I know you’re wondering what happened this weekend during my Silent Retreat. These are my personal response notes.. likely to be added here, expanded in other posts. Some substack posts will likely get moved off-site. I am exploring, making permanent.. thinking aloud. You’re very welcome to see what’s going on with my soul. Don’t leave empty-handed, tho.. take what speaks to you. :)
*10/5 additions
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Shaping My Personal Rule of Life:
Look to, speak to, pray to God the Father - - before and after, through, with, & in Jesus, in union with the Holy Spirit.
Everything, as much as I can possibly remember. Return to Him constantly throughout the day, like Jesus.
I charge my dear Guardian Angel, custodian of my life & soul and ask the holy souls in Purgatory to remind me.. that I may all the better love and serve my God and love and pray for my neighbor.
Soul of Mary - that my heart & soul may be an intimate copy of my Mother’s, proof to the world that I am borne of her, that the glory of God may be magnified in her. May she perfect who I am, my identity as little chid of God, daughter & slave of Mary, lover of Christ & adorer of the Holy Spirit.
to more perfectly live my Carmelite Rule, the Beatitudes, and the evangelical counsels of poverty, obedience, and chastity.
Main Takeaways for Myself:
Mary as contemplative.. I want her soul, i.e. I want to reconfigure my soul to Mary’s (holiness doesn’t have a personality, I keep mine, but purify it… I’m thinking disinterested love, God’s given me the grace to be very good at this.)
Take experience, observations, everything into prayer, rather than immediately react.
Mary full of grace, before, after, during Annunciation: Grace today - do not worry about tomorrow. I can’t feel anxious about tomorrow’s grace, or messing up today’s grace believing I won’t receive any tomorrow. I *know* God will be there for me tomorrow, so why worry? I need to take care of the graces He gives me today, to fulfill His Holy Will. The more I do this, the less I will squander. Translates into hope for tomorrow, for myself, for Church. Present moment v. looking at past to anticipate future.. I’ve never been this way, anyway, but that burning fervor needs to be channeled constructively, more likely to prayer for others. This is why I’m a contemplative, a Carmelite.
Renunciation.
Obedience in fear of choice & responsibility.
Reason over emotions.
Blood. Pour out. Sacrifice. The Cross. *BRIDEGROOM. BETROTHAL.
*The devil. His tricks.. I know this guy. Why I don’t think of him more, I don’t know. That’s done. Devil, devil, devil.
Telelogy
Remember:
Last year - Jesus, Holy Spirit
This year - Mary, poverty of soul, God the Father.
Go to God the Father: Mary knew God the Father, then God the Son.
We’re reversed: know Jesus, now know God the Father.
Every moment is a choice. I have freedom to choose. Move beyond my inclinations & emotions, use my reason to respond to God.
From tonight’s Divine Office: Tell yourselves, We are useless servants, for we did only what we should have done.
Also:
Examine wine throughout this weekend. Wine to water before for me, wine all day yesterday during Mass readings, etc. Vineyard. Make wine..
MARY’S VOTIVE MASS on Saturday.
That Twitter Thing:
Twitter Rule of Life
Limit M-W-F, 1 hour
bring some substack ideas over to the main TL.
Push out images from phone w/o having to go to the feed, stay off, cultivate those close friendships.. don’t stop praying for them.
Are they remembering/realizing ready salvation through the sacraments, which is taking part in the life of Jesus’ grace? If the Catholic life calls them, pray they have the holy courage to follow through.. think of these souls, primarily, and their families..
LIVE my little holy life, PUSH out to inspire & help my neighbor. —> I like this.
7 - Converse with friends.. I can’t stand the silence, I love people, care about them, concerned about them.. I want to let them kno, be that contrarian who won’t conform to the way Twitter wants me to behave. I WILL NOT be a voyeur. I will let people know I am present & that I love them.
Me.
Keep writing.
End your day in Scripture, the Bible, Gospels.. the Book, not something online.
Don’t forget Father. You love Him so much already.. speak to Him.
Get sleep, take care of the family, live your life offline.. beauty, goodness, Truth.. show what you see, show it, write about it, glorifying God.. Love. Don't be afraid. Be a saint.
Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam, 10.04.2020
Judith said: Praise ye the Lord our God, who hath not forsaken them that hope in Him. And by me His handmaid He hath fulfilled His mercy..
Judith 13:17-18
Sign up, I’ve more to tell..
.. or recommend & anticipate w/ a friend..