisters benefit also,
especially those most in need of Your saving grace.
Blood of Christ wash over me,
and transform my self into You.
Make of me the mirror
that reflects Your love to Your beloved.
I thank You for Your sacrifice and invitation,
for Your patience while awaiting my response,
as I seek Your will
while You encourage me to make my own choices.
For lovingly creating, guiding, and consoling me,
for all You have generously given me,
including the grace to recognize
that which on my own I cannot see.
For allowing me to lose, that I may win.
For giving me the opportunity to journey with You
along Your Way of the Cross.
I accept Your love,
and return to You my heart united with Yours
along with my obedience.
Thank You for everything, Thy will be done;
accept my petition to fill this dry well
with Your Divine Presence. 1
Amen.
Ask God to tell you when and where He wants you to recite your beautiful prayer.
He is so in love with you!
__________________
Sources:
Sources:
Images taken at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Slovak Roman Catholic Church, Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S.A., in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
1. Written and Compiled by Michele Elena Bondi, God Moments: Stories That Inspire, Moments To Remember (Rochester, MI: Joseph Karl Publishing, 2010), pp. 175-176.
1. Written and Compiled by Michele Elena Bondi, God Moments: Stories That Inspire, Moments To Remember (Rochester, MI: Joseph Karl Publishing, 2010), pp. 175-176.