Submit to Eucharistic Letter Revisited

 

 

27          THE EUCHARISTIC LETTER

 

It must be wholly filled with Jesus and with God, with a fullness which I am unable to explain well enough, but which the divine Goodness will bring us to understand. Of this fullness I can only say that it brings it about that the infinite Being of God and of Jesus, intimately present, seems to animate in an almost tangible way the soul and body of a mere ‘nothing’ (neant) and cause it to live by the very holiness of an infinite God who possesses the immensity of all things.

 

Only the Divine Goodness will help the little Designers to understand how the interior Trinitarian life will totally fill them and all their activities. With awe, he marvels that these men and women – ‘the souls and bodies of a mere nothing’ – will tangibly experience the touch of the infinite God ‘vivifying’ them and causing them to live by the very holiness of God. 

 

Many times we hear each other speaking about ‘living in the Heart of God’  and proclaiming ‘we are men and women of active and inclusive love’ … and then in listening to each other’s conversations, we still often see and hear a joylessness, a frustration, an inability to move out of negativity and patterns of dysfunction. Something doesn’t ring true!

 

What’s wrong? Why do these two – words and actions – seemingly not align in the truth? For In truth, if one is really living in the Heart of God, then, as Fr. Medaille says, there will be vitality and spiritual aliveness in the person, in the community. Our sense of what is often missing in our expectations of self and each other, is that we need to acknowledge, that at the same time as we are living in the Heart of God, we may also have an ego-self acting out. We will all need to address our codependence and attachments if healthy ‘loving’ is to become integral to our new way of life in these Little Design communities.

 

The interplay of ‘a dying somewhere’ and then ‘a rising to new life’ must be the constant Paschal Mystery cycle for our spiritual health. It is the only way to touch into mysticism. We recall Medaille’s words in an outburst of enlightenment: “Grant that in this stripping away and this dying I may be an eternal holocaust in the presence of your supreme majesty, and that wholly consumed and emptied in you, I may be nothing and effect nothing of myself.” (Maxims, Part 2, Chapter 1)  

 

Medaille is confident we can reach this higher consciousness here and now. So let us strive to be mindful in the present moment and generously make acts of self-emptying love whenever necessary. Then experience the ‘fullness of God’ that makes us come truly alive.

 

Can you share a story of this ‘fullness of God’?

 

Comments  

#5 stmarys 2013-06-11 16:14
I love the first sentence of Paragraph 27. Even Medaille cannot explain this self-emptying adequately. He lets it up to God to speak to each of us individually - what wisdom! I believe it happens differently for each one of us. As I read through Rosemary's and Arletteh's comments, this became apparent. In my own life I find MY plans, My direction often get thwarted. When I let go, listen and observe, God shows the way...and many times through untapped, unrecognized sources - teaching me to be more open and inclusive. It's a life-long process. Each day brings new ways/opportunit ies to experience our emptying of self and being filled with God's love - to share with others.
#4 arletteh 2013-03-03 19:33
"What are my fields of energy right now?"and "Can I share a story of this vivifying fulness of God"?My husband and I(our little design group?)have ,along with Christian meditation,shar ed , for our evening prayer, a short excerpt from the Scriptures of the day, for some time now,and also, we do a state of the heart sharing. A couple of days ago, he in the surprised tone of discovery,annou nced:"Oh now I can begin to see the meaning of God's word! I can understand it!" The underground stream that prayer and meditation created, has surfaced!It is vivifying him and me with its fulness! Praise God!The reflections in these lessons also, are bursting forth their little streams. Thank you!
#3 virginia 2013-03-03 18:06
Yes, Rosemary and David--Let it be! in me! in You! in US! It is good to constantly be aware of this filling that occurs when we abide. It is when we set ourselves aside and act in Jesus as a vine on its branches. It is vivifying and like Medialle points out - it causes us insignificant human beings to be alive, and powerful instruments... filled with the love that is fruitful and.....infinit e!
#2 rosemaryo 2013-03-03 14:09
Yes, I can see that I am in the flow of this divine grace working through me in my limited humanity: Next weekend five of us spiritual directors from The Upper Room are hosting our first-ever Lenten Retreat Weekend at a new facility in Aylmer, Quebec.While there have been several retreats and conferences and workshops over the years,it seems the final preparation stages always seem to surface some annoying inner turmoil within me with the 'extra work' that these events require. I have learned to embrace these 'agitations' and keep inviting God to empty me and fill me with Great Love. It seems in the 'stretching days' my little ego-self is suffering and yes, being further purified. On the day itself, I always experience such a magentic flow of LOVE energy moving through me and in the gathered group. I so welcome and trust the 'hollowing out' days of preparation for I know God's little plan with me, so well! And yes, this weekend retreat is called Boundless Compassion: Living at the Heart of the Gospel.... so I can only imagine the experience of being in the BIG 'fullness of God' - for myself and for the 45 retreatants already registered. I imagine Medaille must have known this experience well ... and many of you PASS THROUGH these little daily dyings to enjoy the deeper, fuller, richer life - yes, enjoying, even here and now, 'the fullness of God!
#1 daviddhunoo 2013-03-03 05:21
Ephesians 1:10,17-23,Colo ssians 2:9 For in him dwelled all the fulness of God-Head bodily I see Paul as well as J.P.Medaille writing are challenged,but we can strive with the help of The Holy Spirit remove that is not Godly or self-empty , humanly we cannot do it ,1 Corinthians 15:53 :For this corruptible must put on the incorruptibly and this mortal must put on immortally :We set our mind on this to be Like Jesus ,the prayer of our Lord John 17:21 to be ONE with The FATHER and The SON . By faith we can experience the Fulness of God . Amen. Let it be.

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